Arkansas and Texas Tech will have vastly different rosters when they arrive in Memphis on Monday ahead of the 2024 Liberty Bowl.
While both squads are missing key contributors, the Razorbacks’ two-deep is a shell of what it was throughout the regular season.
At least half of Arkansas’ starters have either opted out of the bowl game to focus on the NFL Draft or entered the transfer portal to explore opportunities elsewhere, not to mention several backups. That has forced Sam Pittman to scrape together a depth chart featuring names even the most diehard fans know nothing about.
With the transfer portal window not closing until Saturday, plus the Razorbacks getting an additional four days because their bowl game is Friday, the dust hasn’t completely settled yet.
However, the flurry of departures seems to have died down and we finally got a sense of who is and isn’t available over the weekend when the Liberty Bowl sent out depth charts and rosters for both Arkansas and Texas Tech.
Using that information, and snap counts from Pro Football Focus, Best of Arkansas Sports was able to calculate just how depleted both teams will be when they square off in Memphis.
We’ll start with a look at the offense. The Razorbacks will be without players who accounted for 48.7% of their snaps, which is significantly more than the Red Raiders’ 27.2% of offensive snaps lost.
Those numbers could change based on a couple of players still up in the air for the Liberty Bowl or unknown injuries, but they should be pretty close and paint a picture of just how tough Friday’s matchup will be for Pittman and his staff.
Here’s a closer look at which specific players are out and who’ll be filling in for them on that side of the ball…
(NOTE: As a reminder, the players who’ve committed to Arkansas – and other schools – out of the transfer portal since the end of the regular season are not allowed to play with their new teams in the postseason.)
Arkansas vs Texas Tech Offensive Depth Chart
Offensive Skill Positions
Arkansas
| POS | First | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Taylen Green | KJ Jackson | Blake Boda |
| RB | Rodney Hill | Tyrell Reed Jr. | JuJu Pope |
| TE | Andreas Paaske | Maddox Lassiter | Kyle Thompson |
| WR (X) | Monte Harrison | Dazmin James | |
| WR (W) | Isaac TeSlaa | Krosse Johnson -OR- | Bryce Stephens |
| WR (Z) | CJ Brown | Shamar Easter |
- OUT: WR Andrew Armstrong (NFL Draft), WR Isaiah Sategna (transfer portal), TE Luke Hasz (transfer portal), RB Ja’Quinden Jackson (NFL Draft), RB Rashod Dubinion (transfer portal), TE Ty Washington (dismissed/transfer portal), QB Malachi Singleton (transfer portal), TE Var’keyes Gumms (dismissed/transfer portal), WR Davion Dozier (transfer portal), WR Khafre Brown (injured), WR Jaedon Wilson (transfer portal)
- TBD: WR Jordan Anthony
- BACK: RB Braylen Russell, WR Tyrone Broden
Texas Tech
| POS | First | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Will Hammond | Jake Strong | |
| RB | Tahj Brooks | Cameron Dickey | J’Koby Williams |
| TE | Mason Tharp -OR- | Jalin Conyers -OR- | Johncarlos Miller II |
| WR (Y) | Jalin Conyers | Kelby Valsin | |
| WR (Z) | Caleb Douglas | Jordan Brown | |
| WR (H) | Drae McCray | Jordan Brown | |
| WR (X) | Coy Eakin | Brady Boyd |
- OUT: QB Behren Morton (injured), WR Josh Kelly (NFL Draft), WR Micah Hudson (transfer portal), RB Cam’Ron Valdez (transfer portal), QB Cameran Brown (transfer portal)
The biggest missing piece for Texas Tech is starting quarterback Behren Morton, who had shoulder surgery earlier this month. He was the 12th-leading passer in the FBS with 3,335 yards to go along with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions. With him out, the Red Raiders are turning to true freshman Will Hammond. It will be his first career start, but he did get 79 offensive snaps throughout the season, including extensive action against TCU.
That is one area where Arkansas actually has a distinct advantage. While backup Malachi Singleton hit the portal, Taylen Green has already announced his intention to return for a second season in Fayetteville. But that’s about all the Razorbacks have coming back at the skill positions.
Andrew Armstrong (leading receiver) and Ja’Quinden Jackson (leading rusher) opted out to focus on the NFL Draft, while tight end Luke Hasz, wide receiver Isaiah Sategna and running back Rashod Dubinion entered the transfer portal.
Hasz’s departure, coupled with the midseason dismissals of Ty Washington and Var’keyes Gumms, has left the Razorbacks dangerously thin at tight end. Andreas Paaske is the only one in the group with a reception this season (all 3 were in the same game), while Maddox Lassiter was recently awarded a scholarship. Kyle Thompson is a walk-on who moved from defensive line to fullback this season.
Of course, Arkansas is also thin at running back — but maybe not as much now that Braylen Russell is back in the fold after withdrawing from the transfer portal a second time. Assuming he doesn’t leave again and is available in the bowl, the Razorbacks will have him and Rodney Hill as guys who’ve played at least some meaningful snaps in 2024. That isn’t the case for Tyrell Reed Jr. and JuJu Pope, the latter of whom is a true freshman who moved from defense to running back during the season.
At wide receiver, it could be the Isaac TeSlaa Show. He moved into the starting lineup late in the season and probably deserved more targets than he got, so perhaps the Razorbacks could make up for that in the Liberty Bowl. Most of their other options are significantly unproven, but they did hint at the return of a veteran Sunday night.
HawgSports’ Trey Biddy reported Friday that Tyrone Broden wasn’t with the team and his status for the bowl was “TBD” after he was left off the depth chart and roster released by the Liberty Bowl. However, a photo of Broden was included in an Instagram post by the official team account on Sunday evening, indicating he had returned and would likely be available to play this week. (He’s a super senior and out of eligibility after this year, so there would be no other reason for him to be practicing.)
While he struggled with drops and eventually lost his starting job to TeSlaa, Broden played 516 snaps this season and at least gives Arkansas another experienced option at receiver. That’s especially important given Biddy’s other report that Jordan Anthony – a prime candidate to start in place of Sategna – was currently out because of “a family matter and is doubtful” for Friday’s game. If Anthony doesn’t play, Arkansas’ percentage of offensive snaps unavailable for the bowl would tick up to 52.3%.
The current projected starters alongside TeSlaa are true freshmen CJ Brown and Monte Harrison. The former’s lone reception during the regular season resulted in a costly fumble against Texas, while the latter is a 29-year-old former MLB player. Backups include redshirt freshman Dazmin James, true freshman Kross Johnson, veteran reserve Bryce Stephens and recently converted tight end Shamar Easter. Those six players combined for six receptions and 115 offensive snaps this year.
The loss of Armstrong could be considered a wash with Texas Tech’s 1,000-yard receiver, Josh Kelly, also choosing to focus on the NFL Draft rather than play in the bowl, but the Red Raiders are otherwise fine at receiver. Caleb Douglas and Coy Eakin are still listed as starters after combining for 100 catches, 1,367 yards and 12 touchdowns this year, plus backups Brady Boyd and Jordan Brown are sticking around for the bowl despite being in the transfer portal.
Quarterback Jake Strong, the new backup with Morton injured, is also in the portal, but will serve as Texas Tech’s QB2 in the Liberty Bowl anyways. They are part of Texas Tech football coach Joey McGuire’s new-age approach to transfers.
“We’re trying to do it different (than other programs) because it’s bigger than just football, and these guys have done a lot for this university so we’re not going to turn our back on them,” McGuire told reporters last week.
That’s not the only unique player-friendly policy McGuire has taken ahead of the Liberty Bowl. He is also allowing star running back Tahj Brooks, who’s run for 3,043 yards and 27 touchdowns over the last two seasons, to go through bowl practices despite not being fully committed to playing in the game.
As of now, the plan is for Brooks to play, but he could choose to opt out and focus on the draft at any point. If that’s the route he takes, Texas Tech’s percentage of unavailable offensive snaps would jump up to 33.9% and it would be forced to turn to the freshman duo of Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams, who’ve combined for just 264 yards and two scores on 52 carries this season.
The Red Raiders also have all three of their tight ends who played between 338 and 471 offensive snaps. That includes Jalin Conyers, who is not only a threat in the passing game (29 rec., 308 yds., 5 TD), but has played some wildcat quarterback with one passing and rushing touchdown each.
Arkansas
| POS | First | Second |
|---|---|---|
| LT | Fernando Carmona Jr. | E’Marion Harris |
| LG | Keyshawn Blackstock | Luke Brown |
| C | Brooks Edmonson -OR- | Joe More |
| RG | Kobe Branham | Josh Street |
| RT | E’Marion Harris | Joe More |
- OUT: RG Joshua Braun (transfer portal), C Addison Nichols (transfer portal), LG Patrick Kutas (transfer portal), OL Amaury Wiggins (transfer portal), OL Ty’Kieast Crawford (transfer portal)
Texas Tech
| POS | First | Second |
|---|---|---|
| LT | Jacob Ponton | Jaxon Hughes |
| LG | Sterling Porcher | Nick Fattig Holton Hendrix |
| C | Sheridan Wilson | Caleb Rodkey |
| RG | Davion Carter | Dylan Shaw |
| RT | Caleb Rogers | Daniel Sill |
- OUT: LT Ty Buchanan (transfer portal), OL Dalton Merryman (transfer portal)
Both teams are down multiple significant contributors up front, but the situation is much more dire for the Razorbacks.
Arkansas lost the entire interior of its offensive line to the transfer portal, as left guard Patrick Kutas (Ole Miss), center Addison Nichols (SMU) and right guard Joshua Braun (Kentucky) are heading to other Power Four programs.
It does have starting tackles Fernando Carmona (left) and E’Marion Harris (right), though, as well as sixth man Keyshawn Blackstock, who was the starting right tackle for half of the season before moving to left guard and getting beat out by Kutas. He’ll fill in as the starter there.
As for the other guard spot, true freshman Kobe Branham will get the nod on the right side for his first career start after playing 11 total snaps during the regular season.
At center, Brooks Edmonson is likely the frontrunner because he replaced an injured Nichols for one snap against Louisiana Tech – despite Joe More going through pregame warmups with backup quarterback Malachi Singleton for much of the year. Edmonson was a walk-on until going on scholarship after the regular season, while More is a transfer from Syracuse who spent the first four years of his career at FCS Richmond, primarily playing right tackle.
Even though he’s taken a grand total of 61 offensive snaps in two years at the FBS level, More is probably the sixth man for the bowl game, as he could fill in if there’s an injury anywhere on the line. That’s especially true with several backups also entering the portal.
Texas Tech will be without Ty Buchanan and Dalton Merryman, both of whom hit the transfer portal. The former was originally the Red Raiders’ starting right tackle, but moved to left tackle late in the year, replacing the latter.
Similar to Branham for Arkansas, Texas Tech is set to give a true freshman his first start in their place. Former four-star recruit Jacob Ponton, who stands 6-foot-8, 280 pounds, played 30 offensive snaps across three appearances this season.
The Red Raiders also have some depth thanks to Kaden Carr and Garrett Morphis sticking around for the bowl game despite being in the transfer portal.
Even with Ponton’s lack of experience, Texas Tech’s five projected starters on the offensive line played a combined 3,515 offensive snaps. That’s more than the 2,357 combined snaps by the Razorbacks’ top six linemen for the Liberty Bowl.
How to Watch the 2024 Liberty Bowl
Date: Friday, Dec. 27
Location: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tenn.)
Kickoff/TV: 6 p.m. CT (ESPN)
On the Call: Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst), Paul Carcaterra (sideline reporter)
ESPN FPI: Arkansas has a 56.3% chance to win
Betting Line/Odds: Arkansas, -1.5 | O/U 53 (BetSaracen)
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Read more about the Liberty Bowl:
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After the Liberty Bowl, all attention will turn to next season. Here’s what the 2025 Arkansas football roster looks like so far:
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