Times have been relatively great at Arkansas in recent years, though this program underwent a major change last offseason. After Eric Musselman\u2019s decision to head back to the west coast, the Razorbacks took a massive swing and landed longtime Kentucky coach John Calipari. There weren\u2019t any questions about Calipari\u2019s ability to bring recruits and build a winning culture but would he be able to recapture that magic in Fayetteville after some rough years up in Lexington?<\/p>\n
Some of those questions were answered last season, as Calipari\u2019s debut went about as great as humanly possible. The Razorbacks weren\u2019t a top team in the SEC, but hung tough throughout one of the strongest seasons for a conference in college basketball history. When the games really mattered, Arkansas showed up, upsetting Kansas and St. John\u2019s to make the Sweet Sixteen before falling just short against Texas Tech for a 22-win campaign.<\/p>\n
These days, building a successful program isn\u2019t just about the freshmen recruiting that Calipari has handled masterfully throughout his coaching career. Arkansas leaned heavily on transfers like Johnell Davis and Adou Theiro who won\u2019t be back this season, though a crop of young talent is looking to make their mark instead. The Razorbacks added another elite recruiting class and even found some key pieces in the portal yet again.<\/p>\n
What kind of season can we expect from the Razorbacks in year two under Calipari\u2019s leadership? We\u2019re going to look at the pieces assembled by this coaching staff and try to figure out their rotation while also looking ahead to the important games on the schedule. The SEC should remain an absolutely brutal dogfight, but the Razorbacks just might have the talent to have a say in how things develop.<\/p>\n
Projected Starters<\/strong>Guard \u2013 D. J. Wagner (Junior)<\/strong><\/p>\n Named All-Freshman in the SEC under Calipari at Kentucky, Wagner <\/a>followed his head coach to the Razorbacks last season and served an important role during that postseason run. The former 5-star recruit averaged 11.2 points and 3.6 assists at the point and becomes an even more important presence this season, especially with the youth around him in the backcourt.<\/p>\n Guard \u2013 Darius Acuff Jr. (Freshman)<\/strong><\/p>\n Considered by most sites a Top 5 recruit in this freshman class, Acuff comes to Fayetteville with raised expectations and should immediately be a major contributor. He\u2019s perhaps the most dynamic freshman guard in the country and will get a shot to make moves at both backcourt positions. He\u2019s the kind of player who makes everyone around him just a bit better and could prove very consequential to Arkansas\u2019s hopes this season as a leader even as a true freshman.<\/p>\n Guard\/Forward \u2013 Karter Knox (Sophomore)<\/strong><\/p>\n Last year saw Knox <\/a>show signs of brilliance, proving the 6-6 forward out of Tampa really was a highly-touted prospect. Considered a Top 25 recruit, his freshman year saw him average 8.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game with decent shooting numbers. Knox really started to put everything together in the latter half of the season and with another year of development could be an outstanding wing in this offense.<\/p>\n Forward \u2013 Trevon Brazile (Senior)<\/strong><\/p>\n Brazile <\/a>has dealt with a few injuries over the years and now enters the fifth season of his career; his fourth in Arkansas. Last year under Calipari\u2019s leadership, Brazile wasn\u2019t as impressive, but the 6-9 forward from Missouri averaged 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds and really found his footing late in the season. He started every game in March and was monumental in their postseason, with Arkansas hoping for even more from in his senior season.<\/p>\n Forward \u2013 Nick Pringle (Senior)<\/strong><\/p>\n No stranger to the SEC, Pringle <\/a>arrives after previous experience with Wofford, Alabama, and South Carolina. After decent work with the Crimson Tide, Pringle had his best season with the Gamecocks last year, averaging 9.5 points and 6.3 rebounds as a starting forward during a tough year for that program. The 6-9 forward now has a chance to secure a major role in Arkansas\u2019s frontcourt, though he\u2019s not the only one fighting for major minutes.<\/p>\n Key Reserves<\/strong>Guard \u2013 Meleek Thomas (Freshman)<\/strong><\/p>\n A 5-star shooting guard out of Atlanta, Thomas has a chance to step into a major role right off the bat with Arkansas. He\u2019s a freshman and his game is still coming together, but he\u2019s a high volume scorer who can make difficult shots and produce all over the court. With the depth lost this offseason, Thomas\u2019s role could be a very important one if he transitions smoothly to the college game.<\/p>\n Forward \u2013 Malique Ewin (Senior)<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite being a former Top 100 recruit, things didn\u2019t work out at Ole Miss and Ewin <\/a>went the junior college route. Last year at Florida State, he really found his footing, averaging 14.2 points and 7.6 rebounds while leading the ACC in field goal percentage at just 59.6%. Ewin is a quality rebounder and impressive paint presence who could work his way into the starting lineup or at least get those kinds of minutes.<\/p>\n