FAYETTEVILLE - In his first meeting with media since Arkansas first-team All-SEC receiver Treylon Burks opted out of the Razorbacks Jan. 1 Outback Bowl game against Penn State to turn pro, Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman addressed Burks’ impact on these 8-4 Razorbacks’ progress and now how to fill his roles against Penn State.
Burks, 66 catches for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns plus 14 rushes for 112 yards, is preserving his health for the spring’s NFL draft. He’s currently rated a late first-round/early second round draft choice with stock bound to rise during the NFL Combine interviews, Pittman said.
“He’ll raise it because they’re going to meet him,” Pittman said. “He’s a phenomenal kid.”
It would have been truly Arkansas phenomenal to have Burks for this bowl game and a 2022 senior season, but Pittman knows to treasure what the junior from Warren has produced.
“It’s hard for me to be disappointed in a man that leaves after three years and doesn’t play in a bowl and those things, when all the things that he’s done for the University and for the football team and for me personally.” Pittman said. “He’s just a phenomenal guy.”
Pittman said Burks, 6-3, 225, has all the tools on the field and off to be a great professional.
“Great character,” Pittman said. “And when he's one on one, just throw it to him and he'll be able to come down with it if it's anywhere close to He's got a bright, bright future in the game and a bright future outside of the game. I think the whole state of Arkansas is proud of what he did. I certainly am. We're very thankful that he was here for three years."
Pittman said he and Burks discussed various options, including possibilities of insurance policies, first when Burks pondered whether to return for next season, and then whether to play in the bowl.
Not that it was needed, Pittman said, but the coach said he “supports,” Burks’ decision.
Regarding replacing Burks against Penn State, one man can’t.
So the offense has to respond in different ways.
“He’s so valuable to us,” Pittman said. “I mean, so valuable. Everybody in the building knew we were going to go to him, including the guy that was guarding him. So, yeah I think some of that is maybe gonna change what we do.”
And from what Penn State’s defense would do if Burks was in the game vs. now he isn’t.
“I anticipate a heavy box from Penn State,” Pittman said, knowing minus Burks the Hogs all the more will rely on the run. “I anticipate a full seven man box against them, probably a man-to-man free type situation even though they’re a zone blitz team. I would think they’d try to outnumber us in the box and try to stuff our run game.”
Especially since he’s had weeks to refresh from a grueling season and no game after this until the 2022 season opener Sept. 3 against Cincinnati, expect 6-3, 245 quarterback KJ Jefferson to shoulder more of the running back load and for running backs Dominique Johnson and Raheim “Rocket” Sanders to be more healed from late season leg and shoulder injuries.
“I think he (Jefferson) is going to run if we need him to win the game,” Pittman said. “Obviously we went into Ole Miss thinking that would be the way for us to win the game, and I’m not sure for us that it didn’t affect him a little bit against Auburn, being beat up and those things. But we don’t play anybody after this game and e’re going out there to do the best we can and use our personnel the best we can to win.”
Meanwhile, senior De’Vion Warren, coming off his best game with a 55-yarder among one of his three catches for 60 yards plus a 32-yard run on one carry in the 34-17 regular season-finale victory over Missouri, has switched from out wide to Burks’ slot while true freshmen Ketron Jackson and Bryce Stephens, and transfers Warren Thompson via Florida State, Jaquayln Crawford via Oklahoma all have increased opportunities.
Pittman looks at Helena native senior Tyson Morris, now the numerical receivers leader, 21 catches, 305 yards and two touchdowns, leading in the clubhouse on into his last Razorbacks game.
“Tyson Morris is going to have to pick up a little for Burks not being there,” Pittman said.
So far the Razorbacks had two short non-contact practices going into Tuesday’s short practices in shells.
Freshman place-kicker Cam Little and backup punter Sam Loy vie to replace Vito Calvaruso kicking off against Penn State.
Because he also wants to kick field goals which looks to be Little’s job through 2024, Calvaruso put his name in the transfer portal as Mr. Automatic for kicking no-return kickoffs out of the end zone.
“There was probably about a two- to three-yard (kickoff) difference on average on Vito and Cam, so we feel very confident we can kick it out,” Pittman said. “But I hated to lose Vito. Very valuable to us on those kickoffs.”