Five Razorbacks to watch against BYU LT Andrew Chamblee
Individual matchups can alter the final score of any college football game, with each week presenting new responsibilities and challenges up and down a program's roster.
This week, Arkansas football faces its biggest test of the young season in BYU. The Cougars have won six-straight games dating back to last season, and BYU is 31-9 in its last 40 games. With the primetime matchup, there are exciting storylines to watch within the Razorbacks' roster.
Here are five players to watch for Arkansas in the matchup against the Cougars (Saturday, 6 p.m. CT, ESPN2):
CB Dwight McGlothern
McGlothern is dealing with turf toe and played one snap against Kent State. He is by far the Razorbacks' most experienced cornerback and will need to be close to his A-game against a dynamic BYU passing attack.
Quarterback Kedon Slovis threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns last week against Southern Utah, and BYU coach Kalani Sitake said he believes star wide receiver Kody Epps will return from injury this week. If McGlothern can lockdown one side of the field, the Arkansas defense's task gets much easier.
QB KJ Jefferson
We could probably put Jefferson on this list every week, but until Arkansas figures out its struggling run game, Jefferson needs to be a prolific passer to win these big matchups on the schedule.
Sam Pittman basically guaranteed Wednesday that Jefferson would be a fixture in the run game, but his arm holds the key. Jefferson had arguably the best performance of his career last year against BYU, and something close to that performance would do wonders for the Razorbacks' offense.
According to Pro Football Focus, BYU defensive end Tyler Batty already has nine pressures through the first two games. Batty only has one sack, but those pressures alone can do enough to disrupt a quarterbacks' rhythm.
Batty lines up all over the line of scrimmage, but the matchup I'm most excited to watch is when the BYU senior shifts over to Jefferson's blind side and takes on Chamblee.
The Arkansas left tackle edged out Devon Manuel to start each of the Hogs' first two games, but there still might be a competition if Chamblee struggles against the better competition on the schedule. Saturday night
will be a huge opportunity for Chamblee to put a vice grip on the position, and the entire offensive line is under pressure to perform well.
It's been a rocky start to Paul's sophomore season. He missed both fall scrimmages and didn't start the first game of the season as he worked back from injury. When he did get on the field, he committed a targeting penalty and was suspended for the first half of Week 2.
But Paul flashed against Kent State, making a tackle in the fourth quarter that helped propel a goal-line stand for the Arkansas defense. Paul will likely start alongside Jaheim Thomas against BYU, with no restrictions for the first time this season. He's itching to get 2023 into high-gear.
"I sat back and just prided myself on once I come back, I've got a lot to make up for, and that's fine," Paul said.
P Max Fletcher
Fletcher has been terrific through two games, averaging 47.4 yards a punt with three pins inside the opponent's red zone.
Don't think a punter is exciting to watch? In a game that could be close, field position and any special teams margins could prove vastly important. Fletcher struggled last year. He's one to keep an eye on during Arkansas' first meaningful game of the 2023 campaign.