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Injuries during the season have plagued Arkansas during Bret Bielema’s time here. Especially last year, but there could be some missing, yet familiar, faces during the Belk Bowl vs Virgina Tech.
Arkansas has had their fair share of injuries under head coach Bret Bielema. Injuries to Keon Hatcher and Johnathon Williams last year had many Hog fans thinking the end was near. In their absence came, now Razorback staples, Drew Morgan and Rawleigh Williams.
That was last year and this is this year. The Razorbacks took some blows this year on defense thanks to injuries and overcoming them has been a challenge all season. There are few, including myself, that have even accounted for the loss of Kevin Richardson and Dre Greenlaw as much as we should have when looking at the problems with the Arkansas defense.
Junior cornerback, Kevin Richardson, aka K-Rich, was an early loss for Arkansas this season. Richardson has been out since the Louisiana Tech game, where he suffered a severely torn pectoral. He may have been the Hog’s second-team cornerback but he was first-team nickleback.
Another defensive loss this season is Dre Greenlaw. Greenlaw suffered his season-ending injury, which was a broken foot, against Alabama. When you think about the weak linebacker play for Arkansas this year, the missing component of Greenlaw is a reason for that. Greenlaw had one forced fumble and two tackles against Alabama.
Kody Walker was the biggest loss for the Hogs on the offensive side of the ball. If you haven’t read my piece on Walker and his season/career ending injury, you can find it here. Walker had been playing this season after suffering a broken foot. Although he had surgery, it never healed correctly and after the Ole Miss game, he was out for the year which meant the rest of his career as a Razorback.
Possibility of a Return and a Definite Not
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During his bowl game prep press conference, Bret Bielema addressed the possibility of these three players returning for the Belk Bowl on December 29. One player, he said, would definitely be out and the other two he stated were possible.
Greenlaw, he stated, is a possible returning player. He later said Walker could be an “outside possibility” for an appearance in the bowl game with Virginia Tech. Greenlaw has practiced but under no contact guidelines. “The next step is contact drills”, Bielema said talking about the possibility of a return of Dre.
When he spoke on Richardson, he made sure to say that he was not playing. Richardson has been practicing but like with Dre, no contact. Against Virginia Tech, having K-Rich back would have been a huge deal for this defense against Jerod Evans and the threat he poses.
This will be something that will be verified as the Belk Bowl gets closer. It would be big if either of the two listed as “possible” can make a return for the game when Arkansas takes on Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl on December 29. Woo pig!
