There’s no secret that the Arkansas Razorbacks are currently the laughing stock of SEC football. Unfortunately, that’s the truth. I mean, how many other teams is Georgia running drills on between plays like they did last week against Arkansas?

Part of being that laughing stock is always having at least one very good player. Unfortunately, bad football wastes that player. In Arkansas’s case, it usually feels like it’s a wide receiver in that position.

Chris Marshall could be the latest example. Sure, they played Tulsa, but Marshall looked unguardable, and the Hogs once again have an elite receiver on their team, one of the best in the SEC, to waste his talents away. Marshall finished Saturday with nine catches for 195 yards and a touchdown. That touchdown was actually his first of the year. Regardless, Marshall was unguardable.

“We can’t block them, and we can’t cover No. 6,” Tulsa head coach Tre Lamb said. “That’s the way I saw the first half.”

With his performance, Marshall became the SEC’s leading receiver through Week 4 with 473 yards. He surpassed Ole Miss’ Deuce Alexander (429 yards) and Mississippi State’s Anthony Evans (408) to take the conference’s lead. Marshall has averaged 16.9 yards per reception, which is just elite overall.

Let’s think back to one of the most talented players to ever wear red and white for the Hogs. Treylon Burks, one of the best receivers in the country and a first-round pick, is wasted. He never played in the College Football Playoff or competed for an SEC Championship. Burks threw for 2,399 yards and 13 touchdowns over three seasons.

Not long ago, Andrew Armstrong was in a similar boat. He led the SEC in receiving yards his last season. Armstrong was one of the best route runners in the country, and did it with inconsistent offenses and coaching. What did they get out of it? Well, basically nothing. And of course, Arkansas wasted Isaiah Sategna, the Fayetteville product who now plays in Norman, Oklahoma, as one of the fastest players in football.

Marshall could be the next guy.

Tulsa could not cover Arkansas WR Chris Marshall, and they knew it

“I thought we did a pretty good job getting pressure, and fitting the run wasn’t terrible,” Tulsa linebacker Dax Collins said. “But I mean, 6 is just unbelievable. He’s just a freak athlete. What is he? [6-3 and 213 pounds] and he can run like the wind. He runs good routes, and the quarterback looked to him every time.

This isn’t a case of a player going off against a team because they’re not good competition. Tulsa was undefeated and beat Oklahoma State, who just beat Oregon. And last week against Georgia, Marshall had one of the best catches you will see. He had seven catches for 136 yards.

Arkansas head coach Ryan Silverfield knows what he has.

“I joked around on third down,” Silverfield said. “It was just, ‘Throw the ball to him.’ That was the play call. Listen, he’s been tremendous. He’s doing a great job of finding ways to get open, making the tough catches.”

Arkansas’ struggles have been on pretty much every part of their team. The offense has struggled, and the defense has had its fair share, too. Too many times this year, quarterback KJ Jackson has looked uncomfortable and just not great. Arkansas still has a tough schedule left. But next week could be a breath of fresh air for them, or it could be bad.

Texas A&M is set to host the Hogs, and they’ve not been good at all. Regardless, they will still need Marshall in a big way. He’s the only guy in the wide receiver room who is consistently creating separation. When the ball is thrown his way, he catches it. And most importantly, he’s stretching the field more than anyone else on the team. Marshall is special.

“It’s a blessing to even be back in this position,” Marshall said after the win. “I just give all the glory to the man above.”