The Blog Hawgs

Arkansas Sports & Other Stuff

Posts Tagged ‘Dennis Johnson’

« Previous Entries

BlogHawgs Razorback Rewind–11/5/12

Posted by Adam Butler on November 5, 2012

If we have learned anything from the Arkansas Razorbacks’ 2012 Season of Discontent, it’s that there is no such thing as an ugly win.

They are all precious and head coach John L. Smith has the potential to give them away (sometimes with major help from the Coordinators Paul).

For that reason we can’t look down our nose at the Razorbacks’ pedestrian 19-15 Homecoming win over the Tulsa Hurricane at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

What We Saw

–Some of the decisions made by both head coaches (eschewing much-needed field goals, calling plays as if there was no game clock, going for a 2-pt conversion that wasn’t needed) made us feel like we were attending a Bad Coach-Off. The odd final score seemed fitting.

–Arkansas Wide Receiver Cobi Hamilton continued to be a Beacon of Hope in the Ways Dreary Lighted in 2012.

With 11 catches, Hamilton set the Arkansas  single season record for receptions (69) passing former teammate  and current Minnesota Viking Jarius Wright, who had 66 last season as a senior at Arkansas. The Blog Hawgs Stat Geek will be along in a day or two with a breakdown of where Hamilton could end up across the board in the Arkansas record books.

I won’t steal SG’s Thunder, but let’s just say that if Arkansas somehow wins 2 of its last 3, Hamilton has a chance to leave quite a lasting legacy on The Hill.  As for Saturday, I think I was most impressed with Cobi’s workmanlike reaction after making one of the biggest plays of the game–a 41-yard reception to set up a go-ahead, 4th-quarter touchdown.

Hamilton made the grab despite unpenalized interference, got up without any histrionics and went back to the huddle and helped the Hogs finish off the drive.

–It may be a subpar season for the Hogs, but Arkansas PA Announcer John George (of Julie-O Jones fame) was in peak form, Saturday. George and his spotter tabbed Arkansas cornerback Darius Winston as a tackler early in Saturday’s game when it was actually linebacker A.J. Turner.

Winston has been buried on the bench since Texas A&M’s beatdown of the Hogs 5 weeks ago and has one tackle in the last two months, and it didn’t come Saturday. Winston was a Coach’s Decision “Did Not Play”.

–Turner–an undersized but athletic and intuitive linebacker–continued to make strides. He was Arkansas’ 2nd-leading tackler with 7, and delivered a highlight-reel hit in a hole that provided a glimpse at his immense potential.

–It wasn’t pretty, but the Hogs’ defense continued to improve, holding Tulsa to just 328 yards of offense and three second-half points.

Coming into the tilt with the Hogs, Tulsa ranked ninth in the country in rushing offense (248.8 ypg) and had gained at least 200 yards rushing in six of the previous eight games. Arkansas held Tulsa to 106 yards rushing on 36 attempts for a paltry 2.9 yard per carry average.

–Arkansas defensive end Chris Smith had a big game with a 8 tackles, a game-clinching sack, 2 big pass breakups and his 1st career forced fumble. The performance earned Smith Co-SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors.

What We Didn’t See

A 10-0 lead was not friendly to the Hogs, but that’s nothing new.

Arkansas led Rutgers and Mississippi 10-0 at home before losing 35-26 to the Scarlet Knights and 30-27 to the Rebel Black Bears. Saturday, Arkansas jumped out to a 10-0 lead before falling behind Tulsa 15-13. Arkansas led Auburn 10-0 in the 2nd quarter on The Plains and stalled before scoring two 4th-quarter TDs to pull away from the War Damn Eagle Tigers.

What You May Not Have Seen

–UA senior quarterback Tyler Wilson had a different, but no-less impressive reaction on the 41-yard, 4th-quarter pass to Hamilton. Wilson hung in the pocket despite pressure, and was drilled on a head-hunting hit from a Tulsa defender. As Cobi made the grab and the players for both teams made their way down the field, Wilson let the the defender know who won that battle.

–The announced crowd was 64,451 but it was more of a Home Staying Weekend than a Homecoming Weekend. The pic to the left is an image of the Home Stands 15 minutes before kickoff. The crowd was sparse enough that I was able to get a signal from Reynolds Razorback Stadium lead sponsor AT&T for much of the day–a first.

What We Hope To See Next Week

Arkansas is a big underdog as it prepares for South Carolina next week. But, don’t sleep on the Hogs if they can contain Gamecock defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and Arkansas runningback Dennis Johnson continues his recent surge.

DJ has an outside shot at a 1,000-yard season despite only having 105 carries thus far. If he and the Arkansas offensive line can set the tone and slow USCE’s salty pass rush, Arkansas could nab a road win over a Top 10 team.

The Gamecocks will be without injured, All-Everything running back Marcus Lattimore and at 7-2 and 3rd in the SEC East, have little chance of reaching their lofty preseason goals.

Also, it’s worth noting that Arkansas is 3-0 against USCE the last 3 seasons and has outscored the Gamecocks 33-16 (2009), 41-20 (2010) and 44-28 (2011) in that span. The 41-20 UA win in Columbia in 2010 wasn’t as close as that score. USCe picked up a cheap, late TD on a 1-yard fumble return with 3:52 left in the game.

Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Blog Hawgs Razorback Rewind–Will It Ever Stop? Edition

Posted by Adam Butler on October 28, 2012

I am fresh out of adjectives–at least ones that I am willing to put into cyberspace under my name–to describe the pain of the 2012 Arkansas Football season.

Even when Arkansas senior runningback Dennis Johnson capped a clutch, manly drive to tie the game at 27-27 with Mississippi Saturday at Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium with 2:09 left on the clock, a Mississippi win seemed to be inevitable. That is just the way Arkansas’ Season of Discontent has gone.

The Hogs’ much-maligned defense had played well for most of the game, but the 2012 Razorbacks have played (and been coached) just poorly enough to lose several times this season and the Rebel Black Bear game was no different.

With Mississippi facing a 3rd down and 9 from its own 38, Razorback Nation allowed itself to envision a stop and a much-deserved last second field goal drive for an Arkansas win.

But, for the 412th time this season, Arkansas Defensive Coordinator Paul Haynes and the UA defense showed a blitz too soon, and Mississippi quarterback Bo Wallace realized that, just as it was on the previous play, the middle of the field was wide open.

Wallace capitalized and found his best weapon–speedster Jeff Scott–for a far-too-easy 14-yard slant that kept Mississippi’s drive going. It was the last 3rd down Mississippi would face as the play sparked an 8-play, 61-yard drive that zapped the remaining time off of the clock, ending with Bryson Rose’s 31-yard, chip shot game winner as time expired.

The 30-27 win was Mississippi’s 2nd in as many league games after enduring a Houston Nutt fueled, SEC-record 16-game conference losing streak.

What We Saw

–Arkansas did just enough in every facet of the game….to lose. The offense sputtered for the bulk of the game. The defense played well for most of the day, but buckled at key times. The Special Teams were anything but–allowing a key blocked punt and losing the battle of field position all day, whether it was due to poor punts or worse punt returns.

–I am as big of a Tyler Wilson fan as you will find, but the Hogs’ star quarterback had one of the worst games of his career Saturday.  He has been a great Razorback on and off the field and has led Arkansas to many great wins.

But, Saturday, he was off in a major way. It started on Arkansas’ first possession when, on 2nd and 7 from the Mississippi 10-yard line, Wilson missed runningback Jonathan Williams on a sure touchdown throw that Wilson could  make in his sleep. Arkansas then settled for a field goal after a failed 3rd-down conversion.

Later, a beautiful 42-yard Wilson touchdown strike to senior tight end Chris Gragg gave Arkansas a 10-0 lead and appeared to signal a return to form for Wilson, but it was a fleeting feeling.

For much of the remainder of the game Wilson was late and/or inaccurate with his throws, and he compounded his physical errors with mental ones as he forced several pass attempts, with 2 of them resulting in easy interceptions.

In fairness to Wilson, for much of the day he was again without two of his biggest weapons–Gragg and former All-SEC runningback Knile Davis–who each sustained in-game injuries minutes apart in the 2nd quarter and didn’t return.

–UA JUCO transfer Austin Flynn is making a move. He continued his recent solid play and made several athletic plays on the edge against a fast paced, read-option oriented offense that offers plenty of opportunities for defensive ends and linebackers to make plays.

–Two crucial officiating decisions went against Arkansas Saturday. On 3rd and Goal from the Arkansas 1-yard line late in the first half, Mississippi made a late substitution that the Razorbacks coaching staff thought was illegal.

The officials took notice and discussed the substitution, but did not penalize the Rebel Black Bears. Scott ran for a touchdown on the next play.

Later, Wilson hit a wide open Austin Tate for an apparent 15-yard touchdown on a subtly tricky play that Arkansas had clearly been saving for the situation. Despite being told in pregame that Arkansas planned to run the play, the officials ruled that Arkansas did not have enough players on the line of scrimmage.

The TV announcers for the game–Dave Neal and Andre Ware–sided with the officials and said Arkansas clearly lacked a necessary player on the line of scrimmage. The Arkansas staff vehemently disagreed. Either, way, under the circumstances, it was a close call and a ticky-tack one to make at that point.

The wide receiver in question could have (and probably should have) “checked” with the line judge to make sure he was “legal”. On the other hand, Arkansas was trying to hit Mississippi with a quick strike that it correctly thought would be wide open and wanted to get the play off quickly before Mississippi recognized it was about to have a busted coverage.

–Arkansas senior wide receiver Cobi Hamilton continued his stellar campaign. Despite often drawing double coverage, The Mayor of Markham made his final trip to Little Rock a memorable one with a career-high 12 catches for 146 yards. On the season, Hamilton has 58 catches for 900 yards and 4 TDs with 4 games left to play.

What We Didn’t See

Arkansas Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino didn’t do Wilson any favors by stubbornly waiting until the 4th quarter to ride Dennis Johnson, who finished with 162 yards and 1 TD on 27 carries.

Mississippi often played 2 high safeties, giving Arkansas the chance to gash the Rebel Black Bears with the run. But, Petrino dialed up 46 pass plays even though Wilson was struggling. Johnson and Williams averaged  5.75 yards per carry on 32 attempts on the day.

When Petrino gave the ball to Johnson 3 consecutive times in the 4th quarter (the only time it happened all day) Johnson darted and then bulldozed for gains of 21, 20 and 5 yards to cap a game-tying rally in an impressive show of will.

What You May Not Have Seen

It’s easy to remember the last thing we saw and blame the Arkansas defense entirely for the loss. It’s also unfair.

Yes, the UA defense caved when it had a chance to put its stamp on the game. And, in a bottom-line business, the defense should take some of the blame.

But a close look at the numbers reveals that the Hog defense was solid for most of the game. Arkansas nabbed 2 turnovers and held Mississippi to 109 less yards than the UA offense but was undone by 3 Mississippi scoring drives (one at the end of each half and another following a blocked punt) that took a total of 4:31 and made up 158 of Mississippi’s 355 total yards.

On the Rebel Black Bears’ 11 other possessions, they gained a total of 197 yards and had 6 punts, 1 fumble, 1 interception, 1 touchdown and 2 field goals (one from 53 yards out).

The blocked punt by Mississippi safety Charles Sawyer in the 2nd quarter gave the Rebel Black Bears momentum and a short field (leading to a touchdown), and was probably the key play in the game.

Wilson’s second interception also gave Mississippi the ball at the Arkansas’ 18-yard line, but the UA defense stiffened and forced a (successful) field goal.

–Wilson’s first interception came on a 3rd down and 2 force to Cobi Hamilton on a deep route over the middle that Sawyer was all over just minutes after his blocked punt.

Neal and Ware noted that Arkansas freshman wide receiver  Mekale McKay was wide open deep on the play. Wilson also had a wide open receiver on a shallow drag route directly in front of him that would have given Arkansas another first down deep in Mississippi territory.

What We Hope to See Next Week

At a miserable 3-5, 2-3 on the season,  it would be easy for Arkansas fans to stay away in droves next Saturday when the Hogs host 7-1 Tulsa at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Hopefully that won’t happen.

This Arkansas team has underperformed, and everything that could go wrong has. But the Hogs have shown some resolve, recently. Razorback fans could certainly help by doing the same this week.

Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

BlogHawgs Razorback Rewind–10/15/12

Posted by Adam Butler on October 14, 2012

Arkansas’ offense struck as quickly as lightning against Kentucky Saturday night and rained points down on the Wildcats while storming out to a huge lead.

Mercifully, Mother Nature intervened and the game was called in the middle of the 3rd quarter with Arkansas winning 49-7 and sparing UK head coach Joker Phillips further embarrassment as he winds down his tenure at Kentucky.

What We Saw

–Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson was superb, particularly considering he was working in less-than-ideal weather conditions. Wilson was 23-of-31 passing for 372 yards and a career-high five touchdowns (tying a school record).

Wilson unveiled a new weapon–true freshman runningback Jonathan Williams–on the first play from scrimmage, finding him on a wheel route and raising his arm in the air as Williams made multiple Wildcats miss, picked up a block from fellow runningback Knile Davis, and bolted 74 yards for a touchdown.

Later, Williams exploded later, as well, hauling in a pass on the opposite side of the field on another wheel route and again showing off his speed and elusiveness on the way to a 77-yard score.

–He is undersized and raw, but true freshman A.J. Turner from Lepanto, AR, is beginning to show the kind of ability that has been lacking in the Razorbacks linebacking corps for some time.

Turner tied for the team lead with a handful of others who notched 5 tackles Saturday night, but stood out by showing the “thump” that Hog fans have been wanting to see from the UA defense.

A.J. makes eye-popping plays when he comes downhill and shoots his hips when he reads a play. And, when he makes contact, the ball carrier goes down in a heap.

Once he gets in the weight room and is able to focus on football (Turner was a talented high school basketball player) Turner should blossom into an All-SEC caliber linebacker, barring injury.

–Arkansas runningback Dennis Johnson put up another workmanlike effort and continued to quietly work his way up NFL draft boards. DJ scored 3 TDs (2 rushing, 1 receiving) and ran for 82 yards on just 12 carries.

With his ability to grind out tough yards while also posing a big play threat both from scrimmage and on special teams (Johnson has the most kick return yards in SEC history) DJ is the type of back that could be a draft day footnote from the middle rounds who turns into a productive pro.

What We Didn’t See

–With as big of a  SEC cupcake as you will ever see in town, and an open week on the horizon, Arkansas took the opportunity to sit 6’5, 299-pound senior defensive tackle DeQuinta Jones. Jones has been battling soreness in both knees and should return refreshed in two weeks when Arkansas takes on Mississippi in Little Rock.

Similarly, senior tight end Chris Gragg, who has been out with a deep thigh bruise since early in an eventual loss to Rutgers in Week 4, should be ready for the Rebel Black Bears on October 27th.

What You May Not Have Seen

–Arkansas took the redshirt off of a pair of true freshmen who had not previously played this season. Wide receiver D’Arthur Cowan from Olive Branch, MS, and safety Defonta Lowe from Bearden, AR, both played against Kentucky and logged stats.

Cowan had one catch for 9 yards and Lowe made two tackles. Both are athletic and figure to provide much-needed depth down the backstretch of the season.

–Morgan Linton, Arkansas’ 5’11, 240-pound walkon fullback from Lonoke, AR, continued living the dream Saturday night as he again led the way with solid blocks on Johnson’s two TD carries. Linton also caught a swing pass and rumbled 19 yards for a first down in the first quarter.

What We Hope To See Next Week

–With Arkansas off next week, I’ll be paying particular attention to Texas A&M’s showdown with LSU at Kyle Field.

TAMU (5-1, 2-1) is rolling thanks to a lethal offense and some good fortune. Mississippi and Hugh Freeze handed them a victory 9 days ago, and let’s just say that if I were Louisiana Tech Head Coach Sonny Dykes, I would have been hard-pressed to avoid a meltdown during A&M’s wild 59-57 win over the Bulldogs in Shrevport on Saturday.

The officiating was bad enough that ESPN’s television crew (that included NFL journeyman and Vegas 800-number tout sound-alike Kelly Stouffer doing color) mentioned several times that the Bulldogs ”had several close calls go against them”. In today’s politically correct sports broadcasting climate, that’s about as much criticism as you will hear.

Nevertheless, Aggie freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel is having a remarkable season (just ask him). In only seven games, Manziel has already amassed 2,356 yards from scrimmage (1680 passing and 676 rushing) with 24 TDs (14 passing, 10 rushing).

But now, things should get tougher for Manziel and the Aggies. In the next 4 games, they will host # 6LSU before going on a 3-game road trip to struggling and desperate Auburn, #12 Mississippi State and #1 Alabama. The Ags will be lucky to split those 4 games.

Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

BlogHawgs Razorback Rewind–A Plain(s) Beatdown.

Posted by Adam Butler on October 8, 2012

That felt good, didn’t it?

Arkansas (2-4, 1-2) emphatically turned the page on one of the ugliest months in program history by pulverizing the homestanding Auburn Tigers 24-7 Saturday before a crowd of 85,813 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The Hogs surprisingly did so behind a much-maligned defense that had been helpless for most of the season before rising up to tally 5 turnovers and 8 sacks on Saturday against Auburn (1-4, 0-3).

Those are overwhelming single-game numbers for any defense, but had to be particularly satisfying for a crew that doubled its previous season totals (2 turnovers, 8 sacks) in both categories a week after giving up 58 points and 716 total yards to Texas A&M.

It was Arkansas’ 4th win in its last 5 meetings with Auburn.

The Razorbacks’ lone loss to the Tigers in that span was Auburn’s controversial,  65-43 shootout win in 2010 in which Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson came into the game in relief of injured starter Ryan Mallett and threw for 332 yards and 3 TDs in less than  2 1/2 quarters of action.

What We Saw

–Arkansas benefitted from another poor performance by Auburn quarterback and Springdale, Arkansas, (Shiloh Christian) product Kiehl Frazier. Frazier was benched at halftime and has quickly gone from “Must Have/Can’t Miss 5-star QB prospect” to Tight End-in waiting in the span of 16 career games played.

Frazier’s numbers Saturday–9 for 14, 118 yards passing, 1 interception–weren’t awful on their face, particularly for a QB who is averaging 133 yards/game passing while completing just 54% of his attempts.

But, Frazier’s statistics belied his performance, which featured “happy feet” and a tendency to hold on to the ball far too long. To be fair, Frazier didn’t have much of a chance. Auburn’s porous offensive line would have spelled trouble for any quarterback in America.

Clint Moseley took over for Frazier and was a bit better (13-21 163 yards, 1 TD 2 Ints.), thanks in large part to 1 of the few coverage busts on the day for Arkansas. Whatever Moseley added in terms of a quicker trigger he gave back with slower feet, though. Moseley was a sitting duck, and Arkansas sophomore defensive end Trey Flowers (3.5 sacks) and company took advantage.

–For the first time all season, Arkansas defensive coordinator Paul Haynes gave his defensive ends the green light to come after the quarterback, and also dialed up frequent blitzes.

With an inexperienced and banged up secondary, Haynes has often been wary of mobile opposing quarterbacks this season and has been reticent to call many blitzes or let his ends pin their ears back and rush the passer.

On Saturday, undoubtedly emboldened by Auburn’s shoddy offensive line and quarterback play, Haynes was aggressive and unpredictable. The result was a dominating defensive performance for a team that had been outscored 110-10 in its first 2 SEC games.

–UA Senior linebacker Terrell Williams–a relative non-factor for most of his career–racked up a career-high 12 tackles and also had a sack. Another Arkansas senior, the often-ridiculed Ross Rasner, also had a very productive day with 10 tackles, a forced fumbled and an interception on a perfectly defended pass in the end zone.

What We Didn’t See

–The hesitancy with which Arkansas’ defense had played for much of the 2012 season was gone Saturday.

But for a blown coverage that allowed Moseley to hit wide receiver Emory Blake for a wide open, 21-yard touchdown pass for Auburn’s only score, the Hogs played solid defensive football and knew their assignments Saturday.

Auburn’s limited playbook and even more limited quarterbacks did not present the same matchup problems that more complex, skilled offenses have this season and it showed.

–Plagued by turnover problems and overall ineffectiveness since returning from an injury that cost him the entire 2011 season, Arkansas’ former All-SEC runningback, Knile Davis, didn’t get many opportunities Saturday. Knile carried the ball just 3 times for a total -4 yards.

Arkansas senior runningback Dennis Johnson has been the better back thus far in 2012 and he was rewarded for his efforts with 17 carries on Saturday. Johnson churned out 76 yards and 2 rushing TDs. DJ’s previous high this season was 7 rushing attempts and he had only 27 total carries in the Hogs’ first 5 games.

More surprising than Johnson’s increased role was the fact that UA true freshman runningback Jonathan Williams (6 carries, 34 yards, 1 fumble) was given twice as many carries as Davis.

What You May Not Have Seen

–Arkansas Offensive Coordinator Paul Petrino and the rest of the Hogs’ offensive staff did a good job of self-scouting last week. Petrino has had a tendency in short-yardage situations this season to call strong-side runs from tight, bunched formations.

Petrino adjusted Saturday and called several play action, bootleg passes that allowed Wilson to get outside the pocket and make things happen with his legs and his arm. Arkansas’ play-action passes typically come out of the shotgun (faking a draw play).

–One of those calls turned out to be a key play in the win.  After picking up a first down for the first time in more than a quarter and needing to answer Auburn’s touchdown that made the score 10-7, Petrino dialed up a play-action pass on the 2nd play of the 4th quarter on 1st and 10 from his own 38-yard line.

After taking the snap, turning his back to the line of scrimmage and faking a handoff to Johnson, Wilson deftly eluded Auburn’s 6’4, 246-lb All-SEC defensive end Corey Lemonier and side-armed a pass on target to tight end Austin Tate, who picked up 18 yards for a 1st down at the Auburn 44.

Wilson’s sleight of hand was the difference in backup quarterback-turned wide receiver Brandon Mitchell zipping a reverse-pass TD to  fellow wide receiver Jevontee Herndon two plays later and Arkansas losing a turnover or facing 2nd and 18 from its own 30-yard line with the real possibility of giving Auburn the ball back with momentum and favorable field position (and the Hogs starting to think they were again going to be snakebitten).

–Tate doesn’t have the hands or the speed of injured Arkansas starting tight end Chris Gragg, but if he can be a serviceable target for Wilson, as he was Saturday (4 catches, 44 yards) the Hogs’ offense will have more balance than it has had without Gragg.

–Morgan Linton, a 5’11, 240 lb walk-on fullback from Lonoke, Arkansas, led the way on both of Johnson’s touchdown runs and appears to be capable of putting some of the thump back into Arkansas’ Red Zone offense. Arkansas lost starting fullback Kiero Small and backup Kodi Walker to season-ending injuries early in the season and has struggled mightily when trying to run the ball in the Red Zone in their absence.

What We Hope to See Next Week

While he didn’t nab any of Arkansas’ 5 forced turnovers and he only had a few tackles, starting safety Eric Bennett returned from injury and provided some much-needed stability to the Razorbacks’ secondary on Saturday.

Hopefully starting cornerback Tevin Mitchel (no typo) can play next Saturday for the the first time since suffering a frightening injury versus Louisiana-Monroe in the 2nd game of the season. Mitchel practiced on a limited basis last week.

If he and senior cornerback Kaelon Kelleybrew (concussion) are able to return this week, the Razorbacks’ secondary figures to continue to improve against another generally punchless offense (Kentucky).

Arkansas rue freshman cornerback Will Hines has taken some major lumps, but showed well Saturday with a very nice play on a Frazier overthrow for an interception, as well as the recovery of Arkansas’ first forced turnover (a fumble caused by Rasner) in a month.

Hines has the skill set to be a good player in time, but he will be better served by being allowed to progress slowly. Injuries and underperformance forced him into the fire too soon and he was exposed earlier in the season.

–Arkansas needs to get an early lead and take the opportunity to try to jump start Knile Davis. Davis is one of the team’s core players and is a very talented back who deserves to go out on a better note than he is at this point.

Yes, I know that Davis could come back for the 2013 season if he chose to, but with a long list of injuries and a resume’ and measurables that will draw plenty of interest from NFL teams, this is likely Davis’ last season as a Hog.

He has overcome plenty of obstacles and has been a great Razorback and role model. It would be nice to see Davis and his team turn things around and finish the season on a high note. For now, though, it’s just fun to enjoy a convincing, somewhat unexpected SEC road win.

Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

BlogHawgs Razorback Rewind–Free Fallin’ Edition

Posted by Adam Butler on September 24, 2012

In hopes of making a fresh start, the reeling Arkansas Razorbacks eagerly welcomed the return of injured All-SEC quarterback Tyler Wilson and turned back the clock by donning white helmets Saturday night at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

But, thanks in large part to a green secondary and a continuing pattern of committing costly mental errors the Hogs were again left red-faced after falling 35-26 to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights of the Big East Conference in front of a near sellout crowd.

Arkansas (1-3, 0-1) became the first preseason Top 10 Team to lose 3 September games since Alabama did so in 2000.

With road trips to College Station and Auburn on the horizon, the Razorbacks are staring at a 1-5 start and, given the preseason expectations and coaching staff uncertainty are in the midst of a Season of Discontent unlike any in program history.

What We Saw:

–Once again, Arkansas couldn’t get out of its own way.

Off to a promising start fueled by the first TD catch in a record-setting night from wide receiver Cobi Hamilton (who had  3 touchdowns and a SEC single-game record 303 yards receiving) Arkansas led 10-0 early in the 2nd quarter and held Rutgers to a field goal after the Scarlet Knights had driven to the Arkansas 11-yard line.

The rare defensive stop was a jolt to a beleaguered Arkansas defense, particularly since it came after Rutgers extended the drive by converting a 4th-and-2 at their own 33-yard line with a trick play in a punting situation.

Unfortunately, as has been the case all season, prosperity was fleeting for the Hogs. UA defensive tackle DeDe Jones was ruled offsides on Kyle Federico’s 32-yard field goal attempt.

First-year Rutgers coach Kyle Flood tempted fate by taking points off of the board and was rewarded when the floodgates opened and Arkansas’ porous defense succumbed to the Scarlet Knights and quarterback Gary Nova, who was nearly flawless from that point forward going 25-35 and posting an eye-popping 397 yards passing and 5 TDs.

–Rutgers targeted freshman cornerback Will Hines and senior linebacker/safety Ross Rasner and had its way with them. I understand that senior cornerback Darius Winston has been a major disappointment during his Razorback career, but to continue to leave Hines in the game Saturday night well after it was clear he was a complete liability was a major coaching error.

Unless Winston was injured or in the doghouse for disciplinary reasons, he should have been given a shot in the 2nd half Saturday night. Hines was an easy mark and Rutgers abused him repeatedly.

–Arkansas’ offensive line was impotent again. The Razorbacks’ first play from scrimmage spoke volumes about the problems the unit has had this season and would again have Saturday night. When attacked by two Rutgers defenders on the edge of the line of scrimmage, Arkansas tackle David Hurd, a former walkon, took on neither defender, and instead blocked down. The result was a sack and another avoidable bump for Wilson (Hurd was also penalized twice on the night).

Later, with Arkansas down 11 points late in the 4th quarter and desperately needing a touchdown, Rutgers blitzed a safety from 20 yards off of the line of scrimmage. Arkansas center Travis Swanson spotted the blitz and received help from a running back to pick it up, but the blitzer still managed to bull rush Swanson and company and disrupt Wilson, resulting in a key incompletion.

–Arkansas freshman wide receiver Mekale McKay had a night to forget. First, he dropped a touchdown pass in middle of the 3rd quarter that would have drawn the Razorbacks to within 4 points of Rutgers (instead they had to settle for a FG and a 21-13 deficit).

Then, with Arkansas down 28-13 with 20 seconds left in the 3rd quarter, McKay ran a lazy route, failed to finish it, and rewarded Wilson’s confidence in him (Wilson gave him a 1-on-1 shot for a touchdown minutes after his huge TD drop) by failing to compete for a risky Red Zone pass and gift-wrapping an interception for Rutgers’ Logan Ryan.

What We Didn’t See:

–A supposed team strength, Arkansas’ defensive ends were terrible Saturday night. Chris Smith put up a goose egg–zero tackles–and Trey Flowers wasn’t much better. Flowers had just 2 tackles–including the sack he was credited for on a Rutgers intentional grounding penalty. Rutgers ran 74 offensive plays and threw the ball 35 times.

–Arkansas’ commitment to the running game seems to last only as long as its first unsuccessful drive.

The Razorback brain trust is failing the team by not getting Dennis Johnson more touches. He only had 6 carries Saturday, but averaged 7.8 yards per carry for a team that again struggled mightily to run the ball. For the season, Johnson is averaging 6.7 yards per carry but has only been given the ball 22 times.

What You May Not Have Seen:

Even when things seem to go right for Arkansas interim head coach John L. Smith, they eventually go horribly wrong. With his team down 9 points and facing a 4th-and-10 from its own 48-yard line with just over 6 minutes left in the game, Smith made the head-scratching decision to punt and place his confidence in a Hog defense that was hemorrhaging points.

Dylan Breeding’s ensuing punt was downed at the Rutgers 1-yard line by Arkansas special teamer, former backup placekicker and 2012 team MVP Cameron Bryan (I am sort of kidding, but the season has been so bad that I could make the argument).

A play later, Arkansas looked to be in business when it hemmed Rutgers’ Jawan Jamison into his own endzone and looked poised to record a safety that would have cut the deficit to 7 points and given Arkansas the ball back with good field position and plenty of time on the clock to drive for a game-tying TD.

If you are reading this you already know that Jamison bounced to the outside for 24 yards and effectively ended the game. What you may not have noticed were the reasons Jamison was able to do so.

First (and foremost) Arkansas defensive tackle Robert Thomas, who had blown the play up by bolting into the backfield, was blatantly held. He was unable to make the tackle because both of his arms were wrapped up by a Rutgers lineman.

A few feet away, UA defensive end Trey Flowers was held, too, as he attempted to pursue from the backside. Additionally, Hines overpursued and was blocked in the back, setting the edge for Jamison.

I am well aware that the preceding paragraph reads like sour grapes. It isn’t. Arkansas’ defense was awful all night. Period.

But, the non-calls on this particular play were equally brutal. Chris Smith and Hines compounded the officiating errors with poor technique as both bit inside rather than maintaining containment.

If Smith had done his job, he would have tallied a key safety in spite of the non-calls. Instead, he took a selfish false step and missed a chance to step up big for his team and help it overcome poor officiating on a key play in the game.

What We Hope To See Next Week:

Arkansas desperately needs to find a way to pull an upset at Texas A&M. To do so, the Hogs will have to come up with an answer for freshman phenom and dual threat Johnny Manziel, who is more talented than the quarterbacks that the Hogs have turned into seemingly Heisman-caliber signal callers so far this season.

The Razorbacks defined 2011 with their effort against TAMU and they could begin to redefine their imploding 2012 season with a rousing, completely unexpected win in hostile territory Saturday morning at Kyle Field.

Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: , , , , | 12 Comments »

Arkansas v. Alabama – BlogHawgs Prediction

Posted by Brett Kincaid on September 14, 2012

GAME SKETCH

  • Line – Alabama (-20.5)
  • Kickoff – 2:30pm at Reynolds Razorback Stadium (Fayetteville)
  • Weather – Mostly cloudy skies with an expected game time temp of 70 degrees, holding steady all afternoon. Expect rain to fall off-and-on throughout the game.
  • Streaks – After what was a very competitive series from 1995-2006 where Arkansas won 7 of 12 games, Alabama has been rolling. The Tide has won the past 5 in the series by an average score of 31-16.

 

Welcome to Arkansas, Bama fan. Enjoy the electricity and running water while you can.

This week has been very difficult for everyone associated with the Razorbacks football program. Players, coaches, administrators, fans…everyone has struggled. It’s difficult to find a silver lining when your starting all-SEC quarterback suffers a concussion (c’mon…let’s call it what it is, UA), your starting CB – a freshman all-American last season – gets strapped to a board with a head/neck injury, and your backup-to-the-backup fullback suffers a broken leg without even being hit. By the time everyone began to process all the negative things that had piled up on Saturday we saw Kolton Browning scamper into the endzone to complete a virtuoso personal performance and historic team victory over a Top Ten football team.

Now everyone – players, coaches, administrators, fans – must pull together and understand one simple truth: there are 10 more weeks of football on the schedule, and the biggest bully in the neighborhood is coming to our house this weekend. Last week in this space I wrote, “Arkansas hosts Alabama next week in Fayetteville. There is no doubt that these kids are looking ahead to that game. But it won’t matter much if the Hogs are 1-1 Saturday night instead of unbeaten.” It turns out that’s exactly what happened, and the Hogs have got to find a way to overcome it. While it’s a bit much to suggest the entire season is on the line this weekend, a blow-out loss could seal the fate for the 2012 Razorbacks. Let’s hope the team has responded better than large sections of the fan base.

Why Arkansas Should Win

Without even considering the intangibles, let’s attempt to look at this game objectively. We already know the bad news, so let’s look at the good things. While Arkansas will very likely start redshirt freshman QB Brandon Allen, he will also have some pretty good experience with him. Knile Davis will still line up at tailback, Dennis Johnson will still line up in the backfield, and Chris Gragg will still start at tight end. Cobi Hamilton turned in another strong performance in Little Rock last weekend and was one of the lone offensive bright spots in Tuscaloosa last year. What does this mean? It means the Razorbacks still have a very talented crop of skill players on offense. If the coaching staff – notably, offensive coordinator Paul Petrino – remembers that Davis and Johnson still play for the team, Arkansas can move the ball and score on Alabama.

Most eyes will be on the defense, and rightfully so. After a mediocre (at best) showing against Jacksonville State and an embarrassing display against Louisiana-Monroe, Paul Haynes crew has a lot to prove. As has been identified on this website a few times, though, the Razorbacks defense got absolutely zero help from the offense in the final 20:00 of play last week. A more-rested defense operating with better field position may have turned in a better performance.

As important as anything this week, though, is something I have not seen anywhere: the Hogs finally get to play a conventional offense. Alabama is Alabama, which means they want to lineup and cram the ball down their opponents’ throats. But last week the Tide only mustered 103 yards rushing against Western Kentucky – padded by an 18-yard run from Cody Mandell on a fake punt. The loss of Jalston Fowler – the Bama version of Kiero Small – is significant, but it’s worth mentioning that Fowler played most of the game before being injured in the 4th quarter. And while A.J. McCarron turned in a strong performance last week, he enjoyed operating on a short field thanks to four Hilltopper turnovers. Western Kentucky also got in its licks, avoiding that vaunted Bama offensive line en route to six sacks on the day.

The key to beating Alabama remains the same as it always has: run the football, stop them from running the football, and win the turnover battle. Given Arkansas’s strength up front on the defensive line and Alabama’s more conventional attack, the Razorbacks defense finally matches up strength v. strength against an opponent. By stopping the run on Saturday, Arkansas will have a chance to win this football game.

One last thing: The last time Alabama lost to an unranked team was November 17, 2007 against…Louisiana-Monroe.

Why Alabama Should Win

It’s simple: they have the better football team. After watching two weeks of games, it’s clear that Bama had the better football team when Arkansas was firing on all cylinders. A.J. McCarron is off to a white hot start with more than 400 yards and 6 TDs through the air already this season. Freshman T.J. Yeldon appears to be the next in the line of great Alabama running backs. He has averaged 8 yards per carry this season and looks like the real deal.

As usual, though, the story of Alabama is their remarkably strong defense. They have surrendered only 493 yards of total offense this season. Nick Saban replaced 3 first round NFL draft picks with 3 future first round NFL draft picks, and the “inexperienced” Tide defensive unit has not shown any real weakness this year. Saban, Kirby Smart, and the rest of the Alabama coaches and players have to be licking their chops when considering the prospect of facing a redshirt freshman quarterback in his first ever start.

 

And the winner is…

Alabama. The Crimson Tide is just too talented and has too much at stake to overlook a talented yet ultimately inferior opponent in Arkansas. I do expect Arkansas to battle, though, and show that they are not ready to fold up the season. Bama has struggled against teams that run the ball effectively, and Arkansas coaches will definitely look at ways to get the ball in the hands of guy like Davis, Johnson, and Ronnie Wingo, Jr. Don’t be surprised, either, to see Brandon Mitchell take 10+ snaps at quarterback. We have seen him operate out the pistol formation in goal line situations in the past, and I expect coaches to build some of those plays into the game plan this week.

In the end, though, the ULM hangover and personnel issues will be too much to overcome. I believe Arkansas could do it against a lesser opponent, but expecting the Razorbacks to improve as much as they need to improve in six days without all of their key components strains credibility. They will fight and give all of us hope for a winning season, but David will not beat Goliath this weekend in the Ozarks. Alabama 34, Arkansas 23

Posted in Sports | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Managing the Backfield

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 18, 2012

This is the 16th in our series of 30 Thoughts About Razorback Football in 30 Days.

At this time one year ago most of Razorback Nation gnashed their collective teeth worrying about the team’s running game. All-SEC running back Knile Davis had been lost to injury, and the two primary backups, Dennis “DJ” Johnson and Ronnie Wingo, Jr., had never shown they could be The Man. By the end of the season DJ emerged as a very reliable back, Wingo played the role of “contributor” despite his immense talent, and Broderick Green bounced back from ACL surgery in the spring in order to contribute valuable carries. Green is gone, but DJ and Wingo return with a healthy Knile Davis to lead one of the best, most tested backfields in the country. We’ve already examined Wingo and how he should fit into the rotation.

What do you do with DJ?

Dennis Johnson, a Texarkana senior, showed last season that he could literally carry the load. Sure handed out of the backfield and unafraid to get between the tackles, DJ proved to be just what Arkansas needed to replace Davis. With Knile back on the field, coaches have tabbed him as The Man with others playing backup roles. Can DJ return to backup status without disrupting the team chemistry so many insiders have noted as a strength of the team?

The answer seems to be “Yes.” Coaches have not yet allowed full-contact tackling on Davis thus far in camp, meaning DJ and Wingo have received the lion’s share of snaps during live scrimmages. One thing Razorback fans have learned since joining the SEC is that a team needs at least 2 strong running backs in order to compete for titles. While it’s unlikely that we’ll see a run-based offense like the days of Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, and Peyton Hillis, it stands to reason that we may see the offense work to establish the running game more than in seasons past. With several new options at wide receiver and experience in the backfield, coaches would be wise to play to their strengths this season. As we saw in 2010 under former coach Bobby Petrino, the ability to pound away on the ground with a dominant running game can ice away tough SEC games late in the season.

Back to Dennis Johnson, I expect that we will see #33 on the field quite a bit. He will go back to his roots as a full-time kickoff returner and likely pick up 10-12 additional touches throughout the game. Coaches have also been giving him a long look as the replacement to Joe Adams at punt returner. While coaches would like Knile Davis to carry 20-25 times each game, it is comforting to know the Razorbacks have the depth they need to create problems all over the field and throughout the game for opposing defenses. While he won’t get the carries we saw last season, Dennis Johnson will certainly play just as important of a role on the 2012 Razorbacks.

Posted in Sports | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

On a Wingo And a Prayer

Posted by Adam Butler on August 12, 2012

This is the 11th in our series of 30 Thoughts on Razorback Football in the 30 days leading up to the 2012 Kickoff

It is the evening of August 12th, 2012, and few things in life are more certain than the fact that somewhere, a Razorback fan is complaining about Arkansas senior runningback Ronnie Wingo, Jr.

If you have ever visited a Razorback message board or subjected your ears to the blood-curdling, “caller-driven” tripe that is sports talk radio in Arkansas, you know that  Wingo has been a lightning rod for Razorback fan discontent since early in his career at Arkansas.

The origins of irrational fan dissatisfaction are sometimes difficult to pinpoint, but the primary reason for Hog fans’ Wingo angst seems to be the hefty expectations that were placed on him before he even stepped foot on The Hill.

Wingo’s bio on the UA website is illustrative. It reads:

HIGH SCHOOL: Wingo Jr. had a record-breaking prep career in which he shattered 12 single-season or career records and tied three more at St. Louis University High School under coach Gary Kornfeld. He was selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl West team and was a first-team Class 6A all-state honoree. He was rated the No. 2 prospect in the state of Missouri, the fourth-fastest athlete in the country and the ninth-ranked athlete nationally by Rivals.com. He was listed on the Rivals.com top 250. He was also ranked as the No. 12 running back by Scout.com. He rushed for 4,449 yards and scored 48 touchdowns in his prep career. As a senior, he rushed for 1,482 yards and 14 touchdowns. During his junior year he had 1,575 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. In one of his most notable games (against Vianney, Oct. 3, 2008), he scored seven touchdowns and rushed for 403 yards. He was also recruited by Oklahoma, Alabama, Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, Tennessee and Missouri.

With the bar set so high, Wingo had little hope of meeting expectations. But, he has shown glimpses of greatness:

  • a 62-yard TD jaunt in mop-up duty versus Texas A&M in Jerry World in 2009;
  • a 43-yard TD reception to open the 2010 showdown with Bama; and
  • a game-changing, gravity defying, pylon plunge back at Jerry World against TAMU in 2011).

Consistency has been lacking, though, and Razorback fans have also not been particularly fond of Wingo’s running style. Wingo’s detractors wonder why, at 6-3, 231 lbs, he runs more like Fred Astaire than Fred Flintstone. The tag may not be a fair one, but largely because of his tip-toeing tendencies, the durable Wingo is considered “soft” by the chattering class.

Luckily, Wingo’s soft hands may provide an opportunity for a career makeover.

With a pair of All-SEC runningbacks (Knile Davis and Dennis Johnson) ahead of him in the runningback pecking order, a skill set more befitting a NFL H-Back than a go-to runningback, and a mass exodus of SEVEN wide receivers from the Arkansas roster (3 were drafted, 3 were booted, and 1 transferred) since last season, Wingo has a chance to showcase his receiving skills in 2012.

Wingo already has 52 career receptions for 560 yards and 7 TDs. He could double those receiving yardage and TD numbers this season if Arkansas’ coaches follow through on their desire to create mismatches in the passing game with Wingo and stray from a prior propensity to use him as a decoy.

In order to do so, Arkansas must remain relatively healthy in the backfield. And, the confidence in the experiment for all involved would undoubtedly be buoyed if Wingo has early success in a larger, pass-catching role.

If Knile and DJ do manage to stay healthy (a big “IF” considering their injury histories to this point) I look for Wingo to make several key plays for the 2012 Razorbacks. However, I retain complete faith that even if Wingo does greatly increase his production, it won’t be good enough to assuage some Razorback fans who have already decided he is the bane of their Hog fan existence.

It Will Be a Good Season for Ronnie Wingo, Jr. If…

His role in the offense expands,  he produces 4-5 game-changing plays sprinkled throughout the conference slate and he re-emerges on NFL scouts’ radars.

It Will Be a Bad Season for Ronnie Wingo, Jr. If…

He is again blamed for anything and everything that goes wrong with the 2012 Arkansas Razorbacks.

Posted in Sports | Tagged: , , , | 8 Comments »

Special Matchup II

Posted by Adam Butler on November 22, 2011

I double dare you to kick it to me.

No one breaks down punts like the BlogHawgs. You thought we were stopping with “Special Matchup“? Think again.

(These rankings are for players with 10 returns minimum)
Arkansas’ Joe Adams has returned 16 punts for 259 yards.  16.2 average (1st in the SEC,  4th nationally)  3 TD’s.
Fellow UA Wide Receiver Marquel Wade has returned 12 punts for 99 yards.  82. average (6th in the SEC).
LSU punter Brad Wing has 40 punts (43.0 average) in which the total  combined return yards have been 7.
 For those who dig the anti-drop kick, Wade is first in the SEC (10th nationally) in kickoff return average with 10 returns, 296 yards (29.6), 1 TD.  Arkansas’ Dennis Johnson is 5th in the SEC (with 18 for 461 (25.6 avg)) and 1 TD.
(Thanks to BlogHawgs reader and LSU Tiger fan Michelle Lyon for the “heads up” on Wing’s remarkable stats.)

Posted in Sports | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off

That’s My DJ

Posted by Brett Kincaid on November 7, 2011

Dennis Johnson’s special teams work on Saturday night has been rewarded by the SEC home office.  D.J. was named the conference’s Special Teams Player of the Week.  He is the second Hog to win this award in the 2011 season.  Joe Adams took home the honor back in Week 1 after he took 2 punt returns to the house against Missouri State.  Says the SEC website:

 

 

 

SEC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK (Watch Arkansas Highlights)
DENNIS JOHNSON
Return Specialist / Running Back
ARKANSAS
5-9 • 213 • Jr. • Texarkana, Ark.

• Johnson returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown and tallied 252 all-purpose yards in #7 Arkansas’ 44-28 win against #9-ranked South Carolina.
• Johnson also returned a kickoff 32 yards, had 86 yards rushing on 15 carries and caught four passes for 36 yards for the Razorbacks.
• His touchdown was the third kickoff return of Johnson’s career and tied for the 10th longest kickoff return in school history.
• Johnson is second in the SEC in all-purpose rushing, averaging 150.43 yards per game.

All in all, it was a helluva night for the Texarkana redshirt junior.

Posted in Sports | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off

« Previous Entries
 
%d bloggers like this: