Ready or Not, Here Come the Red Raiders
By Cory Thone
The Arkansas Razorbacks players, coaches, and fans are still trying to put the pieces back together after Saturday’s loss to the Toledo Rockets 16-12. While it would be nice to have a brief respite from play to reorganize and make adjustments, the Razorbacks do not have that luxury. The loss to Toledo puts a chip on the shoulders of the Hogs brash head coach, Bret Bielema. Rolling into Northwest Arkansas this weekend are the scrappy Red Raiders of Texas Tech. And let me tell you folks, they are coming in with a chip on their shoulder as well. Third year head coach Kliff Kingsbury is on a fairly warm seat coming off a 4-8 season last year, and is looking to deliver on the hype of his inaugural season with the addition of seasoned defensive coordinator David Gibbs.
Sep 13, 2014; Lubbock, TX, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Brandon Allen (10) hands the ball off in the first half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
The Razorbacks trounced the Red Raiders last season, rushing for 7 touchdowns and showing off their then unshowcased potential in the 49-28 win. The decisive victory last year lead a lot of people, myself included, to chalk Texas Tech up as a “probable victory” on the preseason schedule.
My how things can change. While Texas Tech has yet to showcase any true dominance, they come in at 2-0, with wins over #3 ranked FCS opponent Sam Houston State and UTEP. The big story for the Red Raiders is the play of their sophomore QB, Patrick Mahomes. The Texas native has looked dynamic in his first season as the starter for Kingsbury, throwing for 786 yards, 8 touchdowns, and only 1 interception. The rushing attack for the Red Raiders is mostly an afterthought, and is used mostly in short yardage or when the defense empties the box. Deandre Washington is the starting running back for TTU, and despite having less carries and playing for a pass-first team, has more rushing yards than Arkansas running back Alex Collins at this point in the season.
The passing game for the Red Raiders is fairly evenly spread out. Lead by senior Jakeem Grant and junior Devin Lauderdale, TTU has had 5 different players catch touchdowns in their first two games, and 11 different players make receptions.
The offense is the star of Texas Tech’s scheme, and there is no doubt about it. All those weapons behind a overall experienced and well sized offensive line should prove to keep Texas Tech in the running in just about any game they play this year. The problem, of course, is their defense.
Texas Tech couldn’t stop the run last year to save their life. Their inability to produce stops cost them several games. They almost lost the the University of Central Arkansas last year. It was bad. Honestly, it could only get better. David Gibbs’ arrival in Lubbock will usher in a slightly more aggressive scheme, and he has had success early in the season forcing turnovers. The facts are, the Red Raiders gave up 320 yards passing to Sam Houston State. However, they only allowed 1 touchdown and forced 2 interceptions. The Razorbacks have had no trouble moving the ball down field against teams this year through the air. The problems come when it’s time to score. And it looks like the secondary for TTU mirrors Arkansas’, in that they subscribe to a “bend, don’t break” mentality.
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The game will be decided in the trenches for Arkansas. As we’ve seen, Brandon Allen can pass for upwards of 400 yards and (somehow) not score any points. The Arkansas Razorbacks are designed to be a run heavy team. Period. I love the confidence that Allen has showed, and the first down passes under Dan Enos are great. Except when it’s 2nd and 3 and we run the ball and face a 3rd and 3. The Razorbacks offensive line will have a chance to redeem themselves this weekend in Fayetteville.
Texas Tech gave up 317 yards rushing to Sam Houston State, and 226 yards rushing to UTEP. The Razorbacks gave up 58 yards rushing to the Miners. In fact, despite losing to Toledo, the Arkansas defense as a whole has been as strong as we had hoped it would be. UTEP amassed only 204 yards of total offense in the whole game. That’s less than they got just rushing against TTU. Just to throw salt in the wound, look at the Toledo box score. The Hogs gave up 237 yards through the air, which is more than they would have liked to. However, they only gave up 1 score. The Rockets were somehow more ineffective on the ground than the Razorbacks were, only gaining 81 yards rushing the entire game. The Arkansas defense has played strong in the first two games. It’s the offense that has struggled, and has left most analysts, fans, and I’m assuming coaches, scratching their heads.
Sep 12, 2015; Little Rock, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks tight end Hunter Henry (84) runs the ball after a catch against the Toledo Rockets during the second quarter at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
It’s do or die time for the Razorbacks this Saturday. In terms of matchups, the Razorbacks have gotten pretty lucky with having Texas Tech come to town before starting SEC play the week after. This is a chance for the Hogs to get back to basics and run the damn ball. No more hashtags, no more catchphrases, and no more videos. At this point, it doesn’t matter. The highly touted offensive line of Arkansas has been highly ineffective so far this season, and if the Razorbacks want to go bowling, then a win against Texas Tech is pretty much a necessity.
There’s a lot of drama from both sides around this game. Kingsbury and the Red Raiders want to show that they have turned the corner and are ready to fight in the Big 12. Coach Kingsbury himself wants to show Lubbock and his bosses that he was worth the investment. Bret Bielema is in a similar situation now, fresh off a hefty contract extension in the offseason. Coach Bielema and the Razorbacks need to show that they can compete in the SEC west, and that the Hogs are a doormat no longer. They also need to prove that the Toledo game was a fluke, and not an iceberg like the ULM game that sank the 2012 season.
A win puts the Hogs back on the right track and gives fans (and the team) some confidence and hope heading into conference play. A loss will have a lot of fans googling how big Bret Bielema’s buyout is. (Spoiler alert: It’s huge.)