New Razorbacks, New Problems, Same Ending
Well, here we are again. Saturday has come and gone with another loss for the Razorbacks. What else is new? For starters, the team that took the field this past game WAS NOT the same team that showed up for the Toledo and Texas Tech games. In fact, this was the team that I expected to see take the field at the beginning of the season. Defensively, we looked much better. It was not perfect by any means, but the Hogs D looked more like a Robb Smith defense than any other game leading up to that. Offensively, the “next man up” mentality was apparent with Rawleigh Williams and Drew Morgan having exceptional games. The truth of the matter is that the Razorbacks played well enough to beat a really good Texas A&M. How then did they lose?
Sep 26, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Brandon Allen (10) throws in the pocket against the Texas A&M Aggies at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
The Hogs played exactly as designed to win games. The time of possession for the Razorbacks was nearly double the TOP for the Aggies. Brandon Allen was 20-25 for 225 yards in the air, while the ground game marched out a solid 232 yards on 42 carries. This is text book Bret Bielema offense. However, the one major aspect of the game that was very un-Bielema, was the amount of penalties on the Hogs. A total of 11 mishaps for 93 yards continued to stop the Hogs momentum before it could get rolling.
Aside from penalties, one in particular I will discuss later, the play calling from offensive coordinator Dan Enos was so predictable that they might as well have had a sign on the sideline advertising what was coming. Like always, I watched the game with my life long Hog fan step-father and a buddy of mine. By the time the 4th quarter came along, the three of us watching on T.V. knew exactly what was coming before the offense even lined up. Had the 3rd quarter not ended with the Hogs in the red-zone, there is very little chance they would have ever scored in the 4th.
Sep 26, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks receiver Drew Morgan (80) runs after a reception against Texas A&M Aggies safety Justin Evans (14) at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
With the Hogs up 21-13, everyone knew what was coming. Run after run after run, and the minutes melted off the clock. This overly conservative mentality of football is consistently failing to close out games. With Arkansas already proving that they have a problem with close games, the conservative game plan was definitely a mistake. Though Bielema has said he does not micromanage his play callers, its hard for me to believe that this wasn’t his idea. It’s been his M.O. since he has come to Arkansas and failed every time he has relied on it. That, by full definition, is insane.
The end of this drive showed the most moxie of the game. It’s 4th and 3 on the A&M 35 with 4:19 left on the clock with the Arkansas offense still on the field. It was an aggressive move and one that the Hogs desperately needed to achieve. The Razorbacks are going through the snap count and it happens.
Sep 26, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks running back Alex Collins (3) celebrates his third quarter touchdown with Drew Gorton (32) against the Texas A&M Aggies at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
That one penalty I said I would discuss later just happened. Denver Kirkland gets antsy and draws a false start. Everything that this team had fought to get for 6 minutes fell apart with one flag. Brandon Allen had played on a whole new level of excellence and been sacked only 1 time by the best team in the SEC at getting to the quarterback. Drew Morgan made himself my, and many others, new favorite player on the team. RW3 made everyone a believer that he is going to be a starting running back at Arkansas. Then with one mistake, the final nail was in the coffin. The Hogs might have gone to overtime and lost, but the game was over in with that one mistake in the minds of fans. The mentality of failure was certain at the point Brandon Allen unbuckled his chin strap to make way for the punt team to take the field.
It was over.
It was NOT on Allen.
Is he clutch? NO.
Did he lead this injury riddled team of backups to a chance for an SEC win over a dynamic A&M?
Yes. But the team left too many opportunities uncashed in. And a team that’s fighting for the chance at a winning record can’t do that. The Hogs need to mature, and mature quickly, because Tennessee is a tough team to beat, and even tougher to beat on the road.