Green's six TD performance earns first Razorbacker of the Week honor

Arkansas Razorback redshirt senior quarterback Taylen Green's second year in the Southeastern Conference under offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino got off to the auspicious start most predicted in a 52-7 win over the Alabama A&M Bulldogs on Saturday in Razorback Stadium. Green finished just one touchdown shy of a school record with six touchdowns while completing 77 percent of his passes, for 322 yards passing and another 41 on the ground. 

The performance was one shy of Brandon Allen’s seven touchdowns thrown against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 2015, but it was good enough for Razorbacker of the Week honors to start the 2025 grid iron campaign. 

“Taylen did a good job of avoiding pressures,” Razorback head coach Sam Pittman said. “Some of them were simple twist games that we had pressure on. Some of them were brought (by) one more than we could protect in our protection – who was hot. We've got to get better there, but I was proud that we were able to throw the ball to a lot of different people and get them involved. I think that's going to help us in the future with those guys getting some confidence.”

Alabama A&M matched Arkansas’ sack total of two in the game, but Green was able to find five different receivers on his six scores. Bentonville sophomore CJ Brown grabbed two touchdowns with four catches for 49 yards overall. Senior transfer O’Mega Blake led all receivers with seven receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown.

Raylen Sharpe, Jalen Brown and senior tight end Andreas Paaske each hauled in scores from Green. Arkansas’ other touchdown came on a hook up between backup quarterback KJ Jackson and senior halfback Mike Washington. 

Pittman added he was pleased with Green’s decision making while under pressure from blitz packages similar to the ones which gave him trouble in 2024. 

“We were…turnover free,” Pittman said. “That's big. So he took care of the football. He was smart throwing and running.

“Once he got out and understood where first downs were or whether he needed to throw or he could run to get it, I thought he had good command over the huddle and over the offense all day. He distributed the ball to several different people and came out healthy.”

Green also gave thanks for getting the season off to a healthy start and credited the playmakers around him for doing their part. 

“First off, I wanna give praise to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ — and like everybody's been talking about — there's the versatility of the receiver room,” he said. “And just showcasing the ball in their hands and the playmaking ability that they have. And like I said, I’ve just gotta do my job and give them an opportunity. They're going to do the rest."

Green added he’s looking forward to the work the team has been putting in so far paying forward as the season goes on. 

“Honestly, it was just the preseason work. (The team was) just being antsy to be back out there in front of the fans, with my brothers, and just to be out there live, not having a black jersey on, and yeah, going to battle.”