Arkansas Fight - Arkansas Razorbacks vs Missouri Tigers - 2014Your daily source for Razorback News.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46887/expats-fave.png2015-01-14T14:21:03-06:00http://www.arkansasfight.com/rss/stream/70593182015-01-14T14:21:03-06:002015-01-14T14:21:03-06:00Why College Football Didn't Follow J-Will's Lead
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<figcaption>Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The All-SEC running back's political protest vs. Mizzou was a rarity in the college football world. Why did its players remain mostly silent in the protests against police brutality?</p> <p>RIP, 2014 college football season. You certainly did your part in making Hog fans glow, especially during that helluva homestretch. But when it came time to participate in the Year Sports Reclaimed Its Social Conscience, you mostly took a waiver.</p>
<p><span>While LeBron James, Derrick Rose, Reggie Bush and others wore their "I Can’t Breathe" t-shirts, and so made common cause with a massive public movement for more just policing, most college football stars side-stepped any whiff of political controversy. They attempted nothing to evoke the cadre of St. Louis Rams who emerged from a stadium tunnel with their hands up, in solidarity with the movement in nearby Ferguson, MO. Perhaps the closest college football came here was when a group of </span><a href="https://www.addictedtoquack.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span>Oregon Ducks</span></a><span> </span><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2015/01/oregon_players_will_be_discipl.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span>apparently mocked James Winston with an anti-rape cry</span></a><span> after pummeling Florida State in the national semifinals.</span></p>
<p>Entire college basketball lineups had voiced their opposition -- usually through those same comic sans I Can't Breathe t-shirts -- to the verdicts in the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases, and their support of the movements that rose in their wake. In almost every sport, at seemingly all levels, athletes have openly spoken their minds about police brutality and social justice. In California, the issue sparked a protest even at the high school level, after one girls' program was banned from a tournament for intending to wear "I Can't Breathe" shirts. The ostensible wall between sports and Everything Else has always been false, but now it was flattened. Athletes in every sport, at the professional level and at every level below, were making it clear that they would not sit this debate out.</p>
<p><span>Except in college football. </span></p>
<p><span>While the rest of the sports world spoke up in one way or another, nearly 70,000 NCAA football players stayed mostly silent.</span></p>
<p><span>In other sports, team publicists and coaches often allow protesting athletes free rein to air their beliefs. After the Cleveland Browns’ </span><span><span>Andrew Hawkins</span></span><span> wore a shirt protesting the shooting deaths of two unarmed black men, his team and the habitually unfriendly Cleveland media allowed him nearly six minutes to express his every nuanced reason behind the action. His entire soliloquy was transcribed,</span><a href="http://www.thenation.com/blog/193113/cleveland-browns-andrew-hawkins-blacklivesmatter-and-accidental-activist#" style="text-decoration: none;"><span> blogged on and blasted to every corner of the sports (and non-sports) world</span></a><span>. Hawkins, as it happens, is a uniquely eloquent and empathetic human. But he’s also a professional athlete. If there are others like him in college football -- and we might as well assume there are -- we aren’t hearing from them. This perhaps should not be too surprising.</span></p>
<p><span>***</span></p>
<p>In most sports, the athletes not only make statements, but stick by them afterward. Many times, their coaches stand right there by them. But college football is not quite like anything else, and so this is not so in college football, where players rarely get a forum to discuss their political statements unless they are apologizing for attempting them in the first place.</p>
<p><span><span>Jonathan Williams</span></span><span>, the Hogs’ all-SEC running back, was likely the first Division I student-athlete to protest along these lines. On November 28, Williams caught a touchdown pass against Missouri and after entering the end zone briefly raised both hands in the air. The message was unmistakable, and in the following weeks Williams’ "hands up, don’t shoot" gesture -- meant to evoke the circumstances of </span><span><span>Michael Brown</span></span><span>’s death, and familiar from the protests in Ferguson, MO -- became a well-known rallying cry against excessive police force and retroactive impunity.</span></p>
<p><span>Scores of professional and collegiate athletes -- although, again, precious few college football players -- have followed Williams by using the same pose or wearing "I Can’t Breathe" T-shirts in memoriam of Garner’s death by a policeman’s chokehold. Still, Williams appears to be the only one of those to have publicly backtracked on his stance.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br></b></p>
<p><span>"I wasn’t expecting it to get blown up or anything like that," Williams s</span><a href="http://arkansasnews.com/sports/four-downs-williams-td-gesture-hatcher-committed-hogs" style="text-decoration: none;"><span>aid when he first addressed the issue nearly two weeks later.</span></a><span> "I feel like it kind of got out of hand." Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said he discussed with Williams how the gesture took attention from teammates and that Williams expressed regret he did it. "I’m a team guy," Williams said. "You know, I think about the team first and foremost, so next time I’m just going to hand the ball to the ref and celebrate with my teammates." When asked, Williams carefully skirted the issue of why he chose to backtrack. He scored his next touchdown in that glorious Texas Bowl thrashing of the Longhorns. Bulling in from a yard out, he afterward receded into the embrace of teammates.</span></p>
<p><span></span>Bielema is widely considered a players' coach, a jovial guy who blasts Reggae music during workouts and draws up zany touchdown pass plays for offensive linemen. But he also runs a large and excruciatingly scrutinized organization, far bigger than anything any basketball coach has to deal with. And Bielema exerts more control on more facets of his players' lives than NFL coaches do.</p>
<p><span>The college football head coach is the most powerful coach in the team sports world. Since</span><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2009/09/college_footballs_season_of_discontent.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span> the 1973 institution of the one-year renewable</span></a><span> grant in lieu of a four-year athletic scholarship, he has the power to quash educations and pro aspirations. Which means Coach has every incentive to make sure his players toe a party line that does not ruffle feathers of fan bases often less urbanized -- and, on balance, significantly more conservative -- than NFL and NBA counterparts.</span></p>
<p><span>In the late 1960s and early 1970s, college football players felt more freedom to air their grievances on wider, social issues. The sportswriter Dave Zirin</span><a href="http://www.edgeofsports.com/2013-10-22-870/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span> tells a protest story from 1972 that hammers this home:</span></a></p>
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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span>That year at the University of Washington, the team refused to come out after half-time unless their opposition to the war in Vietnam was read over the public address system. According to journalist Dean Paton, who worked for the Huskies Sports Information Office and was charged with delivering the team’s message to the public address announcer, the following words were heard throughout the stadium:</span></p>
<p><span>‘Ladies and gentlemen, may we have your attention for a very important announcement: The football team at the University of Washington wishes to take this moment to express its concern over the present situation in Vietnam. Toward this end, the team will now delay the game for a couple of minutes.’</span></p>
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<p><span>Can you imagine a modern college football team doing this in the context of the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan? Behind doors, with recruits, every opposing coach would label that program and its staff as disrespectful and undisciplined at best, and anti-</span><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american" style="text-decoration: none;"><span>American</span></a><span> and traitorous at worst. In college football, a culture which so prizes its </span><a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2014-09-09/university-of-houston-cougars-virginia-tech-hokies-american-flag-helmet-decals" style="text-decoration: none;"><span>seriously commemorative red, white and blue helmets</span></a><span> -- and which is so beholden to local boosters that tend towards the conservative side of the spectrum (especially in Arkansas) -- such an announcement would be akin to competitive suicide. A professional athlete can choose to weigh whether this particular conflict is worth it in a way that a college athlete cannot. One is getting paid either way. The other isn’t getting paid at all.</span></p>
<p>***</p>
<p>The question is not whether college football players should be allowed to make social statements. It's whether they should be allowed to make more than one kind.</p>
<p>In late December, coaches and players on the Rutgers football team wore NYPD hats to honor the lives of New York City police officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu. Afterward, they were given ample opportunity to express why they did what they did, and they did so. There's nothing wrong with the sentiment or the expression of it. But the nature of the sentiment shouldn't justify or forbid its expression.</p>
<p>The fact they were allowed to express themselves, and were given a forum to do so, should be protocol. Self-expression is a bedrock right, one for which police all over the nation every day risk their lives for fellow Americans, athlete or not. Hundreds of thousands of U.S. soldiers have died for this right. More to the point, our democracy depends on not just its survival, but its loud and unfettered health.</p>
<p>That is what matters, and it's nothing to take lightly. The patriotism and militarism that permeates college football can run awfully thick at times, and millions of the sport's fans love this particularly non-sporty aspect of their game. But college football, like every other sport, does not, cannot, and should not exist in a vacuum. It's cop-out to love the players who bring this unique and amazing thing to life, but to despise or silence those who would push other social issues into the frame of those fans' periscope. Those fans might believe they cheer for sports only, and they're welcome to try to do it. But the games we watch take place in the world in which we live.</p>
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><i><span>This column is an updated version of a piece originally published on </span><a href="http://theclassical.org/articles/college-footballs-loud-no-comment" style="text-decoration: none;"><span>The Classical</span></a><span>. Follow Arkansas native Evin Demirel </span><a href="https://twitter.com/evindemirel" style="text-decoration: none;"><span>on Twitter @evindemirel</span></a><span>. </span></i><i style="line-height: 1.15;"><span>In the Vietnam War era, another Arkansan played a role in one of the largest and most dramatic political protests to ever hit college football. </span><a href="http://thesportsseer.com/2015/01/13/the-pine-bluff-native-whose-protest-rocked-the-college-football-world-part-1/"><span>Read that long-forgotten story here</span></a><span>. </span></i></p>
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https://www.arkansasfight.com/2015/1/14/7547115/jonathan-williams-college-footballs-loud-no-commentEvin Demirel2014-12-01T13:19:16-06:002014-12-01T13:19:16-06:00Monday Reflection: Big Picture Overrides Loss
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<img alt="Razorback great Trey Flowers will get to close his UA career in a bowl game." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qln_pgRTGnWN0nWv0A5sCqWwJIA=/0x0:5134x3423/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44254956/usa-today-8230718.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Razorback great Trey Flowers will get to close his UA career in a bowl game. | Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The sting of letting another one slip away is outweighed by the satisfaction of knowing our season ain't done. </p> <p>Thank goodness for BVC and Doc taking a bullet and providing immediate post-game therapy when most if not all of us wanted to do anything but reflect on what had just taken place Friday.</p>
<p>Doc's headline perfectly captured it: <a href="http://www.arkansasfight.com/2014/11/28/7304257/missouri-tigers-21-arkansas-razorbacks-14-out-of-gas" target="_blank">Out of gas</a>. Trent, as usual, <a href="http://www.arkansasfight.com/2014/11/29/7305259/feel-the-rhythm-missouri" target="_blank"><i>felt the rhythm</i></a>:</p>
<blockquote style="margin: 0 0 0 40px; border: none; padding: 0px;">
<p>This game was A&M redux, complete with a brilliantly timed fake punt executed masterfully by Sam Irwin-Hill. First half with all the makings of a blowout, offense can't deliver the decisive blow when the opportunity presents itself, offense stagnates, defense weakens and finally breaks after far too long without any support whatsoever from the offense.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And, of course, it was a little MSU redux as well. In Stark-vegas, we built a 10-0 lead, couldn't build on it, held on for dear life but gave up a big play late and ultimately lost 17-10. A theme, sadly, this year: Good, but still not able to close good teams in the fourth quarter.</p>
<p>It was impossible, for some of us anyway, to express anything other than disgust in the immediate aftermath of that day-after-Thanksgiving turkey. The reversed call burned in my gut like the infamous 1982 mystery PI call on Danny Walters in Texas Stadium that derailed what was on track to be a special season.</p>
<p>The disgust was directed solely at the replay booth, which on Friday operated by its own set of rules; at Missouri's Shane Ray, who delivered as cheap a shot as you'll see late in the fourth quarter on BA; at Missouri's fortunate placement in a down SEC East and relative two-year cake walk to Atlanta; at the missed opportunities that allowed MU to hang around and ultimately benefit from our lack of depth on a defense finally worn down like waves pounding the wrack line on a beach.</p>
<p>But disgusted at circumstances, that's all. Our boys were heroic in defeat and in its aftermath. BVC was right to peg this one of his favorite Hog teams, and I'll heartily join him in that assessment. 6-6 is heroic, and nothing short of it, this year with this schedule under these circumstances.</p>
<p>Consider this:</p>
<ul>
<li>Eight of eight conference games against ranked foes, all but two of them ranked in the top 10 the week we played 'em. </li>
<li>No blowout losses, and in four of six losses we held 4th quarter leads. Several times this season including Friday, we dominated -- <i>dominated</i> -- good teams for more than a half.</li>
<li>And, of course, the 15 returning starters, eight on D.</li>
</ul>
<p>The sting of Friday lingers, though, and there are questions. Why keep BA in the game when he clearly couldn't function? Why go for it on fourth and 3 when the D saw it coming and a 47-yard FG would've quelled MU's mo and delivered a 17-6 lead headed into the final quarter? And fumbles aside, why not more touches for 32 and 3 or targets for Henry and Cornelius? (And man, did we miss Derby...)</p>
<p>But trust in the staff, we must, and I do. As disappointing as Friday was, letting another one slip through our fingers, it's hard to stay discouraged with a big picture looming on the horizon as big as <span>Alex Collins</span>' smile.</p>
<p>We all wanted to head to the bowl toting a nice top 25 ranking and Skipper-sized momentum on our collective shoulder. But here's the rub: Top 25 or not, we're headed to a bowl. After two years of Purgatory, we're back and ahead of schedule.</p>
<p>Shreveport (or Birmingham, Nashville, wherever) and whichever sad sack Big 12 or ACC team is charged with providing the opposition for bowl No. 40, had better gear up. The late December forecast calls for Hogs.</p>
<p>Rested, healed, battle scar-laden, hungry Hogs. Oh, and we'll bring a pretty damn good football team with us too.</p>
https://www.arkansasfight.com/2014/12/1/7312463/monday-morning-reflection-big-picture-overrides-lossMark Carter2014-12-01T08:30:01-06:002014-12-01T08:30:01-06:00Box Score Breakdown: The Usual Suspects
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<figcaption>Jamie Squire/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Hogs came up just short of seven wins. What went wrong?</p> <p>"Ran out of gas" is probably the best way to describe Friday night in Columbia. As much as the message boards like to blame the coaches and the quarterback and whatever else, sometimes, it just isn't your day. After two straight emotional wins to get bowl eligible, the entire team looked flat for most of the game. Throw in an injury to <span>Brandon Allen</span> that clearly affected his passing in the second half, a ton of penalties on the offensive line (mostly false starts), and two ridiculous overturns by the replay crew that affected the outcome of the game in a huge way, and you have what happened.</p>
<p>As for Arkansas looking flat, it shouldn't come as that much of a surprise. I was worried about it all week; in fact, it was a bigger fear than any matchup on the field. It was a heck of a job by Coach Bielema and the staff to keep motivating this team week after week after week through 13 straight SEC losses. When the breakthrough came against LSU, it would have been easy for this team to be emotionally spent against Ole Miss. Instead, we got another stunning effort from the defense combined with a well-executed quarter of offense, which was all the team needed to roll to a 30-0 win. Having achieved bowl eligibility and then having to go on the road against a team that is significantly less of a natural rival spelled letdown. The great Barry Switzer once said that you can really only get your team up to play at their highest level four or five times a year. The Hogs exceeded that this season, but Mizzou was a fairly flat finish. Now on to the bowl.</p>
<p>Speaking of Mizzou, the Tigers won their second straight SEC East title despite not beating a team with a winning conference record. They drew the two worst teams out of the West and play in the East. They managed to lose 34-0 to Georgia and still win the conference because Georgia slipped up. How? The answer is pretty simple: Mizzou doesn't take anyone's best shot. Think about it. If Florida's players were going to go out and win one last big game for outgoing coach Will Muschamp, which game would they win? Mizzou or the Cocktail Party? You think South Carolina's players had any trouble getting up for Georgia? Georgia carried a target on its back and took everyone's best shot. Mizzou just hung around and was disrespected, but no one played their best game against Mizzou. Georgia took South Carolina and Florida's best shots, and that's what did them in.</p>
<p>Somehow, after winning the SEC East in 2013, Gary Pinkel and the Tigers managed to convince everyone they weren't a threat. It's almost like they lost to Indiana on purpose. Mizzou is like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6CqiShbBgo" target="_blank">the Keyser Soze </a>of the SEC: "The greatest trick Gary Pinkel ever pulled was convincing the world Mizzou wasn't a threat." We'll see whose best shot Mizzou takes in coming years.</p>
<table style="table-layout: fixed; font-size: 13px; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #ccc;" border="1" dir="ltr" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<colgroup> <col width="100"> <col width="198"> <col width="100"> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Arkansas"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Arkansas</td>
<td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000;"></td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Mizzou"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Mizzou</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.3509]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">35.09%</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Success Rate"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Success Rate</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=36/79" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.45569620253164556]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">45.57%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000;"></td>
<td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td>
<td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000;"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.3333]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">33.33%</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Rushing Success Rate"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Rushing Success Rate</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=16/33" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.48484848484848486]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">48.48%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2.93]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">2.93</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Line Yards/Carry"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Line Yards/Carry</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2.42]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">2.42</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000;"></td>
<td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td>
<td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000;"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.3667]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">36.67%</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Passing Success Rate"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Passing Success Rate</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=20/46" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.43478260869565216]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">43.48%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-formula="=6/16" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.375]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">37.50%</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Pass Downs Success Rate"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Pass Downs Success Rate</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.425]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">42.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">0.00%</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Sack Rate"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Sack Rate</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=2/46" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.043478260869565216]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">4.35%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000;"></td>
<td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td>
<td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000;"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Own 36.7"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Own 36.7</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Starting Field Position"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Starting Field Position</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Own 22.2"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Own 22.2</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">2</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Turnovers"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Turnovers</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">2</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>For the third straight game, the Hogs dominated the starting field position. Arkansas' offense has a curious inability to struggle when given a short field. The Hogs started three drives in Mizzou territory and punted on two of them. This has been a problem all season. Arkansas' execution is typically awful coming off a turnover or a short field.</p>
<p>Another point to make is against the defense: these guys got roasted. Missouri did run 79 plays - most the defense has seen all season - but the defense gave out for good at about the 10-minute mark of the fourth quarter. That's WAY too early. And the "offensive ineptitude in the second half caused them to be on the field too long" excuse doesn't hold water either: the Tigers ran 38 plays in the first half when the offense looked good, and 41 in the second. Throughout the game, the defense couldn't get off the field on third down. Mizzou was 9 of 19 on third down, but got back two of those on fourth down for an effective 11 of 19. The Hogs played a lot of soft coverage - especially after <span>Bud Sasser</span> and <span>Jimmie Hunt</span> burned the secondary deep - and got short-passed to death. The run defense was the last thing to give out, but by that time the entire D was on its heels. Mizzou posted a ridiculous 56 percent success rate in the second half. Considering how bad Mizzou had been all season (<span>Maty Mauk</span> was completing under 50 percent of his passes in SEC play coming in), that's disappointing for the defense to allow Mauk to bully the secondary around.</p>
<p>Here's a closer look at the Arkansas offense:</p>
<table style="table-layout: fixed; font-size: 13px; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #ccc;" border="1" dir="ltr" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<colgroup> <col width="100"> <col width="48"> <col width="50"> <col width="92"> <col width="92"> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"BY CALL"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">BY CALL</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Plays"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Plays</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Yards"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2," Yards/Play"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Yards/Play</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Success Rt"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Success Rt</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Rushing"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Rushing</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,27]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">27</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,131]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">131</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4.851851851851852]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">4.9</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=9/27" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.3333333333333333]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">33.33%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Passing"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Passing</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,30]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">30</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-1]C[5]:R[28]C[5])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,134]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">134</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4.466666666666667]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">4.5</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=11/30" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.36666666666666664]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">36.67%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"BY DOWN"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">BY DOWN</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Plays"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Plays</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Yards"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2," Yards/Play"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Yards/Play</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Success Rt"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Success Rt</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"1st Down"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">1st Down</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,25]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">25</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=71+sum(R[-1]C[5],R[2]C[5]:R[4]C[5],R[9]C[5],R[13]C[5],R[18]C[5],R[20]C[5],R[23]C[5])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,129]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">129</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,5.16]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">5.2</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=7/25" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.28]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">28.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"2nd Down"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">2nd Down</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,17]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">17</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,69]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">69</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4.0588235294117645]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">4.1</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=7/17" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.4117647058823529]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">41.18%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"3rd Down"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">3rd Down</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,13]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">13</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=33+sum(R[-4]C[5],R[-1]C[5],R[3]C[5],R[5]C[5])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,58]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">58</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4.461538461538462]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">4.5</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=5/13" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.38461538461538464]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">38.46%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"4th Down"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">4th Down</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">1</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">9</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">9.0</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">100.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Totals"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">Totals</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,57]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">57</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-4]C[0]:R[-1]C[0])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,265]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">265</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4.649122807017544]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">4.6</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=20/57" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.3508771929824561]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">35.09%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The Hogs didn't really do anything particularly well. First down was a problem again, as it has been most of the season. The passing numbers faded down the stretch, thanks to Allen's pain shot wearing off. The Hog QB was in obvious pain down the stretch of the game. Would it have been better to take him out? I don't know. By the time it became apparent that he was unable to make even basic throws, the Hogs were down to the final drive and bringing in <span>Austin Allen</span> would have been a move of total desparation. BA was actually moving the offense down the field until the running play with <span>Alex Collins</span> resulted in a "fumble," although my understanding of football is that play ends when the whistle blows, even if Collins did have the ball dislodged.</p>
<p>Here are the rushing splits:</p>
<table style="table-layout: fixed; font-size: 13px; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #ccc;" border="1" dir="ltr" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<colgroup> <col width="100"> <col width="48"> <col width="50"> <col width="92"> <col width="92"> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"BY DOWN"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">BY DOWN</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Plays"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Plays</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Yards"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2," Yards/Play"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Yards/Play</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Success Rt"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Success Rt</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"1st Down"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">1st Down</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,16]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">16</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-10]C[-6],R[-8]C[-6]:R[-7]C[-6],R[-4]C[-6],R[-2]C[-6],R[0]C[-6]:R[2]C[-6],R[5]C[-6]:R[6]C[-6],R[8]C[-6]:R[9]C[-6],R[11]C[-6],R[14]C[-6]:R[16]C[-6])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,71]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">71</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4.4375]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">4.4</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=4/16" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.25]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">25.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"2nd Down"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">2nd Down</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,8]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">8</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-7]C[-6]:R[-6]C[-6],R[-2]C[-6],R[2]C[-6],R[6]C[-6],R[9]C[-6],R[11]C[-6]:R[12]C[-6])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,27]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">27</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,3.375]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">3.4</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=3/8" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.375]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">37.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"3rd Down"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">3rd Down</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,3]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">3</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-11]C[-6],R[-5]C[-6],R[2]C[-6])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,33]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">33</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">11.0</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=2/3" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.6666666666666666]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">66.67%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"4th Down"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">4th Down</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">0</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">0</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"-."]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">-.</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"-"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">-</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"BY HALF"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">BY HALF</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Plays"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Plays</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Yards"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2," Yards/Play"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Yards/Play</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Success Rt"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Success Rt</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"1st Half"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">1st Half</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,15]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">15</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-15]C[-6]:R[-1]C[-6])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,88]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">88</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,5.866666666666666]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">5.9</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=6/15" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.4]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">40.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"2nd Half"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">2nd Half</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,12]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">12</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-1]C[-6]:R[10]C[-6])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,43]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">43</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,3.5833333333333335]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">3.6</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=3/12" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.25]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">25.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Totals"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">Totals</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,27]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">27</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=88+43" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,131]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">131</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4.851851851851852]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">4.9</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.3333]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">33.33%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Against Power 5 competition, the Hogs were 5-0 when achieving a rushing success rate of 40 percent on first down and 1-6 when failing to. The Razorbacks were especially bad at first down rushing on Friday. Mizzou stiffened up against the run in the second half by moving more men into the box. The Hogs never did find much by way of running room: the Tigers were using run blitzes, which means that nearly every run gained either 0-2 yards or 8+ yards. In the second half, the Hogs had three separate sequences of runs on first and second down leading to a third-and-long. With a hurt quarterback, that isn't going to fly.</p>
<p>Here are the passing figures:</p>
<table style="table-layout: fixed; font-size: 13px; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #ccc;" border="1" dir="ltr" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<colgroup> <col width="100"> <col width="48"> <col width="50"> <col width="92"> <col width="92"> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"BY DOWN"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">BY DOWN</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Plays"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Plays</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Yards"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2," Yards/Play"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Yards/Play</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Success Rt"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: 1px solid #000000; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Success Rt</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"1st Down"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">1st Down</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">9</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-18]C[5],R[-15]C[5]:R[-13]C[5],R[-8]C[5])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,58]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">58</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6.444444444444445]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">6.4</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=3/9" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.3333333333333333]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">33.33%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"2nd Down"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">2nd Down</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">9</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-21]C[5],R[-18]C[5],R[-12]C[5],R[-8]C[5],R[-3]C[5],R[1]C[5],R[3]C[5],R[6]C[5])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,42]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">42</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4.666666666666667]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">4.7</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=4/9" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.4444444444444444]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">44.44%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"3rd Down"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">3rd Down</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,10]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">10</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-21]C[5],R[-18]C[5],R[-14]C[5],R[-12]C[5])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,25]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">25</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2.5]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">2.5</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=3/10" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.3]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">30.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"4th Down"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">4th Down</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">1</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">9</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">9.0</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">100.00%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"BY HALF"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">BY HALF</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Plays"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Plays</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Yards"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Yards</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2," Yards/Play"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Yards/Play</td>
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Success Rt"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Success Rt</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"1st Half"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">1st Half</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">11</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-25]C[5]:R[-15]C[5])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,78]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">78</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,7.090909090909091]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">7.1</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=6/11" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.5454545454545454]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">54.55%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"2nd Half"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">2nd Half</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,19]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">19</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-15]C[5]:R[3]C[5])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,56]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">56</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2.9473684210526314]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">2.9</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=5/19" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.2631578947368421]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">26.32%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;">
<td data-sheets-value='[null,2,"Totals"]' style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; border-left: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">Totals</td>
<td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,30]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">30</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=sum(R[-27]C[5]:R[2]C[5])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,134]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">134</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=R[0]C[-1]/R[0]C[-2]" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"0.0"]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4.466666666666667]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">4.5</td>
<td data-sheets-formula="=11/30" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,0.36666666666666664]" style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; border-right: 1px solid #000000; border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-size: 120%; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">36.67%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Allen was on point in the first half, posting an impressive success rate of 54.6 percent. He battled through an injury in the second half, leading to his ineffective finish.</p>
<p><b>Keys to the game review</b></p>
<p><b><i>Key #1: Hold Maty Mauk to under 6.0 yards per attempt.</i></b></p>
<p>STATUS: Failed. Mauk posted a 6.3 ypa for the game, his second-best in SEC play. The Tigers short-passed the Hogs to death and hit a couple of long bombs.</p>
<p><b><i>Key #2: Hold Mizzou to under 125 rushing yards, not counting sacks.</i></b></p>
<p>STATUS: Failed. The Tigers racked up 176 non-sack rushing yards, the third-most allowed this season by Arkansas. Much of that came after the defense was gassed in the fourth quarter, as Mizzou had just three successful runs in the first half.</p>
<p><b><i>Key #3: Go at least +7 in points off turnovers.</i></b></p>
<p>STATUS: Failed. The Hogs had two possessions following Mizzou turnovers, both at midfield. Both drives resulted in punts. Converting short fields and turnovers into points has been a major issue all year for this offense.</p>
<p><b><i>Key #4: Rush for at least 175 non-sack yards.</i></b></p>
<p>STATUS: Failed. The Hogs totaled 155 rushing yards, but that figure includes Sam Irwin-Hill's 23-yard run on a fake punt.</p>
<p><b><i>Key #5: Convert at least 7 third downs.</i></b></p>
<p>STATUS: Failed. The Hogs were 5 of 14 on third down, although they did get two of those back on fourth down to finish an effective 7 of 14.</p>
<p>Overall, the whole team looked fairly flat. I didn't think the running backs ran very hard, especially <span>Jonathan Williams</span>, who is usually dragging tacklers. <span>Hunter Henry</span> had an uncharacteristic drop, and the line was very undisciplined with all the false starts and holding calls. It sounds like sour grapes, but if this game is last Saturday and the Hogs played like they did against Ole Miss, I'd take Arkansas by a couple touchdowns.</p>
https://www.arkansasfight.com/2014/12/1/7307685/box-score-breakdown-the-usual-suspectsAdam Ford2014-11-29T07:46:24-06:002014-11-29T07:46:24-06:00Feel The Rhythm: Mizzou
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RlWcP7G3oBulGpPIWlgw8uDaAx0=/0x0:3396x2264/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/44247900/usa-today-8234031.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Your Bert-Approved Companion To The Missouri Game</p> <p>Brought to you again this week courtesy of Bob Marley, Tito's Vodka, and grapes so sour that Gary Pinkel wouldn't touch them. Well. He'd at least hesitate before pouring himself a jumbo of my feelings about the unadulterated horseshit that was the review booth at Faurot Field <a x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true" href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392);">on Friday afternoon</a>.</p>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Nevermind the extremely tight game that was called against Arkansas. Nevermind the blatant holds committed by the Mizzou offensive line that went unflagged all afternoon. Those go with playing on the road, for better or worse. What is inexcusable is that the ground rules for overturning a call on the field are well established, and can be rattled off by rote by any half-assed fan sitting on his couch.</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Indisputable video evidence, right? That is what's needed. It's required to overturn a call. Was Mauk's arm moving forward? Down? Forward because Flowers had hit it? Back, and to the left? BACK... and to the left??? Whatever it was doing, it damn sure wasn't indisputable. Did Collins recover his fumble? Certainly appeared he had his arm around it while lying on the ground. The whistle had already blown. The Mizzou player certainly didn't "immediately recover" the fumble as is required in that type of situation, AS ALEX COLLINS' ARM IS CLEARLY AROUND THE FOOTBALL.</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">So, yeah. You're damned right, sour grapes. But we might as well talk a little about the rest of the game, too. Let's dive in. I vote we go old school Companion and rattle off a few footballish thoughts with general disdain for any semblance of organization or formatting. Agreed? Agreed.</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">This game was A&M redux, complete with a brilliantly timed fake punt executed masterfully by Sam Irwin-Hill. First half with all the makings of a blowout, offense can't deliver the decisive blow when the opportunity presents itself, offense stagnates, defense weakens and finally breaks after far too long without any support whatsoever from the offense.</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">After an entire season of being the most visible member (and therefore the biggest target for scorn) of the much-maligned receiving corps, <span>Keon Hatcher</span> has made tremendous touchdown receptions in back-to-back games. Incredible effort to find the end zone in the second quarter. He should be much more effective next season as a slot receiver with KJ Hill and <span>JoJo Robinson</span> giving him some breathing room.</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">There were more missed tackles today than there were over probably the last three games combined, but you won't catch me saying one cross word about the defense. They were marooned out there, and still put up one hell of a performance. They played well enough for Arkansas to win that game. Same as with every game this season with the exceptions of Auburn and Georgia. Seriously considering adding a double-consonant to my name as an homage. Robb Smith is a football coach, David Bazzell. You gotta put him in the Broyles!</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Williams and Collins are going to be so beastly should they ever get to run against a defense that doesn't sell out to stop them. They go out and do their thing every week without getting the numbers they deserve because they are running into an endless wall of defenders, so I was very happy to see Collins join Williams in the 1000 Yard Club on Friday. Yes, ball security has been an issue at times this season, but Arkansas is going to a bowl game because of its defense and those two running backs. Period.</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">After the game, Williams tweeted an apology to the fans saying that he was too loose with the ball, and Collins promptly tweeted him to share some of the blame Williams was placing on himself. Indicative of the attitude of this duo, and this team, and this season, and a major reason why a .500 squad may be one of my most favorite Razorback teams ever.</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Finally... let's talk about <span>Brandon Allen</span> and Jim Chaney. And Bert. And whoever else was responsible for trotting BA out there play after play in the fourth quarter when he was CLEARLY incapable of executing. I give Allen all of the credit in the world for gritting it out, and I don't look at any of his play today as an indictment on his ability as he was obviously injured, but here's the thing: I saw <span>Tyler Wilson</span> get his brains beat in for game after game during the 2012 season, and it didn't make it suck any less.</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">You're the coach, Jim. You're the coach, Bert. Don't leave it up to the player. Don't make them tap out. Regardless of what his lips were saying, <span>Brandon Allen</span> was begging with his eyes to be taken out of that game. He couldn't go, and he knew it. Mizzou knew it. Everyone watching on television knew it. How in the hell could you two not see it? How could you wait until he's writhing on the ground to warm up <span>Austin Allen</span>? How could you leave him in after watching him writhe on the ground the next play? And the next? AFTER BEING GIFTED A FIRST DOWN (due to your injured quarterback getting hammered once more) and getting a second chance to get Austin out there with a fresh set of downs, how could you STILL LEAVE BRANDON ALLEN IN THE GAME???</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">It was bullshit. It was inexcusable. It wasn't safe for BA, and it damn sure wasn't our best chance to win.</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Man, what a way to end the regular season. You see what I did there, mentioning the end of the <i>regular season</i>? THAT'S BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO A BOWL GAME. THAT'S RIGHT. AFTER THREE YEARS AND AFTER SUFFERING THROUGH A MOTORCYCLE WRECK AND JOHN L. SMITH AND ULM AND "SMILE" AND LOSING TO RUTGERS TWICE AND JOHNNY FOOTBALL ACTUALLY MAKING A VIDEO GAME OUT OF OUR DEFENSE AND GIVING UP 104 CONSECUTIVE POINTS AND LOSING 17 CONSECUTIVE SEC GAMES, ARKANSAS IS BACK IN A BOWL GAME.</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">Shreveport? Memphis? Birmingham? Who cares? We weren't supposed to be there this year. Not with this team. Not with that schedule. And yet here we are. Led by Bert. Ahead of schedule. I've never had so much fun watching a 6-6 team.</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><br></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">I'll see y'all in a few weeks.</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">----</div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"><i style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 21px; color: #3f3f3f; font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px;">Trent Wooldridge will be that guy with enough bourbon. He loves the S-E-C chant and honks because he hates Texas. He puts honey on his pizza, demands aisle seats, and sees quitting golf as more of a hobby than actually playing golf. Follow @twooldridge and track his quest to transform his four-year-old into a southpaw ace in the bigs.</i></div>
https://www.arkansasfight.com/2014/11/29/7305259/feel-the-rhythm-missouriTrent Wooldridge2014-11-28T18:54:52-06:002014-11-28T18:54:52-06:00Missouri 21, Arkansas 14: Out of Gas
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<p>6-6</p> <p>Defense can only make so many opportunities for the offense to score. At some point, the offense has to score points to have a better chance to win. As much fun as it's been to shut out LSU and Ole Miss, expecting or hoping for a third straight shutout wasn't very realistic.</p>
<p>Arkansas' offense was whipped in the second half. The Hogs got absolutely nothing going. They started one drive in Missouri territory after forcing a fumble immediately after a Tiger reception, but gained just 15 yards in five plays and punted it back. Only two second half drives lasted more than five plays. One was extended on the <span>Sam Irwin-Hill</span> fake punt but was stopped on downs after another trick play to <span>Kody Walker</span> failed. The other was the final drive, which was aided by the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that kept Arkansas from attempting a 4th-and-long play.</p>
<p>Despite scoring twice in the first half, the team was just too sloppy. The worst sequence was with just over 5 minutes until halftime, Arkansas started a drive with a big 16-yard run by <span>Alex Collins</span> and the Hogs got 15 extra courtesy of a late hit by Missouri, but <span>Jonathan Williams</span> fumbled on the next play. Fortunately, Arkansas got the ball back immediately when <span>D.J. Dean</span> picked off a pass that was tipped at the line of scrimmage, setting the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arkansasfight.com/">Razorbacks</a> up in Tiger territory again. But two more false starts pushed the Hogs back so far they had to punt away again.</p>
<p>That leads us to the drive just before halftime. That was terrible. Bielema clearly had a ton of faith in the defense when he called the first time out, and he was justified in that faith, although with just two time outs and Missouri not being aggressive on the first play of the drive, he probably still should have waited until after second down to call the time out, but it was nearly rendered moot when <span>Maty Mauk</span> was sacked and lost the ball, apparently setting Arkansas up with a 1st-and-10 deep in Tiger territory. However, the replay officials ruled it an incomplete pass, keeping the ball with Missouri.</p>
<p>**I was in the stands during this game and was limited to in-stadium replays, so I'm not sure what the right call was. The replays I saw were certainly questionable at best, but if those of you watching the endless replays think it was the right call, ok.</p>
<p>A big run by Mauk and a soft roughing the passer flag pushed Missouri into Arkansas territory. The Hogs forced them into a 50-yard field goal situation with 9 seconds left, and <span>Andrew Baggett</span> kicked it and missed, but Bielema called his final time out just before the snap. In a bit of outcoaching by Gary Pinkel, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.rockmnation.com/">Tigers</a> decided to run a play since it was 3rd down and 9 seconds left and they knew Arkansas was putting the field goal defense team on the field instead of the regular defense. Arkansas was out of timeouts so they couldn't stop it. Mauk threw a pass into the end zone but Arkansas was able to break it up, but Mizzou still had time to kick the field goal and Baggett nailed it this time.</p>
<p>If the officials kept with the ruling on the field on the fumble/incompletion, Arkansas has a great chance to go into halftime 21-3 or 17-3 instead of 14-6.</p>
<p>It was huge, and since the Hogs were never able to keep the offense on the field in the first half, the defense appeared to eventually wear down and couldn't hold the Tigers anymore by the time they got into the 4th quarter. The Razorbacks have averaged a time of possession advantage of about 8 minutes all season. But against Missouri, the Tigers held the ball for 32:43 and all the extra plays seemed to zap the Arkansas defense by the time they got to the final two drives.</p>
<p>Beginning on their own 2-yard line, the Tigers went 98 yards mostly behind a pair of big passing plays. The Tigers had tried to go deep a few times earlier in the day but were never successful. Arkansas had Missouri at a 3rd-and-7 at the Tigers' 19-yard line, but Mauk finally hit a big play, a 44-yard completion to <span>Jimmie Hunt</span>. A few plays later, on 2nd-and-16 after a holding penalty, Mauk found <span>Bud Sasser</span> for 28 yards and set up a 1st-and-goal, which allowed Missouri to tie the game.</p>
<p>Again, I was 75 rows up in the stands, and I know there are some other plays that many Hog fans are upset about, so I'll watch the replay at some point and join in that fun. Even from our lofty vantage point, we could tell <span>Brandon Allen</span> was hurting. I assume that's what caused his accuracy to drop what seemed to be pretty significantly by the end.</p>
<p>But ultimately, Missouri's defense prevented Arkansas from moving the ball at all in the second half. Credit to them. I'm sure plenty of Arkansas fans were upset with Jim Chaney and all the pitches to the side that were called when all week we were told the Tigers are more vulnerable up the middle than by running to the outside. And I'm sure, knowing Hog fans, there's plenty of other things. I'll dive into our GameThread, Twitter, and the message boards later.</p>
<p>I don't feel as bad about this loss as I would if Arkansas had not earned bowl eligibility last week. The Hogs still get to play again in about a month or so. It remains to be seen if this loss will have any effect on where Arkansas goes.</p>
<p>However, the momentum and publicity the team's gotten the last two weeks is likely gone, and that's unfortunate. But with a good bowl performance the team will still be a pretty hot team going into the offseason, so all is not lost.</p>
https://www.arkansasfight.com/2014/11/28/7304257/missouri-tigers-21-arkansas-razorbacks-14-out-of-gasDoc Harper2014-11-28T13:20:02-06:002014-11-28T13:20:02-06:00Arkansas vs Missouri GameThread
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<figcaption>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Can Arkansas clinch a winning record and deny the Tigers a trip to Atlanta?</p> <p>Fire away!</p>
https://www.arkansasfight.com/2014/11/28/7298009/arkansas-razorbacks-vs-missouri-tigers-gamethreadDoc Harper2014-11-28T10:00:02-06:002014-11-28T10:00:02-06:00Toppling the Tigers: Arkansas- Missouri Preview
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<figcaption>Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Pregame Walkthrough: Get yourself prepped for the upcoming opponent with x and o breakdowns, scouting reports, charting data, and everything you need for the next game.</p> <p>Arkansas heads to Columbia the day after turkey day with the opportunity to ruin Missouri's season. What better reason to put together another dominating performance from the defense than to end Missouri's run? Sure I think it would be great to have the usual game vs LSU on thanksgiving, but this year other than adding to a Bowl resume and re capturing the boot there would not be quite as much motivation. Ending the Tigers shot at an SEC title would be a pretty great way to round out the regular season.</p>
<h4>Game plan with BA or Game plan with AA:</h4>
<p><b><span>Austin Allen</span>: </b>The Play calling was limited when Austin came in against Ole Miss. I liked the use of JWill in the WIldhog as a way to change it up, and I believe we will see a lot of that if Austin is forced to play significant snaps.</p>
<p><b>Missouri defensive line:</b> As <a href="http://www.arkansasfight.com/2014/11/25/7278415/arkansas-vs-missouri-advanced-stats-preview-rivalry-begins">Adam Ford pointed out in his advanced stats</a>, Missouri is statistically a top 10 team in rushing defense, and with the combination of <span>Shane Ray</span> and <span>Markus Golden</span> lead the SEC in sacks. A big part of the succes stopping the run is attributed to avoiding the top rushing teams in the SEC of Auburn, Arkansas, Alabama and LSU. Missouri was thouroughly blown out by Georgia, the #2 team in the SEC in rushing, and I think Arkansas will be able to move the ball with success.</p>
<p>The big question will be whether BA is healthy enough to stay in the game, and what limitations will he have. If he is not very mobile it may be difficult to convert the inevitable 3 and 6+ with some of the line games that Missouri likes to run on passing downs.</p>
<p>In this play Shane Ray uses his superior quickness to beat the Tennessee line inside. Looks a lot like what Georgia did, heres hoping there is a better plan in place this week.</p>
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<h4>Arkansas Defense vs Missouri Offense:</h4>
<p>The Missouri offense will try to attack the middle of the Arkansas Defense. #21 <span>Bud Sasser</span> is third in the SEC with 56 catches and 9 TDS. He is mostly an outiside vertical threat, but can be used inside. Teams must play him with outside leverage to take away the deep ball. The route by the TE to the flat draws the safety up leaving the middle of the field open.</p>
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<img alt="Bud Sasser vs Press" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3C7J8OFSwnG97SOgoTa3qfDYfGw=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2499234/Bud-Sasser-vs-Press.0.gif">
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<p>Early in the season the Arkansas Defense struggled to cover the same concept against Auburn and A&M. Ole Miss had some fleeting success before shooting themselves in the foot with turnovers, but I have to believe Missouri will test the Safeties early and get a read on how much the linebackers are biting on playaction.</p>
<p><span>Maty Mauk</span> excels at checkdowns versus pressure, so it may be a scenario where Robb Smith will not call a lot of his pressure packages and try to keep Mauk in his progressions.</p>
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<h4>What to watch when not watching the ball:</h4>
<p><b><span>Rohan Gaines</span></b>: This guy has really been a wrecking machine the last few weeks, and somewhere in Columbia right now a WR is watching film of him blowing up a WR or Running back over the middle. (Not to mention the 100 yrd int return) Try to watch how he plays over the top of Sasser and whether that rotation opens up anything else.</p>
<p><b>Missouri Dline vs Arkansas Oline: </b>Arkansas struggled against the quicker Dline of Georgia. Adding a back to the protection scheme and using more movement of the pocket kept LSU and Ole Miss from using their quickness. What the matchup of <span>Dan Skipper</span> and Ray on passing downs to see whether a TE is kept in or a back is shifted to his side.</p>
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<p>The 2014 season is winding down, another win against another #17 ranked could be immeasurable in recruiting and out of season motivation. Whoever gets thrown in front of Arkansas down the road in a bowl game will end up being a big game as well but the implications on the outcome of the SEC East basically comes down to this game.</p>
<p>Arkansas has a lot to be thankful for this season and an SEC road win in Columbia would be icing on the cake. Go Hogs.</p>
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https://www.arkansasfight.com/2014/11/28/7297991/toppling-the-tigers-can-arkansas-disrupt-sec-east-repeatjoshgoforth2014-11-27T15:38:27-06:002014-11-27T15:38:27-06:00Arkansas Releases Hype Video for Missouri Game<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/qegqX_wuEEY?list=UUFOnALf759wW93H5Qesz2UQ" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Well done.</p></p></div>
https://www.arkansasfight.com/2014/11/27/7300469/arkansas-releases-hype-video-for-missouri-gameDoc Harper