Game Preview: Razorbacks Looking to Turn Morale Victory Corner against No. 8 Alabama

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

Over the last two seasons the Arkansas Razorbacks have piled up more morale victories than 40 years’ worth of feel good Rocky Balboa storylines. If college teams were ranked off being close but no cigar, the Hogs would be a two-year running Top 10 program. As is, the Razorbacks (2-3, 1-1) finally turned a corner on the road in Week 5 burying a 3-game losing streak, picking up Bret Bielema’s first SEC road win since taking over as the Hogs head coach, and ended an 0-9 run of losing games by seven points or less all in a 24-20 win over Tennessee.

On the other side of the field, Alabama (4-1, 1-1) has increasingly become the team college football loves to hate, as evident by the AP voters. The Crimson Tide started the season with an AP ranking of No. 3 and climbed as high as No. 2 before a 43-37 home loss against Ole Miss somehow suddenly meant Nick Saban and company’s reign as one of the top teams in the nation was now over. As Saban has shown in the past after an upset loss, Bama regrouped going on to beat Louisiana-Monroe 34-0 and then No. 8 Georgia 38-10 in Week 5.

Team Overviews

Week 6 presents a clash of similar styles where neither coach wants to throw the ball unless it is a surprise first down play or a needed third and long. Few surprises will be on display with both Bielema and Saban taking personal pride in letting their big boys upfront pound on each other for four quarters while seeing which teams’ tailbacks can break the other’s defense first.

Arkansas enters the game with a losing record but understanding that their three losses to Toledo, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M (overtime) were by a combined 22 points slightly changes the perception of the team. Against Tennessee, Arkansas went on the road generating 494 yards of total offense with the run game racking up 275 yards. All-SEC running back Alex Collins led all rushers with 154 yards on 27 carries with two scores and true freshman Rawleigh Williams added another 100 yards off 14 totes.

An area Alabama can exploit against the Hogs is the young defense. Arkansas has two seniors starting on Saturday, safety Rohan Gaines and defensive tackle DeMarcus Hodge. They also have two freshmen, one a true freshman, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and the other redshirt freshman, safety Santos Ramriez, and two sophomores starting in defensive end Tevin Beanum and strong-side linebacker Dwayne Eugene. Eugene is getting his first start of the season.

One thing Alabama will have to account for against Arkansas while on defense is an improving passing offense. First-year Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos has made significant strides with senior quarterback Brandon Allen. Allen has been good at times but is still missing that clutch performance in crunch time to deliver the team a win when needed.

When Allen drops back to pass he has emerging junior receiver Drew Morgan, 110 yards vs. Tennessee, and All-SEC tight end Hunter Henry, 62 yards vs. Tennessee, as top targets. The Hogs have a trio of potential playmakers in junior college transfer Dominque Reed, sophomore Kendrick Edwards, and redshirt freshman JoJo Robinson. Reed and Edwards are both big targets with Reed being a speed burner who can take a 5-yard slant 80 yards to the house. Robinson has the same time of speed but has not had that breakout game yet.

When Alabama has the ball, it is all about the running game. When the Tide lost to Ole Miss, they actually outplayed the Rebels but could not get out of their own way turning the ball over five times. In their last three contests they have eight turnovers.

Inside the Numbers

Three things Arkansas needs to do to help ensure an upset win against Alabama is win the turnover battle, slow down the run, and not give up big plays in the secondary.

The Hogs are tied for 84th in the country in creating turnovers with six in five games. The Razorbacks also have the 118th worst pass rush having only taken down the opposition’s quarterback four times in five games. The numbers are troubling considering the passing offenses they have played against in Texas Tech and Texas A&M. The lack of pass rush has helped contribute to the Hogs 99th worst, out of 127 teams, pass defense in the nation allowing 258 yards per game on average.

As bad as all of the numbers stack up, the one thing that might be in favor for the Hogs notching that win is their run game defense. Arkansas has the nation’s No. 16 run defense only allowing 102 yards a game. This comes with a cautionary note. Having played teams that are passing offenses not counting on their run game may have skewed the stat line, but the Hogs did limit Tennessee’s rushing attack only giving up 133 yards on the ground.

When Arkansas is on defense the young squad will have to slow down Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake out of the backfield. Henry is a power back who has the ability to break long runs. He leads the team with 579 yards on 93 carries with nine scores on the ground. Drake is more of an all-purpose back who can line up in the slot as well. Drake has 233 yards on 43 attempts with one score but also has eight receptions for 141 yards with another touchdown.

Senior quarterback Jake Coker, to this point, is pretty much on par with Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen. Allen has outplayed Coker with a higher rating 161.4 to 131.4, thrown for more yards 1,360 vs. 976, and has thrown fewer picks 3 to 4, and has been sacked less times 2 to 5. Coker has nine touchdown passes to Allen’s eight and maybe the biggest difference to note, has won more games than his Arkansas counterpart.

Allen maybe at a slight disadvantage, at least on paper, with three wide receivers out due to injuries. When Coker looks down field his top targets has been sophomore ArDarius Stewart and true freshman Calvin Ridley. Ridley has 22 receptions for 245 yards with two scores while Stewart has 23 receptions for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Oregon State senior transfer Richard Mullaney has fit in nicely with 15 receptions and tight end O.J. Howard has been a great weapon against opposing weaker tight ends pulling in 13 passes for 183 yards.

Alabama’s defense begins and ends with linebacker Reggie Ragland. The senior has been everything he was hyped up to be going into the season leading the team with 42 tackles. Defensive end Jonathan Allen (3 sacks) and lineman Da’Shawn Hand (2.5 sacks) have done a good job getting pressure on the opposition’s quarterback. Safeties Eddie Jackson and Ronnie Harrison have been ball hawks in Bama’s secondary each with two picks.

If Arkansas can continue their return to a dominating run game against Bama, a feather in the cap will be reward for knocking the Crimson Tide from their current position as the nation’s No. 10 rush defense limiting teams to 84 yards a game. The Hogs have the nation’s No. 32 rush offense picking up 204 yards a game led by the country’s eighth leading rusher, Alex Collins. Collins has turned it on as of late coming into the game with 656 yards rushing and six touchdowns with four 100-plus rushing games on the season.

On the flip side, the Razorbacks have the No. 51 overall defense allowing 359 yards per game. Alabama has been a fairly balanced offense with the run game coming in at No. 38 averaging right at 200 yards a game. Arkansas’ passing offense is No. 32 (272 yards) and Alabama is No. 50 (244 yards).

Final Analysis

On paper Arkansas and Alabama are very similar with nods going to both squads over the other in various phases of the game. Alabama’s back seven on defense could be the difference in the game with that group being stronger than Arkansas’. If the Hogs can limit Alabama’s big plays in the passing game this could be a very close contest.

If the game is tight, neither Alabama nor Arkansas can rely on their field goal kickers. Bama’s Adam Griffith is 4-of-8 on the season and Arkansas’ Cole Hedlund is 5-of-8 on field goals. Both teams are also equal when punting and in the return games.

Arkansas has Alabama’s attention after the Hogs nearly pulled off an upset in Fayetteville last season before falling 14-13. The Hogs outplayed Alabama netting 335 yards of total offense to Bama’s 227 but lost the battle of the turnovers 3-2 with a fumble on a sure touchdown for Arkansas going out of the end zone for a touchback. Arkansas also failed to convert a PAT kick taking away an opportunity to win the game in overtime.

If the ball is left to either quarterback for a game winning drive, both pocket passers will be entering new territory. Allen has had chances but has not delivered while Coker has had one opportunity against Ole Miss but fell short.

Prediction

Home field and an older defense gives Alabama the advantage.

Alabama 28, Arkansas 21

Game Info

Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Place: Bryant-Denny Stadium

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET

Coverage: ESPN

Line: Alabama -16.5; o/u 48

Photo credit: Sarah Bentham; No. 32 Jonathan Williams rushed for 83 yards against Alabama in 2014.