This is a good bye week for the [autotag]Arkansas football[/autotag] team, who can use the additional preparation time to try and snap its 6-game losing streak next week at Florida. In a much more literal sense, it’s also a “good-bye” week for offensive coordinator [autotag]Dan Enos[/autotag], who was sent packing after just eight games.
The struggling program finally put a band-aid on one of its most infected wounds Saturday night, when Enos was shown the door. I don’t think anyone who has witnesses this disaster of a season could disagree that a bold move was needed. The Razorback offense currently ranks No. 119 out of 130 Division I programs, and last in the SEC.
But if you are looking to shed blame for this pitiful gridiron display, take your pick – it’s a smorgasbord of targets. There are many moving parts in the operation of a team, whether winning or losing, and this group has shown flaws in all aspects.
Look no further than Saturday’s 7-3 Homecoming loss to Mississippi State, which showcased a variety of those flaws, from beginning to end.
In my opinion, the most glaring issue has been the deficiencies along the offensive line, which in turn, has had a trickle-down effect on the entire game plan. The real irony in that is the fact that Head Coach [autotag]Sam Pittman[/autotag]’s realm of expertise is that exact facet of the game.
When they have not crippled the team with a slew of crucial illegal-procedure penalties this season, the O-line has given up 31 sacks – almost four per game – which is the eighth most allowed in the FBS. Those sacks have also led to 228 negative yards, which is fourth most in the country. That handicap up front also prevents quarterback [autotag]KJ Jefferson[/autotag] from having time to operate effectively, and does not allow the running backs much of a chance against those stout SEC defenses.
As was evident Saturday, the toll it takes on Jefferson and the majority of his teammates, often leaves them looking somewhat lethargic on the field. At times, the senior captain just seems to be going through the motions. And that’s understandable, like the kid who keeps getting beat up on the playground.
The chorus of first-half boos inside Razorback Stadium also said a lot. The frustration of fans continues to mount each week. And not just by losing close games, but also by the manner in which the Hogs continue to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
When Al Walcott picked off a Bulldogs pass just 35 seconds into the game, it looked like momentum would finally be in the Hogs’ favor. And although Arkansas was at least able to muster a 24-yard Cam Little field goal to take a 3-0 lead, following the turnover, it was just another missed opportunity to reach the end zone, which only created more disappointment.
Good teams are able to take advantage of another team’s mistakes, which the Razorbacks have rarely done this season. Instead, it’s usually their mistakes that trigger the opposition.
Enos was an obvious choice to bite the bullet. Whether lining Jefferson up in shotgun on 4th-and-short, or his continued calls of slow-developing bubble-screen passes, his offensive plan just wasn’t working.
ESPN commentator Mark Jones quoted Enos during Saturday’s broadcast: “We need to be aggressive, not careless.” Yet, what has been displayed on the field this season is an extremely reckless Razorback offense, that has not been very aggressive.
Then add in all the silly, yet crucial, mistakes.
Mississippi State’s lone scoring drive Saturday was spurred by a catch-interference call against the Hogs on the punt return, which set the Bulldogs up at the 30-yard line, instead of back on their own 15. They finished the drive with all the points they would need. Thus, proving once again that those “little” miscues can change outcomes.
On Arkansas’ first drive of the second half, facing another 4th-and-short, Enos finally had Jefferson line up under center for a plunge. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs responded by putting no less than seven defenders in the box, right over the center, allowing Jefferson no chance to move the pile. Sometimes you must be fluid, with the ability to adjust to the opposition’s alignment on the fly – which the Razorbacks have struggled to do all season.
Then late in the third quarter, Arkansas sent Little out to attempt a 51-yard field goal, only to have the play clock expire for a delay-of-game penalty. So, instead of having the kicker try a still-makable 56-yard attempt, the drive abruptly fizzled with a decision to punt. Again, those costly mistakes add up to defeat.
And when things are going bad, even the luck seems to go sour. Take the Mississippi State fumble in the fourth quarter that allowed Walcott to scoop it up and score the apparent go-ahead – and possibly, game-winning – touchdown for Arkansas. The Hogs did everything right on the play, but it was a Bulldogs’ false start penalty that nullified the play and wiped the score off the board. Amid turmoil, even when good things happen, they often turn out to be crushing.
With victories needed in all four of its remaining games, in order to qualify for a bowl game, Arkansas had to shake things up, one way or another.
Next up on the controls is wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton, who was promoted to interim offensive coordinator. Although things can’t get much worse on that side of the ball, the hope is that Guiton can bring a spark and some new wrinkles that will finally jumpstart this fledgling offense.
As a longtime understudy of former Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendall Briles, Guiton’s game plan will likely revert back to the Razorbacks’ fast-paced scheme of the past three seasons. So, don’t blink.
If no improvement is shown during this final month of the season, more drastic changes may need to be made. As Pittman, himself, said when he was hired four years ago, “This is a proud damn state.” Well, right now this football program does not create a state of pride with its current trajectory.
As a fan and a proud alum, this season has only created more heartbreak. Sometimes you don’t know whether to laugh or cry. But, fortunately or unfortunately, as a sports scribe, it continues to give us things to write about.