Penn State is set to meet Arkansas for the first time in the 2022 Outback Bowl on Saturday. And while the Nittany Lions are looking to plug a bunch of holes on the roster due to NFL opt-outs, they are also preparing to face an Arkansas team that has had a surprisingly successful season, one that saw the upstart program give Alabama a little bit of a challenge but also saw them get steamrolled by Georgia.
To help us get a better understanding of this week’s opponent to close out the 2021 season, we got together with Eric Bolin, editor of Razorbacks Wire. Bolin was kind enough to answer some questions about Arkansas for us for the final edition of Behind Enemy Lines for the year.
Nittany Lions Wire: With Treylon Burks opting out, how will the receivers look for the Razorbacks? Who is the go-to receiver?
Eric Bolin: Arkansas doesn’t have a go-to receiver anymore. At all. It’s the biggest question mark on the team for this game, too. Tyson Morris (pictured below) is the leader in receptions, yards and touchdowns, but those totals are 21, 303 and two. Not exactly scary. That doesn’t mean the receiving corps is bad, per se – Arkansas is definitely more of a running team, anyway – but it isn’t nearly as dynamic without Burks.
NLW: Glancing at some quick numbers, is it fair to suggest Arkansas struggles against the run?
Eric: Yes and no. They’re a group that held Alabama to 112 yards rushing. Eight of the team’s 12 opponents had less than 150 yards and while that isn’t an incredible mark, 150 yards given up a game would be right in the middle of FBS. What Arkansas struggles to do is stop the big play on the ground. Ole Miss, Georgia and even Missouri lit the Razorbacks at times with big plays, skewing the numbers.