Tag: Bumper Pool

Lots of choices (or no choices?) for Player of the Game in Arkansas’ loss to Mississippi State

No one on the Arkansas roster had a great day against Mississippi State.

The old phrase Bill Parcells used was “If you have two quarterbacks, you have no quarterbacks.”

Apply that to Arkansas’ Player of the Game winners on Saturday.

Between the three Razorbacks Wire staffers – editor E. Wayne and contributors Taylor Jones and Kendall Hilton – they selected five different players for the, uh, honor against Mississippi State.

The Razorbacks were never in the game in Starkville, falling 40-17, as coach Sam Pittman lost to Mike Leach and Mississippi State for the first time in each of their three seasons at the helm.

Several Arkansas players had decent numbers, but none of them were great enough to be game-changers. As such, Malik Hornsby, Rocket Sanders, Jadon Haselwood, Bumper Pool and Drew Sanders all received votes for Player of the Game.

The Sandersers have led Arkansas in PotG honors this year, with five each. Here’s a complete list from our staff on Saturday.

Arkansas looks to improve third down defense

Alabama converted 64% of their third downs against Arkansas last Saturday. That aspect of Arkansas’ defense must improve before Saturday’s game at Mississippi State.

The Arkansas Razorbacks struggled in many aspects last Saturday against No. 1 Alabama.

In the 49-26 loss, Arkansas allowed Alabama to convert 64% of their third downs or nine of their 14 opportunities. Out of those chances, Alabama was a perfect 3-for-3 on 3rd down plays of nine yards or longer and averaged 16.1 yards per play on third down.

Head coach [autotag]Sam Pittman[/autotag] understands that in order to earn more wins, the defense needs to get the opposing offense off the field on third down more often.

“You sit there and you think you’re going to get off and they make a play. It’s very deflating,” Pittman said after the game. “That’s part of the game and all that. It’s happening too often to us. We’ve got to figure out how to get off the field when we have an advantage with the sticks.”

Pittman shed light on what he believes the issue is, and it is the same issue that allows the defense to give up 289.6 passing yards per game, tackling.

“It’s not that we’re not working it, we’re not doing it,” Pittman said. “Part of that has to do with the tightness of coverage. Part of it has to do with the area in tackling. Tackling is still a problem for us that we’ve got to continue to improve on.”

Looking ahead to this weekend’s game, Mississippi State converts 45.9% of their third downs. The Bulldogs are significantly better at converting third downs at home than on the road, as they make 57.4% of third downs at Davis Wade Stadium as opposed to just converting 30.7% in away games.

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KJ Jefferson, Myles Slusher headline Arkansas’ Players of the Game against Texas A&M

Arkansas outplayed Texas A&M on Saturday night and these performances prove it.

Things did not go Arkansas’ way on Saturday. A field-goal attempt in the final two minutes clanged off the top of the right upright and fell harmlessly into the end zone as the 10th-ranked Razorbacks fell to Texas A&M, 23-21.

The good to take from it? Arkansas played poorly and still almost beat an awfully good team, a team that was picked to finish second in the SEC West at the conference’s media days over the summer.

Arkansas’ offense went over the 400-yard mark. Arkansas’ defense, which entered as with the bottom-ranked pass defense in FBS, gave up just 151 yards in the air.

But Arkansas’ dream of a College Football Playoff appearance and a matchup between two undefeated teams next week in Fayetteville was dealt a blow.

Our three Razorbacks Wire writers have selected their Players of the Game below.

Second Half recap: Missed field goal erases comeback attempt

Arkansas could not stage a fourth-quarter comeback for the second week in a row, as they drop a heartbreaker to Texas A&M in Arlington.

For the second week in a row, it appeared that Arkansas was being set up for a furious fourth-quarter comeback. However, a few plays failed to bounce Arkansas’ way, which allowed Texas A&M to escape with a 23-21 win over the Razorbacks at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

After holding on to a 14-13 lead heading into halftime, No. 10 Arkansas (3-1, 0-1 SEC) gave up ten points to No. 20 Texas A&M (3-1, 1-0 SEC) in the 3rd quarter to give the Aggies the 23-14 advantage.

Arkansas closed the game to 23-21 with 10:05 to go in the game on a K.J. Jefferson touchdown rush and had a chance to re-take the lead with under two minutes to go, but a missed 42-yard field goal attempt by Cam Little erased Arkansas’ hope, as they ultimately fell to Texas A&M.

Momentum stayed with Texas A&M coming out of the locker room. The first drive of the second half ended with a Devon Achane nine-yard touchdown run to give the Aggies over Arkansas for the first time all game, 20-14 with 11:41 to go in the third quarter. Texas A&M completed the drive over six plays and covered 70 yards.

Texas A&M extended their lead with 3:48 remaining in the third quarter on a 31-yard field goal by Randy Bond to extend their lead to 23-14. The scoring drive ultimately ended as a win for the Razorbacks, as the Aggies scored just three points on an 11-play drive that took over six minutes off of the clock, especially considering that the Aggies converted a 2nd and 30 play for a first down on the drive.

Arkansas did not make much noise in the third quarter, as they were held off of the scoreboard, and only gained 21 yards of offense. Texas A&M gained 154 yards of total offense while scoring 10 points.

Arkansas found the scoreboard for the first time since the 5:25 mark in the first quarter when [autotag]K.J. Jefferson[/autotag] scored from six yards away on an option-keeper to cut the Texas A&M lead to 23-21. The drive consisted of mostly running plays, and chewed 4:49 off of the clock. [autotag]Rashod Dubinion[/autotag] and [autotag]A.J. Green[/autotag] highlighted the drive, with Jefferson closing it on a touchdown rush with 10:05 to go in the game.

The momentum continued to swing towards Arkansas on the Aggies’ ensuing possession. After marching 39 yards downfield, the Razorbacks forced Texas A&M to kick a field goal, which Boyd missed from 53-yards away. The miss gave Arkansas the football back with 6:30 remaining in the contest.

Arkansas moved the football well on their next drive, but a bad snap set the Razorbacks to 3rd and 14 from the Texas A&M 25-yard line, which ultimately forced the Razorbacks to kick a field goal.

In a heartbreaking turn of events, Cam Little’s 42-yard attempt bounced off of the top of the goalpost and landed in the endzone. The miss returned the ball to Texas A&M with 1:30 remaining in the game.

Jefferson gained over 100 yards in both passing and rushing in the game. He threw for 171 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 105 yards and an additional touchdown. [autotag]Raheim Sanders[/autotag], who entered the game as the SEC’s leading rusher, was held to just 68 yards on the ground. [autotag]Bumper Pool[/autotag] led the Razorbacks in tackles with seven total.

Arkansas falls to 3-1 on the season and will need to put this loss quickly behind them as they prepare to welcome No. 2 Alabama to Reynolds Razorback Stadium next Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff.

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First Half Recap: A tale of two quarters leaves Arkansas with slim lead over Texas A&M

Arkansas has outgained Texas A&M in the yards department, 281-152, but only leads 14-13 at the end of the 1st half.

Despite dominating the stat sheet in the first half, No. 10 Arkansas holds on to a one-point advantage over No. 20 Texas A&M, 14-13 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Arkansas holds a 280-152 advantage in the yards department, and even held Texas A&M quarterback Max Johnson to 51 yards passing in the half, but the first half was all about momentum.

Arkansas opened the game by scoring two quick touchdowns, but the Aggies went on to take momentum away halfway through the second quarter thanks to a long scoring drive, and a returned fumble for a touchdown.

The Razorbacks got off to a strong start. Arkansas forced Texas A&M to punt after their first three plays and used that opportunity to strike first. [autotag]K.J. Jefferson[/autotag] broke open a 26-yard run on 3rd down and 1 from Arkansas’ 42-yard line, which set up a 32-yard touchdown pass to [autotag]Ketron Jackson[/autotag] to cap a five-play, 69-yard drive with 9:44 remaining in the opening quarter to move ahead, 7-0.

The next possession worked out just as easily for the Razorbacks. After stopping the Aggies again on just three plays, Arkansas’  offense quickly moved down the field to set up another long touchdown pass with 5:25 remaining in the first quarter. This time, Jefferson was able to spot [autotag]Warren Thompson[/autotag] for a 56 yard pass to extend the lead to 14-0. The score was Jefferson’s eighth touchdown pass of the season, and Thompson’s 2nd touchdown catch of the year.

Jefferson ended the quarter as the team’s leading passer and rusher. He completed 4-of-7 passes for 99 yards and two scores while rushing for an additional 41 yards as the Razorbacks took a 14-0 lead into the second quarter. The Razorbacks accumulated 184 total yards in the quarter.

The Aggies slowed down the Razorbacks to open the second quarter. They forced Arkansas to punt on their next two possessions, and took their second possession of the quarter for a 93-yard drive, and their first score of the game. Texas A&M’s Max Johnson threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to receiver Evan Stewart with 8:45 to go in the first half to trim Arkansas’ lead to 14-7.

Texas A&M’s next score came in a bizarre way. Arkansas drove the football to the Texas A&M three-yard-line. On first and goal, Jefferson attempted to dive over the line for a score. However, he made contact with the front and fumbled the football. The Aggies recovered, and returned the turnover for a 97-yard touchdown. The attempted extra point was botched, which allowed Arkansas to keep the lead, 14-13 inside four minutes remaining in the first half.

Jefferson ended the first half with 126 passing yards on eight completions. Thompson was Jefferson’s leading receiver with 52 yards on two catches. In his first game back from injury, [autotag]Dominique Johnson[/autotag] recorded four carries for 28 yards. Defensively, [autotag]Bumper Pool[/autotag] and [autotag]Myles Slusher[/autotag] lead the team with four tackles. [autotag]Drew Sanders[/autotag] and [autotag]Zach Williams[/autotag] combined to record a sack in the first half.

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For Texas natives on Arkansas roster, beating A&M would be extra special

The only state that has more Razorbacks than Texas is the home state itself, Arkansas.

A quick glance at the Arkansas roster and the players’ hometowns, one thing jumps out.

There’s a lot of Texas.

Twenty-eight players, in fact, on the Razorbacks football roster were born in the Lone Star State. The only state with more Hogs is, unsurprisingly, Arkansas itself. Almost half of the Natural State natives on the roster, though, are walk-ons, making Texas, perhaps the most important place in the country for Arkansas football.

That will certainly be true Saturday when the Razorbacks play Texas A&M in the Southwest Classic in Arlington, Texas. Several of those 28 players are from the Metroplex. Defensively, the Dallas-Fort Worth area has been fertile territory for the Hogs this year. Cornerback Hudson Clark, linebackers Bumper Pool and Drew Sanders, defensive end and safety Jalen Catalon are four starters who called that area home.

All but Sanders were all on the team last year when Arkansas snapped a nine-game skid to the Aggies and vaulted to the No. 8 ranking the country. Now, Sanders, a transfer from Alabama who is making a case for SEC Defensive Player of the Year alongside former teammate Will Anderson, gets his shot.

All the local fellas know what beating A&M could do for the Hogs this year. Everyone knows, actually. But for those 28, a victory will be all the sweeter.

Throwback Thursday: Razorbacks defeat Texas A&M to snap nine-game losing streak

Ahead of Arkansas’ rivalry game with Texas A&M, Razorbacks Wire flashes back to the 2021 game, where Arkansas ended a nine-game losing streak to the Aggies.

The No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks travel to Arlington, Texas this Saturday to face the No. 20 Texas A&M Aggies for the annual Southwest Classic. In honor of the upcoming rivalry game, Razorbacks Wire is going to take a trip back in time to a classic game in the series.

Today’s rewind takes just one step back to the 2021 season, when Arkansas defeated the Aggies, 20-10. The win was important, as it would be Arkansas’ first win over Texas A&M since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012.

Looking back at the history of this rivalry, Arkansas has had a longstanding success over Texas A&M, as they boast a 42-33-3 record in the series. However, Texas A&M has dominated recent history. The Aggies entered the SEC in a surprising fashion by winning 11 games, which included an upset of Alabama, in 2012. Since then, Texas A&M has become bowl eligible every season.

While Texas A&M has enjoyed early success in this new era, Arkansas seems to be walking away from its “dark time”, as they enjoyed just three winning seasons from 2012-20.

Arkansas had no trouble with Texas A&M in 2021’s game, as they led 17-3 at halftime before a Cam Little 24-yard field goal in the 4th quarter sealed the win.

Quarterback [autotag]KJ Jefferson[/autotag] passed for 212 yards on seven completions, which included an 85-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver [autotag]Treylon Burks[/autotag]. [autotag]Bumper Pool[/autotag] led the team with eight tackles, and [autotag]Tre Williams[/autotag] recorded two sacks.

Here is a look back at the best images from last season’s 20-10 victory over Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Arkansas’ linebacker depth has lacked for a long time, but Pooh changes things

Arkansas linebacker Christopher “Pooh” Paul is unlike anyone that Hogs have had at the spot in 10 years.

Christopher Paul. Chris Paul. Pooh Paul.

The Arkansas redshirt freshman linebacker may finally be the player the Razorbacks have sought for the last 10 years. He’s so new to the lineup, it’s unclear what he’ll be known as going forward.

And, yes, it’s been that long since Arkansas has had three linebackers who were all in the top five on the team in tackles outside of last year’s magical season of Grant Morgan, Bumper Pool and Hayden Henry. And that only happened because of the extra year of COVID-19 eligibility.

Arkansas has had excellent duos practically every year since. Montrell Speight. Brooks Ellis. Dre Greenlaw. De’Jon Harris. Morgan. Henry. Pool. One always played with the other.

Now, even, it’s Pool and Alabama transfer Drew Sanders. Pool’s eligibility is exhausted after this season. But Sanders has more time and Paul is in only three games into his four year-career on the field. So far, so good, especially last week.

“He got more reps this week than he did the previous week,” coach Sam Pittman. “He’s a good player. Physical guy. He’s playing mistake-free football.”

That’s all Arkansas needs right now. Anything above and beyond mistake-free football, allows the Hogs to give opponents different looks. Arkansas has played several years now almost exclusively with five defensive backs and often with six. Part of that is the nature of the game. But more of it was because of a lack of depth. Paul’s growth – he has 10 tackles in two games, tied for fourth on the team.

“When he gets a lot of his reps is when we’re in the three-linebacker look when Drew’s on the field as a rush, jack, buck, whatever you want to call it. We’re getting more comfortable in that set because of the play of Pooh.”

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Three reasons why Arkansas will beat South Carolina this Saturday

Arkansas opens the SEC slate on Saturday morning when they host South Carolina. What are three advantages they have over the Gamecocks?

The SEC slate begins Saturday when [autotag]No. 16 Arkansas[/autotag] hosts the South Carolina Gamecocks at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Both teams enter the game with a 1-0 record. Arkansas joined Georgia and Ohio State by knocking off a fellow ranked opponent last Saturday when they beat Cincinnati, 31-24. As for South Carolina, they handled business by defeating Georgia State, 35-14 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.

Both teams have things to watch for in Saturday’s game. In a physical game, Arkansas led Cincinnati, 14-0 at halftime. But the Bearcats stormed back and rode the heels of Arkansas the rest of the way before the Razorbacks ultimately won.

For South Carolina, they earned a three-touchdown advantage over Georgia State, doing so despite being outgained in the yardage department, and quarterback Spencer Rattler was also intercepted twice.

What advantages does Arkansas have over South Carolina? There are a few. Here are the top three reasons why Arkansas moves to 2-0 this weekend:

Two Arkansas defenders earn SEC Player of the Week honors

Linebacker Bumper Pool and defensive Jordan Domineck had games to remember in Arkansas’ opener.

Bumper Pool picked up Saturday right where he left off last season. Jordan Domineck’s first game at Arkansas was a boon, too.

Each of their efforts were enough to earn them SEC Player of the Week honors from the league after Week 1.

Pool, who led the SEC in tackles last year and was tied for 10th in FBS, had 13 stops, including one for-loss in Arkansas’ 31-24 win over Cincinnati on Saturday. It was his 18th career double-digit-tackle game in 27 starts.

Domineck, a transfer from Georgia Tech, didn’t start for the Razorbacks. But in a sign of the Hogs’ new depth up front, he played plenty of snaps. None were bigger than his strip-sack of quarterback Ben Bryant that he recovered on the 37. Arkansas scored two plays later for a two-touchdown lead.

Arkansas hosts South Carolina on Saturday at 11 a.m. to open SEC play.

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