It was a 45-21 loss for the Arkansas Razorbacks, but there’s reason to be hopeful about the Hogs for this season.

Here’s four takeaways from the Razorbacks’ season-opening loss.

  • SECONDARY WILL NEED TO IMPROVE: Easily the Razorbacks’ biggest weakness is the the secondary. Auburn sliced and diced the Hogs defensive backs all game, throwing for 293 yards and two touchdowns. Numerous times, Auburn receivers had way to much room to operate in the middle of the field. Wide receiver Duke Williams was too much to handle for the Hogs, too. The JUCO wideout caught  nine passes for 154 receptions and one touchdown. I don’t know if it was communication issues in that secondary that led to the trouble, but the secondary looked overwhelmed all night. The secondary issues will need to be addressed or the Hogs will be hard-pressed to get many wins this season.
  • DROPPED PASSES PLAGUE OFFENSE: Head coach Bret Bielema came into this game touting the talent at wide receiver. While the talent may indeed be there, it was a rough night overall for the receivers. A beautiful deep pass in the first quarter by Brandon Allen was ruined by Keon Hatcher, who let the ball go right through his hands. If Hatcher catches that ball, he scores, and Hogs most likely go into halftime up seven points on the road. Another dropped pass in the third quarter by Demetrius Wilson thwarted the Razorbacks’ first drive of the second half. A catch there would have gotten the Hogs a first down.
  • PLAY ACTION PASS KEY FOR ALLEN: There’s no doubt about it. The Hogs are at their best when the run game is working, allowing Brandon Allen to mix in the play action pass. An effective play action allows Hunter Henry and AJ Derby to move around with more space in the middle of the field and really helps Allen settle into the game. Of course, it’s all dependent on the play of their running backs.
  • CAN ARKANSAS STAY CONSISTENT FOR 60 MINUTES?: In the game’s first 30 minutes, Arkansas certainly looked like they belonged, pushing Auburn the entire half. Their running game looked legitimate, the offensive line dominated and Allen looked comfortable. The second half was a completely different story for the Hogs. Arkansas gained only 51 total yards in the second half and their running backs failed to make any sort of impact. The offensive line played poorly, rendering Allen virtually useless. The question moving forward will be if Bret Bielema can keep his team playing at a high-level for more than just one half.