Arkansas fell to 1-3 Saturday with a 34-3 loss at Auburn in the Razorbacks’ first SEC game under Chad Morris. It was the Hogs’ best performance of the season, believe it or not. That’s just how bad things have been so far in 2018 with losses to Colorado State and North Texas serving as low points.

The Razorbacks are allowing 33 points per game. That number is consistent with the past two seasons, a time in which the Hogs were very poor on defense. Things are a little bit different now, though. The points allowed aren’t indicative of how much the defense seems to have improved in its first season under coordinator John Chavis.

Is this a great defense? Not at all. The fourth quarter at Colorado State and the big plays allowed against North Texas prove that. But it’s a phase of the game that at least looks like it belongs in the SEC. The same can’t be said for the other parts of this team, and that was very evident against Auburn.

Arkansas allowed 225 total yards while continuing to be stout against the run as the Tigers averaged just 2.5 yards per rush. For the season, the Hogs have allowed 75 rushing yards per game against the three FBS opponents they’ve faced. That’s good enough for No. 3 nationally a third of the way through the schedule. It’s also 131 yards less than their average a season ago.

The pass defense has actually been a little bit worse statistically, but nearly every other aspect of the defense appears to be improved. Arkansas has 9 sacks and is on pace to have more per game than any season since 2013. The Hogs already have 31 tackles for loss, just 17 fewer than they had all of last season.

So why haven’t the Razorbacks been able to lower their points per game allowed despite the apparent defensive improvements? Here are a few stats that provide the answer:

  • Opponent punt return average: 20.89 yards; No. 121 nationally
  • Opponent kickoff return average: 25.55; No. 114
  • Turnovers lost: 10; No. 121
  • Points scored vs. FBS opponents: 15.7; No. 118

Arkansas is one of just five teams in the FBS to have allowed a kickoff and punt return touchdown this season. The combined record of those five teams: 7-14. None of the five has a winning record. When your special teams are that bad, you’re clearly not going to win many games no matter how the defense plays. There’s also very little chance of beating any FBS opponent these days if you can’t average more than 15 points per game and you’re turning the ball over at such an alarming rate.

These issues defined Arkansas’ loss to Auburn. The Tigers scored on a kick return in the third quarter to take a three-score lead and realistically put the game out of reach. They also had a 48-yard punt return and a blocked punt that both set up short touchdown drives. Arkansas was undisciplined, too slow and, most obviously, had some ugly tackle attempts on both the long returns.

These things will get you beat no matter how well your defense performs. That’s where the Hogs are at right now. It’s a team with an improved defense that isn’t allowing any fewer points per game because the other facets of the game have been putrid.

Until that changes, until the other units begin contributing, it’s fair to expect more of the same of what 2018 has become.