3 takeaways from an Arkansas offensive explosion to open 2024 season
For Arkansas, a program desperate to be relevant again, every box was checked in a 70-0 season-opening shellacking of overmatched FCS foe Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday night in Little Rock.
The Razorbacks are coming off a 4-8 season that included just 1 SEC win, and head coach Sam Pittman was already on the heat seat before his fifth season in Fayetteville even kicked off.
Sure, 1 cakewalk victory in a game in which the Hogs were a near-50-point favorite doesn’t mean everything is suddenly peaches and cream for Arkansas. But it was as successful a start to the season as the Hogs could’ve hoped for. Let’s dive into 3 takeaways from the victory, as Arkansas pats itself on the back and gets ready for a big test in Week 2 against Oklahoma State.
Bobby Petrino still has it
Again, it was only a lowly SWAC foe trying to stop Petrino’s offense. But let’s give credit where credit is due. The Razorbacks had an astonishing 444 total yards at halftime, and they scored on all 7 of their first-half possessions in a dizzying half that ended with Arkansas leading 49-0.
Arkansas ended the night with 687 yards of offense at 9.8 yards per play. The pass game produced 408 yards as 3 quarterbacks all ran the offense. The ground game produced another 279 yards at 8.5 a pop.
Petrino is a big name in Arkansas football lore, having been the Razorbacks’ head coach from 2008-11, and now he’s back in Fayetteville as the Hogs’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. It will be fascinating to see as the season goes on how it all goes in Petrino’s return. Consider Week 1 a dazzling success, as the Arkansas offense showed off its firepower led by a slew of transfers who are now being coached by one of the best offensive minds in college football.
Speaking of those transfers …
The talented transfers are all over the Arkansas offense, and they got right to work in the first half of the season. Ja’Quinden Jackson had an 8-yard touchdown run on the game’s first drive, and then on the third drive he added a highlight-reel 46-yard TD burst that gave the Hogs a 21-0 lead before the game was 10 minutes old. The Utah transfer finished with 101 yards on just 8 carries, and obviously those numbers would’ve been even better had the game not already been out of hand by halftime.
And what about Boise State transfer quarterback Taylen Green? He was dynamic, to say the least. Green scored on a 4-yard TD run on the Hogs’ 2nd possession, and then in the closing seconds of the first half, Green decided that a 42-0 lead wasn’t quite enough going to the locker room. Green took off on a twisting, turning 36-yard touchdown run to give the Razorbacks that 49-0 lead. Green finished with 88 yards rushing and had 229 yards passing with 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in his Arkansas debut. He did not play in the second half.
FSU transfer running back Rodney Hill added a 4-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and former Bowling Green transfer Tyrone Broden started his second year at Arkansas off by catching a 9-yard TD pass from Green early in the second quarter. It was a tour de force by the transfers, who made way for the backups in the second half.
The defense was inspired
Sometimes when the opponent is, well, severely overmatched, a defense can relax a little, even if it is the season opener. But that didn’t happen on Thursday night. Travis Williams’ defense was locked in from the opening bell, and at 1 point in the first half the total yards read: Arkansas 211, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 5.
While the offense was rolling up serious numbers, the defense stayed on point, and pitching a shutout in a season opener is something to be proud of because it hardly ever happens. The Hogs allowed just 130 total yards on the night and 10 first downs. They had 4 sacks.
This was Arkansas’ first defensive shutout since 2018.
They made life miserable for the Golden Lions, and their performance is something they can carry into next week’s showdown against Oklahoma State, when the competition level will rise by a whole lot.
Well after watching that game, one things i can say with 100% confidence about Arkansas is, they are a lot better than Pine Bluff… On to the next one!
Another thing you can say is Pittman will still be at Arkansas after the season and Napier won’t be at Florida. Billy couldn’t hang 70 on an elementary school team.
Pittman will be at Arkansas next year only if Petrino does his job. And if Petrino does his job, why is Pittman even there. And all it will take is 6 wins, 7 would put Hog fans in the clouds. A bowl win and Petrino gets an offer from a mid level program in the Big 12 and leaves again. Pittman right back on the hot seat.
Sheeesh…. Can we take the man at his word. He wants to be here and he wants to be our OC. Period. He dousnt have to deal with NIL or worry about the defense (Im more worried about keeping Travid W).
What I wanted:
Easy W – check
Backups get a lot of playing time in the 2nd half – check
No big injuries – seems like a check
Offense look like they know what they are doing – check
No stupid penalties – check
Kicker – TBD (all the PAT’s looked clean)
Yes, I know it was UAPB. But far too often there have been bug-a-boos in these cupcake games that make us Hog fans say “yeah, they won. But it didn’t feel good at all.” The Hogs have a BIG step up in opponent next week in travelling to Okie State. Then we will see what the Hogs will bring this season.
Oh, and for the love of Pigskin can we PLEASE stop playing Razorback HOME games in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium?!?!?! It is just bad. Adding more salt to that wound, of the first FIVE games this year for the Hogs, FOUR are away from campus with two of them classified as “home” games (in Little Rock and in Arlington).
What stood out to me the most was how locked in the team was on both sides of the ball. Green started off a little tight but once he relaxed he started making great throws. Once the second and third string players started taking the field they didn’t slow down the production any. We may not have the most talented roster, but the players but they are well coached and well disciplined.
I completely agree with you there. So what if it was UAPB, ARK did everything you want in an early season warm up game. As an Aggie, I’m interested to see how Bobby P works out for y’all, Jimbo definitely didn’t do him any favors. Looks like he’s still got it though.
Ark and TN games going to be fire
As good a start as hogs could hope for. That team was so over matched it’s impossible to say how much better ark is but it’s better than struggling the way some others did.
Great game Hawgs!
Hogs need those feel good games like that. They’ll be hard to come by this season. I am hoping and believing that somehow, Arkansas can get to 6 wins by beating maybe Oklahoma State and Auburn.
“Arkansas can get to 6 wins by beating maybe Oklahoma State and Auburn.”
You should DEF put real money on that.
What’s the chalk on the Hogs this year, 4-8? I can’t see them bowling this year despite Bobby P calling the plays. Depth of the roster is one big thing.
From what I’ve heard that’s close, but I have heard 5-7. If they can pull an upset at Okie State seems like 5 is doable. UAB and Louisana Tech seem like a W. But loss to OSU, lose to Auburn then it’s another 4-8. Too bad they aren’t playing an ACC schedule. That Georgia score over Clemson looks familiar, like the scores in wins over Arkansas. What I’m implying is Arkansas could win 8, likely 9 in the ACC.
Problem last year was the offense. I don’t think with Petrino as OC we will have the same problem as long as they stay healthy. If I had any concerns it would be with the secondary and their ability to stay with speedy receivers.
For Hog fans, a lot of your questions will be answered next weekend at Okie State. That would be a quality win and on the road too. No one is expecting it to even be competitive I bet. A great opportunity to pull off a shocker.