Not much changed on Saturday for Arkansas against LSU despite changing coaches and quarterbacks. The Razorbacks’ 56-20 loss certainly wasn’t surprising. In fact, the final margin of victory was probably smaller than a lot of folks anticipated. The Tigers were 40-point-plus favorites.

There were some bright spots for this young team, as well as some areas that still need to be improved upon, as illustrated by the nation’s No. 1-ranked team. Here are five things I liked about the game, and three more that I didn’t like about it.

Things I liked

1. K.J. Jefferson

He didn’t put up gaudy numbers, but for his first collegiate start, it really wasn’t that bad. Yes, he made some rookie mistakes in judgment, but Jefferson displayed an athleticism that, with maturity, could pay dividends in the future. He completed 50 percent of his passes (7-for-14) for 105 yards and didn’t throw a pick.

2. Ball protection

Along with Jefferson, the Razorbacks did not turn the ball over. That’s a positive that the Hogs can build on. Three quarterbacks threw passes, and seven players ran with the football. All protected it and didn’t give LSU a short field for an easy score.

3. TOP

The Razorbacks accomplished one goal, and that was to keep the ball away from the Tigers for as long as possible. Arkansas held the ball for nearly 41 minutes. It’s a recipe for victory against most teams. Of course, LSU isn’t most teams, but getting the feel for controlling the ball is one of the main ingredients to a winning formula.

4. Jack Lindsey

The junior QB from Springdale threw his first pass as a Razorback. Not only that, but he also fired his first TD pass. For the game, Lindsey completed 3 of 4 throws for 51 yards. That included a 24-yard touchdown pass to Mike Woods. Not a bad debut.

5. Treylon Burks

Burks had a busy day, finishing with 103 all-purpose yards. In addition to leading the team with 3 receptions for 80 yards, including a 38-yarder, Burks also ran 1 time for 7 yards and returned a kickoff for 16 yards. The versatile freshman will be a star for the Razorbacks in the years to come.

Things I didn’t like

1. Run blocking

When you consider what Ole Miss was able to do a week ago on the LSU defense (402 rushing yards), it would seem as though a running team like Arkansas might have some semblance of success, as well. But the Razorbacks could not get the ground game going, and LSU limited seven Hogs rushers to just 114 yards, with Rakeem Boyd’s 33 yards leading the team.

2. Penalties

As if LSU needed any help, the Razorbacks were flagged for 7 penalties totaling 50 yards. That’s too many for a team trying to head in a positive direction.

3. Third-down efficiency

The Razorbacks were dismal on third down. Despite the wide margin in time of possession, Arkansas could have kept it even longer had it converted on its opportunities. The Razorbacks were just 5-of-17 on third down and stopped themselves many times by not picking up a first down at crucial moments.