Look, if you’re a Razorbacks fan, you can see how close the team is to being a problem. This team isn’t as far off as most folks think. There are plenty of correctable mistakes that can be turned around shortly.

With the meat of the schedule coming right at the Razorbacks the next 4 weeks, it’s time to stop the bleeding and focus on putting together a full game. That will be the 1st step to winning football.

Playing 4 quarters

Arkansas really hasn’t played a complete game since its season opener against Cincinnati. The Hogs let South Carolina creep closer than the game really was in Week 2.

Then, against Missouri State, it was a very pedestrian effort. The Razorbacks looked like a competent offense and defense in the final 3 minutes of the 1st half. But they found themselves down 10 to the Bears with 10 minutes left before correcting things, ultimately winning by 11 points in Fayetteville.

Not playing a full 4-quarter game again reared its ugly head on Saturday against Texas A&M. Arkansas was able to take a commanding 14-0 lead into the 2nd quarter.

Texas A&M was able to put a drive together to score its 1st touchdown of the game. When it looked like Arkansas would answer with a touchdown to go up 21-6 at halftime, KJ Jefferson fumbled at the 2-yard line. The ball was scooped up, swapped hands with Aggies players at about the 15 and taken for a score.

The momentum was taken completely out of Arkansas’ hands until the final 5 minutes of the 4th quarter.

Head coach Sam Pittman needs to find a way to keep his team’s energy up throughout the whole game. If that happens, Arkansas is still very capable of winning 9-10 regular-season games.

Stopping the careless turnovers

This is one of those concerning issues that has been hindering this Razorbacks team. When things seem to be going right, it will shoot itself in the foot with senseless turnovers. These miscues have been made by 2 of its very best offensive weapons in Jefferson and Rocket Sanders.

As good as these 2 have been, their turnovers have cost the Hogs around 35 points the past 2 games. If they can get that fixed soon, it will be a huge step forward this season.

When there’s momentum offensively, leave the trick plays alone

I’ll keep this piece short, hopefully, but Arkansas was running the ball at will many times against Texas A&M. What didn’t make sense on 1 drive was putting the ball in Malik Hornsby’s hands 3 consecutive plays.

Yes, Hornsby is a nice player to have. But when momentum is on your side, it’s not the time to be cute.

Again in the 3rd and 4th quarters, Arkansas was driving behind a run game that was averaging 6 or more yards per carry. Once the Hogs made it midfield, offensive coordinator Kendal Briles called 3 straight passes that resulted in incompletions to stall yet another successful drive.

Briles is a terrific offensive coordinator, but certain situations don’t warrant creativity when your team is running down its opponent’s throat.

Porous defensive backfield

Finally, the terrible angles in the secondary, players being out of position and missed tackles have allowed opponents to gain huge YAC. That doesn’t resemble any of the 2 defenses Barry Odom has fielded while he has been at Arkansas.

The crazy thing is as bad as the back end of the defense has been, the front has been dynamite. Arkansas still leads the nation in sacks this season with 20.

It has been said for weeks that if Arkansas improves in pass protection, it could be really good.

The Razorbacks will host 2nd-ranked Alabama next Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS. Arkansas will be looking for its 1st victory in the series since 2006.