June 20, 2013

Alabama 38, Arkansas 14

September 24, 2011 by

ESPN.com: Trent Richardson’s big day helps Alabama overwhelm Arkansas

Trent Richardson rushed for 120 yards and caught a 61-yard touchdown pass and No. 3 Alabama overwhelmed No. 14 Arkansas in a 38-14 win on Saturday.

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  • Jay

    The outcome really wasn’t surprising at all. That Alabama defense was soooo much better than us Hog fans realized. And the scary thing is, LSUs could be better. Not sure why we didn’t run Dennis Johnson earlier. Wingo, as great of an athlete as he may be, does not care for much contact, still. Our vaunted receiving corp was completely taken out of the game. Tyler actually had some time to get rid of balls, although got beat up a good bit after his releases.

    We were “in” the game at 17-7 in the first half, but it just had the feel of a game during Nutt’s regime against such a highly ranked team. We were only down ten, but had negative rushing yardage, etc. It felt like we were barely hanging on just to keep it close. You could just feel that it wasn’t going to be much longer before they really broke away from us. Plenty of time to get better as the season goes on, but this is clearly not a team that is as good as everyone thought it would be. This felt like going to T-Town in 2009. And, like that season, this could be an eight win Hog team.

  • HomerHog

    Men against boys, very poor tackleing. As long as Nick is around it is going to be the NFL, Alabama, the SEC, and down the line. What an impressive team; big, strong, fast, their cornerbacks could play linebacker at Arkansas. Next year in Fayetteville we will have a shot. And, again every third year or so. Bobby got the message I’m sure. 11-1 with a loss to the National Champs still gets you back to the Sugar Bowl.

    But, we’ve got big questions. The highly hyped D-line was pushed around pretty good. Wingo and Johnson??? What has happened to Childs that we don’t know?

    But, this is no time to throw in towel.

  • Hawgfan100

    “What has happened to Childs that we don’t know?”

    What do you mean what’s happened to Childs? I’ve seen it a hundred times: he got hurt and isn’t the same player. No mystery.

    Of course, that defense is for real and will make many a ‘special player’ look very ordinary before they’re through.

  • http://www.sethgunderson.com sg

    1. 17 rushing yards won’t cut it. Running game NO WHERE near where it should be.

    2. Alabama secondary was great. But, Tyler Wilson seems very uncomfortable throwing the long ball. And, damn, that kid is tough. I felt ‘Bama was getting away with a few helmet-to-helmets there.

    3. Poor, horrible, pitiful defensive game plan. Even worse, the second half adjustments. Even worser than both of those? Armtackling.

    4. Call a timeout, BP!

    5. Brandon Mitchell hasn’t adjusted to the speed of college football. I have a feeling that he ruled the high school ranks. His lackadaisical style reminds me of Matt Jones, but not as quick or decisive. He could be great. But I’m not seeing that yet.

    6. Tank broke his arm!!? Geez.

    7. 17 rushing yards.

    Season is definitely not over. But it could unravel fairly quickly if we don’t win against A&M next week. One week a season doesn’t make. I’m just scared that after Troy and now Alabama, we’ve uncovered a lot more bad than good.

  • bamasurfer

    As a Bama grad, I’m embarrassed at our “almost” late hits, especially the one that was flagged. I know football is a contact/collission sport, but today it looked like Auburn’s Nick Fairley from last year.

  • Hawgfan100

    Appreciate the honesty, bamasurfer.

  • http://razorbloggers.net marcus mcgary

    guys it seems to me that bama has a mental hold on the razorbacks. the razorbacks will fight LSU to the death in a football game regardless of the record. but for the last 3 years arkansas seems intimadated by alabama. you got to wonder will arkansas ever be a championship contender in this conference under the current bcs format. I know we are proud of being in the sec but should we look to another conference to play in where we might have a chance to play for a championship. in this conference i don’t think we are ever gonna get tooken serious, yea we might pull off the occasional upset but never put together a complete season.

  • HognTX

    Is it just me, and I do love my Hogs, but does Wingo when he sees contact coming go down before the hit? I was furious, seeing Trent run over guys and love the contact. Also there seemed to be too many helmet to helmet looking hits. That style should be shown to the Running Backs over and over. That should be the goal. I think Dennis shows no fear, even if he is not as big as Trent. They were manhandled, and I still support them. When I see posts about winning out, with a QB who is really in his first year starting, and new members of the O-Line, missing D-Line man, and demonstrated questionable secondary, I wish people would quit saying they will win out. Other teams are good too. This team will be better in the 8th game of this season, they will start to gel at the lines, and the secondary will get better clues to their jobs, but until then, they are still learning and it shows. Kody Walker looks like he can hit like Trent…… just and observation that he doesn’t seem to mind contact. I love the program growing, and getting better, but it shows we are a work in progress but I do think down the road we’ll be a lot better. Hopefully before LSU as they looked really good today too. I also remember never worrying about Alabama a lot before Saban got there. I also wonder about the Def Coord this year, after this much time… I wonder if we need a better replacement. Go Hogs!

  • http://www.therazorbackblogger.com/ GonzoHog

    The continued injuries are a real bummer. Tank has a broken arm now and we still don’t know for sure if Jake will be back at full strength for A&M.

    I suppose D.D. Jones will have to fill in at starting DE, while Zack Stadther gets more playing time in the middle. Not exactly the situation on D I was counting on going into the A&M game.

    D. Johnson should continue to get more inside runs. Let’s face it, R. Wingo isn’t a good inside runner with a 6-3, long striding build. Johnson is perfect for that style of running.

    Don’t know if it’s ever been considered by the coaching staff, but I wonder if putting Wingo at FB and Johnson at RB on certain plays would allow the offense to flourish more.

    Wingo is certainly a passing threat out of the backfield and big/fast enough to lead block for Johnson on some running plays.

    Also, OSU’s QB (Weeden) exposed A&M’s pass D on short throwing routes, going 47 of 60 for over 400 yds passing.

    Anyone else think this plays into the hands of CBP, Tyler Wilson, Ronnie, Jarius, Joe, Greg and Cobi? I do.

    The season is not lost guys. Lots of football to be played and LSU is a long way off.

  • Razorsharp

    Outplayed, outmatched, out hustled and out coached. We brokedown in every phase of the game. No one player stepped-up to circle the wagons to fight back. Wilson tried, but was too often on his arse. Hunker down Hogs and re-group. Ain’t gonna get any easier going forward. If we want to be a top tier team in CFB, gotta fight for every inch on each and every play. We’re not there yet, but taking the right steps. Go Hogs.

    • Hawgfan100

      It most certainly IS going to be easier going forward. In fact, it will only be like the Bama game once more during the regular season: at LSU.

      All other games will be much easier by comparison.

  • soupdhog

    I hate to blame this on injuries, but I think that if Jake and Tank were out there this would have been a different ball game. Being without 2 All SEC D linemen has a big impact against a team like this. I think our secondary played well, their run game just killed us and that starts up front.

    I’m surprised no one has yet talked much about our O line play. They say they were just outmatched is a huge understatement. Wingo can’t do it by himself. Our O line just couldn’t run or pass block. Wilson had roughly 2 seconds to make a decision and throw the ball. He did a good job of not taking sacks, but our line gave our receivers no chance to make separation to get open. Saban sent the house on every play and we couldn’t handle it.

    If I am around anyone that blames this loss on Wilson’s play I will punch them in the mouth. That kid is the toughest QB we’ve had a Arkansas in a long time. He basically sacrificed himself, waiting until the last possible moment to throw the ball waiting for some separation for someone to throw to. As a result he was getting demolished by NFL d linemen. I’m sure this team would take a bullet for him at this point.

    I agree that all is not lost yet, but I was certainly brought to reality. Until our O line gets some experience and we get our all-SEC players back we are an average team.

    • http://www.sethgunderson.com sg

      Amen. I would never blame Wingo for the rushing attack. But I do believe that he’s not the right RB for up the gut power plays. Draws and sweeps, sure. But if our offensive line is getting bullied and beaten off the ball, then there’s not much you can do.

      It was quite the contrast watching Alabama run the ball. Gaps opened quickly and the backs hit them. When there weren’t gaps, the backs were patient to let the play develop.

      We knew our running game wasn’t where it needed to be. In going up against ‘Bama, it’s either a LOT worse off or they’re just that darn good.

      Not having Jake and then Tank was bad. I think that Petrino and staff has done a good job at developing 3-stars into starters. But the difference comes in when those starters go down and our back-ups haven’t been developed yet/as well. It’ll get better — every game one of those kids plays, the better they become.

      Our O-line needs to get mean. No sacks yesterday was great. But 10 knock-downs isn’t. Tyler was hanging in there, bully for him. I hope our line takes that personally. Taking a bullet is one thing. Knocking the block off of a defender for even thinking of putting our QB on the ground is an attitude adjustment.

      I honestly think we just ran into the National Champ yesterday. There wasn’t one time that I saw their team flustered. They’re focused. They’re well-coached. And they’re strong.

  • Roadhog

    Like all Hogs fans I was disappointed by the level of competition my team brought to the contest and even more dismayed by the outcome. But now we know the truth about where we stand in the scheme of college football. The next game is less than a week away, so no time to mope. There is much football left to play this season.

    On the bright side, one blogger wrote a five-star review of the pageantry and hospitality in Tuscaloosa. Another source close to the team, one who requested anonynimity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, said that while in that fair city some of the players and coaches were able to get in a good bit of painting.

  • phillip

    I am a die hard Alabama fan, and I am most impressed with the comments that I have read here.(Ya’ll have shown alot of class, most people would be blaming ref.’s so on so forth…..) I think that Arkansas has potential to be a great football team and to touch on the comment left about not needing to be in the SEC conference I totally dissagree. It will go to show in history that every team has there runs and right now its in favor of Alabama. Starting with coaches all the way down to the simple aspect of getting great recruits, but soon Alabama wont be getting the #1 recruits for the simple fact that the depth chart is stacked with talent and kids out of high school want to play, so i think that within a couple years the recruit level wil diversify some.