ESPN.com: Arkansas gears up for No. 1 LSU by routing Mississippi State

Tyler Wilson had a school-record 32 completions as No. 6 Arkansas defeated Mississippi State 44-17.

Also:

• ArkansasRazorbacks.com: Razorbacks run by Bulldogs in Little Rock, Game Stats (PDF), Post-game Notes (PDF), Post-game Quotes (PDF), Game Highlights (Video), Bobby Petrino Post-game Press Conference (Video)
• ESPN.com (Video): Arkansas Rocks Mississippi State, 44-17
• WholeHogSports.com (Video): Tyler Wilson, Chris Gragg, Jake Bequette
• Matt Jones: Trio shines in final hurrah
• Chris Bahn: Razorbacks Don’t Have To Delay LSU Talk Any Longer Thanks To Victory Against MSU, Two-Minute Drill
• Jim Harris: Saturday’s Rout Of Mississippi State Like Old Times For Razorbacks’ Warren Trio
• Robbie Neiswanger: Last Hurdle Down … Arkansas Looks Ahead To No. 1 LSU, Notes: Wilson Sets Completion Mark; Wright Tops 1,000
• Scott Faldon: Gragg, Warren Trio Enjoy Big Night In Little Rock
• ArkansasNews.com: Hogs Postgame Page (PDF)

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The Good

• In what was the most amazing return we have ever witnessed, Joe Adams’ 60-yard punt return was one for the ages.  Admit it…it’s the first time you’ve ever seen a player take his video game to the field.  And it had to be spectacular to beat out Jarius Wright’s amazing ‘fight through pass interference to make a hot potato catch‘ play and earn the #1 spot on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays.
• No better way to send out 17 seniors than a 42-point blowout win.  Adams and Wright are now first and second in career receptions.  Senior safety Tramain Thomas snagged his 11th career interception and moved into a tie for sixth place all-time.  And it was great to see senior running backs Brodrick Green (54 total yards, TD) and DeAnthony Curtis (59 yards, TD) finish their Fayetteville careers with a bang.
• After an ill-advised fourth down attempt by Tennessee failed, we loved seeing Bobby Petrino go for the jugular on the very next play.  Tyler Wilson’s 40-yard bomb to Joe Adams made the score 35-7 and left only the final margin in question.
• Honorable Mention:  Very good to have Tenarius Wright back out there returning from injury.  ….  The sellout crowd on Saturday — and really the Fayetteville crowds for all the conference games — have really been fantastic this season.  And the in-game atmosphere (students, band, music, passing out pom-poms, etc.) has improved each game, as well.  Kudos all around.  Now finish up strong this week, Little Rock.

The Bad

• Even in the blowout loss, the Volunteers surpassed their SEC season high in total offense by almost 100 yards.  Looking every bit like a “bend but don’t break” defense, the Hogs held Tennessee to just one touchdown while allowing three plays of 45 yards or longer.  And while we listed Thomas’ interception under “The Good,” it happened at the end of a very long 14 play, 72-yard drive by the Vols that took nearly seven minutes off the clock right before halftime.
• Tyler Wilson’s overthrow miss of a wide open Joe Adams on what would have been a 71-yard second quarter TD technically qualifies as “bad.”  Wilson may have, as Garrick McGee says, a “gift” to make good throws while on the run.  Still…accurately throwing the ball 30 yards down the field without setting your feet is tough.  But hey…no problem…Dennis Johnson scampered the 71 yards on the next play so all is forgiven.
• Honorable Mention:  Javontee Herndon’s block in the back penalty on what was going to be an easy touchdown run by Ronnie Wingo Jr..  ….  Both defenses dropping easy interceptions that would’ve likely gone for touchdowns (Alonzo Highsmith for the Hogs and Eric Gordon for the Vols).

The Ugly

• While the in-game atmosphere has been improving, Razorback Stadium could really use some food vendors right outside the stadium doing some typical game day street food.  There are a lot of people milling around that aren’t tailgating — like me (HogBlogger) looking for tickets — that are hungry.  And everyone can’t fit into the food court inside the stadium.  (Plus…the prices are crazy stupid.)
• Overturning the ruling on the field of a fumble by Da’Rick Rogers of Tennessee in the first quarter was just wrong.  In the grand scheme of things, of course, it didn’t change the outcome of the game.  But once again, we’re not sure why there’s instant replay if they’re going to overturn a call without clear visual evidence that it was the wrong call.  And hey…SEC refs…look at this photo and tell us again exactly how the call on the field should’ve been overturned?

Of course, we can’t possibly mention everything that was “Good, Bad and Ugly.”  What did we leave out?

Walking on Sunshine and HogBlogger also contributed to this post.

The Good

• No one player is truly a superstar on this team but Dennis Johnson is getting pretty close.  Unlike the other running backs, Johnson has proven he’s a true “home run hitter” that provides more than just the threat of a running game.  And that doesn’t even account for his special teams prowess.  The outcome of the game may have still been the same, but without DJ, the Hogs would’ve certainly taken a different path to get there on Saturday.
• Using sprint outs of Tyler Wilson to minimize the effectiveness of the South Carolina defensive line was a small but brilliant move.  Unlike Ryan Mallett, Wilson has shown he’s very accurate rolling out of the pocket and throwing on the move.  (Garrick McGee says Tyler has “a gift.”)  Once the Gamecocks vaunted defensive line was neutralized, Wilson and his receivers were able to expose their less than stellar secondary all night long.
• Honorable Mention:  The package of using Brandon Mitchell in the red zone has been nicely effective.  Just one more thing for the opponents to prepare for in the remaining games.

The Bad

• For once, we’re going to let up on saying anything was “bad” this week.  While there were more than a few missed opportunities, the way this team played on Saturday is pretty much what we were expecting to see each and every week.  That’s unrealistic, of course…it’s a long season.  But there’s no better time than now to play your best football.  Finish.
• Honorable Mention:  Not sure if this showed up on the game broadcast but we couldn’t believe how bad South Carolina’s stud wideout Alshon Jeffery looked on Saturday.  Jeffery appeared lazy running his routes and his body language looked every bit like a guy who was just going through the motions.  Assuming he’s not injured, it appears Jeffery has already started counting his NFL money.

The Ugly

• Whether it’s scheme or coaching, the Hogs’ defense appears incapable of stopping a running quarterback again this season.  Some will say the dropped passes were “ugly” but those haven’t been a problem every week.  Keeping the quarterback contained has been a problem now for multiple seasons.  At this point, I guess it’s just something we should expect to see every time the Razorbacks face a dual-threat quarterback.
• While it doesn’t take away from the win, falling a spot after beating a top 10 ranked team shows how little we should pay attention to the BCS during the season.  ESPN might as well just declare weekly who Skip Bayless thinks are the top 25 teams in the country.  Sheesh.

Of course, we can’t possibly mention everything that was “Good, Bad and Ugly.”  What did we leave out?

ESPN.com: No. 9 Arkansas rallies from 17 down to edge Ole Miss

Tyler Wilson threw for 232 yards and rushed for two touchdowns and No. 9 Arkansas rallied from an early 17-point deficit to beat Mississippi 29-24 on Saturday.

Also:

• ArkansasRazorbacks.com: Run game carries Arkansas past Ole Miss 29-24, Game Stats (PDF), Post-game Notes (PDF), Post-game Quotes (PDF), Bobby Petrino Post-game Press Conference (Vide0)
• ESPN.com (Video): No. 9 Arkansas Holds Off Ole Miss
• WholeHogSports.com (Video): Willy Robinson, Tyler Wilson, Dennis Johnson, Game Recap
• Razorback Nation (Video): Dennis Johnson, Jake Bequette, Jerico Nelson
• Matt Jones: Comeback Hogs notch another win
• Chris Bahn: Dennis Johnson Gives Razorbacks, Run Game A ‘Spark’ In Victory At Ole Miss, Two-Minute Drill
• Jim Harris: Razorbacks Don’t Make It Easy On Themselves in Comeback Win Over Rebels
• Robbie Neiswanger: Slow Start? No Problem. Arkansas Regroups, Beats Ole Miss, Johnson Leads Razorbacks’ Rushing Efforts
• Scott Faldon: Arkansas Defense Survives Another Rough Start
• Harry King: Arkansas edges Ole Miss

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The Good

• Tyler Wilson is obviously playing at another level right now.  Wilson has thrown for 772 yards and five touchdowns in the past TWO games.  And oh, by the way, both of those winning performances were against teams ranked in the top 25.
• Joe Adams’ 92-yard touchdown run was great…but it was the blocking that made the play.  Pulling guard Grant Cook and wide receiver Cobi Hamilton sealed the edge, fullback Kiero Small got the kick out, and tight end Chris Gragg got a nice downfield block as Adams ran (and hurdled!) down the Arkansas sideline to the end zone.
• The Razorbacks linebacking crew had its best performance to date this season.  Jerry Franklin (15 tackles), Alonzo Highsmith (12 tackles) and Jerico Nelson (10 tackles) combined for four tackles for loss on the night.
• The seventh largest crowd in Razorback Stadium history (74,191) were into the game and loud.  And two thumbs up to the Razorback Stadium game day production crew…they had the music rockin’ during most of the timeouts on Saturday.  (Although we’re sure there will be some calling to complain this week about “all the racket.”)
  
• Honorable Mention:  Good to see receiver Greg Childs looking a little more like he did before his season-ending injury last year.  Childs finished with four catches for 44 yards, but also had a 22-yard grab nullified by a penalty.

The Bad

• The Razorback defense has shown all the signs of being a unit that plays their best in the 2nd half of games.  But that doesn’t make it any easier to watch them make numerous mistakes before adjustments can be made.  I mean…was it really a surprise that Gus Malzahn would run misdirection rushing plays that would try to attack the Hogs’ defense at the edges?  Luckily, the Tigers only scored 14 points before the defense finally clamped down for the rest of the game.
• The final outcome could’ve been even larger had the Hogs done a better job on third downs.  The 5-for-16 conversion rate — including two failed attempts at 3rd and 1 — certainly isn’t going to cut it with Coach Petrino.  The Hogs currently rank 64th nationally (35-for-85, 41.2 percent) in 3rd Down Efficiency on the season.
• Honorable mention: Kicker Zach Hocker lining up right in the middle of the field — with the wind at his back — and missing a 34-yard field goal to start the game.  It was good, however, to see Hocker bounce back and make a similar field goal kick in the 4th quarter.

The Ugly

• When the penalty flag came out during Joe Adams’ touchdown run, we got nervous that it might be called back.  But it turned out to be an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Auburn linebacker Daren Bates, who was yelling at and (it appeared) intentionally bumping an official out of bounds while running behind the play.  Stay classy there, Daren.  And speaking of that…
• As someone said on Twitter during the game, the whole Auburn “us against the world” routine is getting tired.  At the end of the third quarter, with his team trailing 28-14, Auburn coach Gene Chizik sent his entire team down to northeast corner of the field to help fire up the Auburn cheering section.  The stunt by the ever front-running Chizik certainly didn’t motivate his team, as a Kiehl Frazier interception followed by Hocker’s 36-yard field goal quickly put the game out of reach.

Of course, we can’t possibly mention everything that was “Good, Bad and Ugly.”  What did we leave out?

Walking on Sunshine also contributed to this post.

ESPN.com: Tyler Wilson’s sharp passing helps No. 10 Arkansas beat No. 15 Auburn

Tyler Wilson threw for 262 yards on Saturday night, completing 19 straight passes at one point, leading No. 10 Arkansas to a 38-14 win over No. 15 Auburn.

Also:

• ArkansasRazorbacks.com: Razorbacks streak past Auburn in 38-14 win, Game Stats (PDF), Post-game Notes (PDF), Post-game Quotes (PDF)
• ArkansasRazorbacks.com (Video): Game Highlights, Bobby Petrino Post-game Press Conference
• ESPN.com (Video): Arkansas Puts Away Auburn, 38-14
• WholeHogSports.com (Video): Game Recap, Garrick McGee, Tyler Wilson, Jake Bequette
• Razorback Nation (Video): Willy Robinson
• Chris Bahn: Adams’ Big Play Allows No. 10 Razorbacks To Relax In Second Half, Two-Minute Drill
• Jim Harris: Defensive Seniors Step Up Big For Razorbacks In Shutting Down Dyer, Tigers
• Matt Jones: Arkansas settles in, downs Auburn
• Robbie Neiswanger: Arkansas Controls Second Half, Cruises Past Auburn, Wilson’s Streak Among SEC’s Best; Bequette Returns
• Scott Faldon: Defense Shakes Off Early Troubles, Shuts Down Auburn
• Harry King: Arkansas ends Auburn streak

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The Good

• When things looked bleak Saturday, Tyler Wilson and Jarius Wright kept the Hogs in the game with record-setting, career performances.  Wilson gutted the middle of the A&M secondary for 510 passing yards and three touchdowns.  Wright’s 13 receptions for 281 yards were both single game school records.
• Wright especially just would not be denied Saturday.  The captain’s 281 yard performance was the second most in SEC history, and moves him all the way up to third in the Arkansas record books with 2,295 career receiving yards.
• Great to see Broderick Green return from injury and help lift the Hogs down the stretch.  Green’s two touchdowns, along with Dennis Johnson’s 123 total yards (54 rush, 69 receiving) gave the Hogs some much needed punch out of the backfield.
• True freshman Tevin Mitchel played solid in relief of injured cornerback Darius Winston.  Mitchel led the team in tackles with 13 and recorded a third quarter fumble recovery to aid the comeback.
• Honorable Mention:  When they had to rise up and stop the Aggies late, the Razorback defense stuffed Christine Michael for no gain on fourth-and-2 with 1:20 remaining in the game.  D.D. Jones, Byran Jones and Zach Stadther all got great penetration, as linebacker Alonzo Highsmith cleaned it up.  However, that leads us to…

The Bad

• Pathetic and embarrassing don’t fully describe the defensive performance in the first half.  The Hogs only stop was an interception by Greg Gatson, as the Aggies rolled up 404 total yards, including a staggering 225 yards on the ground (8.7 yards per carry).
• Why Texas A&M even attempted a pass is beyond us.  We surmise Coach Mike Sherman must have gotten bored after ripping off 8, 10, 12 yards a play.  To average 7.1 yards per carry (54 carries)…and LOSE???  Oh my.  “The stats don’t matter,” said Aggie quarterback Ryan Tannehill.  Guess he’s right.
• Honorable Mention:  The disturbing trend of injuries continued on Saturday.  Joe Adams (ribs), Darius Winston (knee), and Robert Thomas (leg) all left during the game.  Normal starters Jake Bequette and Isaac Madison dressed, but couldn’t go.

The Ugly

• You can talk about the missed tackles all you want, but we lost the line of scrimmage badly the entire game.  Tremendously disappointing given that the defensive line was supposed to be the strength of this year’s defense.  Many of the missed tackles were 8-10 yards down the field, after the Aggies had rolled us back.
• 14 penalties for 112 yards should get you beat most of the time.  Especially disturbing were the four personal foul penalties called on the Hogs for some really stupid plays — all dead ball situations.  The 14 penalties are the fourth most in school history for a single game.  Can’t have this.

Of course, we can’t possibly mention everything that was “Good, Bad and Ugly.”  What did we leave out?

ESPN.com: Arkansas prevails after Texas A&M wastes another big lead

Tyler Wilson and Jarius Wright shattered school records for passing and receiving, and Broderick Green ran 3 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:41 left as No. 18 Arkansas gave No. 14 Texas A&M a rude preview of what it can expect from the SEC next season in a 42-38 victory Saturday.

Also:

• ArkansasRazorbacks.com: UA completes comeback, defeats Texas A&M, Game Stats (PDF), Post-game Notes (PDF), Post-game Quotes (PDF)
• ArkansasRazorbacks.com (Video): Bobby Petrino Post-game Press Conference
• ESPN.com (Video): Arkansas Rallies Past Texas A&M, Aggies Waste Double-Digit Lead Again
• WholeHogSports.com (Video): Game Recap, Garrick McGee, Tyler Wilson
• Razorback Nation (Video): Jarius Wright / Broderick Green, Willy Robinson
• Chris Bahn: Wilson, Wright Deliver Strong Performances After Week Of Strong Talk, Two-Minute Drill
• Jim Harris: Arkansas Finds Toughness From Green, Johnson To Match Greatness Of Wright, Wilson In Epic Comeback
• Matt Jones: Hogs grow up in comeback, Green returns in a big way
• Robbie Neiswanger: Rallying Razorbacks Ruin Texas A&M’s SEC Party, Notes: Green Returns; Adams Streak Ends; Peacock Starts
• Scott Faldon: Wilson, Wright Enjoy Record-Setting Performances
• Harry King: Surrender Never Part Of Plan
• CBSSports.com: Fischer: Resilient Green embodies Hogs’ comeback over rattled Aggies

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The Good

• On a day when there wasn’t much to cheer about, the Hogs second quarter goal-line stand was encouraging.  The defense bowed up and stopped ‘Bama from the 1-yard line on three consecutive plays, with Alonzo Highsmith breaking free to make two of the stops in the series.
• Say what you want to about Tyler Wilson, but Saturday he proved he’s one tough hombre.  The Tide never let up in its pursuit, chasing and hitting Wilson until he was wisely removed from the game early in the fourth quarter.  Of course, we’d all prefer that Wilson stay as clean as Tide quarterback A.J. McCarron did for most of the day.
• Honorable Mention:  Cobi Hamilton’s amazing, acrobatic third quarter touchdown catch in the back of the end zone.  Ranked #6 on ESPN Top Plays of the Day.  ….  The Hogs only got into the Red Zone twice, but did at least convert both for touchdowns.  For the season, they have converted 15-for-15 in the Red Zone with 12 TDs.

The Bad

• For a team that didn’t need any more injuries, the defense suffered three more Saturday.  Defensive end Tenarius Wright, cornerback Isaac Madison and safety Tramain Thomas suffered injuries that did not allow them to finish the game.  Wright’s fractured left arm injury appeared to be the worst…possibly season-ending according to Quinn Grovey on the radio broadcast.
• You don’t realize how far away the Hogs are on defense until you see the Tide do their thing.  Bama’s ability to play a Tampa two-deep zone (sometimes even three-deep) with six defensive backs for much of the game…and STILL hold the Hogs to 17 rushing yards on 19 carries speaks volumes.  They are in a league of their own.
• Honorable Mention:  Not calling timeout before the successful Alabama fake field goal.  Bobby Petrino admitted afterwards, “I did think of calling timeout and didn’t get it done.  That’s my fault.”

The Ugly

• The Hogs’ punt coverage team includes two offensive lineman who would have trouble covering anything but a breakfast buffet.  The bumbling attempts by the entire unit to tackle Marquis Maze on his 83-yard touchdown return was painful to watch.  With the depth of skill players on this team, there’s no reason why the Razorbacks shouldn’t have excellent kick coverage units.
  
• There are some things as a defense you should never do, and stunt and loop with your defensive linemen in goal line situations is one of those.  Eddie Lacy’s 4-yard touchdown walk in the third quarter was right through a hole vacated by defensive tackle Byran Jones who was looping to the outside.  Go watch the film…it happened.  Willy, you’ve got to do better than that.  C’mon man.

Of course, we can’t possibly mention everything that was “Good, Bad and Ugly.”  What did we leave out?

TipsterHog also contributed to this post.

The defense played ‘vanilla’ with soft coverages and only pulled out the real stuff for a few plays along the way.  Coach Petrino was only showing the offense he wanted Alabama to see, not the one they are going to see next week.

The Razorbacks are a much better team than they showed against Troy.

Really?

While certain parts of those first two paragraphs were true during the Troy game, I saw some other things during the game that I also think are true.

The offensive line is not ready for primetime against Alabama.  My worry from the beginning of the season has now progressed into downright fear.  It’s clear to me that the quick, short pass, possession-type of passing game that the Hogs are having success with is a cover-up for the fact that we can’t protect well enough to have consistent success with the mid-range and longer passing game.

With two weeks to prepare, the Troy coaching staff did their homework and the homework for every SEC team we will face down the road.  From the safety blitz — counting on Coach Petrino’s habit of going long after a turnover — to the well-disguised corner blitzes that plagued the Hogs all game long, Troy managed to vex the offense on many occasions.  Which clearly led to…

Tyler Wilson struggled more than I expected.  He is missing things in his pre-snap reads and struggling with his progressions.  One is leading to protection problems and the other is due to protection problems.  His pulling the ball down and running with it so much is a sign that he’s feeling lost out there.

The ‘pick six’ was a great example of Wilson simply missing the proper read of the coverage.

As Sunshine said in his post earlier today, Ronnie Wingo is beginning to ‘get it.’  He is hitting holes quicker and seems more intense.  Longer term, however, I expect to see more Kody Walker in the second half of games in situations where the Hogs need to run clock.

I saw things in the punting game that troubled me.  If not fixed, I expect that we will have a punt blocked or a fake punt used against us at some key point in the future.

While some see the second half as a ‘let down,’ I saw it more as a bad practice session.  The first offensive possession went pretty well, but the later possessions seemed more focused on working on the running game and showing a few wrinkles to keep future opponents off guard.

The defense definitely went into more of a ‘soft’ mode.  I think the coaches pulled back and then the players pulled back a bit more than the coaches planned.

Troy exposed some things that, stated in the positive, will hopefully make Alabama overconfident.  Stated in the negative, these things will have Alabama chomping at the bit.

So yes, I remain worried.  Better defense and special teams play will be hard-pressed to make up for the fact that the offense is not as good at this point as the offense was last year.

The Alabama game may not be very pretty to watch for Hog fans.

The Good

• Welcome to the party Ronnie Wingo.  After rushing for 109 yards on 20 carries (2 rushing TDs), it looks like the light may be starting to come on for the junior running back.  Wingo hit the hole faster and tried to make the ‘one cut and go’ move better than he ever has.  A promising sign.
• The fast tempo and quality of execution on the Hogs’ first drive of the game was impressive.  The five play, 80-yard fast break — which included a fantastic 37-yard catch by Cobi Hamilton — should have even impressed Hog Basketball Coach Mike Anderson.
• Tight end Chris Gragg had a nice night with four catches for 68 yards.  Gragg’s freak athleticism and running ability after the catch makes him yet another weapon for this team on offense.  And like he was against Troy, Gragg can be Tyler Wilson’s safety valve when teams try to blitz the Hogs’ quarterback.
• Honorable Mention:  Great to see Dennis Johnson back out there after injuries kept him out of the last 13 games. …. Fullback Kiero Small made some monster blocks again on Saturday night.  Harry King took notice and was impressed with the “squatty fullback with a linebackers mentality.”

The Bad

• The Hogs’ secondary finally got tested on Saturday night…and they failed to meet expectations.  While the coverage was usually pretty tight on the Troy receivers, defensive backs Tevin Mitchel, Darius Winston and Isaac Madison failed several times to actually turn their head and try and make a play on the ball.  While Mitchel is a true freshman and still learning, there’s no reason for that lack of execution by the other two veteran defenders.
• Giving up that many yards to a Sun Belt team brought back some bad memories of Willy Robinson’s defense from a few years ago.  Not sure which is worse…the 457 yards allowed or the fact that just one sack was recorded after saying we were going to “turn the defense loose.”  Not what you want to see before heading into the Alabama game.

The Ugly

• In a game where the play got incredibly sloppy at the end, several first half quarterback-center exchange problems were mildly disconcerting.  We were hoping Tyler Wilson, who has had his share of problems taking snaps under center in the past, had moved past those issues.
• The game clock and replay system problems in the second half were embarrassing and added to the sloppiness of the last 30 minutes of the game.  C’mon man…this is not War Memorial Stadium!  Luckily, there’s three weeks to get the problems fixed before Auburn comes to town.

Of course, we can’t possibly mention everything that was “Good, Bad and Ugly.”  What did we leave out?

TipsterHog also contributed to this post.

The Good

• We can nitpick stuff all we want, but the Hogs’ offense is out of the gate fast so far this season.  The 632 total yards against the Lobos were the sixth highest total in school history.  That, combined with a staggering 34 first downs Saturday, made for a fun night.
• Despite not forcing a turnover or garnering a sack, Willy Robinson’s defense was solid.  Allowing only 15 first downs on the night, the Hogs got off the field, forcing several three-and-outs.  The Lobos converted only 5 of 19 on third and fourth down opportunities.
• The “Razorbacks Remember” tribute to honor 9/11 turned out better than anyone could’ve possibly imagined.  The alternating red and white in the stands along with the blue in the student section looked fantastic.  And unlike some of the recent crazy uniform changes by other teams around the country, the helmet decal was subtle and classy.  Nice job, Razorback Nation.

The Bad

• Scrambling more than he probably would have liked, Tyler Wilson made some poor decisions in throwing several passes into coverage.  A couple of them were tipped, including the second quarter interception by Lobo linebacker Carmen Messina.
• Joe Adams is his own worst enemy.  His two SportsCenter highlight reel punt returns against Missouri State had New Mexico punter Ben Skaer punting it into the stands most of the night.  We’re guessing that Joe is going to see a lot of that for the rest of the season.
  
• Arkansas’ captains continued to be bitten by the injury bug.  First it was Knile Davis back in August.  Then on Saturday, Jarius Wright (knee), Jake Bequette (hamstring), and Tyler Wilson all called it an early night. And that leads us to…

The Ugly

• For the second week in a row, quarterback Tyler Wilson chose ‘going for it’ at the goal line at the expense of his own body.  His 7-yard touchdown scramble in the second quarter left him with ‘concussion-like symptoms’ after three Lobos converged and saw an opportunity to take a free shot.  Tyler, my man…this has got to stop.

Of course, we can’t possibly mention everything that was “Good, Bad and Ugly.”  What did we leave out?

TipsterHog also contributed to this post.

ESPN.com: Kickoff return helps Arkansas whip New Mexico

Tyler Wilson threw for 259 yards and accounted for a pair of touchdowns as No. 14 Arkansas defeated New Mexico 52-3 on Saturday.

Also:

• ArkansasRazorbacks.com: No. 14 UA wins 52-3 over Lobos in Little Rock, Game Stats (PDF), Post-game Notes (PDF), Post-game Quotes (PDF)
• ArkansasRazorbacks.com (Video): Game Highlights, Bobby Petrino Post-game Press Conference
• ESPN.com (Video): Arkansas Runs All Over New Mexico
• WholeHogSports.com (Video): Game Recap, Joe Adams, Cobi Hamilton
• Razorback Nation (Video): Garrick McGee, Willy Robinson
• Matt Jones: Hogs banged up in win, Receivers roll in 52-3 rout
• Chris Bahn: Wilson Has Proven Competitive Spirit, Now He Needs To Show Good Decision Making, Two-Minute Drill
• Jim Harris: Arkansas’ Offense Picks Up Pace And Blitzes New Mexico
• Robert Turbeville: Hogs break out Bandit in rout, The Good and Bad
• Nate Allen: Adams, Hogs nail New Mexico 52-3
• Robbie Neiswanger: Arkansas Offense Makes ‘Progress’ In Easy Win, Wilson, Bequette, Wright Leave With Injuries During Win, Adams’ Success Continues, Hogs Remember 9/11, Key Performers
• Harry King: Maybe Troy will tell us something — anything

[Show as slideshow]

The Good

• Is there any question who the SEC Special Teams (and maybe overall?) Player of the Week will be?  Joe Adams’ jump cut on his first 61-yard punt return touchdown was only topped by his 69-yard wild, zig-zagging effort in the third quarter.  Adams is a playmaker…plain and simple.  His impact will be felt in many games again this year.
• Both quarterbacks were ultra-efficient staistically considering it was game one of the season.  Tyler Wilson (18-24, 260 yards, 2 TDs) and Brandon Mitchell (10-11, 104 passing yards) combined to hit 80 percent of their passes and posted an outstanding 10.4 yards per attempt.  Excellent start.
• Ten true freshmen made their Razorback debut on Saturday night.  That included offensive tackle Mitch Smothers of Springdale, who became the first true freshman to start the first game of the season on the offensive line in school history.
• Honorable Mention:  Newcomers RB Kody Walker and LB Alonzo Highsmith looked good.  Walker ran hard on his goal line attempts and Highsmith was very active and a sure tackler.  …  Speaking of sure tackling, the Hogs’ defense showed their experience and missed very few tackles for the game.  This despite the reduced tackling we saw during the open fall practices.

The Bad

• Brandon Mitchell’s third quarter scramble and fumble was one he’d surely like to have back.  The Bears quickly capitalized on the next play with a 33-yard TD pass to end the shutout.  If Mitchell is going to regularly have a run/pass option, ball security has to be paramount.
• Despite the undersized Bears defense, the Hogs failed to get the running game rolling.  The Missouri State defensive game plan did focus heavily on stopping the run, forcing Bobby Petrino to adjust accordingly.  But a 3.1 yards per carry night (33 attempts for 102 yards) is not going to cut it.
• Honorable Mention:  Zach Hocker missed the first extra point of his career after hitting 56 in a row.  …  Three sacks given up by the offensive line.  Only two more games before Alabama to work the pass protection kinks out.  …  The pay-per-view broadcast had a few annoying audio issues and the live video stream went intermittently offline for some fans during the game.

The Ugly

• We’re not sure what was going on during the Hogs’ first possession of the game.  And we’re not sure the players or coaches did either.  In a rare occurrence for a Bobby Petrino coached offense, the Razorbacks were forced to call two timeouts due to problems getting the right personnel on the field.  The confusion certainly brought back a few bad memories of the previous coaching regime.
• Honorable Mention:  Tyler Wilson scrambling, flipping over and landing on his head.  Uh…let’s not do that again, okay?  …  Too many penalties again (8 for 76 yards) including two personal foul penalties.  …  Joe Adams’ two punt return touchdowns only made #7 on the ESPN Top 10 Plays of the Day.  As Coach Petrino would say, “Are you kidding me???”

Of course, we can’t possibly mention everything that was “Good, Bad and Ugly.”  What did we leave out?

Walking on Sunshine and HogBaller also contributed to this post.

Tyler Wilson threw for 260 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Jarius Wright, Joe Adams tied a Southeastern Conference record with two punt returns for touchdowns and No. 15 Arkansas defeated Missouri State 51-7 on Saturday.

Also:

• ArkansasRazorbacks.com: No. 15 Razorbacks defeat Missouri State 51-7, Game Stats (PDF), Post-game Quotes (PDF), Post-game Notes (PDF)
• ArkansasRazorbacks.com (Video): Game Highlights, Post-game Press Conference
• Razorback Nation (Video): Tyler Wilson, Joe Adams, Jake Bequette
• WholeHogSports.com (Video): Game Recap, Tyler Wilson, Willy Robinson
• ArkansasOnline.com: Arkansas vs. Missouri State Photos
• Matt Jones: Speedy Hogs down Missouri State
• Chris Bahn: Regardless Of Opponent, Be Impressed By What Razorbacks’ Joe Adams Did Vs. Bears, Two-Minute Drill
• Jim Harris: Performance Bar Is Pretty High For Cream-Puff Opener, But Arkansas Hits It Against Missouri State
• Robbie Neiswanger: Mission Accomplished in Opener, Wilson Enjoys Success in First Start
• Scott Faldon: Adams’ Record-Setting Night Highlights Arkansas Rout
• Harry King: UA rout provides no answers
• Chris Low: Hogs look like a top 10 team

[Show as slideshow]

The Hogs begin Bobby Petrino’s fourth season at Arkansas on Saturday against the Missouri State Bears.  The 6:00 kickoff will be televised statewide on pay-per-view.

After years of stockpiling talent, the Razorbacks have ‘the horses’ this year to make a run at their first SEC Championship.  Because of that, don’t look for the Bears to give the Hogs anything more than someone else to hit on for sixty minutes.

In a lot of ways, we should be thankful to get to the first game without losing any other stars to injury.  Knile Davis’ season-ending ankle injury in a scrimmage situation three weeks ago put a bit of a damper on the rest of fall camp.

After Davis went down, the Hogs scrimmaged less and tackled to the ground less than any other year since Petrino arrived in Fayetteville.  Having the luxury of a ton of returning starters and experienced players allowed the Hogs to back off a bit, but stay sharp for the start of the season.

The Bears are led by head coach Terry Allen (6th year, 23-32) and return nine starters (5 offense, 4 defense) off their 2010 team that went 5-6, 4-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Gone is former Rogers High School star quarterback Cody Kirby, who now owns most of the Missouri State passing and total offense records.  Replacing a leader like Kirby is going to be a challenge — so much so that MVC media day members picked the Bears to finish last (ninth) in the league in 2011.

Up until last week, it appeared that former wide receiver turned quarterback Trevor Wooden (6-2, 227) would be under center this week for the Bears.  Instead, Wooden has been suspended, leaving redshirt freshman Mitchell Jenkins (6-3, 210) to make his first start…in an SEC stadium…against what many believe could be a top 20 defense nationally.  Let that sink in for a minute.

Despite having back All-MVC wide receiver Jermaine Saffold (869 RecYds, 5TDs in 2010), the Bears best chance to move the ball will be on the ground.  Two senior running backs – Stephen Johnston (752 RuYds in 2010) and Chris Douglas (1,051 RuYds, 11TDs in 2010) — are their best offensive weapons.

On defense, Missouri State will employ a 3-4 look — a front the Hogs don’t see a whole lot of in the SEC (Alabama, Georgia).  The Razorbacks newly revamped offensive line won’t be physically intimidated by the Bears size, but will have to be on assignment from the start.

The secondary will be the defensive strength for MSU, with senior cornerback Jimmie Strong (31 tackles, 4 Ints in 2010) leading the way.  Strong has been tapped by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview as an All-MVC selection.

The Bears do have several players (11) with Arkansas ties.  Starting senior inside linebacker David Ingram (6-2, 237, Shiloh Christian), and sophomore starting cornerback Sybhrian Berry (5-9, 170, Camden Fairview) are the most notable.

All things considered, this one could get away from the Bears in a hurry.  Being light and inexperienced on both lines of scrimmage is a bad combination.  An inexperienced quarterback doesn’t help matters either.

The game should be a good confidence builder for quarterback Tyler Wilson in his first start.  Pay close attention to the offensive line combinations the Hogs use all night.  Offensive line coach Chris Klenakis may be a ‘mad scientist’ of sorts these first two games — trying to get various combinations on film.

The real test looms on September 24, but it will be good to get 2011 off the launchpad.  Enjoy game week.

The SEC flexed its muscles again in 2010, capturing a fifth straight BCS National Championship.  Those five teams all had one thing in common — solid quarterback play.  Whether it was Tim Tebow, Greg McElroy, or last year’s winner Cam Newton, confident play at the position was (and is) a must.

In 2011, most SEC teams still seem to be searching at quarterback.  Only four of the twelve teams have ‘officially’ named starters, with the others carrying over quarterback battles into the fall.

As we do here at RBN each year entering the doldrums of summer, here’s our take on how the SEC’s 2011 trigger men stack up.

1. Aaron Murray, Sophomore, Georgia (3,049 PaYds, 24 TDs in 2010) – Despite the disappointing season for the Bulldogs, Murray made great strides in 2010 — his first year as a starter.  The loss of stud wide receiver A.J. Green to the NFL might put a ceiling on his 2011 numbers, but we still think Murray can make improvement, even as he breaks in a new receiving corps.

2. Tyler Wilson, Junior, Arkansas (453 PaYds, 4 TDs in 2010) – We struggled mightily on whether or not to put Wilson at the top of this list despite the fact that the junior has never started a college game.  Tyler’s performances last season subbing for Mallett vs. Auburn and Ole Miss proved he has the tools.  The superior skill position talent around him on the Hogs’ offense gives him every chance in the world to succeed.

3. Stephen Garcia, Senior, South Carolina (3,059 PaYds, 20 TDs, 14 Ints in 2010) – We know, we know…Garcia is in the dog house…again.  We have lost count of his arrests and suspensions, but it’s a given Spurrier will relent and let the troubled quarterback return as the starter.  Garcia is a turnover machine, but has thrown for 37 TDs in the last two seasons.  High risk, high reward.  Sophomore Connor Shaw, a more dual-threat playmaker, is waiting in the wings just in case.

4. A.J. McCarron, Sophomore, Alabama (389 PaYds, 3 TDs in 2010) – After spending a few seasons watching Greg McElroy lead the Tide to 25 wins, McCarron is ready for his shot.  The 6-4 sophomore from Mobile has a strong arm, and a great defense in his corner.  While Bama coaches will tell you he is still in a battle with redshirt freshman Phillip Sims, we think McCarron will emerge and be solid in 2011.

5. Tyler Bray, Sophomore, Tennessee (1,849 PaYds, 18 TDs, 10 Ints in 2010) – After Matt Simms got his shot and whiffed last season, Bray came on and started the last half of the 2010 season.  With few playmakers on the squad, Bray showed some flashes that make the UT faithful think he’s the guy.  A 5-for-30 performance in the Vols spring game gave some fans pause, though, so stay tuned.

6. John Brantley, Senior, Florida (2,061 PaYds, 9 TDs, 10 Ints in 2010) – Man, did we swing and miss on Brantley last year or what?  Brantley was a complete misfit in Urban Meyer’s spread offense.  He looked like Peyton Manning in 7-on-7 drills, but when you put the live rush on him, he folded like a cheap suit.  With the top quarterback recruit for 2011, Jeff Driskel, breathing down his neck, let’s see if new OC Charlie Weis can turn the maligned Brantley into a serviceable player in his final season.

7. Chris Relf, Junior, Mississippi State (1,789 PaYds, 713 RuYds, 18 Total TDs in 2010) – Relf continued to improve his game as the 2010 season went along.  Throwing for 200+ yards in each of his last three games shows how far the dual-threat playmaker has come.  Sophomore Tyler Russell, once thought of as the “QB of the future,” continues to hold the clipboard for Relf.

8. Jordan Jefferson, Senior, LSU (1,411 PaYds, 7 TDs, 10 Ints in 2010) – The Tigers keep looking for someone…anyone…to step in and replace the embattled, third-year starter.  If anything, Jefferson regressed under former offensive coordinator Gary Crowton.  Will new OC Steve Kragthorpe make a difference?  Georgia transfer Zach Mettenberger is still battling to be the man, so keep an eye on JJ’s progress in the fall.

9. Morgan Newton, Junior, Kentucky (265 PaYds in 2010) – After throwing for 6 TDs as a freshman, Newton played in only five games in 2010.  A solid season by senior Mike Hartline (24 TDs) kept Newton on the sideline.  Explosive in the open field, the 6-4, 230 pound strong-armed quarterback could be the breakout player of the year in the SEC.  However, key losses of wide receiver Randall Cobb and running back Derrick Locke to the NFL may put the Wildcats in a rebuilding mode in 2011.

10. Barrett Trotter, Junior OR Clint Moseley, Sophomore, Auburn – These two fought it out in the spring and neither one really emerged.  The battle to replace Cam will continue into the fall according to OC Gus Malzahn.  Trotter played in mop-up duty in 2010 (64 PaYds), but neither figure to be much more than a bridge to get to true freshman Kiehl Frazier (Shiloh Christian, Springdale, Arkansas), or top 2012 QB prospect-commit Zeke Pike.

11. Barry Brunetti, Sophomore OR Randall Mackey, Redshirt Junior OR Zack Stoudt, Junior, Ole Miss – I’m sure you’re not surprised to find the “Quarterback Killa’s” bunch near the bottom of this list.  The battle will apparently continue into the fall.  Brunetti has the most experience in Division I games going 4-for-9 passing, for 6 yards for West Virginia last season.  Mackey, who is a run-pass threat, suffers from a speech problem that, “has caused him to have difficulty calling plays in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage.”  Stoudt, originally signed by Louisville in 2008, is 6-5 and has a big arm, but limited mobility.  ”It’s pretty close,” Nutt said.  Oh, brother.

12. Larry Smith, Senior, Vanderbilt (1,262 PaYds, 6 TDs) – Not a lot of options here for the Commodores, so Larry Smith is the starter by default.  Smith has started for the past two seasons, but his career 47.6 percent completion percentage on 508 attempts is uninspiring to say the least.  Vandy signed three quarterbacks in the spring signing period, so life after Smith (in 2012) can only get better.

Part 2: Running Down A Dream: Ranking The SEC Running Backs

Here at RBN, we’re regular listeners to The Morning Rush with Derek Ruscin and Tommy Craft on ESPN 96.3.  We like Derek and Tommy because their show focuses on the Hogs.  Sure…other topics are discussed.  But if you’re a serious Razorback fan in western Arkansas, they’ve got you covered on your drive into work.

We recently asked Derek if he would give us his insight and answer a few questions and he readily accepted.

RBN: With spring practice in the books, a lot of areas look solid.  But what’s your biggest concern going into the fall?  The offensive line?  Depth at cornerback?

Ruscin: I think my biggest concern is on the offensive line.  The good news there is that its not a total rebuilding job, just a partial one.  Corner is a concern as well because we are all waiting for Darius Winston to become that elite corner we have been promised and, so far, he has not delivered the goods.  But without an offensive line, you can’t run the ball.  And if you can’t run the ball in the SEC, you can’t compete for division championships.

Scanning the other 11 SEC depth charts, there’s not a lot of big-time quarterbacks to be found.  Could a guy like Tyler Wilson — who’s never started a college game — turn out to be the best quarterback in the SEC next season?

He has all the tools to do that.  I really like his poise…that is the best part of his game that nobody talks about.  He got thrown into the fire at Auburn last year and did not flinch.  I wonder about the development of Brantley at Florida and what will happen with Garcia at South Carolina, but Tyler Wilson could very well be the best quarterback in the SEC next year.

What’s your best Razorback Football press box story?  Anybody ever cheer out loud or break into a ‘Hog Call’ up there?  Anybody ever get escorted out?

When Arkansas plays lesser opponents (UTEP, UL-Monroe, etc.) they credential some of the newspapers from smaller towns in Arkansas.  I watched a guy bring his wife into the press box last year with a “Go Hogs” button on his shirt.  (I’m presuming he got in on one of these small town paper credentials.)  He got away with it until he posed for a picture with Chuck Barrett and then the media relations staff threw him out of the press box.

Ha ha…good stuff.  Switching gears to basketball, your thoughts on the coaching search, how Jeff Long approached things, and how great it is to have Mike Anderson back where he belongs?

I liked the way that Jeff Long did not let very many leaks out during the process.  With today’s media that is not easy.  There are some people that have thrown a lot of heat at Jeff Long but you have to get him all the credit in the world for locking up elite coaches in the big three sports on campus for the rest of this decade.

It is great to have Bud Walton Arena feel warm and inviting again.  I think fans will notice how much it feels like our arena again when the season starts because Arkansas has a coach that’s playing “our style” of basketball in that building again.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the Hogs in his early projections for the 2012 NCAA Tournament field.  If four or five of the incoming freshmen make it to campus, should fans expect the Hogs to make the NCAA Tourney in Anderson’s first season?

That’s probably a little too high expectations.  I worry about the conditioning for a team in its first year with Mike Anderson’s system.  I think the NCAA tournament should be expected every year after this one, but I don’t know if they will get there in year one.

All right…the softball questions are over: Catfish Cove or Ralph’s Pink Flamingo BBQ?  Who you got???

Ralph’s by far.  It is the best BBQ I have ever eaten in this state.  Catfish Cove is great but it’s just too pricey for me.  Too rich for my blood.

Wow…okay…now we’re getting hungry for some brisket.  Last question…we really miss having The Morning Rush on a local affiliate here in Northwest Arkansas.  Any chance you and Tommy will be on the (static-free) airwaves again soon on The Hill?

I would encourage people to flood the radio stations with emails and calls to bring our show up there.  If large amounts of people would call and write 92.1 The Ticket and/or 1190 The Fan and let them know you want Razorback discussions on the radio in the morning, that will probably have the most influence of all.

We’re writing our email to Dan Storrs right now.  Hey Derek…thanks again for your time.  We really appreciate it.

Thanks for asking me to do this.

Walking on Sunshine also contributed to this post.

In what will be the most exciting spring camp in recent memory, the energy level was ratcheted up last week with the announcement of ESPN’s decision to televise the spring game on April 16.

As Razorback fans, we would be remiss if we did not thank Coach Petrino again for opening the practices.  It is a luxury not all schools enjoy, and we appreciate it and don’t take it for granted.

As we get a chance to wander over to watch our share of the 15 workouts, here’s a few storylines the RBN crew will be watching closely.

Can Tyler Wilson hold onto the Quarterback job?  It is, without a doubt, his to lose.  His performance, when given a shot in 2010, indicates he’s ready to take the reins.  Last spring Tyler led the first unit in Mallett’s absence, and showed he could command the huddle.  This time he’ll be trying to hold off challengers Brandon Mitchell and Jacoby Walker.  Is he ready?

In the “Post-Mallett Era”, will the Pistol (Shot) formation finally become a larger part of the offense?  Many surmise that this is a given.  Bringing in offensive line coach Chris Klenakis last year proved that Petrino was committed to expanding its use.  That, coupled with a more mobile set of quarterbacks, should see the Hogs in ‘The Shot’ a bit more.

How will the offensive line rebound/reload after losing three senior starters?  A bevy of question marks here.  Can tackle Anthony Oden (6-8, 328) regain the form that he enjoyed before his health and off-field problems last season?  Can “old-timers” Grant Cook (6-4, 322) and Grant Freeman (6-7, 305) hold off newcomers like Brey Cook (6-7, 317) and Jason Peacock (6-4, 334)?

What will Greg Childs look like coming off injury?  Childs was enjoying an unbelievable junior season (46 for 659, 6 TDs) before suffering a patella tendon injury.  Even though Greg will not participate in contact drills, we’ll get a chance to gauge where he’s at in his recovery.

Which one of the early enrollees will impress us the most?  While Brey Cook should be competing for early playing time, we’re sure it will be hard to ignore new franchise receiver Quinta Funderburk (6-3, 191, 4.4).  Big time freshman linebacker Tyler Gilbert (6-3, 241) has showed up ready to compete for playing time at a position where the Hogs dearly need to develop some depth.

Speedy wide receiver Marquel Wade (5-11, 185) returns to campus after ‘wow-ing’ us last fall for a few weeks, and defensive tackle Robert Thomas (6-3, 340) makes his long-awaited debut after spending a season at Coffeyville [Kan.] Community College.

If you can’t tell, after our season of discontent on the basketball court, we’re REALLY looking forward to some Spring Football.  Enjoy.

But it was the Razorback run defense that hit the field against Ole Miss apparently equipped with new batteries.  (The old ones were exposed as incredibly leaky by one Cameron Newton.)  The defense put on a wonderful display on Saturday of team speed and swarming to the ball.

Good thing Houston Dale only believes in passing the ball after reaching a certain count of running plays.  The Arkansas secondary wasn’t up to the task when the D-line didn’t get pressure on the quarterback.

To their credit, the Razorback defense played the last few possessions on pride.  They had spent a lot of time on the field against a very punishing offense.   The Ole Miss fumble at the one yard line was definitely a gift that saved a touchdown.  Had the Rebel Black Bears scored, there’s no telling what the final outcome would have been.

Special teams were near flawless in execution.  Wind-aided touchbacks protected the still suspect kickoff coverage unit.

The only real blemish was Joe Adams foolishly fielding a punt inside the 10-yard line.  But rather than being meekly tackled and slinking to the bench to get chewed out, Adams chose the tactic of distracting the coaches from his error by running 97 yards for a touchdown.  Uh yeah…Coach Petrino needs to find even more ways to get this guy the ball.

It is interesting that the offense seems to have a lot more intensity with Tyler Wilson in the game.  Why the Ryan Mallett-led offense continues to experience a letdown following a couple of scores…I don’t know.  The Wilson-led intensity could be explained by the other offensive players picking up their game to support the second string guy.  Whatever…there is definitely a difference in performance.

Knile Davis ran for 117 of his 179 yards with Wilson in the game.  The O-line blocked beautifully for Davis, but he also made some cuts and hit some holes that have been there all year.  He is by far the best of the backs and deserves the bulk of the carries.

It’s very obvious that this Razorback team is growing up before our eyes.  The defense and special teams responded well to the debacle of the Auburn game.  Perhaps the Hogs have found a running game by placing their faith in Knile Davis.

If they can figure out how to bring some type of consistent performance to the offense, there’s no reason to lose another game.  Keep having these long dry spells in scoring and it will be a struggle to go .500 in the remaining conference games.