Arkansas Is As Stern A Test As Ole Miss: My Breakdown

Guys,

I've seen the Hogs firsthand this year (in Austin vs. Texas), and here's my take on their team and their brand of football:

On defense, can be stingy versus run as they limited Cedric Benson to less than 50 yds. This, of course, is taken with a grain of salt because UT's line is notorious for not winning the battle in the trenches against a physical DL, which Arkansas certainly has.


They worry me greatly on the offensive side of the ball with both Todd Jones and Ced. Cobb the two main weapons (I found the WRs very inconsistent). Jones is a great scrambler and has good feel as to when he should tuck and run and when he should take a shot down the field; his ability to throw on the run and improv his way through a play absolutely killed Texas.

Now, he does take plenty of chances (think Jake Plummer in Arizona) when on the run, so the opportunity is there to get him to turn it over.

Ced Cobb is a nice back, but we've dominated better backs all season long and there is little to suggest he'll do much against this defense.

Dis him all you want, but Todd Jones' mobility has to be of concern to us. Saying that we have the speed on defense to neutralize him is too simplistic (think Texas isn't fast on defense? How about Oklahoma, whose fast as lightning defense was frustrated by the speed Reggie McNeal last year against A&M).

We need to have the proper scheming and player placement on every down, and my concern is this will be something different from what we've had to do all season long. Unfamiliarity can breed mistakes, that's all I'm saying, so don't be upset if you see Jones break a couple on us this Friday.

All that being said, we absolutely need to see a bounce-back game from the offense. Playing at home should greatly help with the penalties since crowd-noise induced false starts shouldn't happen (see Florida game for example to the contrary).

The Hogs are nothing special against the run (47th in the country) and are decent against the pass (22nd).

This is a solid team and we'll have to find a way to score some points on these folks, something more than 17 to say the least.

 

That 47th against the run is elusive, as the SEC has great running teams. (bama, miss, barn, etc)

 

Who is Todd Jones?

 

I thought it was Tom Jones...

 

A former relief pitcher for the Astros. Isn't he playing for your hogs now?

 

I can see you know a lot about Arkansas.....Who in the hell is Tod Jones?

 

If you're trying to keep up with the Joneses....maybe you should be giving us a breakdown on MATT Jones?!?

 

Maybe nutt has a secret weapon named todd jones.
Tejas may have just let the cat outta the bag

 

Cedric Benson's only gaining 50 yards on Arkansas doesn't worry me. He's a mediocre back who wouldn't be in LSU's top 5. As my mom said after the UT/Ark game this year, "Cedric Benson may wear his hair like Ricky Williams, but he certainly can't run like him."

 

The banjoe playing dork n' pork QB for the HAWGS, call him Bob or Jack or Jim or Matt ... as in flat on his azz like a door "matt".
When he's not running for his life and picking himself off the grass of Tiger Stadium (with clumps of mud and purple grass stuck in his facemask), he'll be mumblin' and stutterin' to himself like Manning. And after enough hits (we hope he runs) .... Friday,
it won't "MATT"er for him ... or you. Unless you get the license plate number of the Tigers who flatten him.