Dooley’s Dozen: 12 things you need to know about Arkansas Razorbacks
In a season full of big games, Florida will play another one on Saturday even if it may not make The Picks on ESPN’s College GameDay.
The national media can and should probably ignore a game between a 5-3 team and a 2-6 team with no weird trophies or state bragging rights involved.
But it is an important one for both teams… in their own ways.
Gator fans know that this could be the last chance to get bowl-eligible with a gauntlet ahead to finish out the season. Arkansas fans know that a sub-.500 season appears to be inevitable, but a win in Gainesville would keep hope alive.
The Florida players will be wearing all-black uniforms. Let’s hope it doesn’t match the mood of the fan base when this one is over.
The Dooley’s Dozen looks at 12 things you need to know about Arkansas.
The Hogs don’t like Gainesville
We assume that because they have never won in the Swamp. Of course, they have only played at Steve Spurrier Field five times.
Razorback fans are still steaming over the 2009 loss to Tim Tebow when Florida (they will tell you) got some help from the officials to overcome four lost fumbles and a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Caleb Sturgis hit the game-winner.
It’s still a fledgling series
Arkansas and Florida had only played once before the Hogs joined the SEC and then still didn’t play until the SEC title game in 1995 (and again for the SEC in 2006).
Florida leads the series 10-2 with that first game being a loss in the Bluebonnet Bowl and the other being a 31-10 curb-stomping in Fayetteville. Florida was physically dominated in that game.
Let’s get to the big story
After scoring only three points in a loss to Mississippi State, Sam Pittman fired offensive coordinator Dan Enos and moved receivers coach Kenny Guiton into the job where he will call plays for the first time in his career.
Pittman said he has cut about 30% of the playbook out to simplify things. Florida fans hope it was the wrong 30%.
Guiton will be in the box
As was Enos. Guiton was originally going to be on the sidelines but changed his mind and Pittman is allowing him to be comfortable. Pittman said he made the change because he had to do something to shake things up.
He did one other thing – he closed practice to the media. Who knew anybody still allowed the media to watch practices?
How bad was it?
Enos was considered a good hire to replace Kendal Briles, who went to TCU. But the offense ranked last in the SEC in total yards and 120th in the nation before Enos was let go.
They are 112th in rushing and 103th in passing. The offense went from the up-tempo of Briles to a slower pace and it didn’t seem to fit quarter KJ Jefferson.
Pittman needs to win some games
There is a clause in his contract that reduces his buyout by more than $5 million if he is under .500 since the start of the 2021 season. And that would happen if he loses the last four.
There does not appear to be a groundswell to get rid of a coach who dug them out of a deep hole (created by Chad Morris) when he came to Fayetteville from Georgia just in time for the COVID season and won nine games the next year.
Raheim Sanders is still iffy
The running back from Rockledge High is coming home, but is still listed as questionable for this game. He suffered a knee injury in the opener and has only played in three games.
He has rushed for only 99 yards on 34 carries after finishing fourth in the SEC last year. He finally returned to practice this week after missing the last five games.
And they miss him
Arkansas was second in the SEC last year with Rocket Sanders and is 12th this year without him. The Razorbacks are 112th in the country in rushing even with a quarterback who can run.
Jefferson has rushed for 200 yards, but that number includes 31 sacks. Rashod Dubinion leads the team with 261 rushing yards (3.29 yards per carry).
Jefferson the passer
He was a dark horse candidate for the Heisman coming into the season, but this isn’t 1956 (when Paul Hornung won the Heisman on a 2-8 team). He has completed 65.3% of his passes but has also thrown a career-high seven interceptions to go with 14 touchdown passes.
And he has a good receiver
Andrew Armstrong is a redshirt senior who has 43 catches for 520 yards and four touchdowns. Of those catches, 25 have come in SEC games including eight against Ole Miss.
It will be interesting to see if Florida can take him away and make the new coordinator try to spread the ball to more receivers.
The kicker is the best offensive player
OK, that may be taking it a little far. But junior Cam Little is 12 of 13 on field goals and 4-for-4 from 50 yards or more. It’s one reason fans were not happy when Pittman did not send him into the game to kick a 51-yarder against Mississippi State and instead froze, causing a delay of game penalty.
You are what your record is
The Hogs really aren’t that bad, certainly not 0-5 in the SEC bad. They won their first two games against soft opponents, but have lost six straight. Five of those losses have come by seven points or less including three-point losses to Alabama and LSU, both on the road.
So, you can understand why Pittman is reaching for a spark to get his team going.
Read more
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Dooley’s Dozen: 12 things you need to know about Arkansas Razorbacks
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