NFL
By: Randall Slifer
Arkansas Football has been quite busy since it had a bye week last week. Bobby Petrino is preparing for his first game as interim head coach, and it is not the first time he has had the head coach headset for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Bobby Petrino has a tough path to the permanent head coaching spot if his record for the rest of the season is going to be the deciding factor. The final stretch of games involves four ranked teams as of today, and the rest have had much better years than Arkansas.
Bobby Petrino is an offense-minded coach, so his path to staying the head coach could come down to the defense. Arkansas’ defense is ranked 113th nationally in scoring defense and 118th in total defense. They are allowing 30 points per game and 425 yards per game.
Sam Pittman had a strategy of exotic blitzes while playing man coverage to force Quarterbacks to turn the ball over under pressure. It is a strategy that could work, but it isn’t easy if you can’t get your team on the same page and understand their role in each down.
Petrino stated that he will make the defensive scheme easier and help players understand it more easily. This would allow each defender to focus on their 1/11th of the field, thereby avoiding any missing links that could lead to explosive plays.
The offense will not change as Arkansas is top 25 in scoring with 37 points per game, and Petrino has been running that offense all year. Let’s take a look at how Arkansas’ defense may look versus a tough Tennessee team:
Switching to a more zone defense
As stated above, Sam Pittman ran more man coverage this year, and zone coverage could simplify things. Zone coverage can lead to more turnovers, which is something that teams will need to adjust to, as most of our previous tape has featured man defense.
Arkansas can play a bend, don’t break type of defense against Tennessee, and disguise some coverage to trick Aguilar into thinking he has the soft spots available. Arkansas has quick and strong defensive backs who can be moved interchangeably near the line of scrimmage or deep, playing a third or half the field.
Playing a soft cover 2 with the ability to stop the run is something they may need to do against Tennessee, which is first in overall points per game with 51. Tennessee will score plenty of points, and it will be up to Arkansas to limit their points while trying to put up close to 40 as well.
While showing constant cover 2, you can throw in wrinkles like cover two invert to surprise Aguilar if he is trying to throw into the middle of the field. Larry Worth III or Caleb Wooden is an athletic type of safety who can disguise Cover One and shoot down the middle to steal a seam route throw or a post to generate turnovers against Aguilar. Aguilar has thrown five interceptions this year, but has only thrown one turnover-worthy play. It is necessary to flip the script on Tennessee and get them on their heels, and turnovers are always the number one key to doing so.
Pressure the quarterback with four or five guys.
Arkansas only has 14 sacks on the year, with half coming from linebackers or defensive backs. I was excited to see Arkansas’ defensive line play with the likes of Cameron Ball, Phillip Lee, Quincy Rhodes Jr, David Oke, and Ian Geffrard.
Petrino named the new defensive coordinator relatively quickly after being given the interim head coaching job. Petrino named Chris Wilson, Arkansas’ defensive line coach, the new defensive coordinator for the year. I believe this was a great call, focusing on the defensive line creating pressure on their own and letting the linebackers and defensive backs cover in zone.
If Chris Wilson can create pressure with four and can dial up a fifth rusher in certain circumstances, that is simplifying the defense to its core. David Oke had taken the most snaps against Notre Dame, and I expect him to keep ramping up into a starting role.
He was brought in for his stellar run defense and his ability to move laterally on stunts. Rushing four and bringing Oke from the edge to come in through the center, or vice versa, is something that the defensive line can accomplish easily.
Cameron Ball had some good buzz for the NFL draft in the summer, but the season has lost some star power to showcase Ball lately. Cameron Ball has the athleticism to win one-on-one with guards and tackles, and he should be allowed to rush naturally and create chaos.
Many people don’t know how the defense will perform against Tennessee. Arkansas did not lose anyone to the transfer portal after the firing of Sam Pittman, which is a positive sign. Firings can spark the team that was not getting the spark from their head coach, or they could rebel and continue the lackluster play that has occurred over the past five weeks.
Since no one decided to transfer out, this Arkansas team is going to work hard and try to make this year respectable. It will be a tough journey, but if they play for each other, they can salvage this season to show promise for the years to come. Tennessee is a heavy favorite in this game, sitting as a 12.5-point favorite, and the total points are set at 68.5. The over hits since both offenses are buzzing, and Chris Brazzell II is one of the top wide receivers playing right now. The game is being played away in Neyland Stadium at 4:15 EST/3:15 CST this Saturday afternoon. As always, Woo Pig!
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