NFL
By: Randall Slifer
The Arkansas Razorbacks continue their SEC matchups this weekend, facing Tennessee in Fayetteville. It’s been rough for the team, as they suffered a brutal loss against Texas A&M with a score of 34-7. Every game before the Texas A&M game had built-in excuses. The team was built on transfers, so it needed time to gel. The offensive line needs more time to open up the run game. Georgia is a national championship contender.
This one felt more like coaching decisions and poor preparation. Marcel Reed had a banged-up Mario Craver, and the offense was limited overall. Knowing that Marcel Reed is a bad quarterback, they allowed 231 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. The Arkansas Razorbacks only forced Marcel Reed to throw the ball 13 times, and that is a failure in itself.
The fix is obvious. That’s a hopeful article for when the time comes. This weekend tests Ryan Silverfield’s ability to show Arkansas he can lead this program in future years. Tennessee changed quarterbacks midway through the game against Auburn after Faizon Brandon’s poor performance. DeSean Bishop ran for 220 yards, masking the quarterback change. Can Ryan Silverfield identify a correct game plan and get the team to buy into it this week? Let’s dive into how the Arkansas Razorbacks can be respectable against the Tennessee Volunteers:
Can the offense complement the running and passing game?
The running game has looked better in the past two weeks. After rushing for under 3.0 yards per carry at the start of the season, they managed 5.2 yards per carry against Texas A&M. Sutton Smith and Braylen Russell looked like fans expected, and they made short-yardage gains throughout drives. The issue was the play-calling on key downs: 3-10 on 3rd down and 0-2 on 4th down. Chris Marshall had 60 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter but finished with only 76 total yards. Why is Tim Cramsey shooting himself in the foot?
The offense has only a few strengths, and the Arkansas Razorbacks need to lean on them to keep the game close. Tennessee has a stout defense and a strong nose tackle in Xavier Gilliam, but Arkansas will need to run the ball. KJ Jackson will need to be the catalyst. KJ Jackson is a dual-threat quarterback, but his run-game vision is lacking, and he needs to be more physical. Now is the time to put your body on the line for the team and gain more than 2 yards after contact.
Tim Cramsey refuses to use play action, and it’s only hurting the team. Tennessee’s defensive backs are stout, with top guys like Kayin Lee, TJ Metcalf, and Ty Redmond. If KJ Jackson needs passing lanes, he needs to rely on better play-action passing to get the linebackers to bite down. The word is out about Chris Marshall. Tennessee will likely bracket him to keep him from taking over the game. They will need to find mismatches elsewhere.
Condensed formations and pass-catching tight ends will be a must against Tennessee. Matching up against Amare Campbell or Jeremiah Telander can push the ball downfield and create more first downs. By forcing defenders into the middle of the field, you can create 1-on-1s with Chris Marshall and get into the end zone. Ryan Silverfield likes to win by “death by a 1000 cuts,” and this game is his chance to do it.
Can the defense keep the score under 25?
It seems like a small ask, but Power 4 teams average over 40 points per game. If the Arkansas Razorbacks can stop the run, they can keep this game under 25 points. DeSean Bishop ranks 11th in rushing nationally with 540 yards and 7 touchdowns. DeSean Bishop was dealing with a lower-body injury but still rushed for 220 yards against Auburn.
The defensive line is Arkansas’ strength and will need to hold their gaps to limit the run game. The biggest issue is stopping the quarterback run. Here are the Power Four rushing stats of each quarterback:
Utah – Byrd Ficklin + Devon Dampier: 14 rushes, 78 yards, 2 TDs, 6 1st downs
Georgia – Gunnar Stockton: 5 rushes, 120 yards, 4 1st downs
TAMU – Marcel Reed: 9 rushes, 66 yards, 1 TD, 5 1st downs
One word describes these stats: Undisciplined. That is on Ryan Silverfield. George MacIntyre isn’t a complete dual-threat quarterback, but he can scramble well and create space. Gunnar Stockton isn’t a true dual-threat, but he got it done against Arkansas. Either Bradley Shaw or Ja’quavion Smith will need to spy at times to keep the quarterbacks from extending drives.
I personally had faith in Ron Roberts to be better this year. The defensive line has improved, and coverage has looked good at times. 40 points per game against Power 4 schools is just unacceptable. He likes to blitz, but teams are identifying and countering it successfully. He needs to dial up the right simulated pressures and creepers (not blitzing, but sending non-traditional rushers to attack the quarterback) and get the inexperienced MacIntyre into quicksand, throwing into coverage. If Ron Roberts can call a good defensive game, this team can keep Tennessee under 25 points and make it a 4th-quarter game.
The Arkansas Razorbacks take on the Tennessee Volunteers this Saturday in Fayetteville at 4:15 EST/3:15 CST. Surprisingly, Vegas only favors Tennessee by 2 touchdowns. That’s with Tennessee’s quarterback issues, and Ryan Silverfield should be better prepared for this matchup. I believe Arkansas is at a turning point right now. If this game ends in another blowout that deflates fans and the state, bigger changes may come from higher up than Ryan Silverfield. Would you rather take a loss this Saturday to push that envelope, or see the team put together a meaningful game that Arkansas Razorback fans deserve? Arkansas is in a real catch-22 right now. As always, Go Razorbacks.
