NFL
By: Randall Slifer
Arkansas lost a heartbreaker to Ole Miss on the final drive last weekend. Arkansas’ offense was a bullet train while the defense looked like a piece of Swiss cheese. Austin Simmons did not end up playing, and the backup quarterback put up over 400 all-purpose yards.
These are the games that Arkansas needs to pull out and win when you are playing a team with a backup quarterback and trying to become relevant. Fortunately, on the path to 9-3, this game was in the bucket of four that Arkansas needs to win two out of to have a successful year still. It just gets much more difficult when one of the games should have been won with gusto, and the ceiling raised higher coming into this week’s matchup.
This weekend’s game is in the bucket of the must-win games. Arkansas needs to focus on its business versus Memphis, and all week’s practices should be centrally focused on improving the defense. Arkansas knows its defense won’t be stout at any point in time, but at least figure out a band-aid to not force Taylen Green to score 40 points every game. Let’s take a look at what Arkansas needs to improve our defense, and bounce back in the coming weeks for Memphis, and past them:
Figure out how to get to the Quarterback.
Arkansas had an issue with this from the start of the season, when Arkansas was only able to get three sacks on Alabama A&M in the opener. Arkansas only tallied one sack against Ole Miss, and rushed through the pocket, which gave Chambliss the ability to escape the pocket.
Arkansas only blitzed the backup quarterback 10 times, which had little to no effect on Chambliss. Stephen Dix Jr is a stout linebacker sitting at 246 pounds, and Xavian Sorey Jr has explosion at the second level to disguise blitzes on the outside to crowd the pocket and force quarterbacks to either make a poor decision or take a sack. Arkansas has two safeties, Larry Worth III and Miguel Mitchell, both of whom weigh over 200 pounds as defensive backs. Dialing up exotic blitzes can change the element of Arkansas’ defense, and they have the big bodies to fight through the line and get the quarterback down.
Memphis quarterback Brendon Lewis is a seasoned veteran playing in his sixth season. He is a dual-threat quarterback (just like the backup Arkansas just played) who already has 211 yards rushing with two touchdowns. Most of Lewis’ interceptions last year came from being pressured and blitzed, and his one interception this year came from that. When it comes to a game like this, throw the kitchen sink at Memphis in terms of disguised blitzes, and see what works this weekend to bring to you the weekend after that.
Limit explosive plays
By the end of the first half, Arkansas allowed 31 points. It seemed that if you took a break from looking at the TV, Ole Miss was in the red zone. The very first play for Ole Miss was an explosive play for 65 yards. The very next drive, Ole Miss had another explosive play for 64 yards. Every single drive that Ole Miss had that resulted in points, there was a play that resulted in a gain of 20 or more yards.
Arkansas had seven missed tackles total against Ole Miss, with three coming from Arkansas’ safeties and two from linebackers. Aside from the nonexistent pass rush, Arkansas has done a decent job in defending the run with the tall task they have at hand. Having to protect dual-threat quarterbacks is difficult, but if the ball gets past the defensive line and Arkansas’s 2nd and 3rd level guys are missing tackles, that is what results in explosive plays.
Memphis’ pass attack is average overall, so man coverage with a safety for help should be able to handle any downward passing they try to throw at Arkansas. The most important thing to watch for is their RPOs and rushing attack. Xavian Sorey Jr. and Stephen Dix Jr. need to do a good job and not overcommit to one side of the field, stay patient to react on time, and get some true defensive stops to get to 4th down.
Show different looks on the defensive line.
David Oke came back from his injury to debut for Arkansas against Ole Miss. They limited his snaps due to the injury to slow him back into full-speed football. Arkansas should give him many more snaps in the future.
David Oke at Abilene Christian was utilized in numerous stunts and twists on the defensive line. Oke has incredible lateral explosion, and he can move from nose tackle to outside edge in three steps. He can open up the disguised blitzed in multiple ways that can confuse offensive lines and get the quarterback to the ground.
You can utilize Oke from the nose tackle position to bring the linebacker blitzed open on the interior. If Oke can move from the Nose tackle position and stunt the Edge defender to the 3-tech spot, this can open up gaps in the A gap for the linebacker to run free to the quarterback. If you use Oke on the outside as an Edge, and Cameron Ball in the 3-tech position. They’re combined power and explosion can handle one side of the offensive line, leaving them both with pressures as a unit, or open up clean for a sack.
Memphis’ left tackle and right tackle can get exposed with a stronger front this weekend. Left Tackle, Chris Adams, is a lighter tackle at only 277 pounds. Their center and right guard have allowed a sack and seven pressures total, and are their weaker points on the interior offensive line. Arkansas can try to win traditionally, but I would love to see some confusion on the front line that they can bring with them to the following tougher games.
If Arkansas does not become more exotic in its defensive looks, they do not have the talent to rush four and expect the other team not to score. They need to get creative and hold leads throughout the game, instead of Arkansas depending on Taylen Green to be great every game. There is a good chance that Taylen Green could be a top prospect in next year’s draft, but can we give him a defense that allows him to get more national media attention and into the top 5?
Sam Pittman needs to figure out how he keeps losing to backup quarterbacks and one-score games. For anyone who is counting, here are some alarming stats under Sam Pittman:
- Pittman is 4-7 against teams playing their backup quarterback
- Pittman is 7-18 in one-score games
It starts with the defense, because we know the offense was not the problem last weekend. The fumble occurred, but that is after Ole Miss scored 41 points. Sam Pittman will need to figure this out on his own with defensive coordinator Travis Williams. After Memphis, it goes Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and then Auburn. A tough battle among all teams ranked in the top 25 right now. Will Sam Pittman find an answer for the defense? I hope so, but at this point, it seems we can’t even get help from our own Athletic Director, Hunter Yurachek.
