Arkansas needs answers in a hurry

By Jerry Meadows

FAYETTEVILLE — Football is the ultimate team sport. What other sport requires at least a two-deep roster of 11 players in the three aspects of the game: offense, defense, plus special teams?

Knowing this means the offense, defense, and special teams must be ready to perform in multiple combinations of 11 players on the field at any time during a game. Combining gifted athletes, great coaches, and proper preparation will generally lead to winning ball games.

In concerns of the team, each player must have their physical, mental, and emotional game in check to be successful. Preparing 50 or more athletes to compete as a unit is what produces winning programs. It is also what makes coaching college football the most challenging team sport. No other sport has so many moving parts as football. Then, when you add to this the complications created by the NIL, it becomes a balancing act on razor wire. It is like playing chess with drones on the grass.

Because football is such a physical sport, the average fan only recognizes the success or failure of the physical part of the game. A receiver makes a great catch, a linebacker sacks the quarterback, or the kicker makes a game-winning field goal. What is hidden from every fan is what it takes to prepare to play at such a high level. It takes the off-season, when no cameras are rolling, to prepare yourself for the season that may be six months away. It becomes a grind. Preparing your body to endure a 15-20 MPH hit from your blindside demands the relentless pursuit of excellence in molding the body to endure such contact.

Mentally, players must know their assignments on every play they are involved in. Such awareness requires study, instruction, watching game films, and the repetition of practice. Without mental preparation, a player can and will most likely make mistakes. Keeping a cool head under pressure is what Tom Brady (7-Super Bowl Championships) did the best.

Emotionally, players and coaches must remain calm if they hope to weather the ups and downs during a football game. The nature of football may be expressive at times. However, maintaining emotional balance, whether succeeding or failing, is mandatory if a team wants to win.

According to one story, the Green Bay Packers kick returner Travis Williams (not Arkansas’ DC) danced in the end zone after scoring a touchdown. Coach Vince Lombardi told him, “Travis, the next time you make it to the end zone, act like you’ve been there before.” 

Some antics occurring after a good play should be reserved for when the game is over. Complimenting your teammate is one thing, but taunting the opposing team or bringing attention to yourself reflects more on you than what you just accomplished. Let the fans tell you how good the play was.

The Razorbacks are 3-2 and 1-1 in the conference. Before the season, few fans predicted that Arkansas would be 3-2 after playing in five different venues.

When it comes to the defense, they have played, at times, very well. The potential of the offense, though, has yet to be seen. There have been glimpses of their explosive ability during several drives, but they are too inconsistent. Amazingly, they are just two turnovers from a 5-0, 2-0 start to begin the season.

Fans need to remember that Arkansas is a good football team. Yet, quarterback play, protection in the passing game, the inability of the D-line to make life uncomfortable for the opposing quarterback, and, most of all, turnovers are the areas that need to be fixed quick, fast, and in a hurry.

Coach Sam Pittman said: ”I think we’ve had so many pressures that we’ve got a lot of problems. We’ve got a confidence problem. We have a quarterback that’s not confident.”

All day, the A&M defense pressured Taylen Green. A&M seemed determined to make Green beat them in the air while running for his life. The third play from scrimmage, though Green avoided the rush by running up the middle and hitting Isaac Teslaa on a crossing pattern for a 75 yard touchdown, and suddenly Arkansas was up 7-0. To instill confidence in Green, Arkansas may need to let him improvise in what he is most comfortable doing. Trying to fit a quarterback into a system that prevents him from doing what is natural for him proved disastrous last year.

OC Bobby Petrino may need to create high percentage passes to open up the running game. However, until the O-line and the running backs can pass-protect, the options available seem few.

Here lies the challenge for Pittman, the Razorback staff, and the players. Can Arkansas create space so Green can use his legs to make plays? Is it better to utilize the skill set of a player or fit him into a system he cannot confidently operate in?

Arkansas has one week to figure it out because Tennessee comes to Fayetteville on Saturday at 6:30 pm.

Just a reminder, Arkansas is still ahead of Ole Miss and is tied for 3rd place in the SEC with OU, Georgia, SC, and Florida at 1-1.