Secondary holding up despite missing key players

FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas secondary has given up some big plays, but they have also had some very good moments despite missing cornerback Jaylon Braxton and others for some of the games.

Sam Pittman was asked Monday about the secondary that has been missing Braxton and some others for some of the games.

“We played three (cornerbacks),” Pittman said. “I thought (Kee’yon) Stewart, we don’t talk about him, but I thought he played really well in his 30-something snaps, as well as (Jaheim) Singletary and Cuddie (Marquise Robinson). But we needed them. I think it’s going to help us in the long run. We played more players, played more earlier. We played more d-linemen. Which we learned a little bit from Oklahoma State, that we needed to get guys a little (more playing time) so we could be fresher at the end of the game.

“But I think it’s very, very big that we can go out there, and I’m sure you’re the one that might have mentioned (Hudson) Clark, as well. Or, you may have, but without Hudson out there, I think it just helps us as the season goes on building confidence, and it certainly helps the team because you’ve got other guys that are playing that normally might not have a shot to play that many reps. They got out there, and they play well. TJ Metcalf is the same way where he’s maybe not starting, maybe starting, and then the last… Well, this year, he’s played outstanding football, so he got his opportunity. The more you get them out there, the more you can see if their gamers or not, and I was really pleased. It’s a good question. I was really pleased with those guys.”

The back end of the secondary may have had its best day as a group on Saturday. Metcalf, Doneiko Slaughter and Jayden Johnson helped the Hogs defeat Auburn 24-14. Slaughter led the team with seven tackles. He also had a sack, two tackles for loss and an interception. Metcalf, who earned SEC Defensive Player of Week honors, had four tackles, two interceptions, a pair of pass breakups and forced one fumble. Johnson had two tackles, an interception, one tackle for loss and broke up a pass.

“I’ll be honest with you, and TJ played a magnificent game, so did Slaughter,” Pittman said. “Slaughter was really, really good. Really good. Jayden came up and did a good job as well. We’ve got to get guys on the ground a little bit more there with our secondary coming up and tackling, but Slaughter played outstanding. We just took a bad angle on the fourth-and-three. Those are the… If you said something defensively, it would be, we can’t give up explosive plays, and we really gave up two big ones in the game, and we can’t afford to do that. But, totality, they really played well, as you know. I thought those safeties did a good job. If you play any defense and they have good safeties like Auburn did, if they have good safeties, it’s hard to run the football and hard to throw the football. I felt like we are getting better and better in that aspect.”

Arkansas and Texas A&M will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and televised on ESPN.