Taylen Green wants strong game against Missouri

FAYETTEVILLE — Taylen Green transferred to Arkansas from Boise State following the 2023 season and has had some outstanding moments with the Hogs.

Green, on the other hand, has also struggled at times and turned the ball over too much to anyone’s liking. He has completed 198 of 325 passes for 2,584 yards, 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Green has rushed 127 times for 468 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Green and the Hogs will take on No. 23 Missouri Saturday in Columbia. The weather forecast includes snow. If it does snow Green will be no stranger to playing in it.

“I definitely have,” Green said. “I would say when it gets to about October, all the games are cold pretty much on the West Coast. So we’re playing night games and so I’m very familiar with it. I played in one snow game when we played against Nevada. And we played in one game at Wyoming when it was like negative 1, so it was pretty cold.”

Green had a successful career at Boise State. He saved his best game though at Boise State for his final one. It came in the Mountain West Conference Championship Game. Green helped lead Boise State past UNLV. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 226 yards, 2 touchdowns. He also rushed 8 times for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns. In 28 games at Boise State, including 22 starts, Green passed for 3,794 yards and 25 touchdowns with 15 interceptions. Green rushed for 1,024 yards and 19 touchdowns. What does it require for a quarterback to be successful in snow?

“You’ve just got to focus on your footwork and just the fundamentals,” Green said. “It’s all mental. You can’t tell yourself it’s cold. You’ve got to lock in and embrace the elements.”

Green feels the equipment staff at Arkansas will keep a dry ball for Green and the Hogs.

“I would say we have a really good equipment staff that keeps the balls dry,” Green said. “We wouldn’t be able to do our job snapping and throwing out there so I’ve got to give praise to our equipment staff for doing what they do.”

Green and Boise State beat Nevada 41-3 in a snow game. Green talked about what led to his and the team’s success.

“I would say warm yourself up on the sidelines and when you’re in the game you’re not really thinking about it,” Green said. “But when you’re on the sidelines you warm your feet up, warm your hands up and lock in when you get on the field. It’s never as cold as it seems, that’s what I would say. It’s all mental.”

Green hasn’t ever played in Columbia, but is looking forward to Saturday.

“I would say it’s a great opportunity to play in a great venue, another SEC atmosphere, and that’s exciting,” Green said. “With the weather and all that, everybody says it’s football weather. So we’re definitely excited for the opportunity and practicing. They have a great football team and we’re looking at their defense, we were just talking about their defense, and how well they play together. So it’s great opportunity.”

Much was said in preseason about Bobby Petrino working with Green on his technique. Green feels what Petrino has done with him is working.

“I would say I’m a whole lot better than where I was, but at the same time, it’s still something I feel like I could be more consistent in and improve on,” Green said. “I feel like you can never shy away from the fundamentals, because the fundamentals is going to take you a long way. And I’m, I’m a big believer in how you do the small things is how you do everything. And so that’s what Coach Petrino is still on me, you know, even today with staying over top and having clean footwork in the pocket.”

Green was asked anything else that Petrino is working with him on?

“Just timing, just connecting my eyes to where my feet are, and just being on the same page with my receivers,” Green said. “That’s the biggest thing is when I’m in rhythm and we have great chemistry my percentage, as Petrino says, is really high. So really big and focusing on that this week.”

Green’s favorite target has been wide receiver Andrew Armstrong. Despite missing the season opener, Armstrong has caught 69 passes for 1,012 yards and 1 touchdown.

“It just speaks to how hard-working he is,” Green said. “A lot of people see him on the field but a lot of people don’t see what he does off the field in the training room getting his body right. He’s there every single day in the morning and before practice. Running all that throughout the game. It’s week 12 and your body is not 100%, but he keeps his body healthy. The versatility that he displays on the field whether he plays inside outside you know, running deep and everything so you know. I’m just extremely proud of that milestone, but if he was here right now he would say he’s not finished yet. That’s what’s exciting about it.” 

Green and the Razorbacks on the travel squad Saturday have a chance to do something that hasn’t been done at Arkansas and that’s win in Columbia.

“We’re just gonna focus on what we can control and let the chips fall where they are,” Green said. “It’s a great opportunity to do that.”

Arkansas (6-5, 3-4) and Missouri (8-3, 4-3) will kickoff at 2:30 and televised on the SEC Network.