Arkansas 3 Keys: Rice

Three-keys-Arkansas

The Arkansas Razorbacks are coming off what could be one of the best 3-7 seasons ever produced by a college football team. In one sense, that sentence seems foolish, maybe even insulting, but would Arkansas fans really argue the point? Arkansas was going nowhere, and Sam Pittman inherited a mess from Chad Morris.

By Steve Wright

Expectations were extremely low entering last season. A 1-9 record in an adjusted 10-game pandemic schedule was probably where most experts expected the Hogs to finish, especially since they didn’t get the nonconference games which normally fatten up a team’s record before the rigors of SEC competition arrive.

Yet, Arkansas went 3-3 through its first six games. Pittman dramatically improved both the culture and the performance of the Razorbacks, who were tough, resilient, and resourceful. A bad call late in the game at Auburn cost the Hogs a win they frankly deserved. They should have been 4-2 through their first six games instead of 3-3. They lost heartbreakers to LSU and Missouri late in the season, along with expected blowouts against Florida and Alabama. The numbers said 3-7, but the season felt a lot more successful than that. Arkansas has reason to believe entering 2021. Let’s see if the Razorbacks can start off on the right foot against Rice. Three keys:

1 – Defensive line play

Rice is going with two quarterbacks, Wiley Green and Luke McCaffrey. If you’re wondering: Yes, Luke IS the brother of Christian McCaffrey. Rice will try to give Arkansas’ defense different looks, but if the Arkansas defensive line blows up Rice’s offensive front, it won’t matter which quarterback is on the field. Arkansas needs to smother Rice’s offense so that the Owls aren’t dictating the tempo or style of play and forcing the Razorbacks to hesitate with their reactions on defense. Punching Rice in the mouth will solve problems on defense.

2 – Mashed Rice

Sam Pittman, as a former offensive line coach, knows how important it is for Arkansas to make its way up the standings in the SEC by playing physical football. Arkansas is not Ole Miss. Pittman is not Lane Kiffin. Arkansas has to win in a way which is different from what other SEC programs are doing. Arkansas will increase its margin for error and give itself a chance to score significant wins later in the season if it can mash on offense and pound the ball down opponents’ throats. This game against Rice is a good opening test of Arkansas’ offensive line, a chance for Pittman to more fully measure where his O-line truly stands. Success here won’t guarantee a solid season, but it will certainly establish the right foundation.

3 – Simplicity

Texas is looming as a future opponent. The Hogs need to win this game with a fairly simplified playbook so that Steve Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski don’t have a lot to study. Arkansas needs to not show its cards, setting up a much more varied and daring attack against the Longhorns in what will be a highly-anticipated game in Fayetteville.

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