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Former Longhorn Has Strange Recollection of Mistake Against Arkansas

Former Razorback star will be surprised to know he apparently faced Texas that year also

Kent Smith

Arkansas quarterback Matt Jones tries to get around Minnesota linebacker Terrance Campbell in the first half. Minnesota defeated No. 25 Arkansas 29-14 before 39,183 in the Music City Bowl in Nashville Dec. 30, 2002.
Arkansas quarterback Matt Jones tries to get around Minnesota linebacker Terrance Campbell in the first half. Minnesota defeated No. 25 Arkansas 29-14 before 39,183 in the Music City Bowl in Nashville Dec. 30, 2002. / Randy Piland / The Tennessean, Nashville Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC
In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Former Texas Longhorn Derrick Johnson is one of few players or fans from that side of the fence talking about the Arkansas Razorbacks, but even his memory seems to be a little foggy despite playing in the game he attempted to describe.

He begins his recollection by setting the table. It's 2004. Texas is in Fayetteville for a big game in front of what he is expecting to be an especially hostile crowd.

He looks across the way way and there's future two-time Heisman runner-up Darren McFadden. Next to him is a player who should generate a record scratch for anyone who followed the Razorbacks around this time as Johnson struggles to remember the name.

"Who's that tall quarterback that they had?" Johnson asks before the rest of the 3rd & Longhorn room replies immediately with "Matt Jones."

It's not that Jones didn't play in that game. He was indeed the quarterback leading what would become a 5-6 Arkansas team in a 22-20 loss to No. 7 Texas. It was McFadden, the star running back Johnson easily remembers as the first Razorback he mentions who wasn't in the backfield that day.

While Peyton Hillis, whom Johnson name drops later in his story, was a freshman fullback that season, he wouldn't join the three-headed monster with McFadden and Felix Jones in putting up over 2,000 yards until the following season. Had McFadden been in that game, that two-point Texas lead likely wouldn't have held.

Arkansas Razorbacks tailback Darren McFadden carries against the LSU Tigers.
Arkansas Razorbacks tailback Darren McFadden (5) carries against the LSU Tigers in overtime at Tiger Stadium. The Arkansas Razorbacks defeated the Tigers 50-48 in triple overtime. / John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Especially considering the story Johnson was attempting to tell. The atmosphere had him so riled up before the game, he wasn't thinking clearly when he went out for the coin flip.

Arkansas threw things for a loop by choosing to defer until the second half. Rather than realizing he needed to elect to receive, Johnson had it so drilled into his head what he expected to happen on the coin toss that he accidentally opted to kick off to Arkansas in the first half also.

"We won the game 22-20 and I gave them an extra possession," Johnson said. "I'll always remember. I'm glad we won that game. When I was going to the sideline they was like 'They won the toss? They deferred? Why are we kicking?' I'm like 'I thought you said kick it.'"

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Kent Smith
KENT SMITH

Kent Smith has been in the world of media and film for nearly 30 years. From Nolan Richardson's final seasons, former Razorback quarterback Clint Stoerner trying to throw to anyone and anything in the blazing heat of Cowboys training camp in Wichita Falls, the first high school and college games after 9/11, to Troy Aikman's retirement and Alex Rodriguez's signing of his quarter billion dollar contract, Smith has been there to report on some of the region's biggest moments. 

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