Hogs Stuck in Mediocrity With Momentum Neutralized

Pittman's team can either fold up like a cheap lawn chair like last season or continue to fight to the end after another embarrassing home loss

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman shakes hands with Ole Miss Rebels coach Lane Kiffin after the game at Razorback Stadium. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

FAYTETTEVILLE, Ark. — Mediocrity might be where this Arkansas team is best suited the rest of the season after getting dominated at home by Ole Miss, 63-31, on Saturday.

The Razorbacks'' football program isn't in the worse shape its been but nowhere near where the fanbase thinks it should be. Yesterday's loss to the Rebels also wasn't the worst loss anyone has witnessed over the past 12 seasons but in year five of a coaching tenure a team should play with a little bit more life than what it did at home.

Football is all about having a good time but sometimes emotion should be reeled in when getting your teeth kicked in down 32 points in the second half. Players were seen celebrating with a WWE championship belt on the sideline down big, cheesing for the camera and dancing around having a good time with no remorse for the product on the field.

The biggest problem at home has been a lack of energy, preparedness to fight for 60 minutes. Similar to most other games since 2022, Arkansas is in the midst of a terrible stretch of ball inside Razorbacks Stadium.

Sam Pittman's teams have been out-scored by opponents 414-324 since hosting Alabama in 2022. Arkansas is 5-9 in that stretch and with only two wins against SEC teams (Ole Miss 2022, Tennessee 2024).

In SEC games, Arkansas is now 2-7 in this stretch and have been out-scored a whopping 302-165. That's basically an average score of 34-18 including five losses by 21 or more points.

In the defense of Arkansas' offense, it couldn't muster much due to quarterback Taylen Green and starting tailback Ja'Quinden Jackson unavailable again. The offensive line couldn't block yielding a season-high eight sacks and 13 tackles for a loss to a very active Ole Miss defensive front.

Arkansas' defense was outclassed by the Rebels' skill players with school record days from quarterback Jaxson Dart and wide receiver Jordan Watkins. The duo exposed Arkansas' defensive scheme which helped slow down then No. 4 Tennessee and Nico Iamaleava.

Coooooked him pic.twitter.com/NG0ntHpDYX

— Tim Heilman (@Timothy_Heilman) November 2, 2024

While Pittman could have put blame for the loss on the shoulders of his defense's awful performance that isn't how he conducts business. When asked if the defense let go of the rope in a similar way to last season, he intends to edify his group with the intention for players and assistants to hold onto the rope.

"Each team is different," Pittman said. "I know what you’re talking about in that we’ve played really well and then we haven’t. I understand the question and I think it’s a fair question. But teams are different.

"We probably have to go back and look at that in the off week took and go ‘OK, are we showing our hand?’ What are we doing here? Because obviously Lane and them had something today. I don’t know if it was the alignment of the D-linemen. But he didn’t play a whole lot of fastball.

"It was see what we’re giving, check. [Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis] and [Travis Williams] were having a check to check. Obviously they won. We do have to go back to look at that, because if you look at even last week, we didn’t play, minus the turnovers, we gave up about 500 yard last week.

"I believe in our kids and I believe in our coaches. We’ll go look at it and see if we can’t get it fixed. I believe we can."

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) passes in the fourth quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Razorback Stadium. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Against league opponents, Ole Miss had averaged just 406 yards of total offense per game (No. 7 SEC) and 24 points (No. 11 SEC) before embarrassing the Razorbacks. Ole Miss shredded the Razorbacks boundary defenders early with 562 yards passing which is the most given up since 2021 against Alabama (Bryce Young 559 yards).

The Razorbacks are certainly not a bad team right now given it has beaten who it needed to and upset a top-five opponent. This season has been an improvement but not by much when opponents can step inside a road venue, announce its point total and dictate the pace of play.

Arkansas got throttled against Ole Miss and will again if the defense that came to play Saturday shows up again in two weeks with Texas in town. This November has the same type of feeling last year's had with the wheels spinning but no ground made up.

Louisiana Tech will likely be the game that gets this team bowl eligible but the cost might be another frustrating season. Mediocrity isn't the basement but it sure isn't a place folks want to call home.

HOGS FEED:

• Yurachek's comments about Ole Miss come to fruition about Hogs

• Just a Whippin': Razorbacks Had Plan Until Hit in Mouth

• Arkansas' last line of defense had its most difficult day

• Razorbacks Help Unknown Ole Miss Receiver Equal SEC Record

• Ole Miss Quarterback Throws Darts All Over Arkansas Defense

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