Razorbacks Finding Defensive Line Needs More Than Jackson

Others have to do some things going forward because teams can avoid one really goo defensive player

Arkansas Razorbacks defensive lineman Landon Jackson coming off the edge against UAPB in a game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark. / Ted McClenning-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Despite all the positives from Arkansas' double overtime loss against Oklahoma State on Saturday, there is a glaring problem. The ineffectiveness of preseason All-American defensive lineman Landon Jackson has raised questions.

It's not a lack of effort on his part. The problem probably isn't coaching, but it will be if he doesn't start having the chance to make plays soon.

"Until we somebody else sparks that people go, 'Man, I got to really worry about that guy'  they're going to continue to do that," Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman said Monday after the 39-31 double overtime loss. "You're seeing that he's getting chipped a bunch. (OSU) slid to him a lot in pass protection, which means you basically are double-teaming him. When they didn't, they were coming off and shipping him."

The bottom line to all that is the Cowboys were scheming him out of the equation. Defenses have done that to opposing offenses since they started putting air in the ball. It's up to defensive coordinator Travis Williams to figure out a way around it.

"T-Will can take some pressure off him with some internals and do some things like that," Pittman said. "It's just like Oklahoma State with their kid. They were twisting him inside and all that, trying to get him away from that action, those doubles, those chips."

It shouldn't be that big of an issue this week against UAB. On the road at Auburn, though, the Hogs are going to need Jackson for SEC games. Somebody else has got to emerge on defense.

That's what Pittman meant by "somebody else sparks" comment above. They have been able to handle UAPB and do enough to win against an Oklahoma State offense that clearly wasn't sharp. For eight brutal conference games they are going to need more.

Jackson is going to keep getting other team's attention. He's kind of hard to miss as big as he is (6-7, 280) and they are away of the accolades he's gotten in the preseason. Opponents can see the film, too.

Through the first two games, Jackson has three more tackles than me. One has been for lost yardage and that's not what folks were expecting, which may be the problem.

If you just have one great defensive lineman, the other guys better get enough pressure teams don't have to scheme away from him. Jackson will beat most one-on-one blocks, but just a chip is often enough to not affect the offense. That's all they want.

"We have to pressure, I believe we will," Pittman said with his confidence. He has to do that. "We are very aware of that as well. We’ve got to get better D-Line or rushing, but at the same time we may have to pressure a little bit more as well."

Offensively, the Hogs are playing well enough to do very well in the SEC. Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino had some games in his first time at Arkansas where the Razorbacks put up 40 points and still were beaten by double-digits.

It's great to light the scoreboard only if the other team's side isn't rolling up faster. Fans might not want to forget they will have to s

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