Razorbacks Should Look Ahead, Not in the Rear-View Mirror

UA fans will take the disappointing win but Hogs must quickly initiate improvement

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Bobby Petrino on the sidelines during game with the UAB Blazers at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Michael Morrison-Hogs on SI Images

An ugly win is always better than an impressive loss. That's the story of the last two Saturdays for Arkansas.

As good as the Hogs looked for most of the heart-wrenching setback at No. 13 Oklahoma State last week, most folks figured they were on the right track. But they still lost.

As bad as the Hogs looked for much of Saturday's disappointingly close win against UAB, most folks now figure another 4-8 record is in the offing. But Arkansas still won 37-27 to move to 2-1 on the young season before a sellout crowd at Razorback Stadium that spent much of the game in muted disbelief.

Reminds me of a line from a great Rob Reiner movie, "A Few Good Men." Tom Cruise, Demi Moore and Kevin Pollack played lawyers. After Moore's character made mistake after mistake during their key cross examination of a doctor, all seemed lost. How could they recover after having failed with a key witness?

Pollack's character summed up the bad day in court while also looking ahead when he said, "Don't worry about the doctor. This trial starts Monday."

Ditto for Arkansas' football season. Forget the first three weeks and look ahead with purpose and (hopefully) precision.

A blowout, a close loss and a close win are all in the rear-view mirror. Now it's time to get down to business. The main event, the SEC season, starts next week and that'll determine success or failure for Coach Sam Pittman's Razorbacks.

It'll also determine how happy the fans are, how much boosters give to fill the NIL and Razorback Foundation coffers, and whether the Hog coaches keep their jobs for another season. So, lots of work to do on those UA practice fields next week.

Up next is a road game at Auburn. That's winnable.

The gauntlet continues against Texas A&M in Dallas.That's winnable.

Then Arkansas hosts No. 7 Tennessee and No. 16 LSU. Can those be won? Not a chance if the Razorbacks play like they did against UAB, a team that was whipped 32-6 last week by Louisiana-Monroe. They also won't beat Auburn or A&M with that kind of performance.

It doesn't get much easier after that, either, as games against No. 5 Ole Miss and No. 6 Missouri are also down the road.

College Football Network ranks the Razorbacks' schedule as the sixth-hardest in the country. That's the bad news. But there is good news.

Positives from the UAB sigh-of-relief game included kicker Kyle Ramsey making 3-of-4, including a 51-yarder. He hit the miss well also, just left it out right.

The defense was mostly effective after the horrific first quarter when the Razorbacks couldn't contain quick, effective skill players fueled by a creative scheme and play-calling by former Hogs reserve quarterback Alex Mortensen.

Of course, the Hogs' best player through three games is tailback Ja'Quinden Jackson, who eclipsed 100 yards for the third straight game. He combines a bullish style with quick feet and breakaway speed and was a difference maker when it was needed most, finishing with a TD and 147 yards on just 15 carries.

Finally, there's the uncoachable athletic ability of quarterback Taylen Green. Yes, he missed a touchdown throw that 99.9% of college QBs will complete along with 98% of high school passers. But he also made two plays that few others this side of Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes can manage.

The first came when he retreated 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage and while fading back and rolling to his right zipped a 50-yard throw that arrived on the button to his favorite target, Andrew Armstrong, for a gain of 35.

Every coach in the world was screaming, "Don't throw that one!" but Green is a gifted playmaker and has a strong arm. Problem is, he's still raw and woefully inconsistent.

UA receivers had several drops, including one on a perfect pass by Armstrong, but Green still managed just 11-of-26 passing for 161 yards, no TDs and a bad interception on the Hogs' first possession. He ran 17 times for 96 yards and two scores.

Green's other fabulous play, the one that wrapped up the win for all intents and purposes, came on third-and-goal from the 9 with less than 4 minutes remaining and the Hogs clinging to a 30-27 lead. He managed to corral a low snap, sprinted left, turned the corner and evaded tacklers to score the decisive touchdown.

If the Hogs can — hey, we said this a lot after last week — clean up mistakes (they did some, with fewer penalties and turnovers and missed kicks) then perhaps they can go into Auburn and steal one. Cal managed to do that last week despite being an underdog.

As coaches constantly preach, take it one week at a time. And if next Saturday brings another ugly victory, the Hogs will gladly accept it. Before long, though, they'll have to hit on all cylinders to survive the rough road ahead.

HOGS FEED:

• Razorbacks flirt with fire; escape with win over UAB

• Hogs finally get sigh of relief with flat performance at home

• Tale of two quarters for Razorbacks

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