Five Things We Noticed That You Might Not: Arkansas vs. Cincinnati

Poor clothing choices, hiding Hornsby, freak accidents, mental weakness and more

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark – With the arrival of a new season means a new round of "Five Things We Noticed," where we go back over the film looking for the odd, the specific, and the oddly specific from the Razorback games that might have slipped past the average fan's observation.

Today we scour, rewind, and scour some more the Arkansas 31-24 win over the No. 23 Cincinnati Bearcats. 

Now, this isn't an official observation, so it won't count toward the five, but Razorback fans should know that Arkansas joins Georgia and Alabama as the only teams to beat Cincinnati in 2+ seasons. That's right, Sam Pittman's club joins the past two national champions on the list and Georgia barely pulled it out, winning 24-21 in the 2020 season.

Fickell's Clothing Game

Cincinnati Bearcats coach Luke Fickell stalks the sidelines during the fourth quarter of the Bearcats' 31-24 loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks in Razorback Stadium / Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

If there was ever an indicator that bad choices were going to define Cincinnati's day it was Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell's choice of clothing for the game.

Sure, it was a relative cool day and the area between Fayetteville and Branson, Missouri is where people from South Arkansas, Texas and parts of Oklahoma go when they need a break from the heat, but it wasn't cool enough to be rocking long sleeves and a sweater vest. 

Sure, Fickell looked cool. He was camera ready in what would be acceptable gear in late October, early November in Arkansas.

However, he had to know things are hotter on the field. The 84 degrees people were experiencing walking the lawn in front of Old Main isn't the experience on the visitor's sideline of Razorback Stadium. 

The shadows weren't going to reach that area and heat swelters on a football field.

But Fickell's sweater vest combo wasn't the only poor fashion choice. Either the equipment manager or the company providing helmets needs to be replaced immediately in Cincinnati.

Somewhere between a dozen and two dozen times the Bearcats had to take a starter off the field because he got hit too hard or shook his head too hard in celebration and his helmet popped off. This includes starting quarterback Ben Bryant who had to come out at a crucial time when he was just starting to really get into rhythm.

Those exits meant players who weren't expecting to be in the game had to rush on the field, figure out the call that probably happened without them, and then turn around to see SEC athletes in front of them. This made them immediate targets for an Arkansas coaching staff seeking any advantage in a tight game.

Speaking of choices, the choice to line up offsides, move early and to not snap the ball in time killed so many opportunities for Cincinnati to take control of the game. Mistakes against SEC teams seldom go to waste, and Arkansas held onto that mantra by making the Bearcats pay heavily for every single one.

Good Blocking Makes People Frustrated

Arkansas running back Rocket Sanders breaks free thanks to a key block from wide receiver Jadon Haselwood in a 31-24 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats at Razorback Stadium / Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

One thing the broadcast announcers harped on early was Cincinnati came away from the Alabama playoff game annoyed that America thought they weren't ready for the physical play of SEC teams. 

Well, the Bearcats may have become more physically ready in the offseason, but not mentally. The SEC is a grind, and tough, violent blocking from ALL positions is a part of that grind people undervalue.

On Jefferson's opening touchdown the blocking is so perfectly timed and in unison that it looks like it's choreographed for musical theatre. The entire offensive line flows to its right while Knox comes across to the left and sets the edge to spring Jefferson. 

A few yards down, Matt Landers wipes out the only guy who then could have made a play on Jefferson. And there is where this game was won on the offensive side of the ball.

Arkansas has been known its receivers willingness and ability to block, no matter how far downfield they may be. Former wide receiver Treylon Burks regularly went after defensive backs last year as if he were in a South Arkansas river bottom hunting feral hogs.

On Saturday, it was Landers, Jadon Haselwood, Trey Knox, and Warren Thompson standing out for their blocking abilities. 

One thing thing that was clear almost immediately, Cincinnati receivers are not used to getting blocked with the physicality Razorback receivers tend to bring.

More than once they were visibly frustrated by it and at one point a Bearcats defensive back went out of his way to vocalize his frustration toward Thompson. Of course, the more aggressive Razorback receivers didn't back down, which created a chippy atmosphere.

This gave Arkansas the mental edge and made possible a perfect balance of 224 yards rushing and 223 yards in the air. If you celebrated a big run as a fan last night, praise the line and the backs, but take time to thank a receiver when you're done.

General Jefferson

Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson communicates with the sidelines from the field of play during Saturdays Top 25 showdown with Cincinnati. Jefferson threw for 223 yards and three touchdowns / Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Anyone who studies history knows the how many things we now take for granted hung on the individual decisions of great battlefield leaders. While history is littered with great warriors, it's the mind, actions and stoic presence of a various levels of officers in the midst of the fight that ultimately determined or inspired victory.

What the Arkansas staff has cultivated in KJ Jefferson beyond traditional football skills is what makes the difference in tight games against top level teams like Cincinnati. 

Let's take you to the moment shortly after a holding call on Trey Knox negated a long run by Rocket Sanders early in the game. Half the league's quarterbacks would have been visibly frustrated, possibly even making comments they intended the referees to hear or barking at their teammate for the mistake.

But instead, Jefferson calmly walked into the vicinity of the ref with no visible emotion. He then calmly asked the official in a calm manner to clarify for him what Knox did to generate the call.

After receiving what appeared to be an elaborate answer, Jefferson calls Knox over.

The video cuts before we can see him pass on what he has found out to Knox, but it's pretty obvious this conversation took place off screen.

That's how a field leader draws a positive from a negative situation. He not only helped his tight end know how to avoid a penalty in the future, but he built rapport with the officiating crew. 

Treating the guys in stripes with respect might not seem like much, but it makes the tiniest of differences in a chippy game when someone who gets yelled at for a living feels a player treated them as a human. 

Jefferson's ability as a field general also showed itself when it came to game decisions. A good general recognizes his enemy's weakness without them realizing it and forces that enemy into maneuvers that expose that weakness for exploitation.

Jefferson's ability to read and see mistakes by the defense when walking to the line is greatly improved with experience. 

On the last play of the first quarter he was able to recognize the Bearcats had no one lined up properly to seal the edge without giving it away with an obvious head turn. 

To bait the Bearcats into fully exposing the weakness, he took a few steps toward the middle to suck the only person who could possibly establish an edge in and then quickly bounce outside into empty space. 

The other thing to note is 12 pounds makes a lot of difference on speed. Jefferson showed on this particular play that he has wheels on him this year while still being a large load for a quarterback.

Freak Thing Happen

Arkansas Razorbacks safety Jalen Catalon suffered an injury to his shoulder Saturday even though the injured arm appeared to make no contact with Cincinnati quarterback Ben Bryant :: (Ted McClenning / allHOGS Images)

Outside of KJ Jefferson and one of the linebackers, perhaps no injury can do more to hamper the Razorbacks' hopes than one to Jalen Catalon. It's no coincidence that things fell apart for a bit when he went down.

That's why backsides tightened all across Razorback Stadium when the All-American safety left the game with an apparent injury to his right arm on Saturday.

There are two angles of film on the injury and there is nothing on either to indicate what may have caused it. The arm in question didn't make contact with Bryant when Catalon blitzed. 

The fall to the ground is completely normal, in fact tame, by college football standards. The only thing that raises any alarm at all is there's a slightly awkward bend of the elbow when Catalon goes to push himself up off the turf with that arm.

The fact he tried to push himself up with the arm seems to indicate that if whatever happened took place prior, there was nothing to give Catalon an idea something was wrong. 

The way his arm hung as he walked off the field, it looked most likely to be a shoulder injury. Near the end of the game, Catalon returned to the sideline without his helmet and shoulder pads. 

While the announcers pointed out he was bending his arm, it wasn't the injured arm he was bending. That arm still hung loosely and straight, similar to how Catalon handled it when he came off the field.

Sometimes freak injuries just happen. I once watched a teenager tear all the ligaments in her knee by simply trying to stand up from a criss-cross applesauce position on a hotel lobby floor.

Razorback fans will just have to hope it heals as freakishly easy as it happened.

There Will Be a Hornsby Game

Arkansas back-up quarterback and part-time wide receiver runs through the A before Saturday's game against Cincinnati. Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendal Briles was careful to drop a few Easter eggs to indicate at some point in this season, Hornsby is going to be a major factor :: (Michael Morrison / allHOGS Images)

At some point this season, there is going to be a game where Malik Hornsby takes over, it just won't be at quarterback. 

Much like the guys at Marvel who love to drop in little Easter Eggs into their movies and shows to hint at something bigger coming, Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendal Briles loves to hide little nuggets in the game film that he knows will be noticed by good defensive coordinators and eat up valuable preparation time.

Hornsby wasn't on the field much. While this was a huge game for Arkansas against a legit quality opponent, the Hogs never trailed. 

Because of this, there was no need to break out anything special involving Hornsby. But what did appear during the limited action was amazing eye candy.

Hornsby found himself called into duty at quarterback for a play at QB after Jefferson took a painful shot to the ribs with a helmet. Knowing Jefferson isn't the type to take kindly to coming off the field just because he's hurt, Briles split him out wide, keeping him out of harm's way. 

Jefferson then shifted back to quarterback on the next play to execute a safe hand-off. However, Hornsby stayed in the game, presumably in case Jefferson displayed any pain on the hand-off. 

However, the unique thing is, instead of Hornsby moving out to wide receiver, he dropped into a 3-point stance immediately behind the line of scrimmage and then blocked out of it. 

Briles intentionally put this on tape because something else is yet to come. It would be easy to lose sight of Hornsby when he's in that stance, and since he's shown he's willing to charge forward and throw blocks, defenders now can no longer assume he's going to fein a block only to instantly go into a pass pattern.

The other play for Hornsby was a double pass. It probably worked out for the best that no one was open and he was able to pull the ball down for 13-yard run.

Word is he's improved his passing abilities, so without having thrown the ball, SEC coordinators have to trust that word. They can't sell out on the run yet once a backward pass has been thrown Hornsby's way.

Something big is brewing here among Jefferson, Briles and Hornsby. When it's unleashed, it's going to be creative and it's going to take over a big game with big moments. As former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant used to say before Lane Kiffin stole his catch phrase, get your popcorn ready.

This is going to be blockbuster viewing.

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