Alabama expected to run more against Hogs

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas could run into trouble because Alabama is without its Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback.

For minus Tua Tagovailoa, sitting out tonight’s 6 p.m. SEC West game against Arkansas in Tuscaloosa, Ala., because of last week’s high ankle sprain, Alabama may rely less on its nationally without peer receiving corps and more on its running game.

First-time starting the backup quarterback, as Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide does tonight with sophomore Mac Jones, usually means more running than passing, at least at the outset breaking in the novice QB.

Any Alabama formula minus Tagovailoa and less emphasis on receivers Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith, Henry Ruggs, and Jaylen Waddle seems like good news for a beleaguered opponent like the Razorbacks, 2-5 overall, 0-4 in the SEC vs. the nationally No. 1 Crimson Tide’s 7-0, 4-0.

Tagovailoa has completed 145 of 194 passes for 2,166 yards and 27 touchdowns vs. two interceptions.

Combined, Jeudy, Smith, Ruggs and Waddle have caught 122 for 1,957 yards and 21 touchdowns.

However these last SEC Saturdays in 24-20 and 51-10 victories over Arkansas, Kentucky and Auburn more ran over the Razorbacks than passed them by.

Of Kentucky’s 418 yards total offense, the Wildcats ran 330.

Of Auburn’s 491 total yards, the Tigers ran 298.

Arkansas seems the ideal game for Saban, always well-grounded in the run-game, increasingly unleashing Alabama running backs Najee Harris and Brian Robinson.

Not that Harris, 95 carries for 556 yards and a 5.9 average, and Robinson, 63 carries for 289 yards and a 4.6 average and four touchdowns have been harnessed. But it seems that Arkansas will see more of them early than have Alabama’s previous opponents.

“The speed they have and obviously being able to run the ball with Harris is very effective,” Arkansas coach Chad Morris said.

And obviously Arkansas has struggled defending the run.

So veteran Arkansas defensive coordinator John “Chief” Chavis, previously at Tennessee coaching against Saban’s LSU Tigers and then at Tennessee, LSU, Texas A&M and Arkansas coaching against Saban’s rolling Tide, has warned his troops.

“Like Chief asked us, if you were the (Alabama) offensive coordinator what would you want to do?”

Arkansas junior backup middle linebacker Grant Morgan said. “And if you watched our film you’d say run it like Kentucky did and like Auburn did. We’ve just got to continue to get better in the run game.”

Of course that doesn’t mean they get a pass on what Jones could throw at them.

“He (Jones) is obviously at Alabama for a reason,” Morgan said. “He can sling it.”

With the breakaway speed that Jeudy, Smith, Ruggs and Waddle have even on little slant patterns, Jones doesn’t have to sling it far to score.

“If you score on slants the majority of the time, then obviously you’ve got something going for you,” Morgan said.

Seems the Tide always rolls even with a backup quarterback.

Remember, Tagovailoa was the backup beating Georgia in the 2017 National Championship game.