Uncatchable

Sam Pittman was asked on Wednesday about a couple of controversial calls in the Razorbacks’ 38-23 loss to Auburn on Oct. 16 and whether he had heard back from the SEC office on them.

The first was a non-fumble caused by defensive end Jashaud Stewart, who grabbed tailback Jarquez Hunter on a third-and-1 play in the first quarter and was in the process of bringing him to the ground when the ball came free. Arkansas linebacker Grant Morgan fell on the loose ball at the Auburn 16 with the Tigers leading 7-3, but the officials ruled Hunter had been in the grasp and the fumble didn’t count.

The other came on a pass interference call against cornerback Hudson Clark on a third-and-6 pass thrown well out of bounds by Bo Nix from the Arkansas 30 early in the fourth quarter with Auburn ahead 28-23. Without the penalty, Auburn would have faced a 47-yard field goal. Because of it, the Tigers were able to run four more plays before Anders Carlson made a 29-yard field goal to extend the lead.

“We actually received that information on the pass interference that it was outside the box,” Pittman said. “There’s a box out there that runs I think 5 yards and the ball hit outside of that. Usually that’s something they go on for being an uncatchable pass, which the ball was definitely outside of that.”

Though replays seemed to indicate Hunter was starting to loose possession of the ball just as Stewart began to make his tackle, the Razorbacks got no relief on that play.

“And then the same explanation that I gave you before on the fumble,” Pittman said. “Any time you pick a guy up, then that basically makes him down, is the explanation that we received on that.”