Arkansas ventures to Auburn clinging to hope
FAYETTEVILLE — It seems already difficult for new Arkansas head football coach Chad Morris to find 70 true believers, much less 85, that Arkansas can beat the No. 9 Tigers tonight in Auburn, Ala.
Reducing the gameday active roster for 85 for home games to the NCAA limit of 70 for travel ought to help the team’s unanimity in its Southeastern Conference opener on the road. Morris insists only true believers travel for tonight’s 6:30 p.m. game at Jordan-Hare Stadium, which is scheduled to be broadcast on the SEC Network (Resort Channel 76).
Former Arkansas offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn opened up the season with a 21-16 victory over the Pac-12 preseason favorite Washington (2-1, 1-0) in Atlanta before Auburn (2-1, 0-1) lost, 22-21, a week ago to SEC West rival LSU (3-0, 1-0) on a game-ending field goal.
Arkansas (1-2) began the season with a 55-20 home victory against Eastern Illinois (0-3) before dropping consecutive games, 34-27, at Colorado State (1-3, 0-1 Mountain West Conference) and, 44-17, at home to North Texas (3-0), of Conference USA. Auburn embarrassed
Arkansas, 52-20, last season in Fayetteville.
“Obviously, you go into every ball game expecting to win,” Morris said. “I shared with our players, ‘If you don’t believe, don’t get on the plane. Matter of fact, don’t even come out to practice if you don’t believe. Because if you can’t believe things are moving in the right direction, there’s no business being here.’”
Arkansas has often seemed distracted when leading ever since losing 24-7 and 24-0 halftime leads to Missouri and Virginia Tech to end the 2016 season under former coach Bret Bielema.
“I think the biggest challenge that we’re facing right now is just being able to overcome both success and adversity as it comes.,” Morris said.
Morris faces a huge task working on the Hogs themselves and their psyche. He’s still sorting it out at quarterback.
Fourth-year junior Ty Storey gets another chance this week after third-year sophomore Cole Kelley was intercepted four times by the Mean Green.
Arkansas will have only one of its starting cornerbacks as Chevin Calloway will miss a second straight game “dealing with personal family issues,” Morris said. Britto Tutt, last week’s starter, is also expected to miss a few weeks.
Morris said Auburn’s defensive front seven is “as good as I’ve seen.” The defensive ends weight 278 and 282 pounds to flank
320-pound defensive tackles Dontavius Russell and Derrick Brown. They free the linebackers, especially middle linebacker DeShaun Davis, who has 25 tackles in three games, including
4.5 for -12 yards, three quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.
Injuries have compelled Auburn to shuffle some on its offensive line, but running back JaTarvius Whitlow still averages 5.8 per carry. Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham quarterbacked Auburn to the SEC Championship Game last year.
The Razorbacks’ best chance appears Auburn overconfidently overlooking them. It is possible, but not likely with Malzahn, a Fort Smith native and former Arkansas state high school coach at Shiloh Christian and Springdale.
Arkansas gave Malzahn his college coaching start in 2006 then enriched him with an obligatory December offer after Bielema was fired. Auburn countered by ponying up $7 million per year to keep him.
Particularly coming off of the LSU loss, Malzahn has incentive to show Auburn he is earning his keep. The Razorbacks may need to believe that almost as much as they need somehow to believe they can win.