Owls find it difficult on ground
FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas’ revamped rush defense was up to the challenge in the opener.
The newcomers on the Razorbacks’ defensive front helped contribute to holding Rice to 81 yards on 39 carries, a paltry 2.08 yards per run, in Arkansas’ 38-17 seasonopening victory.
The Hogs will enter Week 2 against Texas ranked sixth or seventh in SEC rush defense, depending on how Ole Miss performs tonight against Louisville.
Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee all held nonconference opponents to 32 rushing yards or less in their openers.
Rice, a run-first, clock-control team, did not have an explosive running play against the swarming Razorback defenders. The longest run of the day was 7 yards and it was done by three different Owls in tailbacks Khalan Griffin and Jordan Myers, as well as fullback Brendan Suckley on his only carry. The highest rushing average for any Rice player with more than one carry was 3.2 yards by Ari Broussard, who had 19 yards on 6 attempts.
The Razorbacks displayed a deeper defensive front with a rotation of nine players, led by reserve Taurean Carter (6 tackles), Tre Williams (5), Zach Williams (4) and Eric Gregory (3). Defensive linemen combined for two sacks, a solo effort by Isaiah Nichols that also included a forced fumble, and a combo sack from veterans Zach Williams and Mataio Soli, and three tackles for loss.
Linebackers Bumper Pool and Hayden Henry registered 2.5 tackles for loss, while defensive backs Jalen Catalon and Greg Brooks Jr. were credited for 1.5 tackles for loss.
The Razorbacks were forced to deal with rotating personnel at linebacker, as Henry was suspended for the first half due to a targeting call in last year’s finale, Grant Morgan was ejected for targeting early in the game, and Pool was ejected for targeting in the fourth quarter.
Andrew Parker wound up getting plenty of run to help fill the gaps, and he notched four tackles and two quarterback hurries.
‘Cat’ clutch
Rice Coach Mike Bloomgren made it a point to hug Arkansas safety Jalen Catalon after the redshirt sophomore notched 11 tackles, 2 interceptions and a tackle for loss as a key contributor.
Catalon’s interceptions, plus returns of 39 and 44 yards, set up the Hogs’ goahead and final touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
“I thought he did a good job of roaming around back there and taking some of those balls out of the air,” Bloomgren said. “The other thing he did an incredible job of is what you’ve seen on film previously, and that was him coming up and smoking dudes running the football. The ability for him to fill, and make plays and be efficient from the safety position is what makes him really special.”
Backs up
The Razorbacks got good duty out of lead tailback Trelon Smith, who notched his third career 100-yard rushing game, as well as quality work from his backups.
Smith ran for 102 yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.6 yards per carry with a long of 20 yards.
True freshman Raheim “Rocket” Sanders had a 12yard burst on his first carry during the Razorbacks’ initial scoring drive and he wound up with 44 rushing yards and 6.3 yards per carry.
Dominique Johnson worked the final drive and had four carries for 16 yards, the last a 3-yard touchdown with 58 seconds remaining that allowed the Razorbacks to cover the 19.5-point betting line.
Coach Sam Pittman said Sanders likely earned himself an expanded role and added, “I like Dominique, too. I do. I like him.
“It was good for [Sanders] to get in there and play. We needed him in a meaningful situation. … I think that will really do something for his confidence because he was seven for 44 [and] that’s pretty good.”
Morris motivates
Perhaps the biggest offensive play for the Hogs came on Tyson Morris’ 1-armed catch for a 31-yard gain on the first snap after Rice had taken a 17-7 lead.
The Razorbacks had not passed downfield much in the first half. Rice defensive back Jordan Dunbar had his hands all over Morris, allowing the senior only his right arm to bring in the reception, which seemed to ignite the team.
“The play to Tyson Morris, that was big time,” quarterback KJ Jefferson said.
“He only had one hand to catch the ball with, and he did it,” Coach Sam Pittman said. “I think it gave us juice.”
Morris had three receptions for 42 yards to tie Treylon Burks for the team lead.
Long runs
The day’s longest runs came from Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson, who had a 38-yarder and a 34-yard touchdown, the longest runs for an official Razorback quarterback since Matt Jones in 2004.
Jefferson’s 38-yard sprint came on a wouldbe 68-yard touchdown run on a well-executed option over the right side. Jefferson forced an errant decision by the Rice edge man by faking a pitch to tailback Trelon Smith, then motoring into the secondary.
Just as he did on his 34yard score, Jefferson forced poor angles from Owls defenders, got to the edge and skirted down the right sideline to the end zone midway through the fourth quarter.
The touchdown was nullified and the play partially called back due to a holding flag downfield on receiver Ketron Jackson Jr.
“When I finally got free from the safety, I heard Trelon Smith saying, ‘Go, go, go!’” Jefferson said.
“That was the main thing. I knew I had to kick it in gear a little bit and try to boost it up a little bit.”
Jefferson had touchdown runs of 34 and 5 yards to become the first Arkansas quarterback to rush for two touchdowns in a game since Tyler Wilson did it in a 29-24 win at Ole Miss on Oct. 22, 2011.
‘Special’ mix
The season debut by Arkansas special teams presented a mixed bag of some very good and very bad activity.
On the plus side, new kickoff returner LaDarrius Bishop had 108 yards in kickoff returns, including a 28-yarder to open the game and a 42-yarder that set up the Hogs’ second touchdown after falling behind 17-7.
However, Bishop also fumbled the opening kickoff and was fortunate Austin Nix was on the spot to make the recovery.
Additionally, sophomore kickoff man Vito Calvaruso opened the season 6 of 7 on touchbacks, a healthy 85.6% rate, and freshman kicker Cam Little made a 34-yard field goal on his only try and went 5 for 5 on PATs.
On the flip side, Rice linebacker Kenneth Orji streaked right around the Arkansas punt shield to block a Reid Bauer punt in the second quarter to set up an Owls’ field goal.
Additionally, the kicking game accounted for three first-half penalties, two of them on returns that forced the Razorbacks to start at the 9- and 11-yard lines, respectively, as part of their field position woes in the half.
Penalty plague
The Razorbacks had 13 penalties for a whopping 117 yards, including targeting ejections of linebackers Grant Morgan and Bumper Pool and two pass interference penalties against LaDarrius Bishop, one on an incomplete pass on third down that set up Rice’s first touchdown.
Additionally, offensive penalties on De’Vion Warren and Ketron Jackson Jr. brought back big plays. Warren’s own backshoulder catch and firstdown reception was wiped out by the fact he stepped out of bounds of his own accord and then made the catch for an illegal touch.
Special teams also pitched in with a pair of illegal blocks to set up backed-up field position after a punt and kickoff return in the first half.