Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Pool, Sanders carry load for defense
FAYETTEVILLE — Linebackers Drew Sanders and Bumper Pool combining 30 tackles during last Saturday’s 40-17 Arkansas SEC loss at Mississippi State defines the strength and a weakness of the Razorbacks’ defense.
Minus injured since Game 1 for the season 2020 All-American safety Jalen Catalon, and with an increasingly injury depleted secondary behind them, senior linebackers Sanders and Pool star on 3-3 Arkansas’ defense going into Saturday’s nonconference game at
4-2 Brigham Young University in Provo,
Utah.
Each has been a
SEC Player of the
Week. Sanders, the transfer from reigning SEC champion Alabama, was even a National Defensive Player of the Week.
Fifth-year letterman bonus senior Pool, taking the extra year option granted all who played during the covid shortened 2020 campaign, became Arkansas’ career leading tackler. Pool’s 14 stops against Mississippi State increased his career totals to 409, surpassing Tony Bua’s 408.
Sanders and Pool defensively epitomize what started the Hogs 3- 0 and Top Ten ranked before 3-3 unraveled by consecutive SEC losses to Texas A& M, Alabama and Mississippi State.
Their playing so long in Starkville, Miss. to make 30 tackles, and consequently miss others exhausted against a fine Mississippi State offense, epitomizes Arkansas’ current defensive plight.
The Bulldogs possessed the ball 35:11 of the game’s 60 minutes.
“Whenever you have a lot of snaps and you get tired, you start reverting back,” Pool said postgame. “We’ve just got to continue to lock in on our fundamentals late in the game.”
Given Pool ails (an injured hip among other maladies), it amazes Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman what Pool accomplishes.
“Guys, he’s hurt all the time,” Pittman told media postgame in Starkville. “People go, ‘ Well, he missed that tackle.’ ‘Well, hell, you would too if you felt like Bumper Pool.’ But he’s tough, and he’s the best we got. He’s doing great or he wouldn’t be out there.”
Obviously it’s in large part up to the entire defense “to get them (the opposing offense) off the field,” Pittman said.
Arkansas not corralling three could have been interceptions, one near theft instead became a Bulldogs touchdown, obviously didn’t help.
But the offense also must do its part.
With dual threat quarterback KJ Jefferson and SEC rushing leading tailback Raheim “Rocket” Sanders launched from a huge, veteran offensive line, Arkansas opened the season appearing to be a ball possession team. That appearance enhanced with Arkansas’ offense playing keep-away the final 5:34 after Cincinnati trimmed a 31-17 deficit to 31-24 in the season opener. The Hogs possessed 34:38 beating South Carolina, 4430. They were stunned down, 17-0 and needing big plays including a punt return touchdown with only 24: 09 possession time, to overcome down a division Missouri State, 38-27.
Last Saturday’s Starkville sand in the hour glass decidedly put time on Mississippi State’s side.
Playing at Provo altitude (4,551 feet) vs. a formidable formerly 16th-ranked BYU Cougars team puts Arkansas on the clock to get its defense off the clock.