Win over Petrino’s team takes some effort
Maybe it wasn’t decisive enough for some Razorback fans — hope you didn’t blow the house payment taking Missouri State and 20-something points — but if beating a Bobby Petrino coached team alone met your needs, consider your plate overflowing and cup filled.
Better yet, making his first Fayetteville coaching appearance in 11 years, the former Razorback leader was not pilloried by the home fans for past misdeeds.
Surely, anyone familiar with Petrino’s coaching history knows that he can get a team ready for one game and Arkansas, a top-10 squad, had to keep that in mind at all times Saturday night.
Instead, Arkansas came out like a team looking ahead to a fortnight with Texas A&M and Alabama on the schedule. Missouri State scored the first 17 points and took a three-point lead to halftime.
Some blamed the Arkansas coaches — saying on Twitter and other places that Sam Pittman should really light into his players during the break; include the assistants after a failed fourth-and-nine call.
Some gave up on the Razorbacks while the band played, perhaps not sensing that the tide changed late in the second quarter and that the more physical Razorbacks should wear out the Bears.
Some, to no surprise, said the officials were at fault, but when do those critics not so speak?
Doubts resurfaced when Missouri State, briefly knotted at 17, regained the lead, 24-17, on a deep ball on fourth and one.
That was close enough for Arkansas not to abandon the run, although two big plays — one through the air, the other on special teams — switched the scoreboard in the Hogs’ favor.
Raheim Sanders’ 73-yard reception and redshirt freshman Bryce Stephens’ 82-yard punt return changed the count to Arkansas 31-27.
KJ Jefferson sneaked for a touchdown on a drive taking 5:11 with big plays by Sanders and receiver Trey Knox. Zach Williams recorded a sack — one of seven by Arkansas this night — when the Springfield Bears still had a chance.
Arkansas 38, Missouri State 27 should leave Razorback Nation with a warm glow, although some are sure to mutter that an opposing quarterback (senior Jason Shelley) passed for 357 yards. Jefferson, though, had higher numbers (385 on a 19-of-31 night) with two scores passing and the late clincher running.
On a long-distance conference call, a college friend supplied some perspective: “Hard to overcome a 3-0 turnover deficit and win. … Can’t do that against anyone else on our schedule. The punt-return TD was huge.”
Another man said, ‘“Yeah, they (Bears) played Mercer and San Jose State in those two games. Not exactly top 25 opponents (Nor was San Jose State so acclaimed when it beat a Chad Morris-coached team on the same field a few years back). Just like us tonight, you have a better chance to overcome turnovers and still win against lesser teams.”
Sam Pittman thus takes a 3-0 team to JerryWorld (AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas) for the Texas A&M game at the Dallas Cowboys’ ballyard. Gracious to the opposing coach all week, Pittman chatted briefly with Petrino after the game. That was a good thing to see after a Razorback victory not easy to obtain.