FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ lead was shrinking, several of its offensive stars were hurting and the sky was rumbling last Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
The Razorbacks were still ahead of Mississippi 24-17 early in the fourth quarter, but they were without the services of quarterback Ryan Mallett and star receivers Greg Childs and Joe Adams.
So, Coach Bobby Petrino called on the running game.
“When we lost Ryan and Joe and Greg, I think our offensive line kind of took some pride in getting this thing going,” offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said. “Towards the end of the game, we played the way we want to play. We ran the ball to win.”
It was a knock-down, punch-in-the-gut showing by Arkansas’ offensive front and tailback Knile Davis, and it represented a distinct turnaround for the Razorbacks, who averaged 2.1 yards per carry and zero touchdowns in the fourth quarters of the four previous games, against Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M and Auburn.
Backup quarterback Tyler Wilson sprinkled in critical completions to Jarius Wright and Cobi Hamilton, but mostly, it was Davis, who gashed the Rebels with 9 carries for114 yards and 2 touchdowns in the fourth quarter, single handedly amassing the best rushing quarter for the Razorbacks against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent this year and securing a 38-24 Arkansas victory.
“We were able to find a rhythm ... and I think when you get that many touches it’s going to be really easy for a guy to find holes, find openings and make big plays,” offensive tackle DeMarcus Love said.
“We knew that their front seven was pretty good, but it was our plan from the start to come out and take it to them,” guard Alvin Bailey said.
The Razorbacks’ fourth quarter, coming in the midst of an Ole Miss rally and sandwiched around the second of two weather delays, has the attention of Vanderbilt Coach Robbie Caldwell.
“It looked like with all the rain delays they just decided to ice down Mallett’s arm and give [Davis] the ball,” said Caldwell, whose Commodores face the Razorbacks on Saturday at 6 p.m. “Man, he did a super job.
“They’re so talented throwing the football that they’ll lull you to sleep and then start handing it off and do both.”
Davis rewarded the efforts of Arkansas’ offensive line by blowing through a hole, cutting left and outrunning the Rebels secondary for a 71-yard score.
“The thing we had sorely missed was an explosive run play ... and we got it,” running backs coach Tim Horton said.
“When a back can get in the open and hit the burners like that, it makes an O-lineman’s job much better and guys appreciate that,” offensive line coach Chris Klenakis said.
Ole Miss closed within a touchdown for the second time in the fourth quarter, but Arkansas drove 60 yards in five plays with Davis providing the final blow, a tackle breaking 22-yard run through the right side.
“The more reps I get, the more comfortable I get in the backfield,” Davis said.
Sports, Pages 21 on 10/29/2010