OFFENSE
Quarterback
The Tigers had to turn to freshman Drew Lock (120-236 passing, 1,249 yards, 4 TDs, 7 INTs) after 2 suspensions derailed starter Maty Mauk. Lock had his best game 2 weeks ago in a 20-16 victory over BYU with 244 passing yards, 67.9 percent completions and a 145.7 efficiency rating. Lock, 6-4, 205, averages 113.5 passing yards per game and is completing 50.8 percent of his passes.
More from WholeHogSports
http://www.wholehog…">JONES: One bowl stands out for Hogs
http://www.wholehog…">Trophy could help spur rivalry
http://www.wholehog…">Arkansas-Missouri a sellout
http://www.wholehog…">Henry a finalist for Mackey Award
http://www.wholehog…">Bielema 'pissed' about loss
http://www.wholehog…">Finding good in Hogs' final week
http://www.wholehog…">Williams, Tretola going to Senior Bowl
Brandon Allen (213-327 passing, 3,023 yards, 29 TDs, 6 INTs) has had a senior season to rival the best in Arkansas history. Allen leads the SEC and ranks fifth nationally with 168.4 passing efficiency. He's the first SEC quarterback to have two 6-TD games in one year vs. SEC opponents. He holds UA records for TD passes in a game (7) and career (63) and is 3rd with 7,046 passing yards.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Running back
The Tigers have 5 rushing TDs, one each for backs Ish Witter (120-485 rushing), Russell Hansbrough (106-422) and Tyler Hunt (35-161). Witter and Hansbrough average 4.0 yards per carry to 4.6 for Hunt, who has a 72-yard run. The longest run for the two top backs is 27 yards.
Doak Walker Award semifinalist Alex Collins (218-1,262, 14 TDs) has eight 100-yard games, but his streak of 4 in a row was snapped last week (19-53) vs. Miss. State. Collins averages 5.8 yards per carry. Kody Walker (65-261, 4) will face his home-state school. Walker is from Jefferson City,
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Receivers
A down year for the Tigers offense has led to Nate Brown (27-326, 4 TDs) leading the team in receiving yards, followed by J'Mon Moore (27-323, 3) and Wesley Leftwich (19-236, 1). None of the top wideouts has explosive yards per catch, with Leftwich's 12.4 leading the way. Sean Culkin (16-139, 1) is the top tight end.
Drew Morgan (52-723) leads SEC wideouts with 10 TD catches. Dominique Reed (23-483, 6) had his TD-scoring streak end at 6 games last week. Tight ends Hunter Henry (44-619, 3) and Jeremy Sprinkle (23-308, 5) went off last week, and Jared Cornelius (22-358, 3) has scored in three consecutive games.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Offensive line
Missouri starts 4 seniors and the group has combined for 133 career starts, led by C Evan Boehm with 51. RG Mitch Hall is a Russellville native and Ole Miss transfer. The other starters are seniors LT Conner McGovern and RT Taylor Chappell and junior LG Nate Crawford. The Tigers are No. 85 with 2.5 sacks allowed per game and No. 124 in total offense (290.9).
The Arkansas front will start its 12th game intact, with C Mitch Smothers and LG Sebastian Tretola celebrating senior day. Juniors Denver Kirkland and Dan Skipper and sophomore Frank Ragnow are the other starters. The Hogs rank are No. 26 in total offense (470.2) and No. 8, best in the SEC, with 11 sacks allowed.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
DEFENSE
Line
Missouri restocked quickly at end, with Charles Harris (54 tackles, 18.5 TFL, 7 sacks) leading the SEC in TFL and Walter Brady (35, 11 TFL, 7 sacks) the national freshman leader in sacks. Juniors Josh Augusta (23, 7 TFL, 3 hurries) and Rickey Hatley (23, 3 TFL) start at tackle. Missouri ranks No. 23 in rushing defense (125.9)
End Deatrich Wise (27, 8.5 TFL, 6 sacks) has 4 sacks in last 2 games. Jeremiah Ledbetter (51, 7, 1.5) has been solid, along with DeMarcus Hodge (25, 7, 1). Taiwan Johnson (24, 3.5 TFL) is coming off his best game of the season. Tevin Beanum (23, 4.5, 2), JaMichael Winston (17) and Karl Rosler (13, 2.5 TFL) rotate through. Hogs are No. 19 in rush defense (122.5).
ADVANTAGE Missouri
Linebackers
Senior WLB Kentrell Brothers (140, 9.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 2 INT) leads the FBS with 12.7 tackles per game and has 3 blocked kicks. Junior MLB Michael Scherer (85, 8.5 TFL, 3 PBU) and junior SLB Donavin Newsom (53, 8.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks) are the other starters. The Tigers are No. 10 in total defense (301.3).
Junior MLB Brooks Ellis 95, 5.5 TFL, 1 INT, 3 hurries) retook the team tackle lead from freshman WLB Dre Greenlaw (88, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack) with a 15-tackle game last week. They ogged a huge percentage of reps. Dwayne Eugene (14) has missed games with a broken wrist. Arkansas is No. 92 in total defense (425.3).
ADVANTAGE Missouri
Secondary
Corners Aarion Penton (56, 4.5 TFL, 7 PBU) and Kenya Dennis (32, 2.5, 6) have made 25 and 22 starts, respectively. FS Ian Simon (39, 4 PBU, 2 INT) is also a 2-year starter, while SS Anthony Sherrils (59, 6 PBU, 4 TFL) came off the bench last year. Missouri has two 3-INT games and ranks No. 12 in passing yards allowed (175.4).
Arkansas DBs Rohan Gaines (57, INT, 1 PBU), Henre' Toliver (53, 4 TFL, INT, 6 PBU), Josh Liddell (46, INT, 2 PBU), Jared Collins (39, INT, 8 PBU), Kevin Richardson (38, INT, 3 PBU), D.J. Dean (35, 2 INT, 3 PBU) and Santos Ramirez (30, INT, 3 PBU) all rank in the top 10 in tackles. The Hogs are No. 123 in passing yards allowed (302.8).
ADVANTAGE Missouri
Special teams
Missouri has blocked 4 kicks and 3 punts to lead the SEC. PK Andrew Baggett, who made two 50-yard FGs vs. Hogs last year, is 11 points shy of Missouri's scoring lead. The Tigers are No. 19 in net punting (40.03) behind Corey Fatony (43.2), the FBS's top freshman punter. They are No. 126 (of 127) in kickoff returns (15.3), No. 123 in kickoff-return defense (27.0) and No. 86 in punt returns (6.4).
Arkansas suffered a blocked potential game-winning FG last week with poor protection and has allowed 4 blocks on the year. Punt returns are No. 7 (16.5) behind Jared Cornelius and D.J. Dean. Punter Toby Baker (41.0) has improved through the season, but net punting is No. 94 (35.8). Hogs are No. 60 in kick return defense (20.9) and No. 77 in kick returns (20.5).
ADVANTAGE Even
Intangibles
The Tigers have the double incentive of fighting for bowl eligibility while at the same time playing to win Coach Gary Pinkel's final regular-season game. However, some 5-victory teams might make bowls this year. The Missouri defense, one of the nation's best, matches up with one of America's hottest offenses.
Arkansas' senior day will recognize guys who have had 3 head coaches and a whole lot of tribulation, so their motivation should run high. There's still a lot of scrambling in the SEC for bowl spots and a win would help. After being operated on by a long string of veteran quarterbacks, the Hogs finally face a freshman.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Sports on 11/27/2015