FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and offensive coordinator Dan Enos had a laugh Monday when describing a heated moment from the Razorbacks' 24-20 victory over Tennessee last Saturday.
The tension started with Arkansas facing second and goal from the Tennessee 7 late in the third quarter while leading 24-20, with tailback Rawleigh Williams moving into position to take a Shotgun snap and quarterback Brandon Allen splitting out right. There was confusion on the play, with Enos and others on the sideline yelling and pointing onto the field to re-position receiver Drew Morgan, and the Razorbacks eventually had to call timeout.
"Brandon was highly stressed because we kept pointing, and he thought we were pointing at him to go line up somewhere and we weren't," Enos said. "We were pointing at Drew. And so he came off and everybody was excited."
The ESPN2 cameras showed the sideline drama, with lip readers able to detect some raw language
"I was in Dan's ear, Dan was in Drew Morgan's ear and B.A. thought he was talking to him," Bielema said. "It kind of got everybody ... Hey, calm down here a minute. Let's have a church moment and everybody just kind of gathered their thoughts and we were able to win it."
Said Enos, "Every good married couple has their moments, right? So it was all good."
Later, in describing some of Allen's plays from the Tennessee game, Enos re-visited the timeout.
"He was heated and I was heated, and that's kind of the competitor he is," Enos said. "I don't know if people know that about him. He's really, really competitive and he's very fiery. I love being around guys like that."
He warned them
Bret Bielema said linebacker Josh Williams had surgery to place a rod in his broken left leg against Tennessee on Sunday.
Bielema, who was clearly unhappy with the officials regarding what led to Williams' second quarter injury, said he had asked the Marc Curles crew to keep an eye out for that play. Bielema described it Monday as a detached tight end heading out, then angling back in to block Williams low.
"I was watching Josh on the play and I know Josh never saw the [block] coming from his outside in," Bielema said. "It's the kind of play that he's defenseless. I'm not saying it was intended or anything like that.
"We saw it on film and I made a point in pregame conversation with the officiating crew that this is a play we've seen and can you please keep an eye on it? And the official was very adamant that he saw the whole thing and it was a legal play."
Bielema said he's sent video of the play in to the SEC office for a look.
Hard Hogs
Alabama Coach Nick Saban said preparing to face Arkansas under Bret Bielema has been a difficult task.
"Arkansas, to me, has a really, really good team," Saban said. "Everybody knows what a physical game it was last year and they have 16 starters back. They have a couple of receivers that are injured, but four of the offensive linemen and a really good running back in Alex Collins.
"Quarterback Brandon Allen has been starting now for three years and is a very, very good player. Their defense is one of the tops against the run in the SEC and overall they've played better and better each week. ... This is going to be a really challenging game."
Knew Nick
Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos was Michigan State's scout team quarterback in 1986, then a backup quarterback in 1987, the final two years of Nick Saban's stint as defensive coordinator with the Spartans.
"I don't know if he'll remember me, but Coach Saban was our defensive coordinator," Enos said. "He got after me a little bit in practice every day. I don't know if he'll remember that or not."
Asked if he has had conversations with Saban about those years, Enos said, "No. I haven't talked to him I think since the last time he yelled at me at practice as a scout-team player. ... I've always respected and admired him. He's a great coach and he's obviously had a phenomenal career."
Tretola honored
Arkansas offensive guard Sebastian Tretola was named the SEC offensive lineman of the week Monday. Tretola, a 6-3, 325-pound senior, earned an 83 percent grade while helping Arkansas run for 275 yards and not allow a sack in its 24-20 victory at Tennessee.
It was Tretola's first weekly SEC honor and the first for a Razorback this season.
"Sebastian, I've been around some really good lineman, man ... but he's a big body that has lost 60 pounds and he's playing as complete a football as anybody I've ever had on the interior line," Coach Bret Bielema said.
Bama line
Alabama will have decorated center Ryan Kelly available Saturday after he missed the Crimson Tide's 14-13 victory over Arkansas last year at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. A top candidate for the Rimington Trophy, Kelly missed last year's game with a knee injury.
Alabama's line did not allow a sack or a quarterback hurry last week against the attacking Georgia defense.
Hog players
Bret Bielema and his staff named end Tevin Beanum as their defensive player of the week against Tennessee, with end Jeremiah Ledbetter, linebacker Brooks Ellis and Rohan Gaines as honorable mentions. On offense, tailback Alex Collins and Drew Morgan were the players of the week, with quarterback Brandon Allen, tight end Hunter Henry, and the left side of the line -- Denver Kirkland, Sebastian Tretola and Mitch Smothers -- honorable mention.
"Mitch Smothers probably played the best game of his career since I've been here," Bielema said.
The special teams player of the week was punter Toby Baker, and scout team awards went to Deon Stewart, Colton Jackson and Scotty Thurman Jr.
Sports on 10/06/2015