FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks, hurting literally and figuratively after last week's surprising loss to Toledo, say their recovery plan includes rediscovering their run-game roots in time for Saturday's game against Texas Tech.
"We've got to move the line of scrimmage," said Sam Pittman, Arkansas' assistant head coach and offensive line coach. "That was our big thing, our big focal point this week. We've got to move the line of scrimmage, and that's what we're going to do."
Offensive tackle Dan Skipper said cranking up the running game can be done in one week.
"It's the same guys, same people, same scheme," Skipper said. "We've got to get out there and do what we do best."
Arkansas rushed for 103 yards on 31 carries against Toledo while passing for 412 yards in the 16-12 loss at War Memorial Stadium. In their first 10 nonconference games under Coach Bret Bielema, the Razorbacks averaged 277.6 rushing yards per game, including 438 yards and seven touchdowns in last year's 49-28 victory at Texas Tech.
Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen ranks No. 5 nationally with 360 passing yards per game, while the Razorbacks' run game averages 142.5 yards per game to rank No. 89.
"I'm very happy with the growth of our passing game and the way we've been able to protect our quarterback," Bielema said. "But for us to have success, especially the way we're built, especially in a game like this against Texas Tech, that is so much based on contrasting philosophies ... we were able to have success running the ball last year is why we won."
The Red Raiders, who struggled to stop Texas-El Paso's traditional isolation play with tailback Aaron Jones running behind a fullback last week, say they are expecting a run revival from the Razorbacks.
"If you can't stop a basic iso in football, we might as well not even head down to Arkansas this weekend because they'll run 50 of them," said David Gibbs, who is in his first year as Texas Tech's defensive coordinator. "I'm sure they're not pleased with their run game right now. They'll be looking to fix that against us.
"If I was watching our defensive tape, I'd run it every snap."
Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos has improved the passing game, but he understands how essential a consistent running attack is.
"We're really all taking accountability for it, the players and the coaches," Enos said. "It's everybody involved. We've got to do a better job, and we're going to do a better job this week."
Allen threw 12 passes against the Red Raiders last year, when the Razorbacks ran the ball on their final 30 offensive snaps and piled up 438 yards, including 212 yards by Alex Collins and 145 yards by Jonathan Williams.
Allen has thrown 71 of Arkansas' 73 passes through two games.
"You've got to establish the run game, especially against run-and-gun teams that want the ball as fast as they can," Allen said. "We've got to control the ball and be able to run the ball effectively and get first downs and keep the ball and keep our defense off the field."
Texas-El Paso stacked the box and blitzed incessantly to combat Arkansas' run game in the season opener, leaving easy pickings for Allen on bubble screens to receivers and other quick-hitting routes as he passed for 308 yards and Arkansas ran for 182 yards. Those same plays were available against Toledo, and Arkansas made the Rockets pay by chewing up yardage between the 20 yard lines.
The Razorbacks struggled in the red zone, however, where the run game netted 5 yards on seven carries and where Allen completed 2 of 11 passes for 17 yards with 1 interception.
"I think we've really got to look at the red zone package," Bielema said. "Being able to run the football has to be first and foremost. We can't just keep taking shots in the end zone. We've got to be more coordinated there."
The Razorbacks faced smaller front fours in Texas-El Paso and Toledo and struggled to adjust to their drastic stunts, which sometimes had defensive linemen moving by a gap or more at the snap of the ball while shooting a blitzing safety or linebacker into the other gaps.
"We're having so much movement on us we're out of position," Pittman said. "There's a lot of slanting going on, and there's certainly a lot of safety blitzes and a lot of corner blitzes ... but if we catch those blitzes and we catch them vertically, then there are creases.
"What's been happening is we've been going with it, just riding them across. We've got to get vertical, and when we do we'll cut holes in that thing."
Arkansas cut holes last season with 12 carries of at least 10 yards against the Red Raiders, including six by Williams and four by Collins, who iced the outcome with an 84-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Gibbs said he'd like to think Texas Tech will play more sound defensively Saturday than it did in last year's game.
"I'm not the guy to sit here and talk on Monday," Gibbs said. "We'll find out at 6 o'clock Saturday night because there's nowhere to hide."
Sports on 09/17/2015