Razorbacks report

Bielema: Superheroes not needed to upset No. 1 Alabama

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema motions from the sideline during a game against Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016, in Arlington, Texas.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema motions from the sideline during a game against Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016, in Arlington, Texas.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema is stressing to his players that he doesn't need superheroes to upset No. 1 Alabama: He needs guys focused on fulfilling their roles.

"That's the way you've got to go at it," linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves said. "You have to prepare like you've always prepared and trust that.

"What happens sometimes is guys want to do too much or do something they're not used to doing or somebody else's job, and that makes it even worse. So all you can do is just prepare and play as hard as you can for four quarters and let it all hang out."

Said senior cornerback Jared Collins: "Yeah, you never want to try to do too much, and he is really emphasizing this week that we just have to play our game. Focus on what we do and that will help us to be successful."

Senior linebacker Brooks Ellis said last year's performance against the Crimson Tide on the road, when Arkansas led 7-3 well into the third quarter, can serve his team well.

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"The defense played really well," Ellis said. "The whole team was doing really good things. That just gives us confidence for this year.

"If we can do that for four quarters now, it could be a different ballgame. We've just got to do it for four quarters."

Said defensive line coach Rory Segrest: "I mean, we've got a pretty talented football team ourselves. The thing we have to do is make sure we don't put ourselves in a bad spot."

Clean it up

The Arkansas defensive coaches said the kind of performances they've had the past couple of Saturdays will not cut it against Alabama.

"The last couple of games we've missed some tackles, we've had a couple of busts, and we've given up some big plays," defensive line coach Rory Segrest said. "You can't do that against the No. 1 team in the country. You've got to make sure you're solid and doing your job on every snap."

Arkansas gave up seven plays that accounted for 351 yards in its 45-24 loss to No. 10 Texas A&M two weeks ago. Alcorn State posted 313 total yards, bolstered by a 39-yard pass and runs of 53 and 46 yards, in Arkansas' 52-10 victory last week.

"The execution piece of this is you've got to be precise and you've got to be spot on," defensive backs coach Paul Rhoads said. "No disrespect to Alcorn State, but we made mistakes in that game. And we were able to get away with that with a decisive win. You can't do that against an opponent like this."

Hurts so good

Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts has come a long way since fumbling on his first collegiate snap in the Crimson Tide's 52-6 victory over Southern Cal in the season opener.

The 6-2, 209-pound freshman won the starting job for Alabama's 38-10 victory in Week 2 over Western Kentucky and has held it since. The Channelview, Texas, native has completed 61.9 percent of his passes (78 of 126) for 871 yards since he became the starter. He has not thrown an interception since the season opener.

"He's a good player," linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves said. "I remember him when I was at Houston a couple of years ago. We were recruiting him. I know his dad, who's a football coach. The kid's a strong kid. I know that for sure."

Hurts ranks second on the team with 276 rushing yards and is tied for the lead with three rushing touchdowns.

"He's a great athlete and a great runner," defensive line coach Rory Segrest said.

10-victory years

Alabama has 35 10-victory seasons. The Razorbacks have posted 12 seasons with 10 or more victories, including back-to-back seasons with 10 and 11 victories in 2010 and 2011 under Bobby Petrino.

Nick Saban has led Alabama to 10 or more victories in eight consecutive seasons, including highs of 14 victories in 2009 and 2015, both national championship seasons.

Loud and crazy

The Razorbacks expect their home crowd to create an advantageous atmosphere against the Crimson Tide.

"We expect it to be loud and packed and everybody screaming and just being crazy," linebacker Brooks Ellis said. "It should be a really fun atmosphere to play in."

Injury update

Arkansas safety Santos Ramirez is expected to be full speed Saturday after sitting out the Alcorn State victory with a bruised leg.

"He did everything today," defensive backs coach Paul Rhoads said. "There will be no issue with him being out there ready to go."

Coach Bret Bielema is expected to give an update today on receiver Keon Hatcher's recovery from a hamstring injury.

As No. 1

Saturday's game will mark the 67th time Alabama has played as the No. 1 team in The Associated Press poll.

The Tide are 56-10 as the No. 1 team, including 36-5 under Nick Saban since 2008.

Streaking

Alabama has the nation's longest winning streak at 17 games since losing to Ole Miss 43-37 last season at home.

The school record for most consecutive victories is 28, which the Tide accomplished twice, between 1978-80 and again in 1991-93.

Alabama's longest winning streak under Nick Saban is 19 games in 2009-2010.

Hog legend

Two-time All-American and Outland Trophy finalist Shawn Andrews was named as Arkansas' representative in the SEC football legends class of 2016. Andrews, a native of Camden, won the Jacobs Trophy as the SEC's top blocker in 2002 and 2003. He was named SEC offensive player of the year by College Football News after the 2003 season.

The first Arkansas sophomore to be named first-team All-American, Andrews was the No. 16 pick by Philadelphia in the 2004 NFL Draft and was a three-time Pro Bowl selection during his 10-year NFL career. Andrews will be honored during events surrounding the SEC Championship Game.

Pizza party?

Eureka Pizza founder Rolf Wilkin has given the Razorbacks more incentive to beat Alabama on Saturday.

Wilkin tweeted "WHEN we beat Alabama... We'll give students, faculty and staff 1,000 large FREE pizzas on Mon Oct 10!! Time for #1 to go down!"

The challenge has grown legs on social media and is being mentioned in media circles in Arkansas and Alabama.

Hear Hale

Alabama tight end Hale Hentges, a four-star prospect from Jefferson City, Mo., was targeted by Arkansas and many other schools in recruiting.

"I really liked their offense," Hentges said Tuesday of the Razorbacks. "Obviously, their coach is a great guy, and they are really a tight end-oriented offense, as you've seen Hunter Henry in the past and now Jeremy Sprinkle.

"They are really a good model to what a pro-style offense is like, and it's going to be a great challenge for our defense."

Extra points

• Devwah Whaley's 75-yard touchdown run was the longest for a Razorback since Alex Collins had an 80-yard touchdown run during a 31-14 Arkansas victory at LSU on Nov. 14.

• The Razorbacks have 23 interceptions in their past 24 games.

• Arkansas had a pair of 100-yard rushers (Devway Whaley, 135), Rawleigh Williams (126) and a 100-yard receiver (Jared Cornelius, 104) for the first time since a 24-20 victory at Tennessee on Oct. 3, 2015.

Sports on 10/05/2016

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