FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas sophomore linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who had seven tackles and his first interception last week, posted a game grade of 92 to edge senior Brooks Ellis for the first time in his career.
"Usually he beats me, so it felt good," Ellis said. "Usually it's like a C."
Greenlaw, who posted the first A of his career, had to be that good to edge Ellis, because the middle linebacker had no mental mistakes against Louisiana Tech.
"I don't think I've ever coached a game where I had a Mike linebacker with zero mental busts, and he was a guy that was locked in every play," Coach Bret Bielema said of Ellis.
Bielema pointed out on his TV show that Ellis was "tackled" by a Louisiana Tech receiver on quarterback J'mar Smith's 8-yard run early in the fourth quarter.
Arkansas linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves said Ellis played well.
"He missed a couple of tackles. He was pretty much where he was supposed to be all the time, it's just he didn't finish a couple of times. Those are things we need to get cleaned up."
Mosh pit
TCU Coach Gary Patterson is predicting a head-knocker game Saturday with his fast, aggressive defense taking on the heavy Hogs.
"On defense, it's a three-hour middle drill with play action to try to throw over-your-head passes," Patterson said. "Offensively, very physical upfront. We've got to be able to handle the rush."
Bring the rain
There's a strong chance for rain showers in Fort Worth on Saturday when Arkansas takes on TCU at Amon G. Carter Stadium for the first time in 25 years.
However, the 70 percent chance of rain comes early in the morning, and it tapers down to 15 percent or less by the 6 p.m. kickoff between the former Southwest Conference rivals.
Arkansas offensive tackle Dan Skipper isn't worried about precipitation.
"I show up and play, and if they tell me to put on a certain type of cleat, I do it," Skipper said. "Not a whole lot changes for me. Get in the huddle, quarterback calls a play and that's about it."
Goals on 'D'
Arkansas defensive backs coach Paul Rhoads said the Razorbacks accomplished many of their defensive goals against Louisiana Tech.
Arkansas held the Bulldogs to 291 total yards, including 79 rushing yards, in its 21-20 victory. Louisiana Tech's longest run was a 31-yard burst up the middle by Jarred Craft, accounting for nearly half his 68 rushing yards, on the final offensive snap of the first half. Craft also had the longest catch, a 26-yard swing pass around right end.
"I think Robb [Smith] did a nice job of mixing everything up, whether it was press vs. loose or man vs. zone," Rhoads said about the defensive coordinator. "The yards per attempt that we gave up in that game were really good numbers. I think people maybe lose sight of that.
"If you compare this team's numbers to what they did on Saturday, we're pleased coming out of there. We met goals of not giving up big plays and keeping the ball in front of us. It's one of the reasons why this football team won."
Hair today
Arkansas receiver Keon Hatcher broke a tackle and made a fantastic move to keep his knee off the turf on a 13-yard catch and run to help set up the Razorbacks' game-winning touchdown.
The tackle Hatcher broke was the same kind by which he eventually was taken down by linebacker Dalton Santos -- a yank on his superlong hair, which spills out the back of his helmet.
"Yeah, I got my hair pulled on a little bit," Hatcher said. "As soon as I came to the sideline, coach Smitty [Michael Smith] was like, 'That's why I want you to cut that. You need to cut that.'
"I was like, 'I know, man.' But I mean, I made a play, I guess."
Quarterback Austin Allen said he can't complain about the hair tackle.
"You can't say anything after the play he made on that," Allen said. "He played a heck of a game on Saturday, and there's more to come."
Hatcher led the Razorbacks with six catches for 86 yards in his first game back from a broken foot.
"He made some big-time plays for us down the stretch and throughout the game," Smith said. "I was happy to see him get back on the field."
Keep plugging
Receiver Cody Hollister had two drops against Louisiana Tech.
"I just told Cody to keep plugging," receivers coach Michael Smith said. "He's human. It's going to happen. My thing is not to get down on him, but it's something he's got to get corrected. I challenge all my guys, if you're not capable of doing what we ask you to do, I'm not going to put you out there."
Smith said Hollister's playing time did not suffer, but he wasn't targeted the rest of the game.
1,000 whats?
TCU Coach Gary Patterson went over the top when he said that if the Horned Frogs didn't show improvement on defense, Arkansas would put up 1,000 yards and 1,000 points on Saturday.
"Coach P is really good at challenging us, and making us feel like any time we're underperforming we need to do better," senior defensive end James McFarland said. "When he says stuff like that, we just feel like, 'OK, how can we not allow that to happen? ... How are we going to stop Arkansas from doing what they like to do?' Going forward, I feel pretty confident."
Bashing big
Freshman tight end Austin Cantrell showed he could pack a wallop in his Arkansas debut last week. On his lone catch, Cantrell stiff-armed safety Lloyd Grogan to the turf at the end of his 5-yard catch.
Cantrell also delivered one of the hardest shots of the game, blasting into a Louisiana Tech player who then careened into and dropped punt returner Trent Taylor at the end of a 32-yard return. Cantrell entered concussion protocol on the sideline after the hit, but he was cleared to practice starting this past Tuesday.
"Anybody that is close to our program ... knows about him, and he is very powerful," tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. said. "One of the things early on in his career is that power did not always show up on game day or in practice, and that's one of the reasons he redshirted."
Beanum back
Junior Tevin Beanum reappeared at the top of the depth chart at rush end this week after posting one tackle in the opener. Beanum, starter Karl Roesler and Randy Ramsey all pulled time at the position.
"I thought he generated some pass rush for us," defensive coordinator Robb Smith said. "I really liked the way he practiced last week as well. We're expecting tempo this week and expecting a lot of Spread and 4-wide receiver looks. He's a guy we think gives us our best opportunity with the matchups involved."
Grizzled veterans
TCU's four defensive coaches -- coordinator Chad Glasgow and assistants Zarnell Fitch, Paul Gonzales and Dan Sharp -- have a combined 48 years of coaching at TCU. Sharp, a former Horned Frogs tight end, leads the way in his 25th year on the staff in his second stint.
Sharp caught a touchdown pass in TCU's 32-31 victory at Arkansas in his All-Southwest Conference season of 1984, the Frogs' first victory in Fayetteville in 29 years.
In his first stint at TCU, Glasgow was part of a staff that led the nation in total defense in three consecutive seasons (2008-10).
Call crew
The ESPN broadcast crew for the Hogs vs. the Frogs will be Joe Tessitore on play by play, Todd Blackledge with color analysis and Holly Rowe as the sideline reporter.
Ranking 'em all
Arkansas fell 13 places in CBSSports.com's weekly power poll to No. 56 after Week 1. The Razorbacks are behind 16 teams from non-Power Five conferences, including No. 52 Arkansas State, and are ninth among SEC teams. TCU is No. 20 in the rankings.
Sports on 09/09/2016