Touch of Hammonds: Arkansas RB rolls up 179 yards, 2 TDs in limited action

Arkansas running back T.J. Hammonds scores a touchdown during a game against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in Fayetteville.
Arkansas running back T.J. Hammonds scores a touchdown during a game against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- T.J. Hammonds had 179 yards in total offense Saturday against Coastal Carolina, and the Arkansas Razorbacks needed every one of them.

Hammonds, a sophomore tailback from Joe T. Robinson, scored touchdowns on a 60-yard screen pass and 88-yard run to help the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville rally to beat Coastal Carolina 39-38.

"I can't say enough about T.J. Hammonds," Razorbacks Coach Bret Bielema said. "Obviously, a guy that we're trying to bring along more and more.

"He's a special player. He's got it."

Arkansas fans might be wondering why Hammonds isn't getting it more.

Hammonds averaged 22.4 yards on his eight touches Saturday, including seven carries for a career-high 119 yards.

"T.J's a great player," Arkansas quarterback Cole Kelley said. "He's so electric. Every time he touches the ball it could go for six."

In the Razorbacks' 38-37 victory at Ole Miss last week, Hammonds rushed 11 times for 84 yards.

"As far as the amount of touches, yeah, we were trying to get him the ball, trying to get him more and more," Bielema said. "I think the better he learns the offense in all phases it'll help us.

"We just can't dictate on the flow of the game when it's in there. We'll do it and as a head coach, believe me I'm pushing to get him in there as much as anybody."

Coastal Carolina led 38-25 when Arkansas got the ball at its 12 with 10:23 left.

Dewvah Whaley started to go on the field at tailback, but he was replaced by Hammonds.

"We were sending that play in, and I knew it was an outside play," Bielema said. "[Hammonds] was standing next to me, and I said, 'Get him in the game.'

"I see everything, what everybody else does. Our coaches, we've just got to do a better job of making sure he gets in there and sees it and runs with it."

Hammonds took a handoff from Kelley, broke to the right side and scored to pull the Razorbacks within 38-32 on a one-play, 14-second touchdown possession.

"Cole said, 'Hey, do what you do best,' " Hammonds said. "It stretched, and everybody went to the left. I saw a hole, so I just hit it. Just kept going, running and running and running.

"In my head, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, it's about to happen.' I just kept running. My legs got tired on me."

Hammonds said as he was nearing the end zone, he looked at the giant screen atop the north end zone construction and could see two Coastal Carolina defensive players closing in on him.

"I saw the guy behind me, and I saw another guy coming," Hammonds said. "I was like, 'Oh my gosh, am I running slow or something?'

"He was moving, so I was like, 'OK, I'm 2 yards, 3 yards away from the end zone, so even if he does hit me, I'm going keep the ball high and tight and land in the end zone.' "

It was the sixth-longest run ever by a Razorback.

"Every time he got the ball something great happened," said Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina's interim coach. "And we knew they were going to get yardage, obviously.

"That's why our plan was to control the clock, and we did a good job of that until the fourth quarter. The one run there was just a back-breaker because they didn't eat any clock, and they got right back into the football game.

"He's a good player ... and he was unfortunately able to make some plays."

Hammonds caught a screen pass from Kelley and turned it into a 60-yard touchdown play in the second quarter.

It was the first time Hammonds was on the field for a screen pass, he said, even in practice.

"So that was actually my first time running a screen," Hammonds said. "When we called it, it surprised me a little bit.

"I caught the ball. I saw a defender to my right and I was like, 'I'm going to give him a stiff arm.' He fell down and I just kept going."

Kelley was asked whether he believes Hammonds should get more touches.

"That's not really my decision," Kelley said. "But I don't mind handing the ball off to him."

Arkansas junior safety Santos Ramirez, asked about Hammonds' touches, said it's not his decision, either, but that he'd like to see him get the ball more.

"It's on the coaches," Ramirez said. "But I do believe they need to continue to give him the rock, because he makes plays for us. And that's what we need."

Hammonds credited his teammates.

"Without the linemen, without everybody else doing what they were doing, I wouldn't have my big plays," he said. "I give all ups and praises to all the O-linemen, Cole, the receivers blocking downfield."

Hammonds, who underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee in August, had an ice pack on his knee after the game. He had a torn meniscus in his right knee last year, and earlier this season he had a left foot injury.

"It was frustrating," Hammonds said of the injuries. "I was really out of it. But I had all my teammates there to help me get on my feet. I'm healthy now. I'm ready."

Making big plays for the Razorbacks, Hammonds said, is an honor.

"I'm from Arkansas. I've been a Hog all my life," he said. "Just honored to be a Hog and help my team win.

"I'm going to stay humble and just keep moving forward."

Ramirez pumped up Hammonds in a pregame talk.

"I said, 'Man, go out and get you a 100-yard game,' " Ramirez said. "I know that boy has got the potential to be something great.

"That's what he went and did, and I'm proud of him. He's fought through a lot of injuries, and he came out here and stepped it up."

LONGEST RUNS BY A RAZORBACK

T.J. Hammonds’ 88-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter was the sixth-longest ever rushing gain by an Arkansas player.

Here is the top 10 list:

RANK;PLAYER;YARDS;OPPONENT;SEASON

1;Broderick Green;99;Eastern Michigan;2009

2;Joe Adams;92;Auburn;2011

tie 3;Billy Moore;90;Tulsa;1962

tie 3;Jonathan Williams;90;Nicholls State;2014

5;Ben Cowins;89;Houston;1976

6;T.J. Hammonds;88;Coastal Carolina;2017

7.Ralph LaForge;86;Baylor;1932

tie 8;Felix Jones;85;Southeast Missouri State;2006

tie 8;Aubrey Fowler;85;SMU;1946

10;Alex Collins;84;Texas Tech;2014

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