FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks shut out a productive, fast-paced TCU offense in the first half of last season's game in Fort Worth.
But there were reasons for concern for Arkansas, and then-defensive backs coach Paul Rhoads brought one of them up to coordinator Robb Smith.
" 'We're tired," Rhoads told Smith as soon as they reached the locker room. "We will not play nearly as well in the second half as we did in the first half because we just started to get gassed there at the end.'"
The Razorbacks carried a 20-7 lead into the fourth quarter before the Horned Frogs' tempo wore them down. Quarterback Kenny Hill led TCU to 206 yards in the fourth quarter and 21 consecutive points.
Arkansas rallied to win 41-38 in double overtime.
The memories of TCU's comeback have laid the groundwork for Arkansas' defense heading into Saturday's 2:30 p.m. rematch at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Rhoads is now coordinator for the Hogs' new 3-4 scheme, which was implemented to better contend with hurry-up offenses like the Frogs.
Arkansas defensive end McTelvin Agim, who posted his first career sack in last year's game, said the Hogs grew weary as the game progressed.
"They would snap the ball when we weren't ready," Agim said. "They kept getting big chunk plays.
"They kept getting 20 yards, 30 yards, 40 yards. You'd get them to third down and then they'd get a 20-yard bust. That's a great offense over there at TCU."
Hill, who accounted for 470 total yards and three touchdowns that day, is back for his third run against the Razorbacks after playing for Texas A&M in 2014 and TCU last season.
An offensive line that features four seniors, including standouts Joseph Noteboom and Austin Scholttmann on the left side, and senior tight end Cole Hunt, protects him
Hill has a group of skill players at this disposal that rival nation's best in speed and depth.
Tailback Kyle Hicks racked up 141 yards and 2 touchdowns on 19 touches against Arkansas last year. KaVontae Turpin had 7 catches for 126 yards and a career-high 295 all-purpose yards on the Hogs.
John Diarse, Emanuel Porter, Ty Slanina and Taj Williams are experienced hands, and speedy Kennedy Snell scored a zig-zagging 13-yard touchdown on a pop pass in his first career touch last week.
The Horned Frogs, with co-coordinator Sonny Cumbie calling plays, try to confuse defenses with multiple sets delivered at a fast pace.
"They're up-tempo and they always have been," Rhoads said. "You can pick any game that you like and you're going to see a team get caught with their pants down, be it out of position or not lined up with their eyes in the right location. It'll be one of the keys to victory for us to be aligned properly."
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said he thinks the new 3-4 set and the Hogs' offense are two keys to keeping the Horned Frogs from running amok.
"The fact that we've changed schemes will hopefully allow our guys to line up at a little better pace," he said. "We've been lining up really good so for this week at practice. ... We know they love to go tempo and they'll go as fast as they possibly can go.
"On the flip side of it, obviously it works well for us if we're able to get a stop and our offense can manage the clock and keep the ball in our hands. It plays to our favor. Two different offensive philosophies, both of them are solid. It will come down on Saturday to who can execute."
Rhoads said TCU's speed is a big worry.
"I don't know if I've ever seen a football team put the sheer number of guys on the football field that can just flat-out fly like I saw with them Saturday night," Rhoads said.
Arkansas ends Agim and T.J. Smith, outside linebackers Randy Ramsey and Dwayne Eugene and defensive backs will face a challenge keeping TCU from exploiting the edges.
"You've got to be locked in," defensive line coach John Scott Jr. said. "I remember when I was at [Texas] Tech, the challenges they present to your perimeter defense.
"They show a lot of flash that can distract your eyes from what's really happening, so we've got to do a great job of being locked into our keys."
Bielema and Rhoads compared the Frogs' shorter, multi-purpose threats like Turpin, Hicks and Snell to some all-time greats.
"Troy Davis was a great running back of ours at Iowa State," Rhoads said. "One of the reasons he had that success is you heard week after week that people couldn't find him. He was behind a massive offensive line and all of a sudden he'd pop through and it was too late. The same could be said of these guys."
Bielema said Snell's right-to-left weave of a touchdown, that featured a clinching block by Hill, was an eye opener.
"Just extremely shifty, gifted, can make you look silly in a short amount of time," Bielema said. "The things that we did last week well, we have to do this week. We have to obviously maintain leverages. We have to tackle well in space and not have missed tackles."
Agim said gap discipline is imperative against TCU.
"Like if you try to bend your gap and show up in someone else's gap ... these cats ... they'll bust it out and be gone for 60 as soon as you can snap. It's quick so we've got to be ready for it."
Sports on 09/08/2017