MEMPHIS -- In the first quarter of the University of Arkansas' Liberty Bowl matchup against Kansas, the Razorbacks lost top rusher Raheim "Rocket" Sanders and starting right guard Ty'Kieast Crawford to injuries that sidelined them the rest of the game.
True freshmen Rashod Dubinion and E'Marion Harris stepped in and helped the Razorbacks beat the Jayhawks 55-53 in triple overtime.
"Now, I'm not happy we lost Rocket early and Ty'Kieast," Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said. "But I am happy that E'Marion Harris was ready to play and R-Dub was ready to play."
Dubinion, from Ellenwood, Ga., rushed 20 times for 112 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also had 3 receptions for 19 yards and caught a pass on a wheel route from KJ Jefferson for a two-point conversion that put the Razorbacks ahead 55-53 in the third overtime.
"R-Dub's a good player," Pittman said. "We knew it. He just happened to be behind a couple good players [Sanders and AJ Green] as well."
Dubinion played in the previous 12 games, but had 51 carries for 181 yards.
"Dub stepped up in a big way," Arkansas senior offensive Dalton Wagner said. "I hate to use that phrase because he's been practicing really hard, and when he's in the game, he runs really hard.
"So I hate to use the phrase 'stepped up'. He did an excellent job tonight, trusted us. He's patient on his cuts. He pressed them in situations that we could get to blocks and make it better for us.
"He took care of us the way we needed to take care of him, too. He was out there playing like a veteran, and the future is very bright for him."
Harris, from Little Rock's Joe T. Robinson, was at right guard for the majority in his first significant playing time this season. He helped Arkansas gain 681 yards in total offense on 81 snaps, including 394 rushing yards.
"The O-line is such a veteran group, but [Harris] just fit right in with those guys," Jefferson said. "They were just eager to help him learn and coach him throughout the game."
Wagner, at right tackle, played next to Harris.
"I can't speak too highly of E, man," Wagner said. "E was in a situation where it's very difficult.
"He's been practicing right guard, but he's a young guy in a bowl championship game that stepped up to [play significant snaps].
"He did such a fantastic job out there. He was calm, cool, collected. Asking questions, making calls before we're even getting up there. He was a veteran up there. His future is so bright."
Other freshmen played key roles as well, including tight end Ty Washington, who had figured to miss the bowl game to preserve his redshirt after he played in four games.
But the NCAA passed a rule allowing players to play a fifth game in a bowl and maintain their redshirt after so many rosters were depleted by players across the country opting out to transfer or prepare for the NFL, thus making Washington eligible to play against Kansas.
Washington, from Leesburg, Ga., made his first career catch for a 17-yard touchdown on a pass from Jefferson to give Arkansas a 17-7 lead in the first quarter after Harper Cole recovered a fumbled kickoff.
Jefferson made two fakes, then hit Washington over the middle in the end zone.
It was a new play put in during bowl practices.
"I was pretty thrilled that it actually worked," Jefferson said with a smile. "We did it in practice, and the scout team wasn't biting on it.
"So it was like, 'Do we need to run it or not, because the scout team wasn't biting on it too hard."
The Jayhawks bit on the fakes.
"I'm happy it ended up working out," Jefferson said. "And I'm proud of Tyrus for catching the ball and scoring his first touchdown."
Arkansas was without tight end Trey Knox, a starter all season who entered the portal and is transferring to South Carolina.
"[Washington] was wide open," Pittman said of the touchdown play. "Those are the hardest ones to catch at times.
"But great designed play ... To see his face was priceless."
True freshman cornerback Quincy McAdoo, from Clarendon, started and had an interception and nine tackles. Linebacker Jordan Crook, a true freshman from Duncanville, Texas, made his first start and had seven tackles.
Receiver Jaedon Wilson, a redshirt freshman from DeSoto, Texas, had 2 catches for 47 yards and scored on a two-point conversion in the second overtime.
"We talked about it after the game, about how disappointing it is when you don't play," Pittman said. "And you're sitting there and you're working and you're going, 'Well, maybe I'll get in,' and you don't. 'Maybe I'll get in.' You don't.
"But then the feeling when you do get to play and you have success really override all those disappointments.
"It really does, because now you've proven you can play. You've proven it in a game."
Dubinion played as if he'd been starting all season.
"Once 5 went down, I had to step up," Dubinion said, referring to Sanders by his number. "That's what I did."
So did a lot of other freshmen.
"I said it earlier this week, I was ready for those freshmen," Wagner said. "The whole team was ready for those freshmen, all the young guys.
"For guys who haven't played much to go out there and show off and have a heck of a game."