Arkansas left Jordan-Hare Stadium with too many problems to sort through, but the biggest one has been staring the Razorbacks in the face all season: the offense just isn’t doing enough.
Saturday’s loss to Auburn had plenty of moving parts. The defense and special teams both had their rough stretches, especially after halftime. Still, if Arkansas had gotten even a decent performance from its offense, the result could have gone the other way.
Instead, the Razorbacks spent much of the afternoon fighting their own inconsistency. KJ Jackson finished 14 of 30 for 188 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and he didn’t even get above 100 passing yards until early in the fourth quarter. That kind of production leaves too much hanging.
There were flashes on the ground. Sutton Smith and Cam Settles each ripped off big runs that pushed Arkansas deep into Auburn territory, and Braylen Russell finished off the Razorbacks’ first touchdown of the day. For stretches, the run game gave the offense a pulse.
But that rhythm didn’t last. Late in the fourth quarter, the ground game faded. Earlier, after Settles broke loose late in the third, Tim Cramsey didn’t stay with the run and instead dialed up a play-action call that went nowhere fast, ending in a sack before Max Gilbert came on for a field goal.
The first half was frustrating in a different way. Arkansas jumped ahead 10-0, and Auburn was helping with mistakes of its own, but the Razorbacks couldn’t separate. Jackson then threw a bad interception into double coverage when Arkansas had a two-score lead, choosing to put the ball in the air instead of leaning on the ground game and keeping the pressure on.
Cramsey did have one sequence that worked. Arkansas put together a strong drive on its second-to-last possession to tie the game at 23. But once the Razorbacks trailed 26-23, Jackson took an intentional grounding penalty that effectively ended the comeback bid.
None of that erases the fact that Arkansas’ offense has been a season-long issue. The unit entered Saturday ranked 114th out of 138 FBS teams in total offense at 336.1 yards per game and 19.6 points per game. After the Auburn game, the Razorbacks are averaging just 17.5 points per game in six SEC contests.
The offense did show a little more life than it did against Missouri, and it made a few clutch plays. But against a defense that had given up 408.1 yards per game and 25.3 points per game, that still wasn’t enough.
When asked on Nov. 2 about in-season staff changes, Silverfield said he’s willing to make whatever move necessary to help his team. At this point, the question is whether that extends to Tim Cramsey.
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Arkansas Is Showing Real Progress But Auburn Is Still Hanging Around
For a half at Jordan-Hare Stadium, Arkansas has looked like a team making real strides on the road. The Razorbacks have controlled the line of scrimmage on defense, holding Auburn to 109 total yards and keeping quarterback Byrum Brown and running back Jeremiah Cobb from getting much going, while the offense finally flashed some life on the ground with Sutton Smith ripping off a 65-yard run that set up a touchdown.
Still, the 10-3 halftime edge feels a little fragile because Arkansas has left chances on the field. The offense has mixed in improvement with the same kinds of mistakes that have haunted it at times this season, including an interception and a few missed opportunities, which is why Auburn is still very much within reach despite the Razorbacks better overall first half. [Read more 🡒]
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For Arkansas, this is the kind of game that can reveal a lot in a hurry. Calipari and Virginia coach Ryan Odom have both talked about their teams strengths and what they expect from the matchup, and Sunday should offer a clearer picture of how the Razorbacks stack up against a ranked opponent. In a season where every nonconference test matters, this one looks like the first true measuring stick. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Let A Promising SEC Start Slip Away At Auburn
Arkansas had the kind of start on the road in Auburn that can make a team believe it has found something in SEC play. The Razorbacks scored first and controlled the flow early by limiting Auburns offensive possessions in the first half, a formula that kept the game on their terms for long stretches before the momentum began to tilt.
Byrum Brown and Auburn changed the feel of the afternoon after halftime, stringing together multiple touchdown drives to fuel the comeback and leave Arkansas on the wrong end of a 26-23 decision. Both coaches pointed to the games adjustments and shifting dynamics afterward, which is what makes this one sting for the Razorbacks: a promising start, a winnable road spot, and a finish that slipped away just when it seemed within reach. [Read more 🡒]