Arkansas’ offense has reached a point where the numbers are doing a lot of the talking for it, and most of that talk is ugly. Through five games, the Razorbacks have averaged just 11.3 points per game against Power Four opponents, a rough stretch that kept front and center Monday when head coach Ryan Silverfield addressed the unit’s latest struggles.
Saturday’s loss to Texas A&M offered only a small lift on the ground, but the passing game never got going. KJ Jackson finished with 111 yards and his fourth interception, a setback that stood out even more after his stronger showing against Tulsa. Chris Marshall has been the offense’s lone clear bright spot so far this season, but the group as a whole has remained stuck in the mud.
“I don’t think he played to the level he’s capable of. He’ll be the first to admit that.
Like we’ve talked about all the time, he’s very smart. He works really, really hard at it.
It was not his best performance. There were some accuracy issues from the interception that we talked about postgame, to some of the other reads and decision-making he needs to make with the ball.
"I met with him this morning. Obviously, I talked to him yesterday, and just putting him in the best situations for him to be successful again, continuing to find out what he does well, what he feels comfortable with.
Yeah, there were plays where there were guys open, and we weren't able to find them. We weren't able to get through our progression.
Certainly not good enough by any stretch of the imagination throughout the game, but continue to find out what works best for KJ and how do we implement the offense around him in order for him to have success."
Silverfield also pointed to a stat meant to show how much variety Arkansas has used offensively, though the information he was given was off. He said, "I was told that we have used the second most formations in the SEC already," but the numbers from On3’s Clark Brooks tell a different story.
Brooks’ list showed Arkansas with 69 unique formations, which is actually the third fewest in the conference. Only Tennessee, with 61, and Mississippi State, with 60, have used fewer. The Razorbacks were listed second in the graphic, but that was only because the teams were arranged alphabetically.
Silverfield argued that formation count alone does not decide anything. He said, "We can't reinvent the wheel," and added, "I've lined up also in three formations for three games and been able to gash people and run the same plays over and over. Just execute them better.
"You know, you go back and talking about the Vols, Peyton Manning when they were really good with the Colts, they lined up in like three formations and ran like 17 total plays, and that's in the NFL where you got some really good players. But they just said we're just going to out execute people, and we've got to find ways because there are times like, oh, I get too creative. We could do this, this, and this, but we go out there on Tuesday and Wednesday and we're not doing it."
Now Arkansas has to try to solve all of that against a Tennessee defense that has been ruthless up front. The Volunteers lead the nation in sacks and have allowed only 15.2 points per game this season, including 17 in SEC play.
Kickoff against No. 15 Tennessee is set for 3:15 p.m.
Saturday at Razorback Stadium. The game will air on SEC Network and the Razorback Sports Network.
In Other News...
Calipari Missing On One Target Could Reveal Arkansas Bigger 2027 Plan
King Gibsons commitment to LSU trimmed one more name from Arkansas early wish list in the class of 2027, but it also underscored how active John Calipari and his staff already are on the recruiting trail. Gibson, a highly regarded combo guard, had been a target for the Razorbacks along with several other programs, and his decision leaves Arkansas to keep pressing forward as the long-range board continues to take shape.
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Arkansas Now Knows When Its Next Chance To Change The Season Comes
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It will be the first meeting between the programs in eight seasons and only the 11th time they have lined up overall, which gives the matchup a little extra weight as the calendar moves deeper into October. For Arkansas, it is the kind of road game that can shape what the rest of the season looks like, and now the team knows exactly when that chance arrives. [Read more 🡒]