Arkansas running back Cam Settles reached back to a familiar SEC-era phrase Wednesday while previewing the Razorbacks’ trip to Auburn.
Settles was asked about the 11:45 a.m. kickoff and answered with a line that tied him to former Arkansas coach John L. Smith, whose 2012 SEC Media Days rallying cry was revealed as “get your piss hot.”
“This is SEC football,” Settles said. “You gotta expect the fans to come out there and be loud, be energetic. Got an early morning game, we gotta get the piss hot early.”
Settles laughed after saying it and glanced to the left side of the room, where SID Kyle Parkinson was presumably reacting as well.
The phrase has surfaced elsewhere in football, too. Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur used it in 2021 when discussing a noon kickoff against the Cincinnati Bengals, and Green Bay won that game 25-22 in overtime.
Arkansas, though, didn’t get much out of the phrase during Smith’s lone season in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks went 4-8 in 2012.
Saturday’s game at Auburn will be Arkansas’ second morning kickoff of the season. The Hogs lost 45-17 to No.
2 Georgia in Fayetteville on Sept. 19 in an 11 a.m. start. The Razorbacks also have a few more schedule notes ahead: their Nov. 14 home game against South Carolina is set for 6:45 p.m., while the Nov. 21 trip to Texas will kick at either 2:30 or 3:30 p.m.
Arkansas’ regular-season finale against LSU on Nov. 28 will begin at either 11 a.m. or noon.
Settles also addressed one of the key moments from Arkansas’ 34-10 loss to Missouri in the Battle Line Rivalry on Oct. 31.
Early in the first quarter, on fourth-and-1 from the Arkansas 34-yard line, a direct snap to Settles slipped through his hands, was batted around, and ended up in the end zone for a Missouri touchdown. The Tigers went up 10-0 on the play and never gave the lead back.
“I just got to execute it, catch the ball,” Settles said of the play. “That’s the first step.
You gotta catch the ball and then run. Nine times out of 10, I’m going to catch that ball.
It’s no excuses from me. Just gotta catch the ball and make the play.”
In Other News...
Arkansas Fans Are Running Out Of Patience With This Offensive Struggle
Arkansas offense left plenty to sort through after a frustrating showing against Auburn, even with the defense doing enough to keep the game within reach. KJ Jackson finished 14 of 30 for 188 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and while the Razorbacks found some success on the ground, the attack never found a steady rhythm when it mattered most.
Ryan Silverfield has already made it clear he is open to staff changes if the issues continue, which only adds to the pressure around an offense that has been too uneven for comfort. Nothing has been announced yet, but with fan patience thinning and the results not matching the effort on the other side of the ball, the next move on that side of the program is going to draw plenty of attention. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]
Caliparis Young Arkansas Team Faces Its First Real Measuring Stick
The first real test of John Caliparis Arkansas team arrives Sunday in Washington, D.C., where the No. 12 Razorbacks meet No. 9 Virginia in the Capital Showcase. Arkansas has only gotten one game under its belt so far, a win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, while Virginia comes in a little more seasoned after opening with victories over Drexel and Northeastern. It is an early-season matchup with a little extra weight because both programs are still learning who they are.
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 🡒]