Gus Malzahn still remembers the exact second Darren McFadden decided to freelance in the 2006 SEC Championship Game.
It started with a facemask touch, then a glance to Felix Jones, and suddenly Malzahn realized the play he had called was no longer the play Arkansas was running. His reaction came fast: “Oh no, not here, not now,” he recalled at the Little Rock Touchdown Club on Tuesday.
That unscripted touchdown has lingered on Razorback highlight reels for nearly 20 years, but Malzahn’s story adds a new layer to it: McFadden had talked his way into the moment, then simply made it happen. The Arkansas offensive coordinator said McFadden and Jones had asked earlier in the season whether they could break off the designed action and throw it themselves. Malzahn shut it down.
“So we're playing the SEC championship game, and the Wildcat we put in it was tackle over, and Felix was always lined up to left, and he would go to the right and be a speed sweep," Malzahn said. "So, about halfway through the year, you know, [Darren and Felix] said, 'Hey, coach, nobody ever notices when it goes in motion.
Nobody cuts. Can I just raise up and throw it?'
I said 'No, no. Don't worry about that.'"
The moment arrived anyway. Arkansas had fallen behind 17-0, then clawed back to within three early in the third quarter. On a second-and-goal snap from the Florida 3, Malzahn called Wildcat Split Zone and expected a straightforward handoff sequence.
Instead, McFadden and Jones turned it into something improvised.
“Okay. Fast forward to the SEC championship game.
Pretty big game, [against] Florida. I think it's 21-10 (was actually 17-7) or something like that in the third quarter," Malzahn said.
"We're down there on the three-yard line. I think it's second-and-goal, and so we called Wildcat Split Zone.
So Felix is supposed to come in motion, and we were just going to go old school split zone."
Then came the telltale signal. McFadden touched his facemask, Jones responded the same way, and Malzahn knew the play had changed on the fly.
“Darren got it. He throws it to Felix.
They catch a touchdown. Darren comes off [the field] and says 'What do you think about that, coach?'
and I said, 'Way to go, baby!'”
The touchdown is part of a larger McFadden legend that stretches well beyond one clever trick play. Malzahn, who said he had no clue who McFadden was before a buddy told him the back would win the Heisman Trophy, described him as one of the most gifted players he ever coached. McFadden finished with 6,086 total yards and 51 touchdowns in three seasons, won back-to-back Doak Walker Awards, finished back-to-back Heisman Trophy runner-up, and still sits near the top of nearly every Arkansas rushing record.
“Darren was unbelievable. You know, you think back in practice, every day he would do something.
You'd go, 'Oh God!' You couldn't believe it, and you know he wasn't just a great running back.
You could put him out wide receiver and throw a ton of screen. He was the best wide receiver, and then obviously you let him throw.
Man, he was he was really really special. He's one of the best players to ever play the game.
It was a fun time, and he's the one that made the Wildcat famous.”
Malzahn also pointed to the 2006 Arkansas offense as a unique collection of talent that made the Wildcat work. He mentioned McFadden, Jones and Peyton Hillis, who he noted was “260 pounds returning punts.” The formation let all three be on the field together, and in Malzahn’s telling, that group made the scheme feel special even if it has been copied many times since.
“I mean, you can run the Wildcat with another another guy... there's nothing like Darren McFadden running that thing," Malzahn said. "You know, when you're in the first year doing something, they were like good, like real good.
But when you get back, I mean that's unbelievable. There was Darren, Felix and I mean, Peyton Hillis was 260 pounds returning punts.
"I mean, and you know we had the Wildcat that year. It allowed them all three to be on the field at the same time. But man, it was just really special, and they were all three a blessing to coach.”
The Razorbacks didn’t win the conference title game, but the play has endured because it captured exactly what made McFadden so dangerous: he could run the offense, bend it, and in one instant make it his own.
In Other News...
Arkansas Is Betting On Its O-Line After A Shaky Opener
Ryan Silverfield is sticking with the same starting offensive line for Arkansas next game against Utah, even after the group had its share of struggles in the opener against North Alabama. The five-man unit of Kavion Broussard, Bryant Williams, Caden Kitler, Malachi Breland and Kobe Branham will get another chance to settle in together, with Silverfield signaling that he still believes in the group while also making clear the performance needs to rise.
Arkansas does have some contingency options ready if the line needs help, with Adam Hawkes, Josiah Clemons and Kash Courtney all in reserve. For now, though, the Razorbacks are betting continuity will bring more stability up front, and the real test is whether that approach holds up against a much tougher Utah front. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Offense Has A Bigger Problem Than The Opener Showed
Arkansas got the win against North Alabama, but the opener left Tim Cramsey with plenty to sort through before the schedule gets tougher. The Razorbacks offensive coordinator said the first game included too many mistakes to feel good about the performance, and he wants cleaner play before Utah arrives next. He pointed to a need for more physical work on the line and better execution when drives move deep into scoring territory.
Cramsey also noted that Utahs defense will bring a straightforward four-man front, which puts the focus back on Arkansas own consistency rather than some exotic wrinkle. The opener showed the offense can string together productive series, but it also showed how quickly penalties, sacks and turnovers can undercut that progress. For a unit trying to build confidence early, the question now is whether the big-picture effort can be matched by sharper details when the competition gets better. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Defense Has A Real Shot To Rattle Utah Early
Arkansas spent part of the week zeroing in on the kind of quarterback who can make a defense look out of position in a hurry, and that is exactly what it sees in Utahs Devon Dampier. Ryan Silverfield said the challenge is not just chasing a mobile passer, but staying disciplined enough to keep the whole unit intact when the play breaks down. For the Razorbacks, the key is simple in theory and hard in practice: keep the pressure on, fit the run cleanly and avoid giving Utah the easy lanes it wants to create.
There is a little more reason for Arkansas to believe the opening series could matter here, too, because Utah is still ironing out its protection issues up front and showed signs of getting better in its last outing. With Morgan Scalley trying to blend a new look on offense and Dampier offering the kind of dual-threat stress that can punish missed assignments, the matchup feels like one Arkansas can influence early if it brings the right level of urgency. The question is whether the Razorbacks can make that first wave of disruption stick before Utah settles in. [Read more 🡒]