FAYETTEVILLE -- Just like Razorback fans, second-year Arkansas coach Bret Bielema expressed pride Saturday in his team, a 19-point underdog, battling from 14 points down to a 21-all halftime tie against No. 6 Auburn.
The second-year Arkansas coach also can't hide his dismay that the Razorbacks were outscored 24-0 in the second half and lost 45-21 to the defending Southeastern Conference champion and national runner-up.
With a 68-24 record and three Big Ten championships coaching Wisconsin from 2006-12, Bielema, one game into 2014, 3-10 overall (0-9 in the SEC) with the Razorbacks, who have lost 10 in a row.
The mounting losses have convinced Bielema of one thing heading into Saturday's 3 p.m. nonconference home opener at Reynolds Razorback Stadium against Nicholls State.
"We can't let Auburn beat us twice," Bielema said. "We can't let one game define us or define our season. We have got an opportunity to bounce back here against Nicholls State and the rest of the season."
Nicholls State, a Southland Conference member from Thibodaux, La., seems a decidedly winnable game. The Colonels only went 4-8 last year and on Saturday were strafed 44-16 at Air Force.
However, it was a stunning 34-31 overtime loss in Little Rock to 30-point underdog Louisiana-Monroe in the second game of 2012 that derailed the Hogs to oblivion. So it does behoove them to learn from Saturday's Auburn experience but not beat themselves up over it.
"We can't keep dwelling on it," senior safety Alan Turner said. "We just have to have come back tomorrow and correct."
Some things will be easier to correct than others.
While it perhaps won't manifest against Nicholls State, Arkansas' step-slow pass defense, whether it be foot speed, positioning or instinctive reaction, manifested at Auburn.
For the final three quarters, Auburn receiver Duke Williams alone accounted for nine catches for 154 yards, including a long one of 62 yards and a touchdown catch of 18. Auburn's first touchdown pass went 49 yards to Melvin Ray, who also had a 28-yard reception.
Auburn's Cameron Artis-Payne carried 26 times for 177 yards with a long gain of 32 and a one-yard touchdown run.
"Speed of the game and read and reaction, it looked like we were a little bit slow on pass defense at times -- just a hair behind the play," Bielema said.
"The big play was the killer. We call a big play anything over 20 yards in the running game and over 25 in the passing games, and those are things we have to eliminate and tackle better defensively."
Bielema said in the second half, as the Hogs trailed, they tried too hard to strip the ball from ballcarriers over the tackling fundamentals to bring down the carrier.
However, redshirt freshman backup defensive end Tevin Beanum did dislodge the Auburn fumble that Arkansas linebacker Martrell Spaight recovered.
Offensively, at least four drops by receivers lessened what could have been outstanding statistics by Arkansas junior quarterback Brandon Allen.
Other than the pick-six interception that Auburn's Jermaine Whitehead returned for a 33-yard touchdown, when Allen was clobbered by unblocked blitzing linebacker Robenson Therezie as he threw, Allen played impressively, 18 of 31 for 175 yards including touchdown passes to tight ends Hunter Henry and AJ Derby.
Allen's performance was particularly noteworthy given the distraction of a suspected arsonist or arsonists setting fire to and destroying his truck in the early morning Aug. 25 as it was parked near his residence.
"Overall preparation this week, there wasn't any noticeable difference in anything," Bielema said. "We all know what happened away from the stadium, but I think there are guys that believe in him and that it was a positive direction for him."
Bielema said the offensive coaching staff will review the lack of second-half rushing attempts after Auburn snuffed Arkansas' early third-quarter possessions following the Hogs netting 151 first-half yards rushing but only 17 in the second half.
Whatever the outcome Saturday, the staff will aim for the Hogs to play as intently disciplined in the fourth quarter as the first.
"We survived some trials and tribulations there in the first half but obviously to play a four-quarter game, and it has got to be a coaching point that we have to carry forward with these guys, especially against good football teams," Bielema said. "You know it's a four-quarter game. That's what matters."
Sports on 09/02/2014