Credit LSU with smart game plan

OPINION

Arkansas defenders tackle LSU running back Tyrion Davis-Price (3) during the third quarter of Saturday's game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. - Photo by Charlie Kaijo of NWA Democrat-Gazette
Arkansas defenders tackle LSU running back Tyrion Davis-Price (3) during the third quarter of Saturday's game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. - Photo by Charlie Kaijo of NWA Democrat-Gazette

Tote up all the would-haves, could-haves and should-haves from Saturday's Razorback game and nothing changes.

LSU 27, Arkansas 24, the scoreboard reading, nutshells the outcome precisely. No matter that it left the home team frustrated, furious, flummoxed -- and fearful, at 3-5, with a road game against Missouri and a home date with mighty Alabama remaining, that a winning record for Sam Pittman's Razorbacks, which once seemed realistic if not probable, is now unrealistic.

Somehow, running 38 fewer plays, Arkansas outgained LSU by 24 yards. Knowing the back story of this game, one does not immediately take comfort in those numbers. Arkansas, faced with long odds all season after back-to-back winless seasons in the Southeastern Conference, went up against LSU, the defending national champion, at a further disadvantage. LSU, getting a week off after a coronavirus-related postponement against Alabama, used the extra time wisely, controlling both lines of scrimmage and with Arkansas, itself weakened by COVID-19, hardly ever getting the ball.

Before Jalen Catalon's targeting-related ejection, before Arkansas had a potential tying field goal tipped at the line of scrimmage on its last offensive play, the Hogs played with a low margin for error. These Razorbacks, overachievers that they are, cannot afford lapses in judgment, of execution or, at times in this game, sideline play-calling.

Arkansas won a Liberty Bowl once, beating East Carolina, when it did not convert a third down. That team featured Ryan Mallett at quarterback and other difference-makers offensively like receivers Jarius Wright, Greg Childs and Joe Adams. As was typical of a Bobby Petrino-coached outfit, it lacked defensive strength. It was the Razorbacks' good fortune on that cold January night in Memphis that East Carolina's kicker kept missing field goals, Arkansas putting one through in overtime for a 20-17 victory over a Skip Holtz-coached squad. Somehow, Mallett was named offensive MVP of a game that Arkansas went 0-13 on third-down conversions.

Razorback insiders will tell you that Feleipe Franks throws the best deep ball of any Arkansas quarterback since Mallett, some comparing him with Joe Ferguson. On most Saturdays this fall, Franks, whose former Florida back-up might win the Heisman Trophy, has moved the offense, especially between the 20s.

Of late, the Razorbacks have become dependent on big plays, which was true also in Petrino's time. This group cannot afford negative yardage on first down, lowering the running threat for a squad that lacks a dominating offensive line or bigtime running back (Rakeem Boyd, whose return for a senior season has been less gaudy than advertised, teases fans wearing Darren McFadden's No. 5, but no McFadden is he). Franks' touchdown-to-interception ratio, 17-4, is acceptable but his 23 sacks lead the SEC.

Franks passed for 339 yards against LSU -- 13 yards per attempt, 19.9 yards per completion -- helping Arkansas average 8.4 per play. His only interception in 26 attempts, however, was returned to the lip of the goal, setting up a second-quarter touchdown for a 17-7 LSU lead. And one cannot get away from the disparity in third downs -- Arkansas 0-for-10, LSU 12-for 23 (the Tigers converting twice on fourth down, the Razorbacks once).

LSU controlled the ball for 11:11-3:49 in the first quarter, 10:41-4:19 in the second and 11:34-3:26 in the third. Often playing from behind this season, the Razorbacks shut out Tennessee in the second half and even scored on the first third-quarter possessions of road losses to Texas A&M and Florida. Unless the other team's quarterback be Kellen Mond (A&M) or Kyle Trask (Florida), Barry Odom's buzzsaws on defense have swung the issue in most games.

LSU lacks Heisman winner Joe Burrow and those deep-threat receivers from last year, one of the best ever seen in college football, but Arkansas had no answer for what these Tigers game-planned. A bunch of guys not named Clyde Edwards-Helaire gashed out 148 yards on the ground, 3 yards per pop on 49 carries. That doesn't sound like much but it kept a gassed Razorback defense on the field for long stretches, 41:43 in all.

The Razorbacks played a sophomore and a redshirt freshman at defensive tackle. Jonathan Marshall, a redshirt senior defensive tackle enjoying an outstanding season, lugged 317 pounds on every play.

LSU made "enough small victories on first down," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette beat writer Tom Murphy said on radio Monday, to dictate tempo. Arkansas, by contrast, came up short on third and six, third and seven, third and five, third and five and third and five -- in the first half alone.

Franks had completions of 50, 51 and 65 yards (to Treylon Burks for a touchdown). Nine of Arkansas' 13 drives lasted four plays or less. Several shorter completions on third down seemed in order for this defense under the conditions. Kendal Briles, the offensive coordinator, perhaps needs reminding before Saturday's game with Missouri.

More than in any game of his first season as a head coach, Pittman took some heat for sideline management. Trelon Smith appeared to have a gateway to the end zone on the play that Franks slipped short of the goal on the drive that Arkansas settled for a field goal and 24-20 lead.

Pittman's decision to kick on fourth and three, 1:24 left, down 27-24, rather than run a short-yardage play also was second-guessed. Even had AJ Reed put it through from 44 yards, LSU had time enough to retaliate. Long gone, of course, are the days that a Steve Little, a Kendall Trainor or a Todd Wright connecting under pressure was virtually automatic. Arkansas now makes do with lesser, more brittle kickers -- and with lesser special-teams coaches than the esteemed Ken Turner.

Still, Murphy said, "There's no way you don't attempt a tying field goal in that situation."

Even if 3-7, 4-6 or (gulp) 5-5 (with an upset of Alabama) be their final reading, these guys play like the fighting Razorbacks of old. Arkansas has had stronger teams but fewer that make fans bubble up on Saturdays, against all odds.

And any lingering doubts about Hunter Yurachek, the athletic director, should be relieved. He, too, weighed in on the officiating, saying that his student-athletes deserve better fates than the targeting call on Catalon that keeps him out of the first half against Missouri.

Some, of course, wish Arkansas would jerk roots from the SEC and join, say, the Big 12. To that I say, be careful what you wish. Do you really want to be another Oklahoma State, underneath Oklahoma's thumb, much less in the same house again with Texas?

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