Petrino still confident in Green's ability, but Arkansas QB must face music

Razorbacks need leader to bounce back against Mississippi State

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green (10) passes during the third quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Auburn won 33-24. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The stats are ugly. Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green's three interceptions are threw the most picks in a game since Nick Starkel threw three against No. 1 Alabama in 2019.

After dicing up both Alabama A&M and Arkansas State in the first two games, the Hogs quarterback has regressed during the team's six-game losing streak. Green's touchdown to interception ratio of eight to eight is on par with the rest of his career.

So far, Green has thrown 18 touchdowns this season, but six came against Alabama A&M and four were against Arkansas State. The three picks he surrendered Saturday were a career-high.

No other team has managed to pick him off three times in any of his previous 48 college games.

"It's the nature of the position," coach Bobby Petrino said. "When you win games and when you play well, you probably get a little bit more credit than you deserve, and when you don't win, the first look is at the quarterback position. He's got to face it, that that's not how he normally plays."

Arkansas' defense held Auburn's offense out of the end zone after the opening drive, but the calamity on the Hogs' offense sunk the team. The Razorbacks now have not won a game for 50 days and Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of the team's last SEC win.

"Watching the video is very upsetting to me," Petrino said. "We did not play offensive football the way we need to play, the way we have played, the way we've showed we can play, starting with the offensive line, which I've been given a lot of credit to, bragging a lot about, feeling good about, but we didn't execute it all up front like we need to in the run game and protection."

Green has also had a sack issue against SEC defenses. Opposing defenses have sacked Green 14 times over the past four games, tying a career-high over a four game stretch over Green's career.

Petrino also revealed that Green was unable to practice full speed because of lingering effects of an injury he sustained against Texas A&M.

"[It] should not affect his decision making," Petrino said about the limited practice. "But he let it affect his decision making. His sets and technique were the worst they’ve been all year. So just really the mental preparation to practice and play, I didn’t get it done well enough. That’s on me [as a coach]."

Despite the struggles, Petrino still remains unshakeable in his confidence of his hand-picked quarterback that came with him to Arkansas two seasons ago from Boise State.

"His ability to understand where we are on the field needs to be better," Petrino said. "I anticipate him to come out very very motivated and practice tomorrow, very focused, and get himself ready to go out and play his best game of the year."

Arkansas and Mississippi State kick off 3 p.m. Saturday to cap off a three-game home stand for the Razorbacks inside Razorback Stadium. The two teams have gone a combined to go 0-14 in SEC play since the two teams met last in 2024, a game in which Arkansas won 58-25. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.