Xavian Sorey’s career night leads Razorbacks’ defensive rebound

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Senior linebacker Xavian Sorey Jr. needed a response after a difficult opener.

He delivered one of his best games as a Razorback, piling up a career-high 15 tackles, two tackles for loss and a first-quarter interception to anchor Arkansas’ 56–14 win over Arkansas State at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark.

After grading out at a team-low 35.9 by Pro Football Focus the week prior, Sorey’s rebound became the tone-setter Arkansas wanted from its defensive leader.

Sorey’s interception came on a quick-out concept he diagnosed from the snap.

“I was playing the out, basically the out break bomb, and it felt kind of like a fake,” he said. “And it wasn’t fake. It was a good play, good play by my D-line, forcing the quarterback to get the ball out quick.”

His takeaway short-circuited an early Arkansas State drive and helped Arkansas keep control before a sellout crowd in the capital city.

The Campbellton, Fla., native’s stat line told only part of the story. Sorey was running after players all over the field, cleaning up plays in space and communicating in the middle of the formation.

Arkansas reportedly spent the practice week emphasizing better production from the front seven, Sorey’s reliability on first and second down allowed coordinator Travis Williams to stay balanced with pressure calls and coverage shells.

Hogs coach Sam Pittman, who said the defense needed a quicker start and more physical play after Week 1, was not surprised Sorey led the surge.

“We needed that going into SEC play, but I knew Sorey was going to have a good game just because he was so low and down about the game that he played last week,” Pittman said. “We got production out of the front seven, and that was good to see.”

Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Xavian Sorey directing the defense against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-allHOGS Images

Sorey briefly left in the fourth quarter after a hard collision, but Pittman described the issue as a bruise and indicated the senior is “just fine.”

After the game he was talking more about improving details than about the numbers he posted.

Context made Sorey’s performance notable. One week earlier, he acknowledged the opener against Alabama A&M didn’t meet his standard.

By Saturday, he recalibrated quickly, fitting runs with patience, attacking the perimeter when Arkansas State tried bubbles and speed-outs, and finishing tackles without yards after contact.

The result was a game-high 15 stops and the kind of drive-killing plays Arkansas emphasized in meetings.

Sorey’s first-quarter interception captured the theme. He read the out route, trusted his landmark and broke in front of the pass as interior pressure hurried the throw.

It was his second interception as a Razorback and a moment that signaled Arkansas’ defense had settled in.

“It was a good play by my D-line,” Sorey said, leaning into the collaborative approach the front seven had targeted during the week.

That approach extended to early-down execution. Arkansas again held an opponent below 300 total yards, including 132 passing, and controlled the edges where missed fits can turn into explosive gains.

By winning first down, Sorey pushed Arkansas State into predictable situations and allowed the Razorbacks to vary coverage while still contesting the middle of the field.

For a defense that wants its linebackers to play downhill without sacrificing coverage integrity, Sorey’s night checked both boxes.

His two tackles for loss came on plays where he diagnosed motion and flow, slipped blocks and finished behind the line. The negative snaps forced hurried decisions and contributed to Arkansas’ overall backfield disruption.

Key takeaways

• Sorey answered a low Week 1 grade with a career-high 15 tackles, two TFLs and a first-quarter interception. On3

• Sam Pittman anticipated the rebound and said front-seven production was a point of emphasis all week. On3

• A late bruise briefly sidelined Sorey, but Pittman indicated the senior is fine moving forward.