Was This Clunker Good Defenses or Bad Offenses?

Blame pointed at coaches but players should have accountability, too

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Nov 13, 2022 9:44 AM EST
Original:
Nov 12, 2022

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Mostly, Arkansas and LSU looked like two mules fighting over a turnip Saturday.

In a game with more wild mood swings than a crazy ex, the Tigers put together the one sustained offensive drive that could score a touchdown and came away with a 13-10 win.

It really was as ugly as the final score might make you think.

There will be platitudes for the defenses on both sides. While there were a few plays made, it was mostly a case of two offenses that seemed shocked at the below-freezing temperatures they awoke to.

LSU had players sick that morning. No word on anybody with the Razorbacks.

At this point that would sound like an excuse. Hogs coach Sam Pittman wasn't doing any of that.

"We’re not blocking them and we’re not breaking any tackles," he said in the post-mortem. "We have to block better and we have to make guys miss. We’re not doing that at any position."

Cade Fortin-Harold Perkins-LSU — Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Cade Fortin throws a pass as he's getting pressured by LSU linebacker Harold Perkins in the second half of their game Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. (Ted McClenning / allHOGS Images)

The two teams combined for 533 yards in offense. The Hogs were averaging 461 a game coming in while the Tigers were averaging a shade over 425 yards a game.

You can't always rely on just the numbers. Sometimes you have to trust what you saw on the field and invoke some common sense. Spin it however you like.

From this seat on the 50-yard line it was ugly. Just by the sheer number of blown offensive assignments at just about every single position, the defenses would have looked good eating hot dogs and popcorn during some plays.

"We’re certainly running gap schemes, running inside zone schemes, running sweeps, running outside zone and not seeming to have much success on any of it now," Pittman said. "They’ve got to respect that the quarterback’s going to pull the ball and throw it. If they don’t you’ve got problems."

With Hogs quarterback KJ Jefferson not able to go, it fell on Malik Hornsby and about the only thing he had much success with was running out of bounds a few yards downfield. His passes wouldn't have hit water throwing out of a boat.

Finally in the second half they pulled the plug on that and threw Cade Fortin into the game and had a little success, but then LSU freshman linebacker Harold Perkins got involved and made life miserable.

"There wasn't a game plan for him really," Hogs center Ricky Stromberg said later. "We knew he was out there. He could fire. We knew when he was in the box whenever we were in pass protection that he would spy, he would stay on the quarterback.

"I think he just got put in good situations to make good plays and he did."

Fortin's passing a clutch run or two actually gave everybody some hope the game would get some excitement in the fourth quarter. That never really completely happened.

"I kept thinking we might just spit a big play or something of that nature, but it wasn't happening," Pittman said. "We decided to go there. We still didn't protect him well either."

He did complete 8-of-13 passing with no interceptions and a touchdown that was mostly wide receiver Matt Landers making a catch and taking off down the left sideline. Typically, an LSU defender blew a tackle on the play.

Matt Landers-LSU — Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Matt Landers hauls in a pass in the second half of a game against the LSU Tigers on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. (Michael Morrison / allHOGS Images)

This one was really summed up about the only way Pittman could: "We have to play better."

For a team sitting at 5-5 overall and 2-4 in the SEC, you can forget a fancy bowl game this year. The Citrus Bowl and Cotton Bowl had people at the game, but that had more to do with the Tigers than the Hogs.

The Razorbacks have Ole Miss coming to town that was tied at 24 with Alabama on Saturday. It got away from them with the Crimson Tide defense coming to life for a quarter.

We'll deal with whatever happens there next week.

The Hogs need to somehow find a way to jump-start a team stuck in neutral.