All Hogs

Razorbacks' Offensive Brand Compared to a Discount Store

Hogs couldn’t find room to move against a Swiss cheese Mississippi State defense.
Jacob Davis|
Razorbacks' Offensive Brand Compared to a Discount Store
Razorbacks' Offensive Brand Compared to a Discount Store

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Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The issue with Arkansas' offense is there is no imagination, innovation or motivation to get anything going. 

Offensive coordinator Dan Enos is dialing up plays that gain 2-3 yards at the most while opposing defenses cram the line of scrimmage with up to 10 men within the first down markers. Of course, the Razorbacks were not going to be successful with this game plan and Mississippi State dares them do draw up something more than 7-10+ yards.

There is no fear from defenses about being beat with deep throws or an intermediate passing attack. Slow-developing screen passes and play action roll-outs are causing stagnation to an immovable offense. The Hogs’ defense appropriately held a Mississippi State team led by a back-up quarterback to seven points and 205 yards of offense. All the while the Razorbacks could only muster three points and 200 yards on a gorgeous day for homecoming. The “epitome of brutality” as Jon Rothstein would say.

ESPN’s color commentator Mark Jones expressed concern about the Hogs' offense generating less than 100 offensive yards halfway through the third quarter.

“KJ Jefferson started the day wearing Louis Vuitton, but during the game this offense looks like they shop at Payless,” Jones said.

Wasting such an exceptional defense with an offense that is stuck between John L. Smith and Joe Craddock would be something the Hogs would do. Even former players feel the same way.

Quite frankly, the Razorbacks struggled to even cross midfield. Arkansas had 12 drives against Mississippi State. Four resulted in three and out, four finished four and out, and only one drive saw a gain more than three first downs.

With the opportunity to put points on the board and pull within one with four minutes in the third quarter, the Razorbacks' special teams couldn’t get the correct personnel on the field. Following a delay of game penalty, it seemed that Sam Pittman did not trust his potential all-American field goal kicker Cam Little from 56 yards.

"To be honest, I didn't know what to do,” Pittman said. “I didn't make the decision fast enough. I didn't want to burn the timeout because I wasn't sure I was making the right decision."

Instead, the decision was made to punt the ball to the Mississippi State three-yard line. The Hogs’ best offensive drive of the day came away with no points and they never reached scoring position again.

HOGS FEED:

RAZORBACKS' LOSS MANAGES TO PULL BOTH SIDES OF POLITICAL AISLE TO CENTER ON FOOTBALL TEAM

INABILITY TO DO MUCH OF ANYTHING SENDS ARKANSAS CRASHING TO LAST IN SEC AFTER LOSS TO MISSISSIPPI STATE

STRONG DEFENSIVE HIRES MAY BE LIFELINE THAT SAVES PITTMAN'S JOB

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Jacob Davis
JACOB DAVIS

Jacob Davis is a reporter for Arkansas Razorbacks on SI, with a decade of experience covering high school and transfer portal recruiting. He has previously worked at Rivals, Saturday Down South, SB Nation and hosted podcasts with Bleav Podcast Network where his show was a finalist for podcast of the year. Native of El Dorado, he currently resides in Central Arkansas with his wife and daughter.