Three Keys To A Happy Win Over Western Carolina

Hard to do keys to victory over an FCS team, but how Hogs can please fans

Author:
Jacob Davis
Publish date:
Aug 31, 2023 4:22 PM EDT

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — To say Saturday's game against Western Carolina at War Memorial Stadium is a must-win game is certainly true. The Arkansas Razorbacks have to start fast and dominate Catamounts from the jump.

There’s too much talent to not warrant fan expectations of a blowout. However, Arkansas coach Sam Pittman found himself the target of criticism for possible taking mid-major foes lightly last season. A monumental upset at the hands of FCS school Missouri State in Fayetteville would have scarred Hog fans for the remainder of Pittman’s tenure. Then, the Hogs allowed Liberty to overwhelm an SEC offensive line with stunts run commonly run by junior high teams.

Escaping embarrassment will a major goal because another close game against a non-Power Four school will have Hog fans flustered.

Scoring 35 points by halftime

The Hogs will look to put an explosive offense on display. During Dan Enos’ first debut with the Razorbacks the Hogs built a 28-10 lead over a potent UTEP team. The Hogs on pour 17 more in the third quarter before letting off the accelerator.

Brandon Allen was an efficient 14-of-18 passing for 308 yards and four touchdowns, While Alex Collins had 12 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown. After 48 points and nearly 500 yards of offense, the Enos era started off with a bang in comparison to the Jim Chaney offense of the previous two seasons. Arkansas has a multitude of weapons in the backfield and quite a few dangerous newcomers who can explode onto the scene this Saturday.

Getting a look at the WHOLE depth chart

The Hogs have plenty of players past the first string that Pittman and his assistants raved about in camp. One of those praised is North Carolina transfer Jacolby Criswell. The Morrilton native pushed NFL talents Sam Howell and Drake Maye during his time as a Tar Heel. Now, he will sit one more year backing up KJ Jefferson.

Criswell was able to show off his cannon of an arm during the spring game stepping up into the pocket and hitting Sam Mbake in stride for a 65-yard touchdown. Except the play didn’t count due to the defensive pressure and touch “sack”. The hope is to get this game out of the way early and seeing the central Arkansas QB take the field.

Another player receiving high praise in the lead up to the season is linebacker Brad Spence. He laid a vicious hit on Raheim Sanders that sent shockwaves through social media.

“He has a physical presence,” defensive coordinator Travis Williams said. “He comes in, and you can see him. He looks like he’s a sophomore or junior in college. He has heavy hands and does a really good job striking, has a really good change of direction, really good speed [and] he's running his system.”

Dazzling Defensive Plays

The Hogs added quite a few pieces on the defensive side to shore up the secondary and make the front seven more potent.

Throughout the offseason the defensive line received all the hype for its performance. There has been immense growth from the likes of Landon Jackson, who’s up 45 pounds to 285, plus the addition of former Missouri standout and All-SEC performer Trajan “Tree” Jeffcoat, former Maryland transfer Anthony “Tank” Booker and Louisiana Tech transfer Keivie Rose. All bring a lot of college experience and productivity.

Will they live in the Western Carolina backfield causing fits and wreaking havoc on Saturday? They should. According to game notes from the Catamounts website, their program is 0-61 all-time against FBS competition. They’re also 0-20 against SEC opponents. There is certainly no reason the Hogs can’t take care of business and allow their fans to leave War Memorial Stadium optimistic and happy this Saturday.