Relive the Dan Enos Era Under Bret Bielema

Watch highlights and see statistical breakdowns of each game during the previous run of the Razorbacks' new offensive coordinator to get a feel where Arkansas is headed

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Jan 25, 2023 7:12 PM EST
Original:
Jan 25, 2023

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Perhaps the greatest positive to Dan Enos taking over for former Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendal Briles is most Razorback fans know what they're getting into.

However, for those who don't or simply struggle to recall, this detailed account complete with game by game highlights will give everyone a good feel for how things will most likely look next season in Fayetteville.

The Arkansas offensive era under Enos lasted three years from 2015-17, only one of which featured current Razorback head coach Sam Pittman on the Arkansas staff.

That first season with the two together was record-breaking, especially once everyone figured out the offense the final seven games. The year following was highly productive with linemen trained by Pittman still mostly manning the line of scrimmage.

However, as Pittman's influence faded and the skeletons of Bielema's choices came to roost, things fell apart in the final season, clearing the path for the Chad Morris regime.

Here is a full account, videos and stats included, of what Enos was able to do at Arkansas with the Allen brothers at quarterback and a solid stable of running backs.

2015

What was notable:

Arkansas got off to a rough start, but finished the year 6-1 and was two points away from finishing the season a perfect 7-0, which would have made Arkansas 7-2 in the SEC with a bowl win to tack onto the end.

During that final stretch, Arkansas averaged 46 points per game.

On a side note, Arkansas lost its fifth out of six games in Little Rock with a stunner against Toledo where the stats and the points don't make sense. That being said, this season will be most remembered for "4th & 25."

Stats:

Passing – 3,486

Rushing – 2,595

Total: 6,063

Total Points –468

TDs – 62

UTEP

48-13, W

308 yds Passing (4 TDs), 182 yds Rushing (2 TDs)

TOLEDO

12-16, L

412 yds Passing (0 TD), 103 yds Rushing (1 TD)

TEXAS TECH

24-35, L

196 yds Passing (2 TDs), 228 yds Rushing (1 TD)

TEXAS A&M

21-28, L

225 yds Passing (1 TD), 232 yds Rushing (2 TDs)

(Note: Video does play despite lack of thumbnail.)

TENNESSEE

24-20, W

219 yds Passing (1 TD), 288 yds Rushing (2 TDs)

ALABAMA

14-27, L

176 yds Passing (2 TDS), 44 yds Rushing (0 TDs)

AUBURN

54-46, W

244 yds Passing (3 TDS), 213 yds Rushing (4 TDs)

TENNESSEE-MARTIN

63-28, W

300 yds Passing (3 TDS), 291 yds Rushing (6 TDs)

OLE MISS

53-52, W

442 yds Passing (6 TDS), 163 yds Rushing (1 TD)

LSU

31-14, W

141 yds Passing (1 TD), 299 yds Rushing (3 TDs)

MISSISSIPPI STATE

50-51, L

406 yds Passing (7 TDs), 73 yds Rushing (0 TDs)

MISSOURI

28-3, W

102 yds Passing (0 TDs), 208 yds Rushing (4 TDs)

KANSAS STATE
^{(Liberty Bowl)}

45-23, W

315 yds Passing (1 TD), 254 yds Rushing (5 TDs)

2016

What was notable:

This is the first season without Sam Pittman coaching the offensive linemen. PIttman left for Georgia after growing tired of Bielema's antics.

The highlight of the season was a double overtime win in Forth Worth over a TCU team that went 9-2 the previous season and finished No. 7 in the country. It ended a 14-game home winning streak for the Horned Frogs.

However, after a 3-0 start, the Razorbacks settled into a pattern of alternating losses and wins despite relatively high offensive numbers most of the season.

While yards were virtually the same as the previous year, scoring was down nearly 100 points as Arkansas scored 15 fewer touchdowns.

Arkansas had back-to-back meltdowns to close the season during a span that was highlighted by Jeremy Sprinkle trying to steal clothing from the title sponsor of the bowl game in addition to the swag he was already getting.

The hidden gem in this season is 400 yards passing and 473 yards of total offense against No. 1 Alabama.

Stats:

Passing – 3,434

Rushing – 2,137

Total: 5,571

Total points –394

TDs – 47

LOUISIANA TECH

21-20, W

191 yds Passing (2 TDs), 106 yds Rushing (1 TD)

TCU

41-38, W

223 yds Passing (3 TDs), 180 yds Rushing (1 TD)

TEXAS STATE

42-3, W

241 yds Passing (2 TDs), 226 yds Rushing (3 TDs)

TEXAS A&M

24-45, L

371 yds Passing (2 TDs), 120 yds Rushing (1 TD)

ALCORN STATE

52-10, W

206 yds Passing (3 TDs), 353 yds Rushing (3 TDs)

ALABAMA

30-49, L

400 yds Passing (3 TDs), 73 yds Rushing (1 TD)

OLE MISS

34-30, W

229 yds Passing (3 TDs), 200 yds Rushing (1 TD)

AUBURN

3-56, L

190 yds Passing (0 TDs), 25 yds Rushing (0 TDs)

FLORIDA

31-10, W

243 yds Passing (1 TD), 223 yds Rushing (2 TDs)

LSU

10-38, L

243 yds Passing (1 TD), 223 yds Rushing (2 TDs)

MISSISSIPPI STATE

58-42, W

304 yds Passing (3 TDs), 359 yds Rushing (5 TDs)

MISSOURI

24-28, L

348 yds Passing (1 TD), 155 yds Rushing (2 TDs)

Highlights start around the 0:50 mark.

VIRGINIA TECH

24-35, L

278 yds Passing (2 TDs), 36 yds Rushing (1 TD)

2017

What was notable:

There's not a lot to say about this year other than Bielema's bad habits caught up with him, plunging Arkansas into the darkness of the Chad Morris era. Arkansas only won one game against a Power 5 team, a 38-37 nail-biter over Ole Miss.

Without that win, the SEC losing streak Sam Pittman eventually broke would have been five games longer. Bielema was fired before he got off the field after losing to lowly Missouri.

After seeing production drop by nearly 100 points the previous season, the slide continued by dropping another 49 points. To be fair, Arkansas didn't make a bowl game, which contributed to some of that reduction.

With fewer of Pittman's lineman still around to man the trenches, offensive production dropped by over 1,000 yards.

We didn't include the videos because, quite frankly, they weren't worth the effort. The stats below and the 4-8 record tell the story.

Things crashed and burned so hard that Austin Allen and Cole Kelly nearly evenly split 338 pass attempts.