Five Things We Noticed That You Might Not: Arkansas vs. Cincinnati

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark – With the arrival of a brand new season means a brand new spherical of “5 Issues We Seen,” the place we return over the movie searching for the odd, the precise, and the oddly particular from the Razorback video games which may have slipped previous the typical fan’s remark.

In the present day we scour, rewind, and scour some extra the Arkansas 31-24 win over the No. 23 Cincinnati Bearcats. 

Now, this is not an official remark, so it will not depend towards the 5, however Razorback followers ought to know that Arkansas joins Georgia and Alabama as the one groups to beat Cincinnati in 2+ seasons. That is proper, Sam Pittman’s membership joins the previous two nationwide champions on the record and Georgia barely pulled it out, profitable 24-21 within the 2020 season.

Fickell’s Clothes Recreation

If there was ever an indicator that dangerous decisions have been going to outline Cincinnati’s day it was Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell’s alternative of clothes for the sport.

Certain, it was a relative cool day and the realm between Fayetteville and Branson, Missouri is the place folks from South Arkansas, Texas and components of Oklahoma go once they want a break from the warmth, however it wasn’t cool sufficient to be rocking lengthy sleeves and a sweater vest. 

Certain, Fickell regarded cool. He was digicam prepared in what can be acceptable gear in late October, early November in Arkansas.

Nevertheless, he needed to know issues are hotter on the sector. The 84 levels folks have been experiencing strolling the garden in entrance of Previous Most important is not the expertise on the customer’s sideline of Razorback Stadium. 

The shadows weren’t going to succeed in that space and warmth swelters on a soccer subject.

However Fickell’s sweater vest combo wasn’t the one poor trend alternative. Both the tools supervisor or the corporate offering helmets must be changed instantly in Cincinnati.

Someplace between a dozen and two dozen instances the Bearcats needed to take a starter off the sector as a result of he acquired hit too exhausting or shook his head too exhausting in celebration and his helmet popped off. This consists of beginning quarterback Ben Bryant who needed to come out at an important time when he was simply beginning to actually get into rhythm.

These exits meant gamers who weren’t anticipating to be within the recreation needed to rush on the sector, determine the decision that in all probability occurred with out them, after which flip round to see SEC athletes in entrance of them. This made them fast targets for an Arkansas teaching employees in search of any benefit in a good recreation.

Talking of decisions, the selection to line up offsides, transfer early and to not snap the ball in time killed so many alternatives for Cincinnati to take management of the sport. Errors towards SEC groups seldom go to waste, and Arkansas held onto that mantra by making the Bearcats pay closely for each single one.

Good Blocking Makes Folks Annoyed

One factor the published announcers harped on early was Cincinnati got here away from the Alabama playoff recreation aggravated that America thought they weren’t prepared for the bodily play of SEC groups. 

Effectively, the Bearcats might have turn out to be extra bodily prepared within the offseason, however not mentally. The SEC is a grind, and difficult, violent blocking from ALL positions is part of that grind folks undervalue.

On Jefferson’s opening landing the blocking is so completely timed and in unison that it seems prefer it’s choreographed for musical theatre. The complete offensive line flows to its proper whereas Knox comes throughout to the left and units the sting to spring Jefferson. 

A couple of yards down, Matt Landers wipes out the one man who then may have made a play on Jefferson. And there’s the place this recreation was received on the offensive aspect of the ball.

Arkansas has been identified its receivers willingness and skill to dam, irrespective of how far downfield they might be. Former broad receiver Treylon Burks often went after defensive backs final yr as if he have been in a South Arkansas river backside searching feral hogs.

On Saturday, it was Landers, Jadon Haselwood, Trey Knox, and Warren Thompson standing out for his or her blocking skills. 

One factor factor that was clear nearly instantly, Cincinnati receivers should not used to getting blocked with the physicality Razorback receivers are inclined to carry.

Greater than as soon as they have been visibly pissed off by it and at one level a Bearcats defensive again went out of his method to vocalize his frustration towards Thompson. In fact, the extra aggressive Razorback receivers did not again down, which created a chippy environment.

This gave Arkansas the psychological edge and made attainable an ideal stability of 224 yards dashing and 223 yards within the air. If you happen to celebrated an enormous run as a fan final night time, reward the road and the backs, however take time to thank a receiver once you’re finished.

Normal Jefferson

Anybody who research historical past is aware of the what number of issues we now take as a right held on the person selections of nice battlefield leaders. Whereas historical past is affected by nice warriors, it is the thoughts, actions and stoic presence of a numerous ranges of officers within the midst of the struggle that in the end decided or impressed victory.

What the Arkansas employees has cultivated in KJ Jefferson past conventional soccer abilities is what makes the distinction in tight video games towards prime degree groups like Cincinnati. 

Let’s take you to the second shortly after a holding name on Trey Knox negated a future by Rocket Sanders early within the recreation. Half the league’s quarterbacks would have been visibly pissed off, probably even making feedback they supposed the referees to listen to or barking at their teammate for the error.

However as a substitute, Jefferson calmly walked into the neighborhood of the ref with no seen emotion. He then calmly requested the official in a peaceful method to make clear for him what Knox did to generate the decision.

After receiving what gave the impression to be an elaborate reply, Jefferson calls Knox over.

The video cuts earlier than we are able to see him move on what he has came upon to Knox, however it’s fairly apparent this dialog passed off off display screen.

That is how a subject chief attracts a constructive from a destructive state of affairs. He not solely helped his tight finish know the way to keep away from a penalty sooner or later, however he constructed rapport with the officiating crew. 

Treating the fellows in stripes with respect may not appear to be a lot, however it makes the tiniest of variations in a chippy recreation when somebody who will get yelled at for a residing feels a participant handled them as a human. 

Jefferson’s capacity as a subject basic additionally confirmed itself when it got here to recreation selections. An excellent basic acknowledges his enemy’s weak spot with out them realizing it and forces that enemy into maneuvers that expose that weak spot for exploitation.

Jefferson’s capacity to learn and see errors by the protection when strolling to the road is drastically improved with expertise. 

On the final play of the primary quarter he was in a position to acknowledge the Bearcats had nobody lined up correctly to seal the sting with out giving it away with an apparent head flip. 

To bait the Bearcats into totally exposing the weak spot, he took a number of steps towards the center to suck the one one that may probably set up an edge in after which shortly bounce outdoors into empty area. 

The opposite factor to notice is 12 kilos makes numerous distinction on velocity. Jefferson confirmed on this explicit play that he has wheels on him this yr whereas nonetheless being a big load for a quarterback.

Freak Factor Occur

Outdoors of KJ Jefferson and one of many linebackers, maybe no damage can do extra to hamper the Razorbacks’ hopes than one to Jalen Catalon. It is no coincidence that issues fell aside for a bit when he went down.

That is why backsides tightened all throughout Razorback Stadium when the All-American security left the sport with an obvious damage to his proper arm on Saturday.

There are two angles of movie on the damage and there’s nothing on both to point what might have induced it. The arm in query did not make contact with Bryant when Catalon blitzed. 

The autumn to the bottom is totally regular, in truth tame, by faculty soccer requirements. The one factor that raises any alarm in any respect is there is a barely awkward bend of the elbow when Catalon goes to push himself up off the turf with that arm.

The very fact he tried to push himself up with the arm appears to point that if no matter occurred passed off prior, there was nothing to present Catalon an concept one thing was incorrect. 

The best way his arm hung as he walked off the sector, it regarded almost definitely to be a shoulder damage. Close to the tip of the sport, Catalon returned to the sideline with out his helmet and shoulder pads. 

Whereas the announcers identified he was bending his arm, it wasn’t the injured arm he was bending. That arm nonetheless hung loosely and straight, just like how Catalon dealt with it when he got here off the sector.

Typically freak accidents simply occur. I as soon as watched a teen tear all of the ligaments in her knee by merely making an attempt to face up from a criss-cross applesauce place on a resort foyer ground.

Razorback followers will simply should hope it heals as freakishly simple because it occurred.

There Will Be a Hornsby Recreation

In some unspecified time in the future this season, there’s going to be a recreation the place Malik Hornsby takes over, it simply will not be at quarterback. 

Very like the fellows at Marvel who like to drop in little Easter Eggs into their motion pictures and reveals to trace at one thing larger coming, Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendal Briles loves to cover little nuggets within the recreation movie that he is aware of will likely be seen by good defensive coordinators and eat up helpful preparation time.

Hornsby wasn’t on the sector a lot. Whereas this was an enormous recreation for Arkansas towards a legit high quality opponent, the Hogs by no means trailed. 

Due to this, there was no want to interrupt out something particular involving Hornsby. However what did seem through the restricted motion was superb eye sweet.

Hornsby discovered himself referred to as into obligation at quarterback for a play at QB after Jefferson took a painful shot to the ribs with a helmet. Realizing Jefferson is not the sort to take kindly to coming off the sector simply because he is harm, Briles break up him out broad, protecting him out of hurt’s method. 

Jefferson then shifted again to quarterback on the subsequent play to execute a protected hand-off. Nevertheless, Hornsby stayed within the recreation, presumably in case Jefferson displayed any ache on the hand-off. 

Nevertheless, the distinctive factor is, as a substitute of Hornsby shifting out to broad receiver, he dropped right into a 3-point stance instantly behind the road of scrimmage after which blocked out of it. 

Briles deliberately put this on tape as a result of one thing else is but to come back. It will be simple to lose sight of Hornsby when he is in that stance, and since he is proven he is keen to cost ahead and throw blocks, defenders now can now not assume he will fein a block solely to immediately go right into a move sample.

The opposite play for Hornsby was a double move. It in all probability labored out for the very best that nobody was open and he was in a position to pull the ball down for 13-yard run.

Phrase is he is improved his passing skills, so with out having thrown the ball, SEC coordinators should belief that phrase. They cannot promote out on the run but as soon as a backward move has been thrown Hornsby’s method.

One thing massive is brewing right here amongst Jefferson, Briles and Hornsby. When it is unleashed, it is going to be inventive and it is going to take over an enormous recreation with massive moments. As former Dallas Cowboys broad receiver Dez Bryant used to say earlier than Lane Kiffin stole his catch phrase, get your popcorn prepared.

That is going to be blockbuster viewing.

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PLAYOFF EXPANSION CAN REALLY BENEFIT RAZORBACKS

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