FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas football Coach Sam Pittman confirmed quarterback Taylen Green’s injury from last Saturday as a knee sprain during Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference.
Pittman added Green and tailback Ja’Quinden Jackson would be questionable at this point as to their availability for next Saturday’s 11 a.m. game against No. 5 Texas. The Razorbacks (5-4, 3-3 SEC) are currently going through their second open week and hoping to have their top two total offense leaders back on the field to face the Longhorns.
Both Green and Jackson were at the Hogs’ walkthrough practice Tuesday, but their participation in Wednesday’s practice looked iffy, Pittman said on the morning teleconference.
“I still think we’re a few days away from both those guys, determining what their ability to play against Texas would be,” Pittman said. “I can tell you this: I don’t know if either one of them would be able to play if we were playing Saturday.”
Jackson, who ranks fourth in SEC rushing with 83.8 yards per game, has missed the past two games — a 58-25 road win at Mississippi State and a 63-31 home loss to No. 19 Ole Miss — with an ankle injury he has been batting since training camp. The senior transfer from Utah has 592 rushing yards to rank fifth in the SEC.
Green suffered the knee injury when both of his legs were rolled over by 320-pound Zxavian Harris at the end of a 14-yard run in the first quarter against Ole Miss. Green returned on the next series but his day was done after halftime.
“I think we still have to wait until probably a Monday of next week to see exactly where we’re at with those two guys,” Pittman said.
“Taylen’s got a sprained knee, and certainly JJ’s got that ankle. They were out in the walkthrough yesterday (Tuesday), but I don’t know that they’ll be available really for practice today (Wednesday).”
Green has been recovering from a knee issue during both of the Hogs’ open weeks. He had a bone bruise on an illegal low hit by Tennessee’s Omarr Norman-Lott during Arkansas’ 19-14 upset of No. 4 Tennessee on Oct. 5 and was not at full speed for the Razorbacks’ 34-10 home loss to LSU on Oct. 19.
Green is fourth in SEC passing (246.0 yards per game) and total offense (291.7 ypg) and 10th in efficiency (140.41) with a rate that has been on the rise since a Week 5 loss to Texas A&M. The redshirt junior has completed 161 of 263 passes (61.2%) for 2,214 yards with 11 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.
Green’s replacement, redshirt freshman Malachi Singleton, has completed 21 of 28 passes (75%) for 358 yards with 1 touchdown and no interceptions and has an efficiency rating of 194.2. The bulk of Singleton’s playing time has come in the season-opening 70-0 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, the fourth quarter of the Hogs’ win over Tennessee and the second half last week against Ole Miss.
In Jackson’s absence, true freshman Braylen Russell powered for 175 yards in the landslide win at Mississippi State. Rashod Dubinion rushed for 98 yards and a touchdown in that same game, then added 12 carries for 49 yards and a touchdown against the Rebels with Russell limited to 4 carries for 2 yards.
Additionally, Rodney Hill returned from a three-game absence against Ole Miss to add 16 rushing yards on three carries.
