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FAYETTEVILLE — Generating yardage has seldom been a problem for the University of Arkansas football team this season.
Under second-year offensive coordinator and interim Coach Bobby Petrino, the Razorbacks (2-9, 0-7 SEC) check in at third in the SEC and 11th in the country in total offense with 473.8 yards per game heading into Saturday’s season-finale against Missouri (7-4, 3-4).
That’s one of the reasons why Petrino’s name remained on the edges in the hunt to take over the full-time coaching duties, even if the odds are slim, and why he’d be a coveted coordinator in 2026 for many a coach.
The issues on offense have dealt more with hanging onto the football and ultimately cashing in points to match the big production, largely triggered by senior quarterback Taylen Green, who is sixth in the country with 311.6 yards per game.
The albatross is a turnover margin of minus-1.09 per game, with 20 turnovers versus 8 takeaways, a deficit that is 5-0 in the past two games and only two takeaways against SEC competition.
Asked if turnover margin was the biggest culprit that has defined the season, Petrino replied, “No question about it.
“As far as what we’ve been able to do with yards and points and third-down conversions, you look at a lot of the statistics and we’re doing a nice job. But turning the ball over is what has hurt us the most.”
Green has thrown 11 interceptions and lost 3 of 6 fumbles through 11 games for an average of 1 interception and 1.3 turnovers per game. Only five FBS starting quarterbacks ranked in the top 100 have thrown more interceptions than Green.
Petrino elected to not have Green return to action during the second half of last week’s 52-37 loss at No. 17 Texas after he was out briefly with tightening hamstrings. Green’s final play was a head-scratcher of a pitch into the second level of the Texas defense, which was intercepted by Jelani McDonald and returned 11 yards to set up a touchdown for a 38-20 Longhorn lead.
Backup KJ Jackson, in the most significant action of his college career, also accounted for a turnover — a strip sack initiated by Collin Simmons and returned 52 yards for a touchdown by Liona Leafu. But he led scoring drives on his three other possessions.
So Petrino enters the final game with a quarterback question: Go with the fifth-year senior as the best option to beat Missouri or roll with the redshirt freshman, who is coming off a solid showing.
Petrino said he’d keep the starting job under wraps all week.
Missouri Coach Eli Drinkwitz, like a string of SEC coaches before him, touts Green’s abilities.
“I think their quarterback is as good a quarterback as there is in the country,” Drinkwitz said. “I believe he leads the SEC in total yardage. I think he is a tremendous player.”
Arkansas senior guard Fernando Carmona said he has belief in either quarterback the Razorbacks could employ.
“A young guy with energy and he took full advantage of his opportunity,” Carmona said of Jackson. “He played a great game. Came in there and we were down a few points, and we had to go out there and pass the ball and he did a great job.
“The thing that stood out to me is young guys are usually more quiet. But KJ was loud. He was yelling at us to get lined up on the ball and he was leading us. So I told him after the game, I was like, ‘Dude, I’m really proud of you.’ “
But Carmona also touted Green’s leadership since he stepped on campus in the spring semester of 2024.
“Taylen’s an ultimate leader at the end of the day,” he said. “Whether he’s playing or whatever the case is, or if he’s hurt, or whatever it may be, he’s always leading. Regardless if he’s playing or not, he’s going to be the same old Taylen.
“They’re both obviously great quarterbacks. You’ve seen that. It’s going to turn out, whoever’s the best and whoever lines up to be the best quarterback at the time. But I think whoever we have in there, we have ultimate faith in. Those are two great sports. Two great leaders, and they’re just trying to get each other ready, and they obviously want what’s best for the team.”
Petrino handpicked Green to join him after he was named Arkansas’ offensive coordinator two winters ago.
“We came in together, obviously, and I had a big thing to do with recruiting him here,” Petrino said. “We inherited an offense that wasn’t real good. I feel like he’s done a really nice job of competing.
“He’s been tough. He’s been able to win games. At one time, in his first year here, we were 4-2 and feeling good about it. He ended up having a great game in the bowl game.”
Petrino also said he thinks Green has been under more pressure this season.
“This year, it’s been a hard go,” Petrino said. “I think it’s been a hard go when you have an offense that is explosive and able to score points, but not able to score as many as the other team.
“That puts a lot of pressure on you. You start feeling the pressure and you tighten up. And I think that’s where some of these errors and things have come. … When you feel like you have to score every single time you go out on the field, you don’t just play as freely as you would, you know?
“I think that’s been … some of the issues. Obviously, he needs to overcome that and take care of the ball. It’s just been a thing about taking care of the ball more than anything else. Everything else, he’s done a good job of playing, but he has been prone to turn the ball over. In games where you have to try to outscore the other team, it adds up.”
The Razorbacks want to be able to rely on their rushing attack, which ranks 20th in the country with 203.8 yards per game, though they will face the country’s 22-ranked run-stop defense in the Tigers, who allow 107.2 yards per game.
“They’re a great defense,” Carmona said. “All three layers, you know, to the box, to the safeties, all of them are really good. I think it all starts up front. We’ve got to control that line of scrimmage and really run the ball.”
Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. exceeded 1,000 rushing yards for the season last week and enters the finale with 1,020 and an average of 6.5 yards per carry.
“I think their running back is an excellent player,” Drinkwitz said. “They did a great job in their scouting department getting him, recruiting him, and finding him from New Mexico State. And I think they’ve got some dangerous weapons in both the tight end and the wide receiver room.”
Arkansas tight ends Jaden Platt and Rohan Jones combined for 9 receptions for 148 yards and Platt had an 8-yard touchdown reception against Texas last week. Jones, who averages a hefty 27.4 yards per catch, had a season-high 5 catches for 82 yards.
At a glanceMISSOURI AT ARKANSASWHEN 2:30 p.m. SaturdayWHERE Reynolds Razorback Stadium, FayettevilleRECORDS Missouri 7-4, 3-4 SEC; Arkansas 2-9, 0-7TV SEC NetworkRADIO Razorback Sports NetworkLINE Missouri by 2 1/2
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Hank Layton)
