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Arkansas defensive line coach Rory Segrest on Taiwan Johnson’s play: “The thing about Taiwan is he’s an attention-to-detail guy. He tries to do things the way you ask him to do it. He’s explosive. He’s got some good quickness. He gives us some options inside. From a movement standpoint we can do some things with him there.” Segrest on Texas Tech’s offense: “They do some different things. They’ve got some really good skill guys and they try to get the ball in their hands. They will run some quick plays and they will also try to stretch the field. We’ve just got to make sure we’re consistent, attacking the line of scrimmage and stopping the run first.” Arkansas defensive backs coach Clay Jennings on the safety rotation: “We had three main guys last week: Liddell, Turner and Gaines. I believe we’ll have De’Andre Coley back this week as well so we’re excited to have him back. It’s fun to almost be totally healthy again.” Jennings on Josh Liddell’s play: “We played around 70 snaps, I think Josh played about 35 of them. He made a couple of freshman mistakes. The one good thing that he has done this week is he’s come out and corrected those and had a pretty good week of practice.” Arkansas safety Alan Turner on the defense the last two days of practice: “I feel like we did pretty well. We know we had some things where we made mistakes but that’s where film comes in and the next day we come in and try to fix those mistakes.” The Razorbacks are set to battle Texas Tech Saturday afternoon in Lubbock, Texas in a game that will be televised nationally on ABC. Kickoff against the Red Raiders is slated for 2:30 p.m.
5:57 p.m. 49-28 Arkansas, final — Bret Bielema said that Jonathan Williams before the game said he wasn’t going to be tackled, and that pretty much almost seemed the case for Williams, Alex Collins and the Arkansas running game. The Razorbacks piled up 499 total yards (they’d have topped 500 if not for taking a knee three straight downs to end the game) and rushed for an incredible 438 yards in pummeling Texas Tech 49-28 in Lubbock.
Collins finally broke the Red Raiders’ back with an 84-yard touchdown run that put the Hogs up 21 in the fourth quarter. Collins finished with 211 yards rushing on 27 carries. Williams carried a lot of the load for three quarters and finished with 146 yards on 22 rushes and four touchdowns.
Brandon Allen had to pass just twice in the second half. He was 6 of 12 for the game for 61 yards.
It was so much “Wisconsin-style” football under Bielema and his predecessor, Barry Alvarez, that ABC’s play-by-play man, Mike Patrick, referred to Arkansas as “Wisconsin” numerous times.
Tech’s Davis Webb passed 45 times, completing 27 for 252 yards. Tech also rushed for 101 yards and effectively blended the two in the first half.
But the game changed swiftly late in the second quarter. First, Arkansas fouled up, trying some ridiculous trickery from inside the Tech 15 after pounding the Raiders with the run. The resulting play was blown up for a fumble that Tech recovered at its 27. But just a few snaps afterward, Webb threw an ill-advised pass into the Hogs’ coverage, and linebacker Martrelle Spaight not only picked it off but returned it to the Raiders’ 12, setting up a 12-yard scoring run by Williams for a 28-21 Arkansas lead.
The Razorback got the ball to start the second half and pushed the margin to 14, staying in control for good while imposing their will.
The only negative for Arkansas might have been the many missed tackles on defense. But the Hogs won the turnover battle with a fumble recovery by Taiwan Johnson and interceptions by Spaight and freshman Henri Tolliver. The Hogs had several other passes on their hands that they couldn’t bring down for picks.
Arkansas has finally beaten an FBS team for the first time since last year’s 24-3 win over a terrible Southern Miss. The Hogs are obviously significantly better than a year ago, and now they have confidence. They’ll need it for a home game next week against strong mid-major Northern Illinois. ESPNU is televising the game at 6 p.m.
5:26 p.m. 49-29 Arkansas — Arkansas has 387 yards on 54 carries for the game. Alex Collins just got 84 of them right up the gut, cutting back a zone play to the right and working back up the middle, busting loose untouched. Tech’s safeties didn’t catch up to him until he crossed the goal line.
Not much more to say. Texas Tech fans are speechless as well.
5:12 p.m. 42-28, Arkansas — When Tech plugs the middle with too many defenders to stop the onslaught, Arkansas goes outside as Jonathan Williams scored his fourth touchdown of the day, a 7-yard run around the right side. Fullback Patrick Arinze led the way on that side with a crunching block, but of course the line as well as dominant the whole drive.
Arkansas regularly faced second-and-short on the drive after big first-down powers by Williams and Collins, who is also over 100 yards rushing now.
Arkansas has 302 yards rushing, and Bret Bielema has never lost when his team rushed for 300 or more yards.
The Hogs have only passed twice in the second half. Texas Tech has had the ball just once, but did score quickly on that possession. Arkansas’ defense has no excuse for not being rested.
Arkansas right guard Denver Kirkland went out briefly during that drive with a cramp in his right calf.
5:07 p.m. 35-28 Arkansas, end of third — The Razorbacks only allowed Texas Tech to have the ball once in the third quarter, as the Hogs pounded for 10 straight plays before time ran out.
Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins are the one-two punch in pounding the middle and then the flanks of Tech’s defensive front. Arkansas is on the Red Raider 17 to start the fourth quarter.
Williams has 139 yards rushing on 21 carries.
4:56 p.m. — Arkansas only puts on a three-man rush and Davis Webb has all day to find the fast Jakeem Grant, who was able to get a step on Tevin Mitchel for a 39-yard scoring pass down the middle. The play came on third-and-12.
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