Sporting Life Arkansas

Live with Jim Harris: UAB at Arkansas Homecoming

  It’s game day: UAB at Arkansas Homecoming and the Razorbacks are massive favorites in the game agains the Blazers. Today’s game time is set for 11 a.m. in Fayetteville and on the SEC Network. Jim Harris will be posting his thoughts throughout the game here, so check this page often. (Scroll down about halfway and you’ll see the posts from Jim.) Pre-game comments: Linebackers coach Randy Shannon on sophomore linebacker Josh Williams: “You come here to be a part of something special. He had an opportunity to come in and play and didn’t miss a hit. He got us lined up, made a lot of tackles and chased the football hard. We were excited to give him a chance to get in the game and see what kind of player he was.” Defensive backs coach Clay Jennings on UAB’s receivers: “Jamarcus Nelson is doing a great job stretching the defense. They have some pretty talented receivers. The quarterback also does a great job extending some plays and getting the ball down field. We have our work cut out for us. I think our guys are excited about putting in work this week and trying to get back on the right track.” Sophomore cornerback DJ Dean on physical play: “Everyone’s trying to come back a little bit harder than we have before. Last week wasn’t Arkansas football. We’re trying to come back and rebuild. Dean on defensive takeaways: “It’s been three weeks without a takeaway so we are definitely looking to get some Saturday. We just have to keep our eyes in the right spot and we will be alright.” arkansas homecoming  
1:45 p.m. — Speaking of not bright, punt returner D.J. Dean just did something even more stupid that any of the Alabama punt return gaffes here in this stadium two weeks ago. Dean decided not to field a punt, which has been typical of the Hogs all year and was waving people off. It took a bounce upfield and suddenly Dean decided he needed to field it after all, couldn’t get a grip on the ball and coughed it up to UAB’s Jimmy Jean at the Arkansas 26. Again, I will beat this dead horse and say that Arkansas’ special teams, while looking good finally with placements, is in the gutter in every other area.
1:43 p.m. — The media is being polled for the winner of the annual Crip Hall Award, given to the top Razorback senior in the game. That it is so wide open who might win it and that there are no seniors in the key play-making roles (outside of maybe Trey Flowers at DE, who has had an OK game), says tons about the future of the Razorbacks. It’s bright.
1:39 p.m. 45-10 end of third — Arkansas outgained UAB 110-19 in the third quarter in total yards, but that yardage does not include a 100-yard kick return. The coverages today will be the area of chief concern for Bret Bielema and his staff. While some of it revolves around either bad punting or line drive kickoffs and gaps in the coverage, they are the area that will have to be cleaned up before the trip to Starkville next week.
1:34 p.m. 45-10 Arkansas — Well, clearly Arkansas’s special teams have been a problem in some form or fashion for a few weeks now. If it’s not placements, it’s coverage. And on the ensuing kickoff after Sprinkle’s touchdown, Arkansas surrenders a 100-yard kickoff return to JJ Nelson through the left side and down the left sideline. Even McFain, who has made some saving tackles on other kick returns of late, hand no chance to lasso Nelson, who has exceptional speed. Still, you could see a big kickoff return coming against Arkansas for some time now. There have been obvious gaps in coverage for a while, and this time the hole stayed open and a speedy man was able to get to the kicker level and then break it.
1:31 p.m. 45-3 Arkansas — Two things happened that got Arkansas back on track offensively: Sam Irwin-Hill’s big boot changed the field, and Arkansas’ defense pitched a quick three-and-out, playing the passing game exceptionally well. Now, nobody is going to confuse UAB with even Texas Tech’s passing game, but can you imagine how far Arkansas’s defense has come in defending the pass from where it was last season. Arkansas’ Brandon Allen then regained his touch, capping a 70-yard drive on the fifth play with a nice strike to Jeremy Sprinkle, a tight end who looked like a long wide-receiver on the play stretching up and out for the laser in the end zone from 15 yards out.