What’s the read on Arky?

[BigDawg0074]

Thrashing TAMU was fun but now our Dawgs step up competition against a better coaching staff. Can Arnette and co. do enough to limit Arky’s scores? Watching Achane gash state makes me concerned about their ability to stop the conference’s leading rusher in Rocket Sanders. If they can pressure Rogers and play keep away with their run game it may be tough to build a lead.

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

They have one of the worst pass defenses in the college football. So whatever they have been trying to do it has been completely ineffective against normal passing teams. I expect Rogers to have a near career game throwing and when they adjust to try and take that away our new found running game will make them pay. Us finding that running game last week has to be giving their DC ulcers. If we are no longer one dimensional then they have to play to respect the run and no longer be able to focus solely on the pass. I think AR probably gets their points but all we will need is a handful of stops to be able to outscore them. Just need to limit the costly penalties (like targeting on 4th down) and no turnovers.

 

[Seinfeld]

I know we like to joke about this board being bipolar, and there’s definitely some truth to it, but the way I’m looking at things right now is that we came into the season knowing State would have 5-6 toss up games, we’re 1-1 in them so far, and Saturday will just be another one.

In other words, should we be favored against Ark? Yes. Should we have some confidence in what Leach is doing? Yes. But can the hogs knock us down a peg on Saturday? 100% yes, and I’ve seen in a billion times

I know that Ark’s pass defense is supposed to be trash, but Will got away with a couple really poor first half throws last weekend, and long story short, we were extremely lucky to not have 3 or more turnovers. This is a game that we should win, but we’ve got to protect the ball, we’ve got to show an ability to run the ball effectively, and our defense has to once again limit the big plays. IF we do those things, it will hopefully be a carbon copy of the A&M game. Lord knows we’ve seen worse Ark teams make us look pitiful in the past though

 

[MSUDC11-2.0]

I know we like to joke about this board being bipolar, and there’s definitely some truth to it, but the way I’m looking at things right now is that we came into the season knowing State would have 5-6 toss up games, we’re 1-1 in them so far, and Saturday will just be another one.

In other words, should we be favored against Ark? Yes. Should we have some confidence in what Leach is doing? Yes. But can the hogs knock us down a peg on Saturday? 100% yes, and I’ve seen in a billion times

I know that Ark’s pass defense is supposed to be trash, but Will got away with a couple really poor first half throws last weekend, and long story short, we were extremely lucky to not have 3 or more turnovers. This is a game that we should win, but we’ve got to protect the ball, we’ve got to show an ability to run the ball effectively, and our defense has to once again limit the big plays. IF we do those things, it will hopefully be a carbon copy of the A&M game. Lord knows we’ve seen worse Ark teams make us look pitiful in the past though

I’ll agree with one caveat: if Jefferson doesn’t play, this moves out of the toss up category for me and becomes a game where a loss would be pretty brutal.

I think we should probably win even if Jefferson plays. But Arkansas is well coached and won’t lay down unlike some teams. It’s going to be a matter of us having a clean game offensively and our defense slowing down the run. Their passing game doesn’t scare me very much even if Jefferson is healthy.

 

[QuadrupleOption]

I think we can slow them down but we won't shut them out. The offense needs to continue to produce like it has most of the season. If the team sleepwalks through the week and acts like Arkansas should just roll over for them then we'll lose this weekend. Go out, focus, execute as best we can and I think we win pretty handily.

 

[WilCoDawg]

I know we like to joke about this board being bipolar, and there’s definitely some truth to it, but the way I’m looking at things right now is that we came into the season knowing State would have 5-6 toss up games, we’re 1-1 in them so far, and Saturday will just be another one.

In other words, should we be favored against Ark? Yes. Should we have some confidence in what Leach is doing? Yes. But can the hogs knock us down a peg on Saturday? 100% yes, and I’ve seen in a billion times

I know that Ark’s pass defense is supposed to be trash, but Will got away with a couple really poor first half throws last weekend, and long story short, we were extremely lucky to not have 3 or more turnovers. This is a game that we should win, but we’ve got to protect the ball, we’ve got to show an ability to run the ball effectively, and our defense has to once again limit the big plays. IF we do those things, it will hopefully be a carbon copy of the A&M game. Lord knows we’ve seen worse Ark teams make us look pitiful in the past though

Doesn’t Will throw a lot of possible INTs every game? I’m no football savant, but it seems every QB throws a lot of near INTs.

 

[MSUDC11-2.0]

I think we can slow them down but we won't shut them out. The offense needs to continue to produce like it has most of the season. If the team sleepwalks through the week and acts like Arkansas should just roll over for them then we'll lose this weekend. Go out, focus, execute as best we can and I think we win pretty handily.

Can’t imagine we would take Arkansas lightly given the last two years.

 

[BigDawg0074]

I just finished watching every defensive snap for Arky, a few takeaways. We can run on this team and should be able to keep Rogers protected for most of the day. Much like last year they are strong on their defensive interior but not particularly fast. The off-tackle runs should be successful. They mix up the look with three or four down. Their DBs miss a lot of tackles and aren’t very fast. Thomas and Ducking should go ham.
One more thing unrelated to Arky, Spencer Rattler is awful! He might as well be wearing clown shoes because watching him play is a barrel of laughs. Go watch him against Arky, it is quite entertaining.

 

[johnson86-1]

I know we like to joke about this board being bipolar, and there’s definitely some truth to it, but the way I’m looking at things right now is that we came into the season knowing State would have 5-6 toss up games, we’re 1-1 in them so far, and Saturday will just be another one.

In other words, should we be favored against Ark? Yes. Should we have some confidence in what Leach is doing? Yes. But can the hogs knock us down a peg on Saturday? 100% yes, and I’ve seen in a billion times

I know that Ark’s pass defense is supposed to be trash, but Will got away with a couple really poor first half throws last weekend, and long story short, we were extremely lucky to not have 3 or more turnovers. This is a game that we should win, but we’ve got to protect the ball, we’ve got to show an ability to run the ball effectively, and our defense has to once again limit the big plays. IF we do those things, it will hopefully be a carbon copy of the A&M game. Lord knows we’ve seen worse Ark teams make us look pitiful in the past though

Arkansas was always the best matchup out of our toss up games to me (excluding maybe Auburn; not really sure what to think of them). Heavy run team with Chris Relf type QB and without the elite receiver they had last year to make them two dimensional. Our defense can handle a one dimensional team and not sure Jefferson could take advantage of our lack of speed scrambling.

With the backup playing, not sure how having a worse passer but faster runner back there works out for us. Presumably good because he's a backup for a reason, but at the same time, we are going to struggle with fast QBs.

 

[Wizard.sixpack]

Thrashing TAMU was fun but now our Dawgs step up competition against a better coaching staff. Can Arnette and co. do enough to limit Arky’s scores? Watching Achane gash state makes me concerned about their ability to stop the conference’s leading rusher in Rocket Sanders. If they can pressure Rogers and play keep away with their run game it may be tough to build a lead.

It's going to look worse than A&M.

 

[kired]

They have one of the worst pass defenses in the college football. So whatever they have been trying to do it has been completely ineffective against normal passing teams. I expect Rogers to have a near career game throwing and when they adjust to try and take that away our new found running game will make them pay.

Not gonna lie - this post makes me nervous. Seems like anytime we face one of these defenses that's supposed to be terrible against our strength, it totally backfires and they have their best game of the season.

From what I've seen we should be the better team... but we need to jump on them early and not let it be a close game going into the 4th quarter.

 

[DoggieDaddy13]

I know we like to joke about this board being bipolar, and there’s definitely some truth to it, but the way I’m looking at things right now is that we came into the season knowing State would have 5-6 toss up games, we’re 1-1 in them so far, and Saturday will just be another one.

In other words, should we be favored against Ark? Yes. Should we have some confidence in what Leach is doing? Yes. But can the hogs knock us down a peg on Saturday? 100% yes, and I’ve seen in a billion times

I know that Ark’s pass defense is supposed to be trash, but Will got away with a couple really poor first half throws last weekend, and long story short, we were extremely lucky to not have 3 or more turnovers. This is a game that we should win, but we’ve got to protect the ball, we’ve got to show an ability to run the ball effectively, and our defense has to once again limit the big plays. IF we do those things, it will hopefully be a carbon copy of the A&M game. Lord knows we’ve seen worse Ark teams make us look pitiful in the past though

This, Will has got to bring his A game on every series, if not every play. One pick or, god-forbid, pick 6 could be all Arky needs to have a chance in what should be a very winnable game for us.

 

[thekimmer]

Things are piling up a bit against upig and that makes me nervous. They are playing with a two game losing streak and the way things are trending they have probably lost their starting QB. They also have an abysmal pass defense going up against a very potent passing offense on the road. WIth that said, I do like our chances but I worry about three things.

1. Letting their previous defensive woes in the secondary cause us to play to carelessly on offense thinking it will be a cake walk and wind up throwing a couple of pick sixes.
2. The RAT theory at QB. Jefferson is good but we have played him twice already and kind of know what we are up against with him. A new guy is a total unknown and it gives the hogs someone to rally around.
3. Slowing down their run game. Achane gashed us and frankly a couple of turnovers and a blocked FG in or near the red zone kept that game from being MUCH closer.

Need to get a fast start and get the crowd into it early.

 

[Seinfeld]

Doesn’t Will throw a lot of possible INTs every game? I’m no football savant, but it seems every QB throws a lot of near INTs.

let me preface this by saying I only watched Saturday’s game in real time, and I haven’t looked at a bunch of replays to try to pinpoint what all might’ve broken down on specific plays.

That said, no. I don’t see the type of almost INTs from Will every game like the ones I saw last weekend. For the two that I’m talking about, he had time, his feet were set, and he was trying to hit receivers 15 yds away, not 35. However, unless I entirely missed something, he flat out missed his target twice by 5 yards, and both times a defender( or two) was standing there licking his chops for a pick 6 On the first one, a safety was literally standing there flat footed waiting for the ball to get to him, and thank goodness another defender was streaking across the middle to knock it down. On the second, I think it was just one of those deals where the defender was so surprised that the ball came right to him, he just dropped what would’ve been a walk in pick 6.

Will had a really nice game Saturday, and he clearly calmed down in the 2nd half, but he also missed some throws pretty badly that I’m not used to seeing from him

 

[GloryDawg]

As far as I am concern we beat them last year. Ref's screwed up big time.
Last year we were on the road.
They were a two horse team last season. They lost one of those horses to the NFL and so far Arky has not replaced him.
This year we are at home.
We have improved since last year. They have not and possibly regressed a little.
Slow down the penalties, play clean and as hard as they did last week State will win. If we lose it will because State shot themselves in the foot.

 

[Darryl Steight]

Doesn’t Will throw a lot of possible INTs every game? I’m no football savant, but it seems every QB throws a lot of near INTs.

h/t to Hugh Killaburger**

 

[BigDawg0074]

I just watched all their offensive snaps against Bama and lord that was a brutal game! Arky plays old school ball most of the time but they have some nice wrinkles in the passing game. The backup QB has a nice arm but isn’t very accurate downfield. They need KJ to win IMHO but even with him they can be stopped. Barring some major defensive breakdown they just take too long to score to keep up if State gets in a rhythm.
If Will protects the ball I think State can be up by a couple of scores in the fourth quarter and force them into passing situations. I saw others mention it but Will was definitely a little off on Saturday and hopefully that doesn’t carry over to this game.

 

[Crazy Cotton]

Doesn’t Will throw a lot of possible INTs every game? I’m no football savant, but it seems every QB throws a lot of near INTs.

I can think of two that were thrown behind the receiver in the first half- looked like Will's read was it should be a stop route and the receiver continued on the crossing route. In both cases, Will put the ball behind the receiver, and both times it hit a defender in the chest. Those were really lucky breaks they weren't caught.