RAZORBACKS’ LOSS: Defense Collapses Late
FOURTH-QUARTER TOUCHDOWN NOT ENOUGH AGAINST NO. 17 LSU
Arkansas tailback Dennis Johnson is tackled by LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson at the end of a big gain on the opening drive of the Razorbacks’ game Saturday in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
Monday, November 30, 2009
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette wasn’t making any excuses Saturday night.
The Razorbacks got everything they needed on offense, scoring a touchdown to take the lead in the fourth quarter in Tiger Stadium. But with 1:12 left, Bequette and the defense couldn’t hold up its end of the bargain.
“They had some time, but we have to stop them there,” Bequette said after the loss. “It was all on us to finish the game off there and we couldn’t get it done.”
Plenty went wrong for the Razorbacks during their 33-30 overtime loss at No. 15 LSU on Saturday. Arkansas’ offense started poorly in the fi rst half and settled for field goals, the Hogs gave up a special teams touchdown and place kicker Alex Tejada missed his fourth attempt to end the game.
But Arkansas’ defense pointed the finger at itself for allowing LSU to patiently piece together an eightplay, 41-yard drive capped by Josh Jasper’s game-tying field goal with nine seconds left. It came a week after LSU struggled during its fi nal drive in a 25-23 loss to Ole Miss and was the second time the Hogs were stung by a late scoring drive on the road.
“Every time you get a game that you should have won it cuts deep,” Arkansas defensive tackle Malcolm Sheppard said. “Everybody gave their all and everyone competed. It just didn’t fall in our favor at the end of the game.”
Two screen passes on the drive hurt Arkansas the most.
LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson completed an 8-yard pass to running back Stevan Ridley on fi rstand-10 from Arkansas’ 48. The yardage wasn’t the problem, though. It was that Ridley broke a tackle, then slipped out of bounds to stop the clock.
After a 9-yard run, Ridley got open again and caught another 8-yard pass to set up the field goal attempt.
“We needed to do a better job,” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. “The first time they threw the running back flare, we needed to get him tackled and keep him in bounds.They didn’t have any timeouts. That would’ve been huge. The second time they threw it to him, we were not in the right coverage.”
The drive ended up spoiling what had been a decent day for the defense.
Arkansas, which had given up big scoring plays in bunches all season, limited the Tigers to 326 yards. LSU’s longest gain was a 24-yard catch by receiver Brandon LaFell. But the end result left Arkansas feeling much like it did after a 23-20 loss to top-rankedFlorida on Sept. 17.
Arkansas tied that game 20-20 in the fourth quarter, but the Gators marched downfield and got in position for a game-winning field goal. As much as Arkansas learned from that experience, it couldn’t capitalize.
Sports, Pages 7 on 11/30/2009
Comments
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Razorback73 says...
PEOPLE! Ridley DID NOT get out of bounds. Look at the tape. His knee was down before going out of bounds by at least 6 to 8 inches. That should have run at least 10 - 15 seconds off the clock. CHECK IT OUT!
November 30, 2009 at 8:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kromekote4020 says...
I agree, the SEC needs to look at these officials. The running back was clearly brought down in bounds. His knee was down before going out of bounds. How would that have changed the outcome?
November 30, 2009 at 9:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
builderman says...
Let's face it folks, Arkansas is not one of those teams that will get the "benefit of the doubt" calls. If it comes down to that type of situation, we always lose. It just makes me sick that we are two field goals from being 9-3. But.....the defense HAS to improve in order for us to ge to the next level. Priority for next year....maybe a different coordinator.....something has to give and right now it's our defense. Even the games that we win, the D is soft.
November 30, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
builderman says...
And another thing......why in the cat hair didn't we just smoke one to the end zone first play in overtime? Up the middle? are you serious.....that didn't work all night....why at that point did they think it would work then?! Ride the pony that got you there and that was Mallet. Alex will take the heat for this one but it should not have come down to that plus that's the hardest kick for a right footed kicker, from the right hash which is further out than the pros. I even thought we should have gone for it before Alex came on the field. Offensive line didn't help either....they rushed three against our five and got to Mallet three times and disrupted multiple plays. This is not the kicker's fault.
November 30, 2009 at 9:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goldsurfer says...
C'Mon! Not even the point! It was close, the kid reached the ball towards the line.
Maybe yes, Maybe no. The point is, the tackle was missed leaving it up to the refs!
November 30, 2009 at 12:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hogwild says...
We lost every big game we had this year. This season in my opinion is an absoulute failure. I dont want to go to a bowl now. We need a new defensive coordinator. We also need to get rid of the red pants. What is up with that?
November 30, 2009 at 12:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goldsurfer says...
Right builderman, your a better play caller than BP. Pretty easy to call plays after the fact isn't it?
November 30, 2009 at 12:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
southtexashog says...
What most people expected this year, 7&5 (unless you were a total homer). One of the toughest schedules in the COUNTRY, with a second year coach, a first year quarterback, and freshman running backs, not bad. In this era of the Spread Offense, the defensive coordinator lives a nightmare. Imagine trying to prepare for a Bobby Petrino offense with a passer like Mallett! Congratulations to the Razorback football team. Whatever bowl game the Hogs play, I hope they bring pride and respect to the great state of Arkansas!
November 30, 2009 at 1:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
southtexashog says...
Just one more THANG, 2010, the Hogs 14 and 0 and the National Champs!! WOOOO PIG SOOOOEEE, and as us Hog fans down here in south Texas say, "Root'em Hogs Root'em!!!!
November 30, 2009 at 1:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CajunHog says...
Plenty went wrong, enough blame to go around. Yet enough went right,we had a chance to win it and we didn't. I was at the game & from my seat could tell LSU running back Steven Ridley didn't get out of bounds on LSU's drive that sent it to overtime. His knee went down, then he put the ball out of bounds.After Trindon Holiday, who has never done anything against anyone other than the hogs , almost broke it for a touch down on the 1st 3 punts he caught. Why did we kick it to him on the 4th time? We know he can kill us. He did in 2006 in Little Rock (kick off return for TD). The off tackle run worked all the 2nd half, but LSU adjusted in OT. It is easy to 2nd guess after the fact. Lets think back a couple of years ago. Being down 17-3 on the road before Petrino we don't even have a chance to win. We did't have the offense to come back. Now we do. I would much rather be 8-4, 9-3, or even undefeated. However, we are getting better. We are exciting to watch. We are loaded with underclassmen. We do need more defense. I beleive Petrino will get it done.Any skill player, or top tier defensive player that watches this team would want to join this program & help it get to what we all want (BCS Championship). I will tell all of you that a greater tradgedy is that we have to pay to read & reply on the forum! Southtexashog, I sure hope your prediction is right! I sure think you are not far off. We will win double digit games next year before our bowl game.
November 30, 2009 at 2:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dwp007 says...
I have read and heard that Mallett audibled off on the running play up the middle in OT. The time he had tried the same thing before, in regulation, the run was successful. Regardless, with an incredibly brutal schedule, it has been a respectable year. BCS ball in 2010.
November 30, 2009 at 7:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jlcollums says...
I can't understand why everyone was so upset about the calls in the Florida game but no one is saying anything about a classic case of home cooking on the final drive. Everyone has been to the podunk high school basketball game where the volunteer timekeeper stops the clock or let's seconds run to help the home team. There is only two ways to get out of bounds. You have to STEP out of bounds. Or your upper body or the ball has to hit out of bounds BEFORE the knees. THIS CALL WAS NOT EVEN CLOSE AND WAS A CLASSIC CASE OF HOMECOOKING BY OFFICIALS TO STOP THE CLOCK FOR LSU.
December 1, 2009 at 7:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CnDHawg says...
The point is, we shouldn't have to depend on the officials to make a correct call to win a football game. We need to have a defense that is SEC caliber and can stand up and provide a stop when needed. This "Score at Willy" defense is awful. Anytime we play someone with any type of defense and a mediocre offense, we are going to lose. Out defense can not keep us in close games and it falls on the coordinator. There were several calls the kids were looking around like "What the hell is this set? We have only practiced this a couple of times and now we are using it?" I'm sorry, but that is the coordinators fault, not the players.
This is not the NFL, it is college. Yes I understand he may be trying to get them ready for the NFL, but he only has so much time to do it in. The NFL has all the time in the world. Change to meet the need or find someone that can.
December 1, 2009 at 8:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Ran2133 says...
All of these posts bellyaching about the defense, offense, officials, etc., is ridiculous. We had a successful season and will be going bowling. With so many freshmen and sophomores I think these Razorbacks did themselves proud. The future looks bright in my opinion. There are two teams I really hate to lose to, Ole Miss and LSU. There is always next year. GO HOGS!!
December 1, 2009 at 12:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CnDHawg says...
Good post Ran2133. but I think you are wrong about the defense. I agree many of the kids were young, but even with young players, you expect them to pick up the schemes by the 5th or 6th game. It was evident by the number of "big" plays (many up to 70 yards) we gave up late in the season. You can blame it on youth, but I feel the schemes are more than the problem than the youth of the team.
Why can a Florida or LSU or Alabama take a young defense and end up within the top 20 in the nation. Do you think they would be blaming it on the youth of the team?
December 1, 2009 at 2:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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