FAYETTEVILLE — Alabama’s offensive blueprint in recent years has been to hammer away with big backs Glen Coffee, Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, throw play-action passes and grind a defense into submission.
The Crimson Tide have used that strategy during their current four game winning streak over Arkansas,but Alabama’s big-play prowess has been an even greater danger to the Razorbacks than its smash-mouth ways.
In its past three games against Arkansas, Alabama has scored 11 touchdowns of 20 yards or longer - including nine on offense - as Alabama has essentially beaten Arkansas at its own game.
“You’re caught in a double-edged sword there,” Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. “You’ve got to load the box and stop the run, and then all of a sudden you’ve got to be able to hold up against their skill outside.
“So you’ve got to be able to stop the run and try to do it with some form of pressure, so it’s not just a four-man rush, so you’re giving those guys out there the ability to cover.”
The Razorbacks have one touchdown of 20 yards or longer - Ronnie Wingo’s 43-yard touchdown catch on the second snap of last year’s game - in the past three meetings against the Crimson Tide.
Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said the Razorbacks know they have to stop Alabama’s power game and their ability to throw deep.
“They’re going to come out and try to threaten us deep,” he said. “There’s no question about that.”
Arkansas should give its “Eagle” package, a five-man front it worked on in fall camp, a good run against the Crimson Tide’s power running.
“They give a lot more different looks this year than in the past,” Alabama offensive lineman Barrett Jones said. “It’s an extra challenge this week preparing for some of the new looks they’ve given people.
“They’re doing some different things on third down, standing guys up and walking them around, things they haven’t done in the past.”
AJ McCarron has replaced Greg McElroy as Alabama’s starting quarterback, but the 6-4, 205-pounder operates with much the same game plan. Julio Jones, one of the most physically gifted receivers in the nation the past couple of years, is gone, but speedsters like Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks are making big plays for Alabama’s receiving corps.
The Crimson Tide’s run game makes defensive backs ready to bite harder on play action fakes. Alabama completed an 80-yard home run pass to Maze and a 50-yard flea-flicker score to Jones the last time it played Arkansas in Tuscaloosa.
“It goes down to focus, paying attention,” Arkansas cornerback Isaac Madison said. “When you have good running backs and they pound, pound, pound, it kind of makes you tend to go to the run more. But it’s all about keys and having your eyes right and doing what you’re coached to do.”
Of course, if Arkansas is unable to slow Richardson and fellow big back Eddie Lacy, the Razorbacks will probably be fed a steady diet of the ground game.
Arkansas has continually stocked its defensive front the past few years in preparation for games like this.
“The defensive line, we’re putting this on our shoulders to go down there and stop the run and force them to pass the ball,” defensive tackle D.D. Jones said.
Arkansas actually stood up well against the Crimson Tide’s running game two years ago, with one big exception. Alabama averaged 3.3 yards per carry in the game, but Richardson’s tackle-breaking 52-yard touchdown run was what most people remember about Alabama’s 35-7 victory.
Alabama rushed 40 times for just 82 yards outside of that touchdown, with Heisman Trophy tailback Mark Ingram accounting for just 50 yards on 17 carries.
“I can remember each game like it was yesterday,” Arkansas nickel back Jerico Nelson said. “My freshman year they rushed for like 300 yards with [Glen] Coffee. Then my sophomore year, we were in the game until we missed six tackles on one play when Trent Richardson broke to the sideline.
“Then last year in the fourth quarter we couldn’t stop the run.”
The Razorbacks better hope they can do that Saturday.
Sports, Pages 15 on 09/22/2011