FAYETTEVILLE -- It was Arkansas' defense that laid the foundation for Saturday's emphatic 17-0 streak-breaking victory over LSU at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
The Razorbacks held LSU to 123 total yards, the fewest for the Tigers in a regular-season game since they had 114 yards in a loss to Texas A&M in 1975. LSU totaled 36 rushing yards, a number that was hurt by four sacks of Anthony Jennings for 36 lost yards, and a 27-yard loss on a Shotgun snap that sailed over Jennings' head.
Players of the week
Offense
TEs Hunter Henry
AJ Derby
• Henry and Derby each caught 4 passes, tying running back Korliss Marshall for the team-high total. Henry’s work led to 54 receiving yards, including a 29-yard grab as Arkansas notched a first down after facing second and 22. Derby’s catches went for 36 yards, including three on a lengthy Hogs touchdown drive in the second quarter.
Defense
LB Martrell Spaight
• Playing sideline to sideline, Spaight finished with a team-high 10 tackles, that included 5 unassisted tackles and 5 assists. Spaight had a 5-yard sack on Anthony Jennings and also forced a fumble from Jennings in the fourth quarter that was recovered by Darius Philon at the Arkansas 19.
"We just to make sure we had the numbers there and we tried to do it a couple of different ways," Arkansas defensive coordinator Robb Smith said. "we knew that we needed to commit some people to the run.
"At the end of the day, I thought our guys just tackled well when we had opportunities. We limited yards after contact and that was big for us."
The Razorbacks improved 14 spots to No. 22 nationally in rushing defense and are now allowing 126.7 yards per game.
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema stressed that the team's tackling prowess has improved dramatically from last year.
"It sounds silly, but defensively, if you just tackle well and get the ball down and play another set of downs ... you just live to play another day," Bielema said.
Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said the defensive performance was "the key to the drill. What they're doing out there on defense puts us in wonderful positions a lot."
TD runs
Coordinator Jim Chaney praised the work of Arkansas' line and backs for the team's tough rushing touchdowns against LSU: Jonathan Williams' 1-yard dive over the left side in the second quarter and Alex Collins' 5-yard redirect touchdown over right guard in the fourth quarter.
Chaney noted that left guard Sebastian Tretola's block on middle linebacker Kendell Beckwith was key on Williams' score.
"I didn't feel like we were going to be stopped on that play," Chaney said. "They dive in the ground. That's how they play. That's what they've always done. Sebastian just kind of skipped over the guy and got the middle linebacker blocked and Jonathan went airborne and it was a hell of a play."
Chaney said the back-side blockers sealed off their men well on Collins' run, which started left but ended with Collins' jump-cutting over right guard.
"Budda [Collins] just did a nice job jumping over there and getting in the end zone," Chaney said.
This is the one
Senior captain Brey Cook was 0-3 against LSU along with the rest of his classmates before Saturday's 17-0 victory.
"If I could pick one game to win all season and lose all of the others, it would be this one," Cook said. "It was so much fun for us, and it was a blast to go out there and take that thing."
The other side
LSU Coach Les Miles said he couldn't rule out a hangover from his team's 20-13 overtime loss to Alabama last week lingering into Saturday's loss to the Hogs, but Tigers players said there was no hangover.
"We moved on, we prepared, we had a great week of practice," defensive tackle Christian LaCouture said.
"We knew they wanted this one really bad. You could tell right from the beginning the fans were into it. They were really pumped trying to get this W. We tried to match that intensity, and I felt like we did, but at the same time we lost 17-0. At the end of the day, we finished second and that's not where we wanted to be."
Injury update
Tight end AJ Derby entered the Fred Smith Center on crutches on Sunday, but the senior said it was typical post-game soreness associated with his knee injury and that he'd be ready to play on Saturday.
Ole Miss prep
Quarterback Brandon Allen said he's not worried about the Razorbacks getting mentally prepared to face CFP No. 10 Ole Miss, which moved to No. 8 in the Associated Press and Coaches polls released Sunday.
"I really don't think I worry about this team," Allen said. "We have that mind-set that we're going to put this game away [Sunday]. We're going to put it out of our minds and we'll be on to Ole Miss. We're always good, win or lose, with putting games behind us and moving on to the next opponent."
Last time
Arkansas' 17-0 shutout of LSU was the Razorbacks' first over an SEC opponent since a 23-0 win over South Carolina on Nov. 9, 2002.
The last time LSU was shut out by an SEC opponent in the regular season came in a 31-0 loss to Alabama in Baton Rouge, La., in 2002. The Tigers lost the 2011 BCS Championship, 20-0 to Alabama, in a game played on Jan. 8, 2012, at the Superdome in New Orleans.
Arkansas shut out a ranked opponent for the first time since downing No. 21 Texas A&M 34-0 on Oct. 29, 1966, in College Station, Texas.
Worth noting
• Arkansas scored on its first possession, on Adam McFain's 32-yard field goal, for the sixth time in 10 games.
• Jonathan Williams has scored a rushing touchdown in 8 of 10 games this season. He and Alex Collins continue to share the team touchdown lead with 11 each.
• Defensive coordinator Robb Smith said the last shutout he was involved with came in Rutgers' 26-0 victory over Howard on Sept. 8, 2012.
Sports on 11/17/2014