Hogs defense nets impressive return

Arkansas safety Rohan Gaines intercepts a pass intended for Ole Miss receiver Jaylen Walton during a game Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014 at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Rohan Gaines' 100-yard interception return for a touchdown broke open Arkansas' 30-0 victory over Ole Miss in the third quarter last Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, but it took more than just Gaines to pull it off.

The Rebels were trailing 20-0 and had just rattled off gains of 12, 11, 14 and 22 yards on consecutive plays to reach the Arkansas 16. With a quick touchdown, the Rebels could have seized the momentum with plenty of time to complete a comeback.

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ARKANSAS AT NO. 17 MISSOURI

WHEN 1:30 p.m. Friday

WHERE Faurot Field, Columbia, Mo.

RECORDS Arkansas 6-5, 2-5 SEC; Missouri 9-2, 6-1

TV CBS

Instead, Gaines came up with the fourth of Arkansas' six takeaways in the game and sealed the outcome with a back-breaking interception return for a touchdown, the Razorbacks' second defensive score of the year.

"The great thing about football, when you can get a takeaway it really does change the momentum of a football game," Arkansas defensive coordinator Robb Smith said.

The play combined many elements: Gaines' recognition of the route combination in front of him, quick pressure from defensive end Mitchell Loewen, whose inside move beat right tackle Fahn Cooper and gave Loewen a straight line to quarterback Bo Wallace in Shotgun formation, an ill-advised lofted throw by Wallace, a heady string of blocks during the ready by the Razorbacks, many of whom raced into the end zone along with Gaines, and a brilliant return by Gaines that combined speed, vision and one critical cut.

"You know, I'm a negative guy, so I'm more like, 'Just don't block anybody in the back, right?' " Smith said. "We made it down the field. It was just a lot of fun to see the excitement on their faces."

The whole return took less than 13 seconds.

Facing second and 10, Ole Miss had twin receivers to both sides and running back Jaylen Walton near Wallace's left hip. Gaines was about 2 yards deep in the left half of the end zone, locked in on Walton's wheel route from the backfield as Wallace, sensing Loewen's pressure, looked to Walton, who had just cleared linebacker Martrell Spaight and appeared to be breaking open.

The play's design had receiver Cody Core, who was split wide left, coming back for a potential screen pass -- covered by Arkansas cornerback D.J. Dean -- and tight end Evan Ingram, who had gone into motion from a wide stacked set behind Core, running a post from the wide slot in an effort to draw Gaines. Instead, linebacker Brooks Ellis dropped to contend with Ingram and ran right inside him at the goal line.

"I remembered the route from film study, and I just played it," Gaines said.

Gaines grabbed Wallace's pass and quickly picked up steam after coming down with the ball with one foot on either side of the goal line. At the 15, he used his left hand to give Dean a gentle nudge to keep from running up his back. Spaight and Dean were one step ahead of him at that point, with Trey Flowers engaging Core on the 19.

Gaines ran into the most dangerous cluster of would-be tacklers at the Arkansas 25, but his blockers came through, with Spaight getting a two-hand shove on Core to Gaines' right and defensive tackle Darius Philon sealing off 6-5, 305-pound tackle Laremy Tunsil with a blow on the inside.

At the Arkansas 34, nickel back Tevin Mitchel shoved lineman Justin Bell, sending the 352-pound lineman careening into the Ole Miss sideline.

At the 50, Dean got a push on Ole Miss receiver Quincy Adeboyejo, who had started the play in the right slot, running a drag route across the middle while shadowed by Mitchel. Dean's contact with Adeboyejo gave Gaines a moment to veer inside, then the junior deftly cut across the receiver's face and to the outside at the Ole Miss 35 to avoid that tackle.

Core used Gaines' cut to gain ground, blow past defensive tackle Bijhon Jackson and pull within a yard of Gaines at the 15. Core began reaching out with his right arm to try for a strip at the 5, and the ball appeared to come free just as Gaines crossed the goal plane. Mitchel fell on the football in the end zone to assure the touchdown, although replays confirmed Gaines scored before fumbling.

Loewen was the first to get a tap on the fatigued Gaines' helmet as he scrambled to his knees, and moments later Flowers tackled Gaines.

Within one second of the touchdown, eight Razorbacks were in the end zone as the home crowd roared.

CBS color analyst Gary Danielson pointed out on the replay that Wallace made a critically bad read on the play.

"This is what you've got to see when you've had as much experience as Bo Wallace, you've got to see on the wheel route that the safety is sitting on that play the whole way," he said.

Sports on 11/26/2014