FAYETTEVILLE -- At last the 'D' in Arkansas' defense didn't stand for disastrous, derelict, defective or Grade D.
In fact give Arkansas' D an A, an Arkansas A that likely would have been a winning A-plus if only a couple of those would-be interceptions had stayed in the Razorbacks' grasp during their 14-13 loss to Alabama on Saturday night before a sold-out announced crowd of 72,337 in the rain at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Against Coach Nick Saban's No. 7 Crimson Tide whose Lane Kiffin-coordinated offense arrived averaging 554.6 yards per game, Coach Bret Bielema's Razorbacks limited Alabama to 227 total yards with just 66 net rushing yards.
T.J. Yeldon, Alabama's great running back netted just 45 yards on 16 carries with a long run of just 12 yards.
Amari Cooper, Alabama's even greater receiver with 52 catches for 746 yards and 5 touchdowns entering the game, caught just 2 for 22 yards without a score.
Arkansas' history has been decidedly offensive since the graduation of the Danny Ford-recruited defensive stalwarts -- Kenoy Kennedy, David Barrett, Melvin Bradley -- who were part of the 1996 freshman class and Houston Nutt's first two vintage Razorbacks teams.
Oh, there have been some outstanding Arkansas defensive individuals post 2000 including current senior All-SEC defensive end Trey Flowers, but the best of Nutt's teams in 2000-2007 and especially the Bobby Petrino teams in 2008-2011 all were identified with offense.
The Petrino era was so decidedly offensive, that Bielema acknowledged when he took over Arkansas in 2013 that he inherited defensive players often regarding themselves like second-class Razorbacks.
Their 2013 season with defensive coordinator Chris Ash, a great fit with Bielema at Wisconsin but whose dour appraisal of a Razorbacks defense didn't boost confidence.
Ash returned to the Big Ten at Ohio State where he seems a better fit.
Bielema hired former Rutgers defensive coordinator Robb Smith and added secondary coach Clay Jennings and defensive line coach Rory Segrest to go with returning linebackers coach Randy Shannon, the nationally respected former head coach and defensive coordinator at the University of Miami.
The foursome collectively brought a positive energy that started flowing last spring and continued into this season, albeit not as an overnight success.
"I can't give enough credit to Robb, and Clay and Rory and Randy," Bielema said postgame.
Bielema, his defensive staff and their players believing in them, even the elders jaded through four and five years of four different coordinators and various position coaches stayed positive.
Their unity showed with a positively magnificent defensive performance against Alabama that left Arkansas' offense feeling in awe and in debt.
"Our defense played a fantastic game," Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen said. "They kept making stops and giving us chances. We can't have our defense play such a great game and then leave them hanging there."
Sports on 10/13/2014