FAYETTEVILLE -- Northern Illinois Coach Rod Carey was complimentary of multiple areas of Arkansas personnel Tuesday, but none more than the running backs Alex Collins, Jonathan Williams and Korliss Marshall.
"I think ... their group of three is the finest running backs in the nation as a group," Carey said. "They're big, they're physical, they're strong, they're quick. They can jump cut. They're one-footed cutters. ... They have balance, run with power.
"Can we think of anything more? I'm telling you, all three of them are the best group in the country in my opinion."
Collins ranks third in SEC rushing with an average of 137 yards per game and Williams is fifth with 107.3 yards per game. Williams is tops in the conference with six rushing touchdowns, and Collins is second with five.
Marshall rushed five times at Texas Tech and has to earn his way back in the prime rotation after having a couple of fumbles.
20 years gone
Arkansas offensive coaches Barry Lunney Jr. and Sam Pittman were on the field in the only previous meeting between the Razorbacks and Northern Illinois on Nov. 12, 1994.
Lunney was Arkansas' quarterback and Pittman was the offensive line coach for the Huskies when the Razorbacks pulled out a 30-27 victory in Fayetteville.
"I think Coach Lunney snuck one in and tore our heart out at the time," Pittman said Tuesday.
Lunney's 1-yard sneak with 8:11 left provided the winning margin.
"Sam said I snuck it in, but I don't remember," Lunney said. "I must have gotten concussed when I snuck it in."
Pittman said he didn't remember Lunney being the star of the game until Lunney reminded him.
"I think he threw three touchdowns and scored one on a sneak, which he reminded me of," Pittman said. "I didn't remember that part of it, but I remember the game vividly."
"We've been having fun back and forth," Lunney said. "It's kind of funny how life works, and here we are working together."
Extra effort
Arkansas' running backs Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams piled up 257 yards after first contact against Texas Tech, which amounted to 72 percent of their combined 357 rushing yards.
Collins rushed for 156 of his 212 yards after being touched by a defender, and Williams ran for 101 of his 145 yards after contact.
Skipper gets help
A video of Arkansas tackle Dan Skipper appearing to throw down Texas Tech nose guard Jackson Richards is a little misleading, according to offensive line coach Sam Pittman.
Pittman said Skipper told him that he got some help on the block from center Mitch Smothers.
"I was watching it on tape and going, 'What just happened?' " Pittman said. "Danny said Mitch back-blocked the guy just about the time he was getting ready to seal hinge him. He said it looked a little better than what it actually was.
"But that guy flew five or six yards and fell down, or they threw him on the ground. That's fun.
"I think the kids had as a good a time as they've ever had in a game Saturday."
Two for the road
Arkansas is the only SEC team and one of only five teams among the Power 5 conferences to play two true road games through the first three weeks.
The other four teams with two road dates are three Pacific-12 schools -- Arizona State, Southern Cal and UCLA -- and Wake Forest of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Penn State has had more travel than any of those teams, with its opener in Ireland against Central Florida and a road game at Rutgers, but it has played only one true road date.
Ole Miss has played two games away from home, but that includes a neutral site victory over Boise State in Atlanta.
Loud noise
Northern Illinois Coach Rod Carey had fun at his news conference Tuesday explaining how the Huskies would prepare for Saturday's game.
"We're going to have the speakers cranked on about level 25 and I'll come off the practice field with a roaring headache, like I always do when we do that," Carey said. "The other coaches will, too. But you have to practice it because it's going to be loud.
"So we'll get the speakers cranked up and we'll have a bunch of music I don't understand or know, but it'll be loud. I know that."
Nether region
Offensive tackle Dan Skipper, who drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by a Texas Tech player earlier in the game, was dinged by a Red Raider after Alex Collins' 84-yard touchdown run, causing Coach Bret Bielema to express his ire to the officials and delay the extra point for a few moments.
"I just got a cheap shot as I was walking to the line, no big deal," Skipper said.
Asked if it hurt, Skipper said, "No, just a grazer."
Asked if a player dove at his legs or something, Skipper said, "Nah, got me in the nether regions."
Jojo's shirt
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said last week that a decision on whether to play or redshirt freshman receiver Jojo Robinson would have to be made pretty soon. Robinson suffered a hamstring injury in camp, recovered from that, didn't play at Auburn, then had his leg stepped on in practice for Nicholls State and didn't travel to Texas Tech.
Sports on 09/17/2014