NORTHERN ILLINOIS AT ARKANSAS

Taking a pass on pass

Bielema: Throwing isn’t issue

Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen runs for a touchdown during the third quarter of a game against Texas Tech on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas.

Correction: LSU’s football team leads the SEC in run-pass ratio at 73/27 per game and Arkansas is second with a ratio of 71/29. This article incorrectly stated where LSU and Arkansas ranked among conference members in run-pass ratio.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Bret Bielema threw out a compliment to quarterback Brandon Allen and the Arkansas receivers this week, calling the Razorbacks' passing game the "best-kept secret" in Fayetteville.

The question is: When will the Razorbacks let the rest of the country in on the secret?

Running Razorbacks

Arkansas leads the SEC with an average of 7.8 yards per play and with a run-pass ratio of 71 percent to 29 percent. Every SEC team has had more running plays than passing plays after three weeks of the season, with the exceptions of Texas A&M, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. A look at each SEC team’s running and passing totals, its run-pass ratio and its yards-per-play average:

TEAM;RUSH-YDS-TDS;PASS-YDS-TDS;R/P RATIO;YPP

Arkansas;137-1,086-14;57-425-6;71/29;7.8

Alabama;130-811-10;95-894-5;57/43;7.6

Auburn;98-660-9;45-428-3;69/31;7.6

Texas A&M;101-562-9;135-1,225-13;43/57;7.6

Georgia;79-545-7;48-322-2;62/38;6.8

Kentucky;113-547-7;109-961-5;51/49;6.8

Ole Miss;119-465-7;110-1,094-9;52/48;6.8

Miss. State;146-781-6;89-799-11;62/38;6.7

Florida;89-496-5;91-691-6;49/51;6.6

S.Carolina;102-418-4;108-903-8;49/51;6.3

LSU;157-679-9;59-642-6;73/27;6.1

Missouri;121-570-3;78-647-12;61/39;6.1

Tennessee;117-390-4;122-721-6;49/51;4.6

Vanderbilt;94-321-2;82-434-1;53/47;4.3

Source: SEC website

Research: Tom Murphy

Arkansas has thrown 57 passes through three games, an average of 19 per game. That is the fewest in the SEC and well below the league average of 31.4 passes per game.

"I think we can throw the football, we just didn't have to," Bielema said after Arkansas rushed for 438 yards and ran on 85 percent of its snaps Saturday in a 49-28 victory at Texas Tech.

The Razorbacks have the steepest run-pass ratio in the SEC at 71/29 through the first three weeks of the season, but they recognize that figure will need to balance out more, starting Saturday against Northern Illinois.

"For us to do what we did at Texas Tech ... that was the formula that we needed to win on the road against an up-tempo offense that could score the way they could score," Bielema said. "That formula isn't going to work this week."

Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said the Arkansas passing game is developing just fine.

"When we need to throw, I feel comfortable we'll be able to do that," Chaney said.

Allen has thrown 17 passes in the past two games, partly because all four of his completions went for touchdowns during his half-game stint in a 73-7 victory over FCS member Nicholls State on Sept. 6. Allen said Tuesday he's thrown more passes by far in practice than he has in the games.

"We've done it all in practice," Allen said. "We know we can go out and perform our passing game.

"We just really didn't need to this weekend, so credit the offensive line, the running backs for the jobs they did to just basically move the ball at will."

Arkansas leads the SEC with 1,086 rushing yards, 275 more than second-best Alabama, and is second in the country behind Navy with an average of 362 rushing yards per game. Tailbacks Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins combined to rush for 357 yards and average 7.3 yards per carry against Texas Tech.

"J-Will and Alex and Korliss [Marshall] are going to do their thing," receiver Keon Hatcher said. "I mean, if they can stop the run, we're going to air it out. If they can't stop it, why throw it?"

Hatcher and Demetrius Wilson led Arkansas with two catches each at Texas Tech. The Razorbacks missed by inches on a long flea-flicker to Hatcher, a deep ball for Wilson down the right sideline and a throw in the end zone intended for a diving Drew Morgan.

"We go back in the film room and say those are the plays we've got to make," receivers coach Michael Smith said. "If we make those three plays, that's well over 100 yards for Brandon as a passer, and with the stats we had from running, nobody's talking about us not throwing the ball."

Tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. said he hasn't had to soothe hurt feelings among the players at his position.

"That's what's great about our culture right now," Lunney said. "I mean, sure, guys would be crazy not to want the ball. I mean, there's something wrong with you if you don't want the ball thrown to you. But there's a difference between wanting it and being selfish about it.

"I don't think anybody on our team thought that win was incomplete and not fulfilling because they didn't catch a ball or didn't get one thrown their way."

Bielema said he is less worried about Arkansas' total passing numbers, where the Razorbacks are 116 out of 125 teams with 141.7 yards per game, than he is the passing efficiency. In that category, which takes in consideration yards per pass, along with the rate of touchdown passes and interceptions, Arkansas is No. 10 in the SEC and No. 48 in the country.

SEC Network analysts debated the Hogs' lopsided run totals over the weekend.

"They're going to have to start passing the ball because running the ball down your throat is nothing new in the SEC," said Gene Chizik, the former Auburn coach who added that great passing chemistry in practice doesn't always translate to games.

Former Georgia offensive lineman Matt Stinchcomb said Arkansas' performance against the Red Raiders is "literally Hog Heaven" for linemen but that the passing attack better have some level of threat to keep safeties on their toes.

"Brandon Allen doesn't have to throw for 350," SEC Network analyst Booger McFarland told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. "But he's at least got to be able to throw against single coverage, which he's going to get a lot of because they run the ball so well."

Sports on 09/18/2014