Allen leads Arkansas' offensive surge

Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen (10) passes the ball during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015. (AP Photo/Thomas Graning)

— Down by a touchdown in overtime against Mississippi, Bret Bielema huddled with Arkansas' offensive players.

The coach was already looking ahead of a potential tying score.

"When we score this touchdown, stay on the field because we're going for 2," Bielema said.

Sure enough, Brandon Allen threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Drew Morgan, and then ran it in for the 2-point conversion, lifting the Razorbacks to a dramatic 53-52 victory over the Rebels last weekend.

It has been that kind of run for Arkansas' offense.

The Razorbacks (5-4, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) have won three in a row to climb out of a disappointing start to the season. The biggest key has been their surprising emergence as one of the top offenses in the SEC this season.

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Heading into Saturday's game at No. 9 LSU (7-1, 4-1), Arkansas is second in the league behind Ole Miss with an average of 472.6 yards of offense per game.

It's a startling statistic given Bielema's push last year to slow down hurry-up offenses. And it's even more shocking considering the Razorbacks are lighting up SEC scoreboards in Bielema's third season without the use of the hurry-up.

Rather, it's the pro-style offense preached by Bielema and promoted by first-year coordinator Dan Enos that has fueled an offense that is averaging 551 yards over the last three games.

The Razorbacks are gaining nearly 70 yards more per game compared to a year ago and averaging 34.8 points — up from 31.9 last season.

"Our whole thing has been, 'Let's become a very good passing team,'" Enos said. "Creating balance is good for our group and gives our guys confidence. ... The better balance that you have, the better offense you are."

A number of factors have contributed to Arkansas' strongest offensive showing since the school went 21-5 over the 2010-11 seasons. Those teams were led by the offensive-centric Bobby Petrino and a wealth of talent that included current NFL players Knile Davis and Jarius Wright, among many others.

This year's version of the Razorbacks was expected to be better on offense than a year ago, though any expectations were tempered following injuries to All-SEC running back Jonathan Williams in the preseason and a host of others for the receiving corps.

Arkansas struggled at times on offense — particularly close to the goal line — while Enos became more familiar with the team's personnel.

Now, with former reserves like Drew Morgan and Dominique Reed combining for 16 catches for 222 yards and five touchdowns against Ole Miss, Allen has plenty of new options at his disposal.

The senior had six touchdown passes against the Rebels in the best performance of his career, one Arkansas' breakout offense might not have put together were it not for its early struggles.

"Without a doubt, we learned that we could throw the ball," Bielema said. "We just had to go through so much adversity with the injuries. ... And it took a while to get a hold of it."