FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos said one of his goals each week has been to gain what he called "auxiliary yards" in the running game, meaning complementary yards to standard runs by Alex Collins and Kody Walker.
"We just want to put pressure on the perimeter of the defense in different ways, whether it's running receivers through and faking it to them, or running receivers through and handing it to them," Enos said.
"Whatever those things are to take eyes off and to not allow people to just bear down and say 'They're running the ball between the tackles all the time.'"
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In recent games, the auxiliary runs have produced plays like Jared Cornelius' 69-yard touchdown around left end in last week's 31-14 victory at LSU, Dominique Reed's 11-yard jet sweep touchdown against Auburn, and several quarterback sweeps with Brandon Allen, including his two-point conversion run for the game-winning points in Arkansas' 53-52 victory at Ole Miss.
Collins is No. 13 in the nation with 1,209 rushing yards and No. 10 with 14 rushing touchdowns. Walker has contributed 254 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns.
Fringe benefits
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and receivers coach Michael Smith said Thursday that the Razorbacks have been getting a lot of recruiting mileage out of last week's 31-14 victory at LSU, the Hogs' second consecutive victory in the series.
"It's already opened doors and we've gotten a lot of phone calls from recruits since that game," Smith said during his On the Air with Bret Bielema stint Thursday night. Smith, a New Orleans native, said many of his friends in the coaching ranks in Louisiana have called to tell him about prospects on their campuses.
Weather report
A cold front will move into Northwest Arkansas in time to put a chill on the 6 p.m. kickoff for Arkansas vs. Mississippi State.
The weather forecast is calling for a high temperature of 40 degrees Saturday, with an overcast sky and winds as high as 20 mph. The temperature is expected to be at 32 degrees or lower by the end of the game, heading toward an overnight low in the low 20s.
Injury update
Mississippi State receiver De'Runnya Wilson's neck injury looked serious in the fourth quarter of last week's 31-6 loss to Alabama, but the wideout might be ready to play Saturday. Bulldogs receivers coach Billy Gonzales said earlier in the week that Wilson was getting practice time.
"I'm just as excited as Coach G[onzales]," Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott said. "I promise you that. Having that whole crew, it's so deep in talent and athleticism, and it's easy to get the ball to them."
Roesler's role
Defensive lineman Karl Roesler took a hand out of the dirt and played strong-side linebacker for 18 snaps in Arkansas' 31-14 victory at LSU. Roesler, who also played 10 snaps at end, logged one tackle against the Tigers.
"We were looking for a bigger guy to set an edge as a big linebacker," defensive line coach Rory Segrest said.
The Razorbacks were already without linebacker Josh Williams with a broken leg and Dwayne Eugene with a broken wrist.
"As we sat around and tried to figure out if there was anybody that could help us up front, I remember watching him earlier in the year ... dropping out in coverage, and I thought, 'That guy moves around pretty good,'" linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves said. "He did great. We limited the package. The couple of things he had to do, he got it and for him it was easy."
Roesler, a walk-on sophomore from Louisville, Ky., said he hadn't played standing up since high school.
"At first it took me a little bit," Roesler said. "I had to get used to being back up in a standing position and remembering all the gaps to fit. After that I was fine."
D.J. does it
Cornerback D.J. Dean played limited snaps at LSU because ofdue to his turf toe injury, but the junior made the most of his time with an interception in the fourth quarter and a combined sack with linebacker Brooks Ellis.
"He'll be ready to go by Saturday, but he's got a sore foot," Bret Bielema said. "The good thing about D.J. is he's a competitor and a half."
Dean leads the Razorbacks with two interceptions, while Brooks Ellis, Rohan Gaines, Henre Toliver, Josh Liddell, Jared Collins and Santos Ramirez have one apiece.
Take time
Arkansas ranks No. 5 in the nation with an average possession time of 33:43 per game. Down at the other end of the rankings is Mississippi State, which is No. 125, ahead of only Baylor and Hawaii with an average possession time of 25:38 per game. The Razorbacks rank No. 1 in the SEC while Mississippi State is No. 14.
Red-zone ratings
Mississippi State leads the SEC in both touchdown percentage in the red zone (69.2 percent) and in the red-zone touchdown rate allowed by their defense (30.3 percent).
Horne honored
Greg Horne will serve as the A-Club honorary captain for Saturday's game against Mississippi State. Horne, a four-year letter winner (1983-86) averaged a school-record 47.2 yards per punt in 1986 to help the Razorbacks to a 9-3 record and an Orange Bowl berth and earn All-America status. The Russellville native was a fifth-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals and spent two seasons in the NFL. He was selected to Arkansas' All-Decade team from 1980-89.
Sports on 11/20/2015