FAYETTEVILLE -- It isn't just Brandon Allen making it more appropriate for some formerly vociferously angry Arkansas Razorbacks fans to be served crow instead of turkey this Thanksgiving.
Granted, given the relatively recent phenomenon of social media added to sports talk radio, there is no Razorback ever subjected to more abusive criticism than what Arkansas' senior quarterback took during these recent seasons, including most of this one.
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Only since Allen's undeniably clutch performance in the four-overtime victory over Auburn that started the 6-4 Razorbacks' four-game winning streak heading into tonight's SEC game with Mississippi State have the radio calls and message boards overwhelmingly favored Arkansas' quarterback.
No Razorback took this kind of heat, but early this season Allen didn't take it alone.
Collectively, Arkansas' offensive line took it, too. Even more than their quarterback after the 16-12 loss to Toledo.
Arkansas netted just 103 yards rushing against Toledo while Allen passed for 412.
For a week on the Arkansas airwaves, offensive line "experts" abounded over wannabe quarterback coaches.
The biggest line in football was too big and too slow and too big on itself, disgruntled "experts" opined.
Coach Bret Bielema shouldn't have put the offensive line on the media guide cover. And Denver Kirkland, although recruited as a tackle but playing guard out of necessity the past two years because Brey Cook was best suited for tackle, isn't a left tackle, the "experts" surmised.
Well, with Arkansas averaging 5.2 yards a carry and running back Alex Collins already at 1,209 yards rushing, and Allen sacked only 11 times in 10 games while passing for 2,617 yards and 22 touchdowns, nobody is suggesting that Kirkland should be returned from tackle to guard.
All smile on game days when the network TV crews nationally brandish the unique media guide cover that has become free advertising to prospective offensive linemen recruits.
Center Mitch Smothers, guard Sebastian Tretola and tackle Dan Skipper variously were named SEC offensive lineman of the week. Arkansas' line is one of 20 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, the postseason award honoring the nation's best offensive line.
What turned it around?
Going vertical instead of sideways, offensive line coach Sam Pittman replied.
"Everything we were doing was sideways and we didn't have a great way to get the ball outside," Pittman said." Everybody was jamming on the inside. Everybody. We went to try to get the ball outside, which we've done a good job of doing. Second thing, we wanted to get vertical on our second step. We were stepping sideways. We were catching everything instead of knocking a hole in the defense. We went to work immediately on that, and it seemed to help us out."
Bielema said nothing helps his offensive linemen more than Pittman coaching them.
"He is simply the best that I have been around in this profession with the offensive line," Bielema said. "He really simplified it for our kids. They grasp it. Our kids are a sponge for him. They just love being around him and letting him coach them up."
Sports on 11/21/2015