State of the Hogs: Arkansas defenders look to correct past A&M mistakes

Texas A&M freshman wide receiver Christian Kirk makes a catch in the end zone by Arkansas sophomore cornerback Henre' Toliver on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, in overtime for the game-winning score at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

— Texas A&M has a lot of the same big-play wide receivers who torched Arkansas the last two years in the fourth quarter and overtime.

The headliners are Josh Reynolds, Christian Kirk, Ricky Seals-Jones and Speedy Noils. There is speed, size and ability to make a play. There is no question that the Aggies can inflict big damage with all of those receivers.

There is plenty to fear about the Texas A&M passing game, as executed by new quarterback Trevor Knight, the Oklahoma graduate transfer who beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl in January 2014. There was great praise for Knight by UA assistant coaches Paul Rhoads (secondary) and Rory Segrest (defensive line) in the interview room after practice Tuesday.

But it's an improved running game – with Knight inflicting big damage with quarterback runs – that might be the key for the A&M offense in a 3-0 start to the season. Segrest explained it well.

“They average 237 (yards) on the ground,” Segrest said. “They've got running backs with the total package – size, speed and shiftiness. They have three good ones and all are capable. Each brings a little something different. They have game-changers.”

The curve ball is Knight. Rhoads played against him twice when he was head coach at Iowa State. He recalls visiting with Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops at midfield before a game.

“I could tell how much Bob liked him,” Rhoads said. “He is a great player. He was voted captain twice at Oklahoma, once when he wasn't the starter. That tells you what teammates think of Knight.

“I remember when I read that Kevin Sumlin had picked him up from Oklahoma. I thought, 'This is quite a coup for Kevin.' I know this: he's been in big games and won big games. That's big for any team to have a quarterback. He's 23. He's experienced and he understands how to win.”

Trayveon Williams leads the Aggies in rushing with 236 yards, averaging 8.4 per carry. Keith Ford, another transfer, has 155 with 4.8 per carry. Knight's numbers are just as good. He's been sacked only once and has 151 with a 5.4 average.

“He's fast and shifty,” said Deatrich Wise, the bell cow of the Arkansas defense at end. “He is elusive. He gets out of the pocket. He is hard to get down. He doesn't get sacked.”

Wise said the good news for the Hogs is that they have played three straight weeks against similar quarterbacks. The game plan each week dealt with containing the quarterback.

“Louisiana Tech had a good one, so did TCU and so did Texas State,” Wise said. “It's what we've worked on every week. You have to stay in your lanes. You have to keep them in the pocket. You have to get there, but the main thing is not to let them escape. That's where you get hurt.”

Wise said the A&M offensive line, rebuilt after returning just one starter, has been impressive.

“They are massive,” Wise said. “They are physical and move good. That running game looks pretty good.”

The big question for the Hogs is how to finish off the Aggies. After two years of losing leads in the fourth quarter, Wise said there is a focus on changing the end of this game.

“It's been tough at the end,” Wise said. “You do well at the beginning of the game, but fall off at the end. We lost the same way the last two years. We remember that. It's real motivation.

“We have not won this game since I've been here. The last win came when I was a recruit. I think the key is to play physical all four quarters. Start strong, finish strong.”

There is real excitement to the game, Wise said. Part of it is the start of SEC play. There is also a sweet feeling to play in AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Wise grew up nearby in Carrollton, Texas.

“This is a game I look forward to playing, with lots of friends and family in the stadium,” Wise said. “It's big to me. It's an amazing stadium, a taste of what it's like in the pros. It's a big honor to play there, pretty cool.”

Still, the Hogs know the focus needs to be on handling assignments, focusing on keys.

“Yes, it's a big game,” said safety Josh Liddell, “but you play these games best by just doing the little things right, learning in practice what are the keys. You learn the keys, you will be fine. Don't make it bigger than it is.”

One of the big keys for the Hogs is depth in the back end of the secondary. Liddell knows he's going to get some rest during this game, unlike what happened against TCU. De'Andre Coley, the backup at both safety spots, was injured that week. He's full-speed now.

“Coley is big in the game plan,” Liddell said. “He's going to rotate with me and Santos (Ramirez) at the two safety spots. We think that will be big for us in the fourth quarter. That's part of our game plan this week. We think we have more depth.”

The Hogs expect to be tested deep. Texas A&M has thrown touchdown passes of 86, 59, 25, 63 and 20 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime the past two seasons.

“They throw it deep,” Liddell said. “They have 6-4 and 6-5 receivers. Sometimes on third-and-long, they just throw it up and let them go make a play. They have guys who can make plays. So we have to be prepared for that.”

Rhoads knows it's an impressive group of receivers. He was asked particularly about Kirk, a sprint champ in high school who had 173 receiving yards and the game-winning touchdown against the Razorbacks last season. Is he a first-round draft pick?

“I think that's the right description for him,” Rhoads said. “You talk about that group and what are there talents, they have everything you'd want on a check list. They have size, speed and ability to make plays. You put a check mark in every category.”

But it starts with stopping the run.

“They have a very sound scheme,” Segrest said. “It's a zone scheme and they put those big bodies on you. I've been impressed. They lost a lot, but they have good players. They have a freshman center who is very big, very athletic and very impressive.”