Razorbacks Report

Hogs glad Gibson hit ground

Arkansas tight end Austin Cantrell (44) fumbles at the 1-yard line during the fourth quarter of a game against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Offensive guard Johnny Gibson made one of the biggest plays of the Arkansas Razorbacks' season last week in the Hogs' 39-38 victory over upset-minded Coastal Carolina.

Gibson pounced on a fumble by Austin Cantrell at the 1 with two minutes remaining and the Chanticleers ahead by six points. Quarterback Cole Kelley picked his way through traffic over the left side for the game-winning touchdown on the next play.

Gibson said he was executing a double team block with right tackle Brian Wallace to the linebacker when the ball came free.

"Someone was able to come and hit Cantrell, and I caught it out of the corner of my eye," Gibson said. "The ball kind of like popped up in the air, and I saw it and just jumped on it and got it."

Gibson said there was no question about possession of the ball and no chance for losing it in a scrum under the pile.

"I had it all the way," he said. "As soon as that ball came out I jumped on it and got it. We do a drill in camp. Get it, roll up and I got it."

Coach Bret Bielema said Gibson, a junior from Dumas, was an honorable mention game MVP strictly on his fumble recovery.

"Johnny plays hard, man," Bielema said. "That was a very opportunistic play. We take probably two days during the spring and two days during the fall where we'll work strictly just fumble recovery with O-linemen and guys that traditionally don't touch the ball. It's moments like that where ... if you can't recover a fumble, you're going to be in trouble."

Cantrell was able to laugh off the recovery Tuesday, saying Gibson saved his bacon.

"Oh man, I thought I had just lost that game," Cantrell said. "I didn't know if I was ever gonna show my face here again."

Bielema said Gibson not only did an excellent job of getting on the ball but also making sure no Coastal Carolina players took it away from him.

"Sometimes those situations turn in to big piles, and people are very creative on the bottom of those piles to get the ball out," Bielema said. "He stayed true to get the ball out and come up with a big play."

O'Grady update

Tight end Cheyenne O'Grady is expected to play Saturday after missing the second half against Coastal Carolina with a bruised tailbone.

"I think he'll be ready to go," tight ends coach Barry Lunney said. "It's certainly a day-to-day, hour-by-hour deal with him. But I would anticipate him being able to get back and help us some way on Saturday."

Ricky Bobby move

Austin Allen laughed off the well-shared video clip of his movements prior to Connor Limpert's game-winning field goal at Ole Miss two weeks ago.

A cameraman filmed Allen putting both of his hands over his face, then grabbing the front of his shoulder pads, then moving his hands in all kinds of nervous-looking ways prior to Limpert's 34-yard field goal.

"That was a little bit of a Ricky Bobby moment there for me," Allen said. "I have no idea what I was doing, if I'm being honest with you. I don't even remember doing that, but they caught me at the wrong time, or the right time or whatever."

The quarterback's brother, Brandon, now with the Los Angeles Rams, posted the video on his Twitter account with the comment "You got issues bro" attached.

"Brandon got a lot of retweets on it," Allen said. "I saw him tweet at me. He made fun of me, but whatever. It was funny and everyone got a good kick out of it."

Going for 20

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville has seven players with at least one run of 20-plus yards on the season, led by T.J. Hammonds' 88-yard touchdown run on a stretch play over the left side last week. Arkansas has 17 total runs of 20 or more yards, good for fifth in the SEC.

Hammonds already had been in the 20-yard club thanks to a 23-yard gain in his first extensive action in the Hogs' 38-37 victory at Ole Miss on Oct. 28.

The other Arkansas players in the club are Chase Hayden (40 yards), Devwah Whaley (33), Jordan Jones (30), David Williams (26) and Austin Allen (20). Quarterback Cole Kelley has a long run of 15 yards, which went for a touchdown at Ole Miss.

Ragnow named

Arkansas senior Frank Ragnow was named Tuesday as a semifinalist for the inaugural Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award.

The award, named for the former University of Tennessee and 10-time Pro Bowl tight end for the Dallas Cowboys, will recognize the FBS player who has demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field, with exemplary character and commitment to community.

Ragnow, voted an offensive captain by his team teammates, holds a 3.31 grade-point average and a long record of community service. He was selected to the SEC Academic Honor Roll last year and named to the league's 2014-2015 First Year Academic honor roll as a freshman.

The native of Victoria, Minn., did not allow a sack through 2,603 snaps at center and right guard, and he started 33 consecutive games before a high ankle sprain against Auburn ended his season.

Three finalists will be named for the award Dec. 11. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony Feb. 22, 2018, at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The winner also will receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school's athletic scholarship fund.

No sacks

The Razorbacks allowed no sacks by Coastal Carolina, the second game this season an Arkansas opponent has gone sack-less, joining New Mexico State.

Arkansas entered the game having allowed 28 sacks for 160 lost yards, including 17 for 99 yards in the past four SEC games against South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss.

The Razorbacks are No. 114 in the nation with 3.11 sacks allowed per game.

Holding on

LSU ranks No. 5 in the nation in turnovers lost, with just three lost fumbles and four interceptions thrown. Only Alabama (5) has fewer turnovers in the SEC.

The Tigers rank No. 50 in turnover margin, as their defense has notched just nine takeaways.

The Razorbacks are No. 82 in turnover margin, with 13 takeaways on 7 fumble recoveries and 6 interceptions, and 15 turnovers lost on 8 fumbles and 7 interceptions.

Extra points

• LSU has allowed only eight fourth-quarter points in its past four games against Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss and Alabama.

• The Razorbacks played their third- and fourth-highest scoring one-point games in victories by the scores of 38-37 and 39-38 the past two weeks. Each of the four highest-scoring one-point games have come in the past three years under Bret Bielema, with a 53-52 victory at Ole Miss in 2015 and a 51-50 loss to Mississippi State in 2015 added in.

• The ESPN announcing crew at LSU will be Jason Benetti on play by play, Kelly Stouffer with analysis and Julie Stewart-Binks on the sidelines.

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Sports on 11/08/2017