FAYETTEVILLE — Sosa Agim remembers taking TCU’s Kenny Hill to the turf in Fort Worth last year for his first career sack last September.
Something else also stands out about his second career game.
“We were dead tired last year,” Agim said. “They would snap the ball when we weren’t ready.”
Arkansas wound up winning a wild thriller 41-38 in double overtime but only after surviving a near-collapse as TCU came charging back in the fourth quarter as the Razorbacks battled heavy legs. The fatigue stuck out to then-secondary coach Paul Rhoads, who pointed it out to then-defensive coordinator Robb Smith even before the issues struck.
“We had given up zero points at halftime last year,” said Rhoads, who was promoted to defensive coordinator in January. “At the end of the first half I saw it and told Robb as soon as we got into the locker room, ‘We’re tired.’ We did not play nearly as well the second half as we did the first half because we started to get gassed there at the end.”
TCU gashed Arkansas for 206 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime to erase a 20-7 deficit and nearly win the game, if not for quarterback Austin Allen’s heroics and a blocked field goal by Dan Skipper. A tired defense had little answer for the Horned Frogs.
“You would get them to third down and then they’d get a 20-yard bust,” Agim said. “It was just things that was taken out of you. That’s’ a great offense over there at TCU and we’re just trying to get prepared for them.”
Arkansas transitioned to a 3-4 scheme this offseason in an effort to bounce back from a subpar showing on that side of the ball in 2016. While the change obviously wasn’t made with TCU solely in mind, the Hogs hope it can help in several ways Saturday during the 2:30 p.m. CBS showdown.
Playing a 3-down linemen scheme helps depth in the trenches. The Razorbacks played 10 defensive linemen in their 49-7 opening win over Florida A&M. They likely won’t play double digits against TCU, but spreading depth over 3 positions instead of 4 helps.
“I think that’s going to help us for TCU on Saturday to keep guys fresh,” defensive line coach John Scott Jr. said.
The scheme essentially means Arkansas is subbing a defensive lineman for a linebacker or defensive back, which equates to 8 defenders playing with their hands off the ground, whether it lines up in the 3-4 or in its nickel package. The added speed on the field, mostly in the form of outside linebackers Randy Ramsey and Dwayne Eugene and nickel back Kevin Richardson, should come in handy against TCU.
The Horned Frogs like to spread the field, a strategy which gets their speedy playmakers in space and also gives the versatile Hill plenty of room to take off and scramble if the play breaks down or running room opens up.
He hurt the Hogs with his legs last year, running for 93 yards and 2 touchdowns. Taking away Agim’s sack and a pair of others, Hill cracked the century mark in positive yardage during the game, picking holes in the Arkansas edge and exploiting his superior speed.
Arkansas hopes there is less running room with its outside linebackers helping man the edges and less of a gap in speed thanks to its personnel groupings.
“Especially being a guy in space, I feel they’re going to try to attack us and go at us, so we have a big responsibility,” senior outside linebacker Dwayne Eugene said.
Eugene and fellow starter Randy Ramsey were solid in the opener, with each recording 2 tackles and a sack and grading out well. Backup Gabe Richardson forced the fumble that led to Henre Toliver’s defensive touchdown. That group will be important against Hill and TCU’s speed come Saturday.
“When our number’s called to set the edge or rush the passer, that’s what we’ve got to be able to do,” outside linebackers coach Chad Walker said.