FAYETTEVILLE — As a fan, do you ever feel like you are in the “tank” after a disappointing loss? That apparently goes for players and coaches, too.
Offensive coordinator Dan Enos knew it was his job to get his quarterback “out of the tank” last week after Austin Allen beat himself up over poor play in a 28-7 loss to TCU.
Enos revealed Monday that he was in the tank, too. The UA quarterbacks coach said he relies on his “wife and kids” to get him out of the tank.
Allen completed only 9 of 23 passes for 138 yards against TCU. He did use a bootleg to hit Jonathan Nance for a 49-yard touchdown, but came up empty (aside from a defensive pass interference penalty) on five drop-back deep shots against the Horned Frogs. The woeful passing game created a lot of long-yardage situations against the first down chains.
The question Monday that I wanted to ask was how Allen was responding during the bye week as the Hogs worked for this week's game against Texas A&M?
“Really good,” Enos said. “He's worked hard. It took a couple of days to get him out of the tank. He takes things too personal.
“But he's had a good week. He's been throwing well. He's had good energy.”
As far as the tank, Enos said all players react differently after a loss. It's his job to assess when they need a boost for their confidence.
“Me, I depend on my wife and kids to get me out of the tank,” Enos said. “They are in charge of that for me.”
It's fine to be disappointed in the way you play after a loss. The real problem would come when a player doesn't get down.
“Austin didn't like the way he played,” Enos said. “He's been really good the last two days. His footwork has been great. His accuracy has been good.
“I think it should hurt when you put your heart and soul into something.”
Head coach Bret Bielema said Allen attempts to “put the weight of the world on his shoulders.” Coaches have tried to take some of the pressure off of the quarterback over the last 10 days.
“We recognize that it's time to take some things off of his plate,” Bielema said, not indicating what are those things.
“We want to take off before we add to it.”
Perhaps there was a hint later when Bielema said there has been an emphasis on “not asking players to be super human. We want them to do only their job.” He said Allen only had to get the ball to the playmakers.
But it will help if there are some completions on deep passes.
“TCU was in split safeties,” Bielema said, an obvious reference to a post being open.
“We did go deep four or five times. One thing you do by throwing those is at least bring some awareness of that play. But if we'd completed one of them, it would have made a big difference in the game.
“It was 14-7 late in the fourth quarter against what is the No. 15 team in the country right now. You can be all pissy and worried. You can and sit around and talk about it, but we are close to being over the hump.”
Enos said the run game needs a boost from the passing game that hitting some of those deep passes would correct.
“We've talked about it before in (the media room) over the last two years,” Enos said. “The run game needs the pass game and the pass game needs the run game. It would help the run game if we were better throwing and we know that.”
Bielema went the other way in explaining his core philosophy.
“Dan and I do have the same philosophy,” Bielema said. “When you are dedicated to the run, it cleans up some things the quarterback sees in pre and post snap reads. Those things are there. We just have to get some of the receivers in the right routes.”
The Hogs hope to run it better as the perimeter blocking improves. Bielema thinks wide receivers and tight ends were close to getting the job done over the first two weeks.
“Perimeter blocking is unique,” Bielema said. “What you need is more live looks that you can simulate in practice. You need to see guys diving over blocks, things that don't happen in practice (against the scout squad).”
The tight end group of Austin Cantrell, C.J. O'Grady, Jeremy Patton, Will Gragg and Jack Kraus is capable of sealing the edge in the perimeter running game.
“You need live teaching moments that only happen in games,” Bielema said. “I know Austin Cantrell sure thinks he can play better. C.J. Is right on the cusp. When he goes, he's pretty special. Jeremy is playing his way into shape.”
Enos said the top rotation in the wideouts has a better understanding of who to block than those same players did last year. He thinks just a little more physical effort would help.
“We need to be more physical at the point of attack,” Enos said. “But we are getting better.”
The focus on defense this week will be to be physical at the point of attack, too. Defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads calls the Texas A&M attack “run heavy in the early downs.”
That was not the Arkansas strength against TCU. The Hogs had to face too many third and shorts against the Frogs.
“We are facing an offensive line that is extremely well coached,” Rhoads said. “I know how well they picked us up last year. We tried to move our front and they very calmly picked it up and blocked us.”
Rhoads didn't talk about being “in the tank,” but there was mention of giving up too many big plays to the Aggies last year.
“It was in that game and all season long,” Rhoads said. “The first thing, it starts in the back four. You have to control the lead shoulder of the wide receiver. You better maintain position on that up-field shoulder.”
Big plays can happen at other areas of the field, too.
“You better compete on 50-50 balls in man-to-man,” Rhoads said. “You better when more than you lose.
“Up front, you better control the gaps and fit right. You can give up a big play in the 'A' gap or on a bubble (screen).”
That is all true. The Hogs found ways to end up in the tank in a lot of those defensive situations last season. It's better if you don't have to find ways to bounce back, the position the Hogs were in at the first of last week.