LITTLE ROCK — Remote in hand early Saturday evening, an audible — tap “list,” the orange “select,” to reveal all college football recordings, and the red “delete” for Eastern Illinois at Arkansas.
Not much to see there.
Hours before the kickoff, Arkansas’ expected rout of an inferior opponent was deemed worth saving because the game figured to include a series or two that would exemplify the new-look offense of Chad Morris and serve as a reference point later in the season.
Two quarters deep in the game, the wait for the hurry-up was still ongoing and the Razorbacks’ 38-6 halftime lead enabled a homebody to abandon telecast of the Fayetteville game with a clear conscience in favor of No. 9 Auburn vs. No. 6 Washington in Atlanta. Early in the week, 28-3 was identified as the lead necessary to break away from UA-EIU.
Ever since Morris was hired away from SMU in December, there has been speculation about the look of his go-fast offense. Specifics were only imagined and, after a while, the personal response was to quote former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart who once tried to explain what is obscene and finally declared “… I know it when I see it …”
Morris’ talk about the Razorbacks averaging 80 plays or more per game helped craft the image of an offense that would run eight plays in less than two minutes and negotiate 70 yards.
In the first quarter, Arkansas’ 15 plays produced 46 yards. After 60 minutes, the Razorbacks totaled 66 plays. Contributing to the bottom line were some quick scoring drives by Arkansas and some EIU possessions that lasted a while.
On at least one occasion when Arkansas appeared on the verge of rapid-fire snaps, an injury to an Eastern Illinois player short-circuited the opportunity. Perception is one thing, but somebody in the press box who paid close attention determined the Razorbacks snapped the ball six or seven seconds faster when Ty Storey was at quarterback than when Cole Kelley was in the game.
Early on, the SEC Network announcers quoted Morris as saying that everything is about tempo and they even mentioned the phrase Razorfast.
Maybe Morris felt like there wasn’t a need for his team to go fast against an FCS opponent or maybe the way EIU employed its safeties enabled the big pass play to the point that rushing to the line of scrimmage to try and catch the Panthers off balance was a waste of time or maybe it was something else. Besides, helped by four fumble recoveries in the first half, including one for a touchdown, the outcome was never in doubt.
In the first half, Arkansas netted 290 yards on 37 plays, including Jordan Jones’ catch for 57 yards and a TD, and his grab for 46 yards to set up a TD. Kelley started at quarterback, but the offense was more efficient with Storey, possibly because he is more of a threat to run. Storey completed 10-of-14 for 214 yards and three touchdowns after Kelley was so-so on the first few possessions. In fairness, Kelley probably would have had similar stats given the same situations.
Jones was five yards behind everybody on his TD catch and alone in the middle of the field on his big play. La'Michael Pettway was alone in the end zone when Storey rolled left and threw behind him, forcing Pettway to make a 14-yard touchdown catch on his back. Pettway also had a 48-yard score.
This week, expect more of the same through the air and even more production on the ground at Colorado State.
Visiting Fayetteville for personal reasons on Aug. 24, a chance meeting with an insightful Arkansas insider reinforced the idea that CSU might be a stumbling block for the Razorbacks.
The preseason perception of Rams football didn’t last long.
Starting 0-2 is one thing, but the data recorded by Hawaii and Colorado in CSU’s first two games is something else:
— 88 points
— 756 yards passing on an unheard of 48-of-62
— 457 yards rushing
Reviewing those numbers, making a case for CSU on Sept. 8 is impossible.
Meanwhile, back to Saturday, where the switch from the SEC Network telecast to ABC occurred just in time to see Washington miss a go-ahead field goal attempt from 29 yards and Auburn fail from long distance while in front 15-13 in the third quarter.
Later in the period, Washington lost possession when it tried to run the option inside the Auburn 5 and word from the back bedroom that Bumper Pool had returned a fumble 60 yards to set up a touchdown absolved any need to check back on the Razorbacks.
After watching Auburn figure out a way to win — including a late touchdown, unmerciful pressure on Washington quarterback Jake Browning in his 40th start, Jarrett Stidham’s big gain on a second-down keeper, and turning to freshman JaTarvius Whitlow in the Wildcat for a game-ending first down — the telecast was switched back in time to see Kelley throw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Austin Cantrell. A review of the streaming stats also showed redshirt freshman Daulton Hyatt with two carries for minus-6 yards.
Without a doubt, Arkansas’ quarterback competition is ongoing.
Not so much in Tuscaloosa and College Station.
Shortly after the closing credits of Wheel of Fortune melted into the opening of Alabama-Louisville in Orlando, Nick Saban ducked the quarterback question for the umpteenth time since the national championship game, telling the sideline reporter that she would get the answer in about 30 seconds.
Maybe it was two minutes, but Tua Tagovailoa took the field and completed a 65-yard drive with an 11-yard TD pass. With the Crimson Tide leading 21-0 in the second quarter, Jalen Hurts replaced the man who subbed for him in the second half and the overtime of the national championship game vs. Georgia in January.
Tagovailoa returned and his TD pass just before half was his 11th completion in 15 tries for 195 yards.
Meanwhile, Jimbo Fisher’s decision to go with Kellen Mond over Nick Starkel is being celebrated with great enthusiasm.
Mond was 17-of-25 for 184 yards and two touchdowns, but handing the ball to Trayveon Williams — 20 carries for 240 yards — made his task easy and the opposition was Northwestern State of the FCS.
For a better reading on Mond, check his stats this week against Clemson.
This article originally appeared in Hawgs Illustrated