FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Chad Morris stresses the finish. And in the same breath the new Arkansas coach also stresses the start of the second half.
The Razorbacks got the start of the second half right. They scored two touchdowns in a 90-second span to take a 27-9 lead against Colorado State.
The finish is still missing.
The Rams scored the game's final 25 points to steal a 34-27 victory. It was deja vu for the Razorbacks, so often missing the closing punch over the last few seasons.
Hence, the Morris era starts almost exactly like the Bret Bielema era started and finished. The Hogs blew a 24-7 lead at Rutgers five seasons back in Bielema's first road game.
The Hogs had several chances for the killer punch in the second half Saturday. They came up empty after Deon Stewart's 45-yard punt return to the CSU 28 with 6:49 left in the third quarter.
There were two chances then. Cole Kelley hit Jordan Jones in the corner of the end zone on first down, but officials didn't think a foot got inbounds. The review was not conclusive, according to the Mountain West Conference replay crew.
The Hogs came up empty when Chase Harrell dropped Kelley's third-and-7 pass, then Connor Limpert missed a 48-yard field goal.
“We couldn't finish,” Morris said. “We got the big punt return and then we missed a field goal.
“Our defense had them on the ropes, but after the missed field goal we didn't stop them. They drove 70, 96, 60 and 59 yards with their last four drives.”
The Rams got the game winner on a 1-yard off-tackle run with eight seconds left to finish an amazing fourth quarter that included near perfection by quarterback K. J. Carta-Samuels. He picked apart the UA secondary and weathered some pressure attempts by defensive coordinator John Chavis.
It was a fourth quarter that began with a Morris decision to pass on a fourth-and-inches chance at midfield. He said there were times during the break between periods that it was going to be a gamble.
“Looking back, you almost wish you went with it,” Morris said. “But we thought our defense was playing well. We went back and forth (about a possible play call) on the headsets. I thought we could pin them deep.
“And we did, but they went 96 yards. We thought we could give the momentum to our defense by punting.
“Give (CSU) credit. They had guys make plays, big throws and catches. When we did pressure, we didn't get home. We did hit him and they got a play underneath.”
The question about finishing kept coming up, both to Morris and the Razorbacks who came to the interview room.
“That was in the past,” Morris said about losing leads in the Bielema era.
“These are totally new guys. We have plenty to work on and we will. We just will continue to build.”
Cornerback Ryan Pulley called it right when he pointed at poor finishes to end each half. The Rams got the final two scores to end the first half, a pair of field goals to cut the lead to 13-9 at intermission.
“We have to finish both halves,” Pulley said. “We just had a couple of missed assignments at the end. That was what happened in the back end.
“Then, they caught fire. Give them credit.”
Pulley said losing leads “hurts a lot. We just have got to finish, both halves. It hurts, yes it does.”
T. J. Hammonds gave the Hogs the punch that seemed to put the Hogs in position to close out the Rams. He took a flip pass from Cole Kelley in the backfield for a 64-yard touchdown to make it 27-9 with 7:29 left in the third quarter.
“I thought it was over,” Hammonds said. “They came back, though.
“I thought Jordan got the foot down on what I saw (of the replay on the scoreboard). I thought it was no doubt. But they ruled incomplete on the field, so you need a lot to overturn it.”
Hammonds said the obvious as far as the big picture.
“We are down and any team would be mad,” he said. “We are an SEC team, they are Mountain West. I'm not saying that matters.”
It didn't in the fourth quarter, but Kelley didn't think there were problems until CSU tied the score with 4:03 left on Wyatt Bryan's 22-yard field goal, his fourth of the game.
“I thought we had it in the bag – until they tied it up,” Kelley said. “We are better than they are. They know that, we know that. But they won the game.”
What about the lack of a finish?
“It really didn't feel like the same as last year,” Kelley said. “I know it probably looks like that, but I don't feel that way.
“We got up on them pretty comfortably. Our offensive line blocked well and our backs made cuts. We got the passing game going to start the second half.
“But we beat ourselves. Colorado State didn't beat us. We beat ourselves.”
Then, Kelley said the obvious, “We just have to finish.”
The Hogs did some things according to the game plan. After rushing for just 80 yards in the opener, they hammered the interior of the CSU defense with 53 runs for 299 yards. Devwah Whaley rolled for a career best 165 yards on 26 carries.
True freshman Noah Gatlin got his first start at left tackle with Ty Clary and Austin Capps rotating at left guard. Brian Wallace got some rest at right tackle with Dalton Wagner taking over for a couple of drives.
“We had a heavy rotation,” Morris said. “That was the plan especially early on. We wanted to get Austin Capps in. Noah got the start and I think he played really well.”
The Hogs are still trying to figure out the rotation on the defensive front where end Randy Ramsey (hamstring pull) and linebacker Dre Greenlaw (ankle sprain) traveled but were in street clothes. Tight end C.J. O'Grady missed his second straight week with a suspension.
With Ramsey out, the Hogs went most of the game with McTelvin Agim at end, and that worked at times.
“We just felt like we needed him more outside (with Ramsey out),” Morris said. “We hope we get (Ramsey and Greenlaw) back next week.”
The Hogs also hope Colton Jackson returns from summer back surgery. He practiced on a limited basis last week.
“We'll just have to see early in the week on Colton,” Morris said.
Ty Storey played the entire first half at quarterback, but completed just 5 of 13 with two interceptions. Kelley took over at the half. Morris declined to pick a starter for next week, saying everything will be reviewed.
“We needed a spark in the passing game standpoint at halftime,” Morris said. “We have to be more efficient.”
Morris praised Whaley.
“He had a career night after a disappointing first week,” Morris said. “But he's disappointed like the whole locker room right now.”
And that was the theme.
“We are very disappointed in the outcome,” Morris said. “We had a great crowd. Our fans traveled. I'm disappointed we were not able to come out with a win.
“We were very poor on third down. We will look in the mirror and get it fixed and it starts with me.
“We will see how we respond to adversity for the first time.”