FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ players know that fans are not happy with the team’s effort and 1-2 start.
Neither are the players.
Blowing an 18-point lead in a 34-27 loss at Colorado State and then being routed 44-17 at home by North Texas has left Arkansas players embarrassed, angry and hurt.
“There is definitely some embarrassment in it,” tight end Jeremy Patton said. "I wouldn’t say anger, I would say more just hurt, but I think that is going to fuel us and propel us into this part of the season. We are really optimistic about what is coming. We can feel it.
“Despite what the scoreboard said, we are doing some good things and we can really feel it, especially today at practice. This was one of the better practices that have had all year; guys flying around, a lot of energy going around. I think we are on the right swing coming out.”
Senior defensive end Randy Ramsey, who had three quarterback pressures in his season debut last week after missing two games with an injury, was more blunt.
“Embarrassment, man,” Ramsey said of his feeling after Saturday’s loss. “Sick to our stomach to lose like that. But we’ve just got to leave it in the past and keep working and trust the process.”
Things won’t get any easier for Arkansas when it visits No. 9 Auburn (2-1, 0-1 SEC) on Saturday at 6:30 p.m in game that will be televised by SEC Network.
Arkansas junior offensive lineman Colton Jackson, also getting his first action of 2018 last week after missing the first two games, said first-year coach Chad Morris has tried to focus the team on staying together and putting in good work.
“We’re basically in a storm right now,” Jackson said. “Everybody’s just got to come together, rally together. Don’t worry about the outside world, what they’re saying and all that stuff.
“We’re all we’ve got, and we’re all we need, so as long as we stay together. Don’t splinter, don’t go, ‘Oh, offense didn’t do this, defense didn’t do this.’ We’re all one Arkansas. So, that’s basically the message. Stay together, trust in the process, come attack every day and just go to work.”
Arkansas senior defensive tackle Armon Watts, who leads the SEC with three sacks, is telling his teammates to do their best to block out the noise and frustration of fans.
“Of course people can listen to the outside world and see what’s going on,” Watts said. “But one thing I challenge some of the guys with is, ‘Don’t listen to it.’ Like I say all the time, ‘We’re still undefeated in the SEC.’
“It’s a new coach, new staff, so there’s rough patches you’re going to go through. But as long as you keep our mindset, keep our goals of winning the Southwest {Classic vs Texas A&M), the Boot (against LSU), all those goals are still attainable. We just can’t lose sight of that.”
Visiting LSU kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired to defeat Auburn 22-21 last Saturday. The Razorbacks expect a hungry, angry team Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
“Man, they want to run the ball of course, like every SEC team,” Ramsey said. “They want to establish the run first then air it out. With teams like that you’ve got to be on your Ps and Qs. Any mistake, they capitalize off of it.
“If you don’t play hard, because they’re coming all four quarters, they’ll just put the nail in the coffin. We’ve just got to execute our plays and play hard and fight.”
Auburn throttled Arkansas 56-3 in the Razorbacks' last game there in 2016. Auburn won 52-20 last season in Fayetteville.
“That was an embarrassment," Ramsey said of the loss two years ago, Arkansas' most lopsided ever in a conference game. "We’re not trying to have that again…That was an embarrassment. I don’t want to even think about that loss.”
Morris had his players read Joshua Metcalf’s book Chop Wood Carry Water before the season and is drawing on its message this week.
"We’ve got to keep on chopping wood and carrying water," Ramsey said. "Eventually it’s going to hit, and when it hits it’s going to take off like a rocket.”