FAYETTEVILLE — During a practice inside Walker Pavilion days before Arkansas traveled to Texas A&M last month, Sam Pittman stopped a drill to deliver a pointed message to his offensive linemen.
“You’re going to decide you’ve got a good O-line,” Pittman said. “At some point, you’re going to have to decide. He can’t decide it for you, I can’t decide it for you. At some point, you’re going to decide you can do (the right things) every damn rep.”
Based on the last two weeks, it appears those simple lines of motivation have taken root with the Razorbacks’ front.
After ranking near the bottom of the SEC in run production after four games, Arkansas has made significant strides in recent games. The Razorbacks rushed for a season-high 222 yards against the Aggies in Game 5, then totaled 198 more in the following game, a 24-13 victory over Tennessee.
It is safe to say Pittman thoroughly enjoyed watching his team control the line of scrimmage offensively in the second half against the Volunteers.
“Yeah, that was a lot of fun,” Pittman said after the game. “That was a lot of fun to watch. I’m sure if you were home (watching) on TV or whatever, on the sideline, it was fun to watch. It’s fun winning football games that way.
“That’s kind of what they did to us in the first half.”
Arkansas’ success in the run game begins with center Ricky Stromberg, a sophomore from Tulsa, Okla. According to Pro Football Focus, Stromberg recorded the highest grade (63.9) among the Razorbacks’ offensive linemen against Tennessee.
In Pittman’s eyes, Stromberg is likely the most consistent player up front. The experience he gained playing as a true freshman last year is paying off.
Stromberg remembers well that October speech from Pittman in practice. It stuck with him.
“I think we stepped up these past two weeks,” he said. “We focus on the little things, you know? Little technique things, and we have a really good rapport as a group.”
Quarterback Feleipe Franks, who will return to Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday for the first time since transferring from the Gators, is proud of the way Stromberg goes about his business each day and is a fan of his leadership qualities.
Stromberg has started five of six games at center this season. He missed a start against Texas A&M due to missed practice time, but played significant snaps in the game.
“I think the first thing I always see in a person is how ambitious are they? Ricky is a guy (whose work ethic) doesn't ever change,” Franks said. “It's day in and day out. Great person, takes care of his other teammates, great guy to be around, great teammate, and a guy I want to go to war with.
“I like Ricky a lot. He's developing. It's not just me. (Offensive line coach Brad) Davis, Coach Pittman, I think a lot of those guys would say that about Ricky; really good guy and really good player."
Pittman also took the time Monday to brag on offensive linemen Ty Clary and Dalton Wagner. Clary, a Fayetteville native, missed a number of days in the preseason but is playing to his potential again.
On Saturday, Wagner started at right tackle for the first time this season in the absence of Noah Gatlin. He also filled in for an injured Gatlin after one play at Auburn and performed well, Pittman noted.
And over the last two weeks, Arkansas has seen both Rakeem Boyd and Trelon Smith provide pop in the running game. Boyd rushed for a season-high 100 yards and a touchdown against Texas A&M, then followed with 69 last Saturday.
Smith, who leads the Razorbacks in rushing, totaled a team-high 72 yards on just nine carries against Tennessee and reeled off explosive runs of 22 and 23 yards.
“I think that the success they’ve had in our running game opens up a lot of things that we do in the RPO and passing game,” Franks said. “I think those guys have done a great job of just running hard, doing what they’re asked and getting those hard-earned extra yards when it’s needed. Those yards don’t come easy, so they’ve done a great job getting hard-earned yards when they run.
“They’ve done a really good job. Both of them have done a really good job.”