Hogs’ defense falters down the stretch again in loss to Kentucky

BY RAINER SABIN Northwest Arkansas Times

Posted on Sunday, September 23, 2007

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/57500/

Arkansas strong safety Matt Hewitt walked out of the Razorbacks’ team meeting room shaking his head. He, like most of his teammates, couldn’t believe what just happened in the final 11 minutes, 40 seconds of Arkansas’ 42-29 loss to No. 21 Kentucky on Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

“ We had ‘ em, ” Hewitt said. “ We had ‘ em. ”

Hewitt said those words like someone hoping they were indeed true. And for a brief while they were.

Arkansas defensive tackle Fred Bledsoe sacked Wildcats quarterback André Woodson in the end zone for a safety as the Razorbacks (1-2, 0-2 SEC ) jumped ahead, 22-21, early in the fourth quarter. Moments later, Arkansas extended that small lead when Felix Jones raced 82 yards for a touchdown on the ensuing kickoff. The Razorbacks’ advantage climbed to eight, 29-21.

Then everything unraveled for an Arkansas defense that has allowed 36. 3 points per game to its opponents.

Woodson carved up the Razorbacks’ secondar y, leading the Wildcats (4-0, 1-0 SEC ) on three consecutive scoring drives that covered 172 yards. Showing the poise that his coach, Rich Brooks, had commented on earlier this week, Woodson guided Kentucky’s offense down the field. And there was nothing the Razorbacks could do to stop the Wildcats.

“ We just flat-out didn’t get it done, ” Arkansas senior linebacker Weston Dacus said. “ They out-physicaled us tonight. ”

That certainly seemed to be the case on Kentucky’s go-ahead touchdown with 4: 02 remaining on the clock. Keenan Burton fought his way between two Razorbacks defensive backs — one of them being senior Matterral Richardson — and hauled in a 28-yard touchdown pass from Woodson that gave the Wildcats a 33-29 lead.

The Wildcats would then tack on a two-point conversion that sucked the air out of Razorback Stadium, which resembled a mausoleum from that point forward.

“ We got our tails kicked, ” Arkansas defensive coordinator Reggie Herring said. “ There’s not too much else to say. It goes back to the inconsistency defensively. For whatever reason, we can’t put a full game together right now.

“ There was really just sloppy play in the second half. It was very, very disappointing. That one is on me. I’m the coach. If anyone wants to boo, I’m in charge. ”

Herring looked stunned following the game. His defense allowed Kentucky to amass 435 yards of total offense and the Wildcats ’ ground attack to rush for 170 of them. Even worse, for the second consecutive week, the Razorbacks surrendered a lead late in the game.

Quarterback John Parker Wilson led a 73-yard drive that resulted in Alabama producing a game-winning touchdown with eight seconds left in the Crimson Tide’s 41-38 victory over the Razorbacks on Sept. 15. On Saturday, the Hogs watched again as another SEC quarterback snatched the momentum and eventually the win away from Arkansas in the last minutes.

“ It’s tough, ” Arkansas defensive end Antwain Robinson said. “ Hopefully we can overcome it. ”

Hewitt agreed.

“ We’re just letting them win easily, ” Hewitt said. “ It’s a long season. You never know what it is going happen. We can end up in the SEC Championship. ”

At this point, though, Arkansas is still looking to win its first conference game.