COLUMBIA, Mo. — At long last, Chad Morris’ first season at Arkansas has come to an end.
The Razorbacks’ play in their final game of the season mimicked the sloppy conditions at Faurot Field in Missouri’s 38-0 win Friday afternoon. The loss dropped Arkansas on the wrong side of program history as the first 10-loss team and to an 0-8 finish in Southeastern Conference play for the first time since 2013.
“I’ve been in this exact spot before and I know what it looks like,” Morris said. “I know what it looks like moving forward and I know what it takes to move this program forward. No one likes to come in and end the way that we finished.”
For the most part, Arkansas’ offense was a no-show in Columbia, finishing with just 187 total yards — 52 rushing. Missouri sacked Razorbacks quarterbacks five times and recorded eight tackles for loss, which resulted in 77 lost yards. The game also marked the first time the Razorbacks have been shut out since losing to Alabama 52-0 in Oct. 2013.
Arkansas turned the ball over on downs three times, threw an interception, lost a fumble and had five three-and-outs against the Tigers, which came into the day 10th in the SEC in total defense allowing nearly 400 yards per game. Morris wasn’t pleased with the way Arkansas played up front and left his quarterbacks constantly scrambling.
“We had guys in those positions and playing those positions all year long for the most part,” Morris said of his offensive line. “Our inability to sustain some blocks was disappointing. It put us behind the chains, and anytime you get put behind the chains like that it’s difficult. It’s difficult on anybody. It was no different today.”
Ty Storey and freshman Connor Noland split time at quarterback and the offense failed to reach the end zone for the second consecutive week. Arkansas was outscored 90-6 over their final two games. A Noland-led six-play, 49-yard drive early in the third quarter that pushed Arkansas inside the Missouri 5 was as close as it would come to a touchdown. But similarly to last week at Mississippi State, a Razorbacks player was flagged for offensive pass interference at the goalline.
Following the penalty, Missouri’s offense responded with a nine-play, 96-yard scoring drive to go up 35-0 and jumpstart the Razorbacks’ offseason. Tigers quarterback Drew Lock finished his career at home with 221 yards passing, four total scores - two rushing - and a standing ovation from the Tigers crowd. Friday was the first time in Lock’s career he’d rushed for multiple touchdowns.
“He’s an outstanding quarterback,” Morris said of Lock. “There's a reason everybody has him at the top of their draft board. He’s very composed, he’s very experienced, a veteran guy. You could see that out there today. Nothing really fazed him or rattled him.
“He gets into a rhythm and it’s tough, it’s difficult. You put some guys on an island, the way they do their splits, you’ve got to win some one-on-one matchups in space. That’s what this league is.”
Lock’s top target was Emanuel Hall, who torched Arkansas’ largely green secondary for six catches, 153 yards and both of Lock’s touchdown passes. Hall finished the day with four grabs of at least 18 yards, and he evaded a lunging Santos Ramirez on his 67-yard touchdown.
Hall’s 153 yards receiving are his most in a single game since Weeks 1-2 when he finished with 171 against UT-Martin and Wyoming. No other Missouri receiver totaled more than two catches or more than 16 yards through the air on Friday.
Arkansas’ run defense - without senior Dre Greenlaw - was largely nonexistent once again and gave up 100-plus yards to an opponent for the sixth time in eight conference games. Running back Larry Rountree picked up his fourth 100-yard game this season with 119 yards on 29 carries.
It was evident in Morris' postgame press conference he and his coaching staff are focused on the future and putting this miserable season behind them. For the next three weeks, it's all about recruiting. Until next season, it's all about player development. It could be challenging to pitch positives to prospects following a 2-10 season, but Morris says the plan is to shoot it straight with them.
"You have to sell the vision. You have to sell what’s coming," he added. "That’s what we’ve been selling from the start, when we started recruiting these young men. We’re selling them on an opportunity to come in here and contribute, and contribute early, and to play and make an impact the day you step on campus. That has not changed.
"That’s been our mission and that’s been our message to these young men and that won’t change."