Like it is

UA didn’t wait until half to change fortunes

Mississippi State wide receiver Cameron Gardner (18) watches as Arkansas defensive back Greg Brooks Jr. (9) intercepts a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Thomas Graning)

After Mississippi State had early success converting fourth downs, defensive coordinator Barry Odom sent a message.

He told Sam Pittman the next time the Bulldogs tried to run on fourth down, it would look like the same defense, but it wouldn’t be.

Odom was making adjustments on the fly Saturday.

As Pittman has said many times, “You don’t have to wait until the half to make adjustments.”

Odom didn’t.

The first quarter belonged to the home team. The Bulldogs had possession an unbelievable 13:57, had 157 yards of offense, and K.J. Costello completed 13 of 18 passes for 117 of those yards.

The score was tied 7-7 because Greg Brooks Jr. picked Costello and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown.

Take that play out, and it might have been 14-0 and hard to overcome. But Brooks made the play, Odom tweaked his defense, and the Bulldogs managed just 243 yards of offense and one more touchdown over the final three quarters.

It was one of the best defensive efforts in recent memory.

Every time it seemed State was going to seize the momentum, someone deflected a pass, made a big tackle, or had an interception or fumble recovery.

Those things don’t happen when a team stands around waiting on someone else to make a play, something Razorback fans are all too familiar with seeing.

Odom rushed three men 99% of the game. While the Hogs had just one sack, they managed to flush Costello out of the pocket several times, and he also hurried throws.

Arkansas’ offense was good enough to complement the defense and stop a 20-game SEC losing streak.

Feleipe Franks, the senior graduate transfer quarterback, completed 20 of 28 passes for 212 yards and 2 touchdowns, but he had to scramble too much.

One thing about him, he doesn’t get shook up.

The guy is cool under pressure and has the ability to make people miss him.

The Razorbacks managed 63 yards on the ground, but starter Rakeem Boyd left after only eight carries. The offense still was good enough and set a tempo that hurt the Bulldogs.

It was a team effort, but the defense did shine a little brighter.

Instead of getting tired during its long stay on the field — it was more than 36 minutes — the unit seemed to grow more resilient and determined.

Guys stepped up at the right time.

Going into the game, junior Joe Foucha had one interception in two seasons, but he had two against a quarterback who all week had been mentioned in the same sentence with Heisman Trophy.

Senior De’Vion Warren, known for his speed and kickoff returns, had played in 31 games with a total of nine catches for 66 yards. Against the Bulldogs, he had four catches for 100 yards and a touchdown.

From Day One, Pittman has told these players to forget the past and focus on what you can do in the future.

They played as one Saturday on the road against a team that just beat the defending national champion.

No one was looking to shine, but to be part of an overall effort.

To shut a tattered old book and begin a new chapter in Razorback history.

Against a deeper, faster Mississippi State team, the Razorbacks played 54 players and it took every one of them to get the win.

What also stood out was the coaching and preparation that went into the game.

Pittman is proving to be a great CEO. Odom had an outstanding defensive game plan, and Kendal Briles’ offense wore the Bulldogs down.

As sure as it took 54 players to get a win, it took an entire coaching staff to pull it off on the road in the SEC.