Winning in November is always important, but Arkansas coaches have broken it into weekly increments concerning what the team has to play for this month.
“It’s the four Bs,” junior center Ricky Stromberg said Wednesday during coach Sam Pittman's weekly radio show. “We talk all the time to make it about those.
“This week (against Mississippi State), it’s about a bowl game. Then, it’s the Boot Trophy (against LSU), then ‘Bama and then it’s the Battle Line game (against Missouri).”
Stromberg joined nose tackle John Ridgeway were the player guests of Pittman at the Catfish Hole restaurant.
The Hogs have gotten a break from the rigors of SEC play. They had a bye last week, following a 45-3 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff when starters were done at halftime.
Pittman said the team practiced with fresh legs this week, an interesting split schedule because the NCAA mandated no workouts because of elections Tuesday.
“Today was a nice practice,” Pittman said. “We practiced really well.
“We still have some guys a little beat up, but if practice is any indication, our legs are fresh and we are ready to go on a run.”
If the way the head coach is sleeping, it’s an important time of the year. The Hogs and Bulldogs both enter the game, set for 3 p.m. Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, with 5-3 records, hoping to secure a bowl berth.
“I haven’t slept very good,” Pittman said. “I wake up nervous. Are we doing everything right? Certainly, we are.”
Pittman said it’s an interesting matchup between the Arkansas offense and the Mississippi State defense.
“They are the fourth-ranked rushing defense in the conference and we are the fourth rushing offense,” he said.
On the other side of the ball, the Bulldogs' short passing game and handoffs against what often has been a defense set to stop the intermediate and deep pass requires a solid approach in getting more tacklers to the ball.
“We have to rally to the football,” Pittman said. “Our (defensive) team is totally bought in.
“Defensively, (MSU) has a great scheme and great linebackers. They have a different stack to their linebackers and we have to be ready for that. We have a super offensive line coach and we think we are.”
The Bulldogs are unique on offense with two backs often set on either side of the quarterback. That can help in pass protection, or it may be that they offset blitzes with wide passes.
“They will flare both backs out of the backfield,” Pittman said. “They will do that on third-and-2 when most teams run in the A gap. They dink you and that’s the philosophy of Coach (Mike) Leach.
“They did run the ball more against Kentucky, but that may be because they were ahead.”
Pittman was asked about the probability of quarterback KJ Jefferson carrying a bigger load this week after some rest.
“KJ has had a good week,” Pittman said. “We did some 9-on-9 and he found the open spots. In our two-minute work on Sunday, he took the team right down the field and they scored.”
After taking a beating with a heavy dose of quarterback runs over the first half of the season, then a lighter load against UAPB and an open week, would Jefferson be ready for more runs this week?
“We hope so,” Pittman said. “That’s the plan.
“We had a rough stretch there. He did (run) a lot against Ole Miss and got hit quite a bit. He will be as good as he’s been (as far as health).”
Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers set an SEC record in the 31-17 victory over Kentucky by completing 36 of 39 passes (92%) for 344 yards.
“I was that good (passing) in the seventh grade,” Pittman said. “Then they moved me to left guard.”
All joking aside, Pittman said the Hogs have to “keep the ball in front of us and run to the ball. You can’t stop them from completing a 2-yard pass on the flare.”
Pittman said turnovers could be the key stat.
“We need more (takeaways) than them,” he said. “We’ve been good (with ball security). Certainly, our defense will have an opportunity for some (turnovers). We need tipped balls. Our linebackers have to get in Rogers’ throwing lanes. We need a pass rush to move him.
“We have really made a big deal on whoever wins the turnover battle wins the game. Hopefully, it will be us.”