FAYETTEVILLE — Sam Pittman’s opinion the Arkansas Razorbacks should be included in the second set of College Football Playoff rankings came to fruition late Tuesday as the University of Arkansas was slotted No. 25 by the CFP selection committee.
The Razorbacks (6-3, 2-3 SEC) earned their first CFP ranking in five years, when they were at No. 25 heading into a game against LSU, which is also their opponent on Saturday in Baton Rouge.
On Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference, Pittman said, “Obviously any time that happens you start worrying about, ‘Well, they’re going to look at that and not concentrate on practice’ and all this.
“It’s a little bit different in that our program has been down for a few years, and with us getting in the Top 25 after Week 9, that’s a mark for our program.
“Obviously we know it’s hard to stay there. But I know myself and my staff, we were excited to be in the Top 25 after nine weeks.”
Arkansas fell out of the 2016 rankings after one week, following a 38-10 loss to LSU at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
The current Razorbacks peaked at No. 8 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll in late September after opening with a 4-0 record.
Two-point run
Sam Pittman’s only request on the two-point play with 21 seconds remaining after the Hogs’ successful 75-yard drive in the two-minute drill last Saturday was to not throw the ball.
With Arkansas leading 29-28 at that point, a defensive two-point conversion would have given Mississippi State the lead.
Arkansas called timeout before the conversion run, during which Pittman told offensive coordinator Kendal Briles he did not want to pass.
“I wanted to run it,” Pittman said on the SEC Network. “Because if we throw it and they pick it and run it back …. I thought Dominique Johnson and our O-line could go in there and get it and by golly they did.”
Johnson converted the two-point run to put Arkansas ahead 31-28. Mississippi State drove into field goal range but missed a 40-yard try on the final play.
“It turned out we needed every point we got,” Pittman said on his Wednesday radio show.
Personnel update
Coach Sam Pittman provided updates on Wednesday on a few reserves who have been missing practice time in recent weeks, starting with redshirt freshman offensive lineman Jalen St. John, who is dealing with a wrist problem.
The Razorbacks had planned to get St. John substantial snaps in the game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Oct. 23, but St. John was ill and did not dress out for the game. Pittman said during the post-game they considered having him dress out at halftime but decided against it.
Since then, St. Johnson has missed practice time dealing with his hand.
“We’ve got to find out what’s wrong with him, how we can fix that wrist and we’re doing that today,” Pittman said.
Additionally, safety Zach Zimos recently suffered a knee injury that required surgery and the redshirt sophomore is out for the season.
True freshman defensive back Chase Lowery was hurt during practice the week of the UAPB game and has been slowed by what looked like a knee injury at the time, Pittman said.
Morgan in mix
Sixth-year senior linebacker Grant Morgan added another potential award on Wednesday when he was named one of 20 semifinalists for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award.
The award, named for the standout tight end at Tennessee and the Dallas Cowboys, has been given since the 2017 season to the college player who best exemplifies leadership on and off the field.
Morgan has already been named a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, known as the “Academic Heisman” in college football, and a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which recognizes the top collegian who began his career as a walk-on.
A Walter Camp All-American and All-SEC pick who logged 111 tackles last season, Morgan has 69 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, an interception and three pass breakups this season.
The Greenwood native is one of three SEC players to make the semifinalist’s list for the Witten Award, joining Kentucky’s Josh Pascal and Mississippi State’s Austin Williams.
Three finalists for the award will be named on Dec. 15, and the winner will be announced at the award ceremony in Frisco, Texas, on Feb. 17, 2022. The winner receives a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school’s athletic scholarship fund.
LSU QBs
LSU Coach Ed Orgeron was asked Wednesday how the competition was going between starting quarterback Max Johnson, a left-hander, and freshman righty Garrett Nussmeier, who is expected to see first half action on Saturday.
“We had a Monday practice and both of them did well,” Orgeron said. “Yesterday we had another practice and both of them did well.
“It’s going to come down that we’ll put them in the game and see who plays the best in the game. …. They both are professional about it but you can tell their intensity has been raised up a little bit.”
Treylon toe tap?
Arkansas wideout Treylon Burks and the Arkansas football social media accounts posted a picture from last Saturday’s game that seemed to indicate Burks might’ve actually secured a pass that was ruled out of bounds in the first quarter.
Fellow wideout De’Vion Warren fired a double pass for Burks on first down from the Mississippi State 26-yard line, one play after Burks had run 26 yards with a snap from the WildHog formation. Burks caught the pass on the end line, but was deemed out of bounds.
The picture shows the ball settling into Burks’ hands with the upper sole of his right cleat touching grass just before his right knee is set to come down out of bounds.
“I was told that it was reviewed because I was thinking about calling a timeout,” Coach Sam Pittman said Wednesday. “I said ‘I’m thinking here about calling a timeout and [the referee] said, ‘Oh, no we’ve got the review on it and you won’t have to use that.’ They came back and said it was out.”
Arkansas completed the drive six plays later on Dominique Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown run to go ahead 10-0.
Elite quartet
Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson is among a select group of four FBS quarterbacks who have achieved these standards in 2021: 1,800 or more passing yards, 15-plus passing touchdowns, 400 or more rushing yards and 5 or more rushing touchdowns. Jefferson has 1,848 passing yards and 16 passing touchdowns, 433 rushing yards and 5 rushing touchdowns.
The others in that group: Ole Miss’ Matt Corral (2,526 passing yards and 16 TDs, 528 rushing yards and 10 TDs); North Carolina’s Sam Howell (2,408 passing yards and 20 TD, 699 rushing yards and 8 TD); and Liberty’s Malik Willis (2,159 passing yards and 21 TD, 755 rushing yards and 10 TD).
Down a few
The LSU roster, particularly on defense, has been ravaged by injuries and players who have opted out for the season in a down year for a program that claimed the SEC and College Football Playoff titles in 2019.
Among the lost players on defense are nine players who have made starts, including cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr. and Eli Ricks, ends Ali Gaye, Andre Anthony and Maason Smith and tackle Joseph Evans.
Cornerback Cordale Flott, safety Sage Ryan and Smith were hurt recently and their status for Saturday is up in the air.
LSU Coach Ed Orgeron said on his radio show Wednesday night the Tigers would be without starting offensive guards Ed Ingram and Chasen Hines.