FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas defensive back Montaric Brown missed the interception party thrown by Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral last season in Fayetteville, but he hopes to get one in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday.
Brown (6-0, 190) suffered a concussion and was unable to play in the Razorbacks’ 33-21 win over Rebels, a game in which Corral threw six picks and Arkansas cornerback Hudson Clark came away with three.
“I was very excited seeing Hudson Clark step up and get those three picks last year,” Brown said Tuesday.
Brown has 21 tackles this season and 2 interceptions – one against Rice and Texas A&M. The two picks match the redshirt senior’s career total entering the year.
He knows Corral, who has thrown for 1,210 yards and 10 touchdowns without a interception this season, will be looking to put last year’s performance against the Razorbacks behind him.
“He is a great quarterback,” Brown said. “I didn’t get to compete against him last year, but he is a good quarterback and has got good receivers and a good offense. He gets the ball to his receivers and does what he has to do.
“They like to throw the deep ball, so we have to eliminate their key players and eliminate what they like to do."
No. 13 Arkansas (4-1, 1-1) and No. 17 Ole Miss (3-1, 0-1) in a 11 a.m. game Saturday on ESPN.
Both are coming in off humbling losses with No. 2 Georgia routing Arkansas 37-0 and No. 1 Alabama whipping Ole Miss 42-21.
“From a defensive standpoint, we just want to start fast, start getting three-and-outs,” Brown said. “Speaking for the defense, we feel like our backs are against the wall. Just want to feel comfortable on the road and get stops.”
Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool also expects Corral will do his best to have a better game than last season.
Both Jalen Catalon and Grant Morgan returned interceptions for touchdowns in that game, and Greg Brooks also grabbed a Corral mistake.
“They have good coaches and I am sure they are going to make adjustments from last year,” Pool said. “I'm sure he will want to play at a higher level than he did last year.”
Pool sees Corral becoming more comfortable in second-year coach Lane Kiffin’s offense.
“I think it is kind of like the same thing as our offense – it is Year 2 in their system,” Pool said. “I think he has got a better handle on his reads and his checkdowns. We are going to have to run to the ball, chase the ball down. That’s kind of our mantra and I think it is going to have to come to play this Saturday.”
Pool is quick to point out that last year's game is in the rearview mirror.
“Last year was last year,” Pool said. “This is a new season and they are playing well. Obviously they are going to be preparing for our drop eight.”
Arkansas is expected to once again send out a defense that rushes just three as it did last year and against its first five opponents this season.
“I think we will try and switch things up and try to apply pressure to him,” Pool said. “Our D-line has been playing well. Hopefully we can keep him disrupted to where he will have to get out of the pocket and make errant throws.”
Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks described going against the drop eight in practice.
“Playing our drop-eight defense, it is hard to get open because there are people everywhere,” Burks said. “You just go out there and try to take advantage of it and attack.”
The Rebels have also been productive on the ground this season with 974 yards.
“It is the same threat as the passing game,” Brown said. ”We have got to stop the run as well as the pass. We have to treat it the same as the pass and we have got to stop everything they do.
“It is very important and it is going to come down to who wants it more, like every game."