FAYETTEVILLE — As senior linebackers Grant Morgan, Hayden Henry and Bumper Pool drew national accolades in Arkansas’ 3-0 start, Sam Pittman quickly asserted the defensive line’s contributions to their success.
Now with the defensive line in general, and defensive end Tre Williams in particular, credited so highly for the now-No. 8 Razorbacks dominating then-No. 7 Texas A&M 20-10 at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium, Pittman quickly lauds the linebackers’ contributions to the D-line.
“Linebackers,” Pittman replied when asked the key to defensive coordinator Barry Odom employing a 3-man front. “It’s a race to the ball. Our linebackers, they can run.”
A defense deriving that much from three down linemen alternating three linebackers at two positions can unleash a 6-man secondary throughout.
Other than one 67-yard touchdown run by great Texas A&M running back Isaiah Spiller, who had just 28 yards for his other 11 carries, Arkansas stifled the Aggies' running game. Though generally pass rushing just three, the Hogs constantly pressured A&M quarterback Zach Calzada. They sacked Calzada three times and intercepted one pass. Eight times they were credited hurrying Calzada into incompletions.
Pittman praised his players’ prowess and bragged on Odom and his schemes.
He lauded the orchestration by offensive coordinator Kendal Briles. Arkansas scored 20 points and amassed 443 yards against an Aggie defense bringing a string of seven straight shutout quarters off 10-7 and 34-0 victories over Colorado and New Mexico.
Special teams, with Cam Little’s two field goals making him 8 for 8, and A&M returning zero yards from Reid Bauer’s six punts, excelled.
One quality transcended all, Pittman said.
“I think our toughness showed tonight,” Pittman said. “I mean we’ve got a tough football team. I’m proud of that fact.”
Pittman and staff recruited some toughness and talent.
But this team’s core comes from those same guilt by associated lumped with the fragile 2-10, 0-8 SEC teams of the Chad Morris era.
They might have played under fragile leadership, but they weren’t fragile.
Senior and junior offensive linemen Dalton Wagner and Ricky Stromberg put Georgia Southern game-ending injuries behind them to play against A&M.
Third-year sophomore quarterback KJ Jefferson returned from limping off with a late second half injured knee against A&M to run the ball himself running out the clock.
Morgan, among the 2020 seniors NCAA granted 2021 eligibility because of covid’s 2020 disruptions, explained their return, encouraged by Pittman’s 3-7 plus three close but no cigars for an entirely SEC 2020 season.
“Wins like this are why you come back,” Morgan, a sixth-year senior and UA grad with a masters said. “We saw this was a possibility from last year. I’m proud to be part of this group changing how momentum was going in Arkansas football.”
Always tough kids are now into two years under tough leaders.