Hogs' O took needed step forward on 3rd down

FAYETTEVILLE — In Arkansas’ first three games against LSU under head coach Sam Pittman, the Razorbacks had little success moving the chains on third down.

From 2020-22, Arkansas was 9 of 43 (21%) converting on third down against the Tigers. In Pittman’s first season, the Razorbacks were unsuccessful in all 10 attempts. 

Third-down conversions were a concern entering last weekend’s game given Arkansas’ 2-of-13 performance in the Sept. 16 home loss to BYU. But the Razorbacks took a needed step forward in that regard in their 34-31 loss at LSU.

Arkansas finished 8 of 13 on the down at Tiger Stadium, including 4 of 6 after halftime. Pittman, obviously, was pleased.

“It takes a little bit of game time to play together a little bit better,” Pittman said Monday. “Hopefully we can continue to do a good job on third-down prep and basically do the execution that we did Saturday night against who I thought was a really good football team — really good.

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“You just kind of…I think everybody is just getting used to each other a little bit more.”

Quarterback KJ Jefferson appeared more comfortable when in those scenarios. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 114 yards on the down, and each completion netted a first down or touchdown. 

Jefferson had a 25-yard conversion on the ground as well.

The five completions went to four different pass catchers. Jefferson’s 59-yard touchdown pass to tight end Luke Hasz in the third quarter came on third-and-6.

“I think KJ is starting to find his guys that he knows will catch the football,” Pittman said. “And there’s a lot of them out there.”

Tyrone Broden, a transfer from Bowling Green, was more involved in the passing game at LSU, receiving six targets. His 7-yard catch on third-and-4 helped the Razorbacks reach the red zone, where kicker Cam Little got Arkansas on the board first with a 23-yard field goal.

“First of all, we needed to play Broden more and that was a way to get him out there,” Pittman said. “He’s got experience, but we just hadn’t got him on the field enough to kind of get in rhythm.

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“We felt like, ‘Let’s get him in early.’ I think he gives us a tall weapon.”

Andrew Armstrong, in his first season at Arkansas after transferring from Texas A&M-Commerce, had a pair of third-down grabs for first downs that totaled 22 yards. They both came on scoring drives in the second quarter.

Running back Rashod Dubinion also picked up 26 yards on a third-and-9 reception.

The Razorbacks’ third-down stats will be interesting to follow again Saturday against Texas A&M. The Aggies have allowed opponents to convert on 10 of 49 tries (20.4%).

Auburn, which lost 27-10 at Kyle Field last Saturday, finished 3 of 15.

“To me, it all starts with ability to run the football,” Pittman said of third-down success. “I felt like we did that pretty well Saturday night.”