Staying Focused: Here Come the Hogs
Time to trust “the process” and not overlook Arkansas…
By: Dave in Tuscaloosa
The Butcher is here!
For most, Saturday’s Alabama-Arkansas tilt is being looked at as a tune-up for the Tide as they head towards the SEC Championship game against Florida on December 19th. Well, Bama Nation is part of a program that isn’t like most. After all, our team follows “the process”...you know, the one that does not allow our boys to look ahead and the one that focuses on each game at hand no matter the opponent. I think the vast majority of Bama fans have an innate fear of Sir Nick Saban, as we consider ourselves a part of the process as well. So, no looking ahead for any of us...it’s Arkansas week.
Lately, that might not seem as much, as the Razorbacks have struggled the last few years. However, under first year coach Sam Pittman, the 2020 version of the Hogs are not following that recent script. Arkansas stands at just 3-6 on the year, yet their progress this year compared to last year's version that finished 2-10 and who looked beat before most game’s opening kickoff, has been impressive. The Hogs play hard, have been competitive in their losses (including losing two on last second field goals...one of them, against Auburn, should have been an Arkansas win due to a missed call by the officials), and have logged impressive victories over Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Tennessee. Their trajectory is definitely upward, as excitement and optimism has returned to the Razorback nation. Even after coming off of last week’s heartbreaking 50-48 setback to Missouri, Arkansas showed tremendous fight and in due time, games like last Saturday’s will begin to fall in their favor.
In just one year, Sam Pittman has changed the culture in Fayetteville and has the Hogs faithful believing.
Offensively, the Hogs are led by Florida transfer Feleipe Franks, who is having a terrific campaign, completing 68% of his passes for 2,017 yards, and 17 touchdowns against only four interceptions. He is questionable for the game as he’s battling a rib injury, but his backup KJ Jefferson showed promise in last week’s contest against Missouri. Junior running back Trelon Smith is averaging 5.6 yards per carry and has 5 touchdowns to his credit. Receivers Treylon Burks and Mike Woods are having fine seasons, accounting for a combined 12 touchdowns. Overall, the offense ranks 7th in the conference and is averaging 28 points and 414 yards per game, which is a huge improvement from 2019, when the unit finished 13th in the conference and averaged 21 points and 340 yards per game. On the defensive side, the Hogs are still a work in progress as they rank 11th in the conference and are surrendering 453 yards and 33 points per game.
On the other sideline, the Crimson Tide appears to be peaking at the right time. Coming off of beatdowns of rivals Auburn and LSU, the Tide continues to hit on all cylinders. Any hope by Hogs fans and Bama detractors that the Crimson Tide may be looking ahead need to be put that thought to rest right now, as the last time the boys in Crimson and White lost to an unranked opponent was Saban’s first year at the helm, a shocking 21-14 loss to Louisiana-Monroe in 2007. Since then, Alabama has run off 98 straight wins over unranked teams. They simply do not look ahead and every opponent gets an equal amount of Bama respect, preparation, and effort. In addition, Coach Nick has never lost to the Razorbacks as the Tide’s lead man.
Words are running out to describe the Alabama offensive trio of Mac Jones, DeVonta Smith, and Najee Harris, so for this week, we will point out two things and then turn our attention to some fellas that have helped to make this power trio virtually unstoppable:
Prior to last weekend’s LSU rout, the Heisman conversation was centered primarily on Jones. No more, as Smith and Harris have now entered, at long last, the official conversation. Quite a few people are saying that Smith is the best player on the team...high praise indeed.
These three guys are really, really good.
The Tide’s three amigos are mowing down all in their path.
Perhaps the true heroes of the offensive unit may be (and to quote the late, great Keith Jackson) the “Big Uglies” on the offensive line. Steady, healthy, and dominating, center Landon Dickerson, tackles Alex Leatherwood and Evan Neal, and guards Deonte Brown and Emil Ekiyor are having breakthrough seasons. Almost at ease, the unit is reaching the second level of defenders, carving holes large enough for Harris and company to drive a small SUV through. Furthermore, Jones consistently has four to five seconds in the pocket, untouched, which is an eternity for the corps of talented receivers Alabama has to get to get open. Jones has had the time, and has the patience and talent, to go through his progressions and find a number of receivers open and ready to do damage. I have no reason to think that Saturday against Arkansas’s improving defense will pose enough of a threat to cause major problems for the Tide offense.
Defensively, Bama stiffened after mental and positional errors (and some nice plays made by the Tigers) cost them two touchdowns against LSU. As it has been for most of the season, the Bama defense gave up some plays and yards early only to adjust and dominate the second half. Overall, the unit now ranks third in the conference, giving up 357 yards and 18 points per game.
I see this game playing out very similar to the ones won by the Tide in 2020. Bama will arrive in Fayetteville focused, prepared, and full of respect for the work done by Coach Pitman and the Razorbacks. The Bama offense will roll on, the defense will give up some plays and yards and maybe a few points (to keep us Bama faithful honest and focused), yet eventually the Tide sprints away and turns its full attention to the Florida Gators.
Roll Tide!
Alabama 52
Arkansas 17