2007 Arkansas
Razorbacks
Recap:
The Hogs had their moments in 2007, winning five of their final six regular
season games, but not enough to spare head coach Houston Nutt, whose fate was
likely sealed before the season ever began. Although Arkansas limped out of the
gate with three tough SEC losses, it rallied behind the superlatives of RB
Darren McFadden, one of the most celebrated players to ever wear the school
colors. With a chance to finish the season ranked, however, the Razorbacks got
smoked by Missouri and RB Tony Temple in the Cotton Bowl, 38-7.
Offensive Player of the Year: RB Darren McFadden
Defensive Player of the Year: LB Freddie Fairchild
Biggest Surprise: Arkansas did its part to reshuffle the BCS rankings on
Nov. 23, beating No. 1 LSU in Baton Rouge in a triple-overtime classic. As
expected, McFadden led the way for the Hogs, rushing for 206 yards and three
touchdowns, and throwing for 34 yards and a touchdown in a 50-48 victory that
reverberated throughout the country.
Biggest Disappointment: Losing to Auburn, 9-7, in October on a Wes Byrum
field goal with under a minute left in the game. In a listless effort, the
Razorbacks sunk back to .500, failing to open any holes for McFadden or RB Felix
Jones, and managing to generate only 11 first downs and 193 yards of total
offense.
Looking Ahead: It took some time for Arkansas to locate Nutt’s successor,
but Bobby Petrino should prove to be worth the wait. The former Louisville and
Atlanta Falcons head coach will have his work cut out for him in 2008,
inheriting a team that has an average quarterback, and must replace McFadden,
Jones, and much of the secondary.
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2007 Arkansas Preview
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2006 Arkansas
Season
2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction:
8-4
2007 Record: 8-5
Sept. 1
Troy
W 46-26
Sept. 15 at
Alabama L 41-38
Sept. 22
Kentucky
L 42-29
Sept. 29
North Texas
W 66-7
Oct.
6
Chattanooga
W 34-16
Oct.
13
Auburn L 9-7
Oct.
20
at
Ole Miss
W 44-8
Oct.
27
FIU
W 58-10
Nov.
3
South Carolina
W 48-36
Nov.
10 at
Tennessee L 34-13
Nov.
17
Mississippi St
W 45-31
Nov.
24 at
LSU W 50-48 3OT
Cotton Bowl
Jan. 1 Missouri L 38-7 |
Jan. 1
2008 Cotton Bowl
Missouri 38 ... Arkansas 7
Everyone expected to see a big-time running game, but the
wrong one showed up. Missouri's Tony Temple set a Cotton Bowl record with 281
rushing yards scoring from 22, 4, 4, and 40 yards out in the stunning rout.
Arkansas turned the ball over five times and only managed a three-yard Darren
McFadden touchdown run late in the third quarter, but by that time it was 28-7
Missouri and the outcome had basically been decided. The Tigers outgained the
Hogs 323 yards to 164 on the ground.
Offensive Player of the
Game: Missouri RB Tony Temple ran 24 times for 281 yards and four touchdowns
Defensive Player of the Game: Missouri S William Moore made 13 tackles,
picked off a pass and forced a fumble
Stat Leaders: Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick,
19-32, 197 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 21-105, 1 TD. Receiving:
Peyton Hillis, 5-52
Missouri - Passing: Chase Daniel, 12-29, 136
yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Tony Temple 24-281, 4 TD. Receiving: Will
Franklin, 5-77
Thoughts & Notes ...
5 Thoughts on the Cotton Bowl ... Talk about your dud matchups, the
Heisman stars failed to shine. Darren McFadden wasn't awful with 105 yards and a
touchdown, but he was hardly special. Chase Daniel only completed 12 of 29
passes for 136 yards with an interception. ... Arkansas looked like a team that
underwent a coaching change. Missouri had no problems stopping the Hog attack
time and again, and five turnovers showed just how unfocused the team appeared
to be. All the drama about the McFadden agent situation couldn't have helped.
.... 7.5 yards per carry for Missouri and 3.3 yards per run for Arkansas. Even
in Mizzou's wildest dreams they never could've thought this would happen. Who
could've imagined the Tigers winning in such a blowout without any pop from
Daniel, Jeremy Maclin and the passing game?
Nov. 23
Arkansas 50 ... LSU 48 3OT
In the third overtime, Arkansas scored first on a three-yard
Peyton Hillis touchdown run with Felix Jones taking it in for the two-point
conversion. LSU answered with a nine-yard Brandon LaFell touchdown catch, but
the two-point conversion attempt was picked off by
Matterral Richardson
to seal the win for the Hogs and ruin LSU's national title dreams. Darren
McFadden ran for touchdowns from 16, 73 and nine yards out, and threw a 24-yard
touchdown to Hillis, who also ran for a 65-yard touchdown and caught a ten-yard
scoring pass in the first overtime. The Tigers had to fight just to get to
overtime with Demetrius Boyd catching a two-yard touchdown pass with 57 seconds
to play. LSU scored first on a 12-yard Matt Flynn run, but Arkansas answered
with a Hillis's ten-yard catch. McFadden's nine-yard scamper gave the Hogs the
lead, but Hester helped tie it up with a two-yard run. Arkansas finished with
385 rushing yards and 513 yards of total offense to LSU's 413 yards.
Player of the game:
Arkansas RB Darren McFadden ran 32 times for 206
yards and three touchdowns, and completed three of six passes for 34 yards and a
score
Stat Leaders: LSU - Passing: Matt Flynn, 22-47, 209 yds, 3
TD
Rushing: Jacob Hester, 28-126, 2 TD. Receiving: Early Doucet, 7-52
Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 10-18, 94 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 32-206, 3 TD. Receiving: Peyton Hillis,
5-62, 2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Of
course the win over LSU will be remembered for Darren McFadden's stirring
performance, but the play of the offensive line was just as amazing. The Hog
front five neutralized the tremendous LSU defensive line, even though Glenn
Dorsey was hobbling. Peyton Hillis was just as clutch as McFadden, and Felix
Jones was phenomenal when he got a little bit of work. Of course, this was No.
5's magnum opus. He has had better games, but not bigger. He might not have won
the Heisman with it, but he certainly made sure he'll make an extra few million
in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Nov. 17
Arkansas 45 ... Mississippi State 31
MSU scored first on a four-yard catch from Jamayel Smith, and
then Arkansas took over through the air with Casey Dick throwing three straight
touchdown passes hitting Farod Jackson from 30 yards out, Robert Johnson from 35
yards away, and Marcus Monk from 19 yards out. Darren McFadden, who was bottled
up for most of the game, took a Dick pass 57 yards for a score, and connected
with Johnson for a 24-yard touchdown. MSU kept bombing away with Wesley Carroll
throwing for 421 yards and four touchdowns, including an 80-yard play to Smith
midway through the fourth quarter, but there were also four interceptions
including a pick six from Antwain Robinson to put the game away. MSU ended up
turning it over five times, while Arkansas didn't give the ball away.
Player of the game:
Arkansas QB Casey Dick completed 14 of 17 passes
for 199 yards and four touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Mississippi State - Passing: Wesley Carroll,
29-51, 421 yds, 4 TD, 4 INT
Rushing: Anthony Dixon, 17-40. Receiving: Jamayel Smith, 10-208, 2
TD
Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 14-17, 199 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 28-88. Receiving: Darren McFadden, 4-50, 1
TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
secondary has been a disaster over the last few weeks, and the running game has
bogged down a bit too much, but the emergence of Casey Dick as a more reliable
passer should be a huge help against LSU. After last year's disastrous game
against the Tigers, his performance against Mississippi State should be just
good enough to keep a little heat off Darren McFadden. Felix Jones was missed,
but Peyton Hillis picked up a little of the slack. Jones should be back for LSU.
Nov. 10
Tennessee 34 ... Arkansas 13
Tennessee held Arkansas to 127 rushing yards and took command
of the game from the start with a 16-yard Austin Rogers touchdown catch on the
opening drive. The Vols got up 20-3 at the end of the first half helped by two
Daniel Lincoln field goals and a 14-yard Josh Briscoe touchdown catch with ten
seconds left in the half, and then they put it away on their opening drive of
the second half on a 59-yard Arian Foster touchdown run. Arkansas finally got
into the end zone midway through the fourth quarter on a nine-yard Michael Smith
run to pull within 14, and got the ball back with a chance to make things
interesting, but Jerod Mayo picked off a Casey Dick pass and took it 34 yards
for a score. Arkansas committed 12 penalties for 61 yards, while Tennessee
committed just three for 25.
Player of the game:
Tennessee LB Jerod Mayo made
nine tackles and returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: Tennessee - Passing: Erik Ainge, 12-25, 128
yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Arian Foster, 13-83, 1 TD. Receiving: Austin Rogers,
6-62, 1 TD
Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 12-22, 140 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 22-117. Receiving: Marcus Monk, 3-26
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
consistency of the Arkansas running game just isn't there, while the secondary
struggled again for a second straight week. It didn't give up a ton of yards to
Tennessee's Erik Ainge, just 128, but it gave up just enough key throws early on
to get down. When Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, who only ran three times for
three yards, didn't get going and didn't hit any home runs, the game was over.
The Hogs need to quickly regroup and beat Mississippi State next week, or a bowl
game might hinge on beating LSU in Death Valley.
Nov. 3
Arkansas 48 ... South Carolina 36
Arkansas RB Felix Jones ran for 163 yards with touchdown
dashes from 40, 72 and seven yards, out, and he only cranked out just over half
the yards Darren McFadden came up with. McFadden set an SEC record with 323
yards, highlighted by a 80-yard dash midway through the fourth quarter on the
first play after South Carolina had pulled within six on a one-yard Cory Boyd
run. The Gamecocks stayed alive on 364 passing yards, and a one-yard touchdown
run, from Blake Mitchell with two touchdown passes, but McFadden, who also threw
a 23-yard touchdown pass to Robert Johnson, and the Hog running game was too
much, tearing off 541 yards. Arkansas averaged 9.3 yards per carry.
Player of the game:
Arkansas RB Darren
McFadden ran 34 times for 321 yards and a touchdown, caught a pass for four
yards, and threw a pass for a 23-yard touchdown
Stat Leaders: South Carolina - Passing: Blake Mitchell,
27-51, 364 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Cory Boyd, 17-94, 1 TD. Receiving: Dion Lecorn, 8-109, 1
TD
Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 8-10, 86 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 35-323 yds, 1 TD. Receiving: Andrew Davie,
2-27
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
As if the combination of Darren McFadden and Felix
Jones weren't legendary enough, now they come up with a game for the ages in the
win over South Carolina. Forgetting that the Hogs ran for 541 yards and still
needed almost a full four quarters to close it out, this was the game that
cemented McFadden's legacy, and will always keep fans wondering what Jones, who
averaged 13.6 yards per carry, would do if he got the ball more. On a roll,
winning five of their last six game, the Hogs go to Tennessee with a chance to
make some more SEC noise to shake up the East even further.
Oct. 27
Arkansas 58 ... Florida
International 10
Arkansas
got four short
rushing scores from Darren McFadden, a 16-yard Felix Jones scoring dash, and
Marcus Monk's first touchdown catch of the year on a 13-yard grab on the way to
an easy homecoming win. FIU got ten second quarter points on a 33-yard Greg
Ellingson catch and a 35-yard Chris Abed field goal as time ran out, but that
would be it for the fun as the Hogs scored 27 unanswered points highlighted by
an 81-yard Michael Smith dash in the final minute. FIU turned the ball over
seven times.
Player of the game:
Arkansas RB Darren McFadden
ran 19 times for 61 yards and four touchdowns, and caught three passes for 22
yards
Stat Leaders: Arkansas - Passing: Nathan Emert, 13-25, 154
yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Felix Jones, 17-89, 1 TD. Receiving: Peyton Hillis, 6-77
Florida International - Passing: Wayne Younger, 9-26, 93
yds, 1 TD, 5 INT
Rushing: Wayne Younger, 14-124. Receiving: Elliott Dix, 2-48
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... With
two straight easy wins after the tough loss to Auburn, the Hogs appear to be
back on track going into a tough final month. Getting Marcus Monk back should
help the passing game immeasurably, while the running attack keeps getting
production from anyone who wants to run the ball. Is Nathan Emert going to get
more of a chance under center? It'll be interesting to see how the quarterback
situation progresses as the year finishes up. Yes, blasting Florida
International is great for the confidence, but beating South Carolina next week
would change the season around.
Oct. 20
Arkansas 44 ... Ole Miss 8
Arkansas ripped off 293 rushing yards and came up with four
interceptions of Seth Adams on the way to the easy win. Felix Jones got the fun
started for the Hogs with touchdown runs from 38 and 11 yards out, and Casey
Dick threw three touchdown passes, on the way to a 37-0 lead before Ole Miss
finally got on the board with a 37-yard Mike Wallace touchdown catch from Brent
Schaeffer. Jones and Darren McFadden each went over 100 yards rushing.
Player of the game:
Arkansas RB Felix Jones
ran 15 times for 101 yards and two touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Ole Miss - Passing: Brent Schaeffer, 5-13,
103 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: BenJarvus Green-Ellis, 15-84. Receiving: Mike Wallace,
4-57, 1 TD
Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 11-17, 96 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 22-110. Receiving: Peyton Hillis, 4-60, 1
TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Now that's how it's all supposed
to work. Arkansas dominated Ole Miss with the running game, Casey Dick threw
extremely well, coming up with his best game of the year, the defense crushed
the Rebel O line with five sacks, and forced four interceptions. This is what
Arkansas is supposed to do, and it was an extremely important win after the ugly
loss to Auburn. With the sure-thing win over FIU next week, being 5-3 going into
the South Carolina battle will be a plus for the team's shot at becoming a
player in the bowl picture.
Oct. 13
Auburn 9 ... Arkansas 7
Auburn's Wes Byrum hit his third field goal of the game with
21 seconds to play, connecting from 20 yards out, to overcome a late
Arkansas rally. Byrum made field goals from 22 and 38 yards, but he
also missed from 36 and 46, opening the door for Arkansas to go on a
six play, 71-yard drive with Lucas Miller making a leaping 13-yard
touchdown catch with just 1:36 to play. But Auburn quickly went 50
yards in eight plays, thanks to a 30yard Robert Dunn catch and three
Ben Tate runs. The vaunted Arkansas running game only gained 67
yards.
Player of
the game:
Auburn RB
Ben Tate ran 23 times for 91 yards
Stat Leaders: Arkansas - Passing: Casey
Dick, 12-26, 111 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 17-43. Receiving:
Peyton Hillis, 5-59
Auburn - Passing: Brandon Cox, 13-23, 101
yds
Rushing: Ben Tate, 23-91. Receiving: Montez Billings,
5-31
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
While the 9-7 loss to Auburn is
certainly painful, it was a major plus that the D was able to keep
it close throughout considering the running game couldn't get going,
and that Casey Dick and the passing game could come up with the big
late touchdown drive to get in a position to win. But the D was
cashed in the end and didn't appear to have anything left in the
tank on Auburn's final drive. After three tough SEC losses that
could've all gone the Hogs way, it might be letdown time. If the
Hogs aren't geared up for next week, they could have big problems at
Ole Miss.
Oct. 6
Arkansas 34 ... Chattanooga 15
It wasn't the typical Arkansas game, but after getting down
2-0 following a safety, Darren McFadden ran for a two-yard score,
and Felix Jones added a touchdown run from 59 yards out to get up
24-9. Chattanooga made it a little bit interesting late in the third
on a 65-yard Bryan Fitzgerald scoring dash, but Jones ended the
drama with a one-yard score off an 68-yard drive. UTC's Antonio
Miller completed just four of 22 passes for 11 yards with a
touchdown and an interception.
Player of the game:
Arkansas RB Felix Jones ran 13 times for 141 yards and two
touchdowns, adding a pair of catches for eight yards.
Stat Leaders: Chattanooga - Passing: Antonio
Miller, 4-22, 11 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Bryan Fitzgerald, 14-123, 1 TD. Receiving:
Blue Cooper, 2-5
Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 13-22, 116 yds,
1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Felix Jones, 13-141, 2 TDs. Receiving: Peyton
Hillis, 5-56, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Arkansas struggled a little too much with Chattanooga, but the
running game did what it had to do, cranking out 257 yards and three
scores. This should've been a game to work on the passing game, but
Casey Dick only completed 13 of 22 passes for 116 yards and a
touchdown with an interception. At least UTC's passing was worse,
completing four of 22 passes. This was a game for Felix Jones.
Darren McFadden was fine, but Jones took over and effectively ended
the game. Now the intensity has to crank up against for Auburn.
Sept. 29
Arkansas 66 ... North Texas 7
Arkansas ripped off 416 rushing yards and scored the first 45
points of the game before North Texas put an end to the run with a
one-yard Giovanni Vizza touchdown run late in the first half. Darren
McFadden scored from two and four yards out, while Felix Jones
ripped off scoring dashes from 35 and 71 yards away. Casey Dick
threw thee touchdown passes, including a 61-yarder to London
Crawford and a 37-yarder to Robert Johnson.
Player of the
game:
Arkansas RBs
Darren McFadden and Felix Jones combined for 270 yards and four
touchdowns on 26 carries.
Stat Leaders: North Texas - Passing: Giovanni
Vizza, 8-16, 118 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Micah Mosley, 11-68. Receiving: Brandon
Jackson, 6-84
Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 12-21, 210 yds,
3 TD
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 19-138, 2 TD. Receiving: Robert
Johnson, 4-71, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
That's what you're supposed to do to a team like North Texas. Darren
McFadden and Felix Jones could've combined for 500 rushing yards had
they rolled for en entire game, but they didn't need to with the
Hogs cranking out 45 points in the first 25 minutes. Casey Dick
still struggled with his consistency, but he came up with some big
plays to add a little bit of balance. Against UT Chattanooga next
week, the goal has to be to keep getting the passing game to work.
McFadden and Jones don't need any more live practice time for the
rest of the SEC season.
Sept. 22
Kentucky 42 ... Arkansas 29
Down 29-21 in the fourth quarter, Kentucky scored 21
unanswered points as Derrick Locke and Andre Woodson each ran for
short scores and Keenan Burton caught a 32-yard touchdown pass. The
Hogs were explosive with a 56-yard Darren McFadden touchdown run
giving them a 20-7 first half lead, and a 82-yard Felix Jones
kickoff return giving them their final points, but the UK defense
forced three turnovers and didn't allow and offensive points in the
second half. Burton also added a 15-yard touchdown catch and
Trevard Lindley scored on a 66-yard fumble return to give UK a 21-20
lead going into the fourth quarter, but a safety and the Jones score
off the kickoff forced the Cats to make the comeback.
Player of the
game:
Kentucky QB
Andre Woodson finished 21-of-39 for 265 yards and two touchdowns,
adding another score on the ground.
Stat Leaders: Kentucky - Passing: Andre
Woodson, 21-39, 265 yds, 2 TDs
Rushing: Tony Dixon, 9-78. Receiving: Steve Johnson,
7-111
Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 13-28, 157 yds,
2 INTs
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 29-173, 1 TD. Receiving: Peyton
Hillis, 2-44
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
Arkansas formula only works if the defense comes though. Darren
McFadden was his typical brilliant self against Arkansas, and Felix
Jones showed once again why he might be a first round draft pick,
but Casey Dick, again, struggled to throw accurately, even when
dared to throw. Not having Marcus Monk is proving to be a killer.
However, the big problem is a defense that broke down for the second
game in a row. After giving up the late score in the loss to
Arkansas, it couldn't stop the Wildcats in the final ten minutes.
Now there are two weeks off against North Texas and UT Chattanooga,
and it's vital for Dick to find a groove, and for the pass defense
to gain some confidence.
Sept. 15
Alabama 41 ... Arkansas 38
John Parker Wilson lofted a four-yard touchdown pass to Matt
Caddell with eight seconds to play to avoid a massive collapse. The
Tide got out to a 31-10 lead helped by two D.J. Hall touchdown
catches and a two-yard Nick Walker scoring grab, but Arkansas came
roaring back with 28 straight second half points on two Darren
McFadden touchdown runs and two short Casey Dick scoring passes,
with a seven-yard play to Peyton Hillis giving the Hogs a 38-31 lead
with just over eight minutes to play. Leigh Tiffin nailed a
42-yarder to pull the Tide to within four. The defense came up with
a stop, giving the Tide offense one last shot with 2:13 to play and
no time outs remaining. Wilson took the offense 73 yards in seven
plays for the win.
Player of the game:
Alabama QB John Parker Wilson, completed 24 of 45
passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions.
Stat Leaders: Alabama
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Passing: John Parker Wilson, 24-45, 327 yds, 4 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Terry Grant, 20-96. Receiving: Matt Caddell, 9-91, 1 TD
Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 11-23, 145 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing:
Darren McFadden,
33-195, 2 TD. Receiving:
London Crawford,
3-47
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... It's
absolutely stunning that everyone knows what's coming, yet no one
can stop it. West Virginia might be the only team that can erase a
21-point deficit with a 28-point run as quickly as Arkansas did,
mainly thanks to the running game. Darren McFadden and Felix Jones
continue to be unstoppable despite little help from the passing
game. The defense was nowhere to be found against the Tide, but
there was a consistently decent pass rush on John Parker Wilson.
However, the pressure will have to be turned up a notch to get to
Kentucky's Andre Woodson next week.
Sept. 1
Arkansas 46 ... Troy 26
Arkansas got 100-yard rushing days from both Darren McFadden
and Felix Jones, and also got a 42-yard McFadden touchdown pass to
Crosby Tuck as part of a big third quarter. After a tight first half,
with Troy getting a 17-yard Gerald Tate touchdown catch and a one-yard
Kenny Cattouse scoring run, Arkansas pulled away in the second half as
Jones, who also tore off a 100-yard kickoff return for a score, ran for
a 44-yard score. The Trojans got their final points on a two-yard Tanner
Jones run as time ran out.
Player of the
game ... Arkansas RB Darren McFadden ran 24 times for 151 yards
and a touchdown, caught two passes for 30 yards, and completed one
pass for a 42-yard score.
Stat Leaders: Troy - Passing: Omar Haugabook,
15-43, 204 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jamie Hampton, 3-72 Receiving: Gary
Banks, 5-66
Arkansas - Passing: Casey Dick, 11-20, 108 yds
Rushing: Darren McFadden, 24-151, 1 TD Receiving:
Peyton Hillis, 6-39
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Darren McFadden and Felix Jones were Darren McFadden and Felix Jones in
the win over Troy, but the real key was a not-that-bad performance from
QB Casey Dick, who completed 11 of 20 passes and didn't throw a pick.
Considering the way he ended last year, this was a Peyton Manning-like
performance. To beat Alabama next week, the running game has to control
the clock, and Dick has to be effective at opening things up deep. Right
now, McFadden is the team's best passing option, and that's not a plus.
Sept. 1 - Troy
Offense: Spread it out with four wide receivers, let Sun Belt
Player of the Year Omar Haugabook throw to the open guy, hope it all
works. This isn't an explosive attack, and it won't be for a while with
a mixed bag of talents on the front line trying to fit the puzzle. The
running backs are fine with the return of Sean Dawkins helping out Kenny
Cattouse, and Gary Banks and Mykeal Terry lead an inexperienced
receiving corps that'll be fine. But it's all up to Haugabook. He's the
difference between a second straight Sun Belt title and a losing season.
Defense: Troy won the Sun Belt title despite a mediocre year from
the defense. Now the D will be positively dominant with the best
secondary and a defensive line that's either the best, or a close second
behind Middle Tennessee's. Generating pressure won't be a problem with
phenomenal pass rushers from every spot, while the secondary will use
five and six defensive backs at times just to get all its talent on the
field. The linebacking corps is the weakness of the defense by default
considering how good the line and secondary will be, but it'll still be
fantastic with Boris Lee and Marcus Richardson each deserving all-star
consideration.
Sept. 15 – at Alabama
Offense: Major Applewhite takes over as offensive coordinator and
will play around with several different formations and ideas, while
trying to stick with Nick Saban's run-first philosophy. He'll
incorporate a little bit of spread and four-wide sets. There's one
problem; Bama might not have the backs to run well on a consistent
basis. The strength is in the passing game with the great 1-2 receiving
tandem of D.J. Hall and Keith Brown working with rising passer John
Parker Wilson. The line welcomes back five starters led by soon to be
All-Everything tackle Andre Smith.
Defense: Former Florida State defensive coordinator Kevin Steele
came in and switched things up to a 3-4 in an attempt to jump-start a
woeful pass rush by getting more production from the outside
linebackers, led by a hybrid position of defensive lineman and
linebacker, manned by Keith Saunders. Wallace Gilberry and Bobby
Greenwood look the part of top ends, and now they have to start
producing. The biggest problem is tackle, where former backup center
Brian Motley, who looked great this spring, has to be an anchor for
everything to work right. The back eight should be excellent, led by
all-star corner Simeon Castille.
Sept. 22 - Kentucky
Offense: The Wildcat offense exploded last year thanks to the
emergence of Andre Woodson as a superstar quarterback. It'll be bombs
away once again, as Woodson chose to come back for his senior year and
will have all his weapons at his disposal. Keenan Burton finally stayed
healthy, and he became one of the SEC's most lethal receivers. Dicky
Lyons, tight end Jacob Tamme, and running back Rafael Little are also
back, with Little healthy enough again to be one of the SEC's best
all-around offensive weapons. The problem is the line, which is mediocre
at best, a liability at worst. It could be what keeps the Wildcats from
being special.
Defense: Defensive coordinator Mike Archer is gone, and now
former secondary coach Steve Brown will take over in an attempt to
revive one of the nation's worst defenses. The run defense won't be any
good again with little size up front, but the secondary should be better
with excellent speed and good young prospects. It'll take awhile to see
any improvement overall, but there's enough overall athleticism to
expect things to be a bit better.
Sept. 29 - North Texas
Offense:
The offense hasn't moved the ball in two years
finishing 117th in the nation last season in yards and 115th in scoring.
The look of the attack will change dramatically as new head coach Todd
Dodge will incorporate his spread attack in an attempt to get something
going. The backfield is solid with RB Jamario Thomas leading the way and
a slew of veteran, yet mediocre quarterbacks returning. The receiving
corps will need a while to jell with all the talent in the incoming
freshman class, while the line will be a major problem early on.
Defense: The defense improved dramatically after making a drastic
move to the 3-4. Now it'll go back to a traditional 4-3 and hope the
overall experience and depth will pay off with more big plays after
forcing just 14 turnovers. The linebackers will be solid with the return
of Maurice Holman, Brandon Monroe and Derek Mendoza, while Aaron
Weathers anchors a secondary that should be better in time. Generating a
pass rush from the front four is a must, but Jeremiah Chapman will be a
good end to work around.
Oct. 6 – UT Chattanooga
Oct. 13 - Auburn
Offense: Where are the stars? The Auburn offense is full of
above-average talents who need to mesh into a better, more consistent
attack than the one that averaged just 24.77 points and 321 yards per
game while doing next to nothing against the top teams. Only one
starter, massive tackle King Dunlap, returns to the offensive line,
while the receiving corps could be a problem is no one becomes a
reliable number two receiver alongside Rodgeriqus Smith. On the plus
side, the running backs are deep and talented, Brandon Cox appears ready
to be a more productive passer, and the tight ends are the best in the
league by far.
Defense: The whole will likely be better than the parts. Auburn's
defensive front has the potential to be excellent thanks to the return
of star end Quentin Groves for his senior year and with the emergence of
Sen'Derrick Marks on the inside. Getting into the backfield won't be an
issue, and coming up with sacks had better not be with a secondary
that'll be shaky despite getting three starters back. The loss of corner
David Irons will hurt. The linebacking corps isn't experienced, but it
should be better than last year's group as the season goes on.
Oct. 20 – at Ole Miss
Offense: The offense needed more out of the running game
after a woeful 2005, and it got it with BenJarvus Green-Ellis coming up
with a 1,000-yard season as the workhorse for the offense. Now the
offense has to figure out how to score after averaging 15.7 points per
game (up from a whopping 13.45 per game in 2005). The passing game needs
a lot of work, and the hope will be for the young receiving corps to
step up and become passable. There will be a quarterback battle into the
fall with Brent Schaeffer needing to prove he can move the offense, or
he'll be unseated be Seth Adams, who's the more efficient passer. The
massive line should be better after years of seasoning.
Defense: This should've been the year when everything started to
come together for the Rebel defense, but the loss of all three starting
linebackers, along with some major uncertainty in the secondary, will
make this an inconsistent year, at least early on. The defensive line
will be the strength with end Marcus Tillman on the verge of stardom,
and the tackle combination of Peria Jerry and Jeremy Garrett to be among
the best in the league ... if they stay healthy. The secondary lost some
of its top safety prospects to the depleted linebacking corps, and the
corners have to be far better. Ole Miss only picked off three passes
last year. That can't happen again.
Oct. 27 - FIU
Offense New offensive coordinator James Coley has a lot of work
to do with an offense that finished dead last in America in scoring
averaging fewer than ten points per game and 116th in the nation in
yards averaging 233 per outing. Eight starters return, including the
entire offensive line, and there's good potential in the backfield with
the 1-2 rushing punch of Julian Reams and A'mod Ned, but the passing
game needs work with Paul McCall likely to take over at quarterback and
no experience at receiver to rely on.
Defense: The defense did what it could with no help from the
offense, and now seven starters return with a shot to be among the
league's best. The secondary gets all four starters back, led by Lionell
Singleton at corner. The line is big and good with a pair of strong
300-pounders (Roland Clarke and Jonas Murrell) inside. Now for the
problem: the great linebacking corps loses all three starters. The top
four tacklers are gone, along with the top pass rushers. Keyonvis Bouie,
Alexander Bostic, and Antwan Barnes were stars who won't be easily
replaced.
Nov. 3 - South Carolina
Offense: This should be a balanced attack that'll rely on the
running game early on and the steady play of emerging QB Blake Mitchell
to be more explosive and consistent than last year. The big concern is a
line that was overmatched throughout the spring as it tried to break in
three new starters. Getting a push for the nice 1-2 rushing punch of
Cory Boyd and Mike Davis is job one, while Mitchell will have to make
quick decisions early on until things start to come together. The loss
of Sidney Rice won't be a killer if Kenny McKinley handles the number
one job like he's expected to and a good number two emerges.
Defense: The defense has plenty of returning experience, depth,
young options waiting to step up and shine, and good stars to build
around. MLB Jasper Brinkley is one of the best in America, and now his
twin brother will move from defensive end to outside linebacker to help
out (though he might end up back on the line). The secondary is emerging
as a potential force if everyone starters to play consistently. There's
speed at corner, depth and experience at safety, and an emerging star in
SS Emanuel Cook. The defensive line has to be far better against the
run, and it should be with the return of Marque Hall from injury and the
emergence of freshman Ladi Ajiboye.
Nov. 10 – at Tennessee
Offense: The return of David Cutcliffe as offensive coordinator
made a night-and-day difference in the passing game. Now he needs to get
the running game to do more, and there needs to be even more from QB
Erik Ainge after a nice bounceback year. The receiving corps loses the
top three targets and the line loses the two best players, so it'll be
up to the trio of Arian Foster, LaMarcus Coker and Montario Hardesty to
carry the running game and the offense. Ainge has to make everyone
around him better until new producers at receiver emerge.
Defense: Is there a defense in America that's produced less with
so much promise and potential? The Vols have a who's who of top high
school prospects that haven't quite panned out, and now that has to
change to have any hope of winning the SEC East. Jerod Mayo will move
from the outside to the middle and Jonathan Hefney returns at free
safety to give the Vols two All-America caliber defenders to build
around. Now there needs to be more of a pass rush after coming up with
an inexcusable 17 sacks, and the new starting tackles have to quickly
emerge. The secondary has to replace three starters, but should be fine
in time, while the linebacking corps, if healthy, will be among the
SEC's best.
Nov. 17 – Mississippi State
Offense: It might not be saying much, but this should be
the best offense yet under Sylvester Croom. The line gets four starters
back, with the fifth spot occupied by Mike Brown, a starter late in the
year and the best blocker up front. The receiving corps is easily the
deepest area on the offense with good talent and a world of upside, but
QB Michael Henig has to stay healthy and get them the ball consistently.
Anthony Dixon is an All-SEC caliber running back, and true freshman
Robert Elliott should become a fantastic backup. The overall depth is
lacking, so injury problems could be disastrous.
Defense:
The whole will be better than the parts. The
Bulldogs couldn't hold down the better offensive teams last year, and
things might not be better right off the bat with tremendous concerns
all over the place after losing six key starters. There's plenty of
speed and athleticism, but this is a young, inexperienced defense
that'll have to force more turnovers and do a much better job of getting
to the quarterback. End Titus Brown and defensive back Derek Pegues are
All-SEC talents who have to be disruptive forces from day one. The line
needs more pass rushers, the linebacking corps has to do more against
the pass, and the secondary is relying on green corners so Pegues can
play safety.
Nov. 24 – at LSU
Offense: There's a little bit of nervousness among LSU fans with
a major change underway in the offense under new coordinator Gary
Crowton. There'll be more option, more quick timing patterns, and
quicker reads on the line. Fortunately, the loss of JaMarcus Russell
won't hurt as much as it would for almost any other program with Matt
Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux returning to run the attack. The backfield is
loaded with options led by star newcomer Keiland Williams working behind
a great line with enough returning experience to dominate. The receiving
corps won't be as productive without Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis, but
Early Doucet and Brandon LeFall will be a great 1-2 combination.
Defense: The nation's number three defense in each of the last
two years might crank things up yet another notch with eight starters
returning led by the nation's most impressive line. Tackle Glenn Dorsey
and end Tyson Jackson might be top five draft picks next season, while
Ali Highsmith leads a fantastic linebacking corps that'll only get
better once the star prospect backups get more time. Chevis Jackson and
Jonathan Zenon form a top lock-down corner tandem, while Craig Steltz
and Curtis Taylor will be more than just fill-ins for safeties LaRon
Landry and Jessie Daniels. With all the talent returning, expect more
big plays, more turnovers, and more dominance against the average to bad
teams.
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