Don’t be nervous about Hogs against North Texas today

Nervous yet? You shouldn’t be.

Just because a former Washington quarterback got hot on the Razorbacks defense in the second half should not create the urgency to smack your hand onto the panic button.

Instead let’s focus upon how the Hogs will turn the season around this weekend as it welcomes North Texas to Fayetteville.

The defense can only desire to build upon the first half from last week’s game while hoping the second half has gone the way of my Dad’s short-term memory.

This will be no cakewalk as some have stated Mason Fine, the starting quarterback for the Mean Green (which may be the lamest mascot in NCAA D-I), is the best passer in Texas.

Personally, I think it is a bandwagon of “small school hype”. However, if we learned anything last week it’s that we cannot take ANYONE lightly.

North Texas does like to throw the ball around the field though, and Arkansas did give up almost 400 yards passing to Colorado State.

Therefore, it will be a strong concern for Razorbacks fans as kickoff nears knowing Fine has thrown for over 400 yards in his first two games, including against Morris’s previous school, SMU.

On second thought, maybe I should not have used the word “hype”

Well, Dre Greenlaw is back, even if it may be in limited action, and North Texas’ second game was against Incarnate Word, so maybe the numbers are a little askew early in the season.

Wait, at the risk of sounding blasphemous, who did you say the Mean Green played last week?

Offensively who knows where Arkansas stands?

At the time of prosing this masterpiece prediction I am uncertain exactly what will be the plan for the signal caller(s) throughout the game.

However, we’ve said it before, and we will probably say it again: the offensive line must afford whomever takes the snaps for the Hogs more time in the pocket. Does that devoid our quarterbacks any responsibility for making bad throws? Absolutely not.

If the run works like it did versus Colorado State, Morris and his staff would be foolish to stray away from it like they did late last week. Even the 64-yard pass credited to Cole Kelley was nothing more than a front-flipped handoff to TJ Hammonds.

There is a lot of solid (but not standout) talent for the Razorbacks in the running back position needing to be utilized. And call it “Netflix Celebrity Status” if you will, but I am anxious to see Rakeem Boyd get more touches.

Punting, placekicking, and all things on the special aspects of football strategy must improve. Word has it Jared Cornelius had difficulty finding punts from the Rams due to the scoreboard lights in the thin Colorado air.

Fortunately, Deon Stewart was able to step in and contribute. There is a level of curiosity as to which one of these two (if not both) will be the primary returner against North Texas.

Conner Limpert may be a key to the momentum in Saturday’s contest early.

Being at home will boost the young man’s confidence, and there’s a piece of instinct proposing his name may be called in being the deciding factor late in this contest.

Across the field, his former teammate, Cole Hedlund, will head up the placekicking duties for the Mean Green. You guys remember Hedlund? Reports say he has fully recovered from his injuries sustained in Bret Bielema’s Under the Bus Tour.

Furthermore, let’s forget about the fact that our early season loss was against Colorado State.

Yet on a contrary thought, you might get ready to depress the aforementioned panic button. And if we happen to lose to the Mean Green, there will be an emphasis on the word “depress.”

Final thoughts: I have a feeling one quarterback will turn the page today. The defense must pressure Fine in the backfield all afternoon (and the evening as well if any of the defensive players are reading) to prevent him from having a field day in Donald W Reynolds.

And. lastly, to quote a certain CBS color commentator: “Arkansas, run the dang football!”

“We shall not fail.” Arkansas 38-24.

The contest between Sir Andy Hodges and myself rolls on. With last week being a push, he retains the overall season lead. Let’s rock these SEC picks to rightly establish myself at the top of the heap. What type of heap you ask? No comment.

• Middle Tennessee State at (3) Georgia – Bulldogs by 38
• Murray State at Kentucky – The hot Wildcats by 28
• University of Texas – El Paso at Tennessee – Vols in a close 21
• Vanderbilt at (8) Notre Dame – The Fighting Irish fans will boast a 12-point victory over the SEC
• (12) LSU at (7) Auburn – LSU’s momentum ends here in a 17-point loss to the “Eagles”
• Colorado State at Florida – Can the Rams do it two weeks in a row? No. Gators by 20
• (1) Alabama at Ole Miss – No hope for a Rebs upset this season. Bama by 34
• Louisiana (Who?) at (16) Mississippi State – Bulldogs by 30
• Missouri at Purdue – Vegas agrees with us. Tigers by 22
• University of Louisiana Monroe at Texas A&M

Two weeks in a row with no “Upset Alert” … have I lost my gutsy edge? Maybe.

On a side note, I am somehow reminded that I need to pick up my Metamucil this weekend. Fingers crossed that Andy picked LSU over the Plainsmen. Oh, and Go HOGS!!!