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PETE’S PICKS: Arkansas will find way to win Saturday against Gus, Chad

Pete Morgan
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PETE’S PICKS: Arkansas will find way to win Saturday against Gus, Chad

What can be said that hasn’t been said already? Arkansas ended an SEC losing streak, and, oddly enough, every team outside of Mississippi State rejoiced.

Why? Arkansas winning is good for the conference. It removes the twin brother with Vanderbilt complex from the SEC when the fans of other conferences lay claim to why theirs is the best, it gives strength to the schedules, and we have simply become the lovable losers.

Parody is good. Winning is great. Ending the weekly football Saturday mulligrubs is the best.

We have all had a week to enjoy the upset over the Bulldogs; however, there is now another foe yet to conquer.

And, despite good team player speak, there may be a little extra enthusiasm coming from the locker room.

Yes, I wasn’t going to mention Chad Morris by name, but the enticement of search engine results pulling up yours truly was just too much to pass.

Someone asked me what would be the best strategy for victory this game, and my reply was simple: Someone start the rumor Ty Storey will be in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday.

Old, dimpled, Chad will be so busy hiding and-or touching up his resume he will be unable to focus on a single down. Of course, given his offense’s performance against Georgia, our concern may not be too high.

Yes, I am taking Auburn too lightly, but I also downplayed the longevity of Crocs as a fashion trend, yet here we are.

And Gus Malzahn … Well, do we really need to rehash the manipulation he pulled with his last consideration in taking the job as the head Hog in Fayetteville?

The word from fans at the local Waffle House is his wife still carries the offered contract in her purse.

This brings us to Sam Pittman. A man who is not worried about who is wearing their visor and chomping their gum on the other sideline, nor is he concerned with who is drinking yet another Red Bull in the booth.

Pittman just wants to win, and no so does each and every player donning a Razorback on their helmet.

Let’s let it abide and get to the possibilities.

Why Arkansas will win:

We said it last week, and we’ll say it again: confidence on the defensive side of the ball. Barry Odom and the defense managed to run a rush three-drop eight all game against Mississippi State’s talented offense. They will scheme very well against Auburn’s struggling offense.

The offensive backfield is due. Rakeem Boyd has the need to shine to improve his draft stock while sophomore Trelon Smith showed flares of solid potential. Attacking Auburn’s front will open up the much needed passing lanes for quarterback Feleipe Franks.

Speaking of Franks, he is finding open receivers with pretty throws. He will have a fantastic game leading the offense to four touchdowns.

Why Auburn will win:

The Tigers offense struggled mightily against Georgia’s impressive defense; however, they will get back to the form they showed against Kentucky.

Malzahn and Morris both carry chips on their shoulders, and whether anyone wants to admit it from within the public land grant, enough rumor mill speculation has leaked their true feelings.

The Tigers will play up for their coaching staff.

Honestly, I do not feel like coming up with a third option promoting success for Auburn. Giving them two positive remarks up to this point has already increased my calcium carbonate consumption tenfold.

Final Thoughts:

I want to thank each of you for supporting me in my quest to not be the lowest-read opinion piece writer in the SEC West. Thanks, 12 for sharing it.

I would also like to extend my appreciate to the Hogs for breaking not only the SEC losing streak but for also shutting up those lovely cowbells last Saturday.

Most likely this will be a low scoring game with defense being the key for both teams.

Seriously, if the Razorbacks equipment managers are reading this, please, please, please put the name “Storey” on the back of each jersey. Lame? Yes. Memorable? Yes. Priceless? Absolutely.

Arkansas has motivation, new drive and energy, and the taste of winning clinging to their tusks. They want this more than any Razorbacks team since the slide started under Bret Bielema.

Now “turn that dam jukebox on!”

Arkansas 24 – 17.

Be certain to listen to the game Saturday at 3 p.m. at HitThatLine.com and on the air at ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.

SEC Picks for Week 6

(4) Florida at (21) Texas A&M: Florida is what some would call mildly hot while the Aggies look to bounce back from a blowout loss at Alabama. The Gators confidence carries them through this one. Florida by 22.

Missouri at (17) LSU: Does anyone feel sorry for Missouri yet? Yeah, neither do we, nor does LSU as they have their own agenda. Tigers by 24.

South Carolina at Vanderbilt [SLOPFEST OF THE WEEK]: The two “Least in the East” square off in what will no doubt be an instant classic. Sarcasm aside, Vandy somehow makes this close but falls apart at the end. Gamecocks by 18.

(14) Tennessee at (3) Georgia: Tennessee being ranked initially surprised me, but retaining the ranking going into the third game of the season did not, mostly due to the quality of their first two opponents. This week they travel to Athens, and the validity of their ranking will be put to the test. Bulldogs by 24.

Arkansas at (13) Auburn: So Chad Morris’ players are taking it personally on behalf of their offensive coordinator. Arkansas has said it is just another ballgame. Let’s hope the Hogs are wrong because as of late “another ballgame” has equated to “another loss.” Arkansas by 7.

(2) Alabama at Ole Miss: Ole Miss loves to upset Alabama, and some have mentioned they have the potential to do it again this season to help kickstart Lane Kiffin’s career in Oxford. Fear not, Tide fans, as this one is in the bag. Alabama by 30.

Mississippi State at Kentucky: Early in the season both of these teams were surprisingly ranked in the Top 25. State probably deserved the Week 5 respect after defeating LSU while Kentucky was probably over-hyped. The Bulldogs falling out of the spotlight is a slap in the face to Arkansas, but I digress. Mississippi State by 3.

Karma, you’ve been mean to me all week. Please let my prediction for a victory this week not be a curse.

Find me on Twitter: @PeterMorganWPS

Go HOGS!!!

ANDY’S PICKS: Pittman pushing Hogs will Auburn scrambling … everywhere

Andy Hodges
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ANDY’S PICKS: Pittman pushing Hogs will Auburn scrambling … everywhere

One of the biggest indicators of how crazy this football season has been is in the third week of a delayed season Arkansas has hope and Auburn is scrambling.

And the Tigers are playing a game of musical chairs on the defensive side while the offense is getting exposed with the combination of Gus Malzahn and Chad Morris.

The result is about what you expect from a couple of high school coaches who have convinced themselves they know what they are doing.

Auburn bears a remarkable look of the Razorbacks on offense from 2018-19. Few in Arkansas are really surprised.

Meanwhile, Malzahn — the prodigal son who doesn’t love the Hogs the way some fans wish he did — has put together an SEC record remarkably similar to that of Houston Nutt’s time at Arkansas.

It’s okay if you didn’t see that coming … I didn’t, either. They both averaged between seven and eight wins a season. Remember, Auburn is supposed to be a place where you can recruit much better players.

Morris has done very little at the collegiate level unless he was working for Dabo Swinney at Clemson, which got better offensively (and winning) after he left. Yes, he helped recruit Deshaun Watson, but only coached him in a handful of games for one year due to injuries.

Since Malzahn has been at Auburn he has ridden a defense when he was winning and struggled when the defense wasn’t playing at a championship level.

Considering the way the Tigers struggled in the opener against Kentucky and were blown out by Georgia last week, the fact they are a 14-point favorite over the Hogs is a little mystifying.

The stats are remarkably similar against a common opponent (Georgia). They each won a game over an opponent in the middle of the pack in their own division.

Most people are betting on the recruiting rankings and the reputation of the coaches. That’s not a knock on Sam Pittman because he doesn’t have a reputation after just two games as a head coach.

Although that is skyrocketing up while Malzahn may be on the cusp of an extremely hot seat in the third week of the season. He’s got his buddy, Morris, right there with him.

With the excitement after the Hogs shut down Mississippi State last week, it would be impossible to ignore the chance of a letdown.

“A lot of expectations probably have been amped up a little bit,” Pittman said Thursday afternoon.

That’s not just fans, by the way. The coaches are turning it up, too.

“We’ve probably even been a little bit harder on them this week than maybe what we were the last two weeks,” Pittman said. “The expectations are the same, but we’ve probably been a little bit harder on strain, finish, transition.”

The only way Arkansas blows this game is by listening to the celebration after finally getting an SEC win. Pittman didn’t put it this way but you get the idea his opinion is that didn’t mean anything if you turn around and get blown up at Auburn.

Pittman, Kendal Briles and Barry Odom don’t have the same reputation among most observers as the Tigers’ coaching staff.

But they just might be better.

And it’s why I think Arkansas wins.

Hogs 24, Auburn 14

Okay, I took a shot two weeks ago and got behind. Peter Morgan then did the copycat thing last week so no ground to be made up with my upset pick of Ole Miss over Kentucky. I’m sitting at 11-3, one game back of Peter.

Florida (-6.5) at Texas A&M

Aggies still the most over-rated team in the league (Auburn may be passing them soon, however), but the Aggies are getting restless. They didn’t pay Jimbo Fisher $75 million to be 1-1 with a struggle win over Vanderbilt. Wonder what they’ll think at 1-2?

Florida 31, Texas A&M 17

LSU (-14.5) at Missouri

Moving the game to Columbia, Mo., really won’t have much impact on this one. If anything it will help LSU to stay focused being on the road.

LSU 41, Missouri 20

South Carolina (-13.5) at Vanderbilt

Somebody will finally get a win this year in this one and the guess is it will be the Gamecocks. Derek Mason is going backwards with the Commodores.

South Carolina 28, Vanderbilt 17

Tennessee at Georgia (-12.5)

If there’s a crack in the Bulldogs it will start to show in this game. That’s allowing, of course, the Vols are for real this year as a lot of folks think. I’m still not convinced they are.

Georgia 31, Tennessee 10

Alabama (-23.5) at Ole Miss

Let’s be honest, a part of you would love for the Rebels to pull off another upset over Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide. But you aren’t sure it will happen … because it won’t.

Alabama 49, Ole Miss 14

Mississippi State (+3) at Kentucky

Just when Mark Stoops thought he had it turned around and rolling in Lexington, 2020 happens and the Wildcats can’t figure out how to win. The Bulldogs had their eye-opener last week against Arkansas.

Mississippi State 31, Kentucky 21

? HALFTIME POD presented by Jeff’s Club House ? 10/9/2020

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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? HALFTIME POD presented by Jeff’s Club House ? 10/9/2020

Auburn’s offense doesn’t have a clue in dry weather, much less rain

Andy Hodges
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Auburn’s offense doesn’t have a clue in dry weather, much less rain

As just a little added twist to an already crazy year in college football, Hurricane Delta could play a small role in Arkansas’ trip to Auburn on Saturday.

But the weather won’t cause as many problems for the Tigers as having an offensive coordinator that just can’t seem to move the ball.

Auburn quarterback Bo Nix can’t read a defense because he doesn’t know what to read.

As Jordan Rodgers pointed out on the SEC Network this week, it is obvious Auburn has removed the option of the quarterback looking, then making any changes. Any of that sound familiar to Hog fans?

Poor Auburn. With a pair of high school coaches who have told each other how great they are for over a decade, they now have to win games in the SEC without a defense that can cover up a multitude of problems on the other side.

Rain doesn’t affect that one way or the other.

If the storm follows latest tracking models, most of the really heavy stuff will go north of Auburn that is stuck down in the southeast corner of Alabama.

There will probably be a little rain but lightning could delay things.

Regardless of rain drops falling that creates the popular misconception you have to run the ball in a football game, I’ve found the exact opposite to be the case.

Unless you have an offensive line that can just physically move people out of the way where running backs go straight ahead it’s easier to pass (unless you have a runner like Gale Sayers, who was the greatest wet weather running back in the history of football).

It was the legendary quarterback Johnny Unitas that pointed it out to me in 1984 at an International Harvester dealer in Springdale where he was doing some public relations work.

“My receiver knows where he’s going and as long as I know where he’s going to be throwing it usually isn’t a problem,” he said. “The defensive back has to react and that’s who ends up doing most of the slipping and sliding.”

Most of that depends on the quarterback and whether he can throw a wet ball or not. Some can like Joe Montana. He didn’t really care because he threw with the laces.

On the other hand, Troy Aikman couldn’t. He struggled with sweat on the ball during preseason and September games. When Mark Stepnoski was injured, then left in free agency, the Cowboys went with Frank Cornish at center, which was a size and blocking upgrade.

Except sweat poured off him and particularly on his backside. Aikman didn’t throw with the laces on the ball and Cornish was soaking it on the routine center-quarterback exchange. They battled the problem for a few years then got Stepnoski back.

For Arkansas the guess is Kendal Briles may come up with an offensive plan as good as what Barry Odom did last week against Mississippi State on defense.

We obviously don’t know, but Feleipe Franks can probably throw pretty well in the rain. He has big hands (the key) and, being from Florida, he’s thrown in these conditions before.

Plus Auburn’s got problems all over the defense, especially at the linebacker position with new guys. You don’t attack that by trying to run at them because they can probably handle a guy running at them with the ball.

You put them in matchup mismatches with disguised pass routes and personnel changes that cause multiple issues in the passing game.

Briles showed a few times last week he’s perfectly capable of that. The Hogs had De’Vion Warren and Hudson Henry so wide open it was frightening for some fans the throw and catch went somewhat smooth.

Yeah, everybody (except maybe Mike Leach) talks all time in the SEC about being able to run the ball, but to win the last decade or so you better be able to throw the ball and put points on the board.

And the Tigers are relying on Chad Morris for that now.

Auburn announcer on what he’s looking for in Saturday’s game with Hogs

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Tigers radio announcer Andy Beachum on game with rain, how Auburn responds after being drubbed by Georgia last week.

Bud Light Seltzer Morning Rush Podcast – Can this team handle success?

Tye Richardson
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Bud Light Seltzer Morning Rush Podcast – Can this team handle success?

Tye & Tommy on this team’s success, Eddie in Clarksville calls in, and score predictions for the game!

 

Pittman on what Hogs doing to deal with rain in making road trip to face Auburn

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas coach Sam Pittman met with the media Thursday afternoon with the final update before the team heads out Friday to face the Tigers.

Razorbacks matchup with Auburn moved to ESPN; still at 3 p.m.

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Razorbacks matchup with Auburn moved to ESPN; still at 3 p.m.

FAYETTEVILLE — Due to Hurricane Delta approaching the Gulf Coast, ESPN has updated its television schedule for this weekend’s action.

Arkansas’ game at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at No. 13 Auburn will move to ESPN after it was initially scheduled to air on SEC Network.

Taylor Zarzour (play-by-play), Matt Stinchcomb (analyst) and Lauren Sisler (sideline) will have the call.

Kickoff and television arrangements to date:
* Home games in bold

Sept. 26: Georgia (SEC Network), 3 p.m. (10-37)
Oct. 3: at Mississippi State (SEC Network Alternate), 6:30 p.m. (21-14)
Oct. 10: at Auburn (ESPN), 3 p.m.
Oct. 17: Ole Miss (ESPN2), 2:30 p.m.
Oct. 31: at Texas A&M (SEC Network), 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 7: Tennessee (ESPN or SEC Network), 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 14: at Florida (TBA), TBA
Nov. 21: LSU (TBA), TBA
Nov. 28: at Missouri (TBA), TBA
Dec. 5: Alabama (TBA), TBA

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.

? HALFTIME POD presented by Jeff’s Club House ? 10/8/2020

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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? HALFTIME POD presented by Jeff’s Club House ? 10/8/2020

RECRUITING THURSDAY: Davenport on what Odom bringing to recruiting efforts

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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ON THE MORNING RUSH: Democrat-Gazette’s Richard Davenport talked with Tye Richardson and Tommy Craft about Barry Odom’s recruiting.

Could ADG’s Murphy be able to get open up against Alabama’s Saban like Kiffin?

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Democrat-Gazette writer Tom Murphy with Tye Richardson and Tommy Craft (The Morning Rush) on ESPN Arkansas about Lane Kiffin’s banter with Nick Saban.

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