Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022

  • Sponsors
    • Sponsor News
    • Become a sponsor
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Fayetteville Flyer

  • Home
  • Local News
    • City Hall
    • City Council Recaps
    • Public Calendar
    • Trail News
  • State, Nation & World
    • State News
    • Nation & World
  • Arts & Events
    • Weekly Calendar
  • Food & Drink
  • Columns & Features
    • Music Reviews
    • Theatre Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • Trail Tours
    • Giveaways
    • Recipes
  • Sports
  • Sections
    • Local News
    • State, Nation & World
    • Food & Drink
    • Arts & Events
    • Columns & Features
    • Sports
  • Calendar
  • Newsletter
  • Real Estate
    • Fayetteville Homes
    • All NWA Homes
    • Find an Agent
  • Photos
  • Shop
  • Movie Listings
    • AMC Fiesta Square
    • Malco Razorback Cinema
    • 112 Drive-In
  • Sponsors
    • Sponsor News
  • COVID Info

Arkansas’ progress shows versus Florida

  • By Dustin Bartholomew · Tuesday, Oct 20, 2009 

Remember the Arkansas vs. Alabama game from earlier this season? Remember 35-7? The missed tackles? Remember the Georgia game? Remember how we couldn’t stop anybody?

On Saturday, the same Arkansas Razorbacks from those early season games took the defending national champion, no. 1 in the nation Florida Gators to the brink of defeat on their home turf.

My point? The Hogs have come a long way this year under coach Bobby Petrino this season. I’m talking light years.

In a game decided by 3 points, with two missed field goals by Arkansas’ Alex Tejada, and several questionable calls by the officials in the 4th quarter, Arkansas stood toe-to-toe with the Gators on a national stage, and almost handed the Gators their first defeat of the season, falling 23-20.

More importantly, Arkansas may have turned a corner on Saturday.

Loaded with talented freshmen and sophomores at the skill positions, Arkansas had struggled to put 4 quarters of good football together thus far this season. They had struggled to stop opposing teams in the passing game, and to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They have missed tackles, and they have missed opportunities in big games to compete with some of the most talented teams in the nation that they face on a week to week basis in the Southeastern Conference.

After the Alabama game, Bobby Petrino accused his young Razorback team of not believing they could play with the likes of mean old Alabama on their home field.

On Saturday against Florida, the Arkansas Razorbacks proved that they can play with any team, at any place in the country.

Arkansas held All-American Tim Tebow to only 2.6 yards per carry (a full yard and a half below his season average), and were in the backfield all night pressuring Florida’s chosen one, sacking him 6 times.

The Razorbacks are still young. They still have issues of depth going against some of the tradition rich teams of the SEC, but these young Hogs are talented, they are making progress under second year head coach Bobby Petrino. They showed a lot of that progress on Saturday.

Since the Alabama game in Tuscaloosa, Willy Robinson’s defense has corrected their big play problems. With the emergence of DeQuinta Jones and Jake Bequette on the Hogs defensive line in recent weeks, they have found a way to get pressure on the opposing quarterback.

Broderick Green and Dennis Johnson have proven capable backups to Michael Smith, and we already knew we had a passing game.

Even after the loss on Saturday, Arkansas has a chance to turn the 2009 season into a very special year. If the Hogs can muster a victory against former Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt and the Ole Miss Rebels this Saturday, they will be a virtual lock for bowl eligibility. If they can win their remaining two home SEC games against South Carolina and Mississippi State, they will secure an 8 win season, and the Hogs will be playing against LSU in Baton Rouge for #9.

The 2009 Hogs are good enough to do all of that. They proved it on Saturday against Florida.

Photo by Wesley Hitt


Flyer Newsletter

The latest headlines from the Fayetteville Flyer, delivered straight to your inbox.

    MORE FROM THE FLYER

  • Hoop Hogs impress despite trouble with turnovers
  • Arkansas lands in AP preseason Top 25 college football poll
  • Year two with Jefferson and Briles should be exciting
  • Arkansas soccer ranked No. 8 in preseason coaches poll
  • @fayflyer
  •     » Become a sponsor
  • Advertisements

  • Get Email News Updates

    Never miss a story! Sign up here.
  • Advertisements


     

  • Local Info

    Fire/Police Dispatch Logs
    Detention Intake Report
    Public Meetings Schedule
  • Sponsors

  • Flyer Sponsors

    sponsor-logos
    » See all sponsors
  • Sponsor Tweets

    A Twitter List by fayflyer
  • Advertise

    Local businesses are so important to our community.

    Our goal is to work with small- to medium-sized businesses rooted in the community. To acheive this, we’ve developed affordable and effective advertising options for any budget. Several of our long-term packages cost less than $14 per day, including our popular sponsorship program.

    To get started or for more information, call Dustin at 479-387-1002 or send us an email.

     

    Proud member:

  • About
  • Sponsors
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Legal, Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Facebook Twitter Instagram Flickr Pinterest RSS

© 2007-2022 Wonderstate Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of Use & Privacy Policy
Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2022, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. See AP policy.