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Arkansas - How do we attack a defense that wants to play drop 8 zone?
Conversations on this board has been lacking this week.
Arkansas really made us put on the brakes last year. It was the end of the beginning phase for Mike Leach at MSU. It almost did us a favor in a way. The LSU game made our offense look invincible with solid QB play throwing against man to man every play. Then Arkansas came in and limited us to 4 yard pass plays and we were the ones that couldn't remain patient. Since then, our offense has grown leaps and bounds. Building off of a smaller offensive attack, plugging away for the next 13 games or so. Then, then, then something started to click. We were showing more patience. We were starting to run the ball as called run plays. Getting linebackers to stay home on inside runs. I would argue that the NC State game was the first game were we actually were showing patience and taking what they were giving with enthusiasm. Also, everytime they switched to man we torched them. Then aTm, same thing.
Then the Kentucky game. Our entire game plan was perfect and worked to perfection. Not to mention our defense was +4 in the turnover margin. That was the most complete game under Leach we have played.
Now we circle back to Arkansas. Very physical team. Could be trouble. I think, if we keep the TO margin to 0 or maybe +1, and we operate our offense with patience, we win this game on the road. Defense will have to be solid against this hard hitting bunch, but they are looking to rebound. We just need to remind them they are Arkansas, just like we did to Kentucky.
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Run 30 times at them and open up those crossers to walley for 30 us gains.
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Run the ball down their throat on drop 8 and they will either have to account for the run or give up 7-8 yard rushes every play
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Don't throw pick 6's, and Int's like last year. Costello just got the yips real bad. Also our O-line will be able to handle their 3 man front if they drop 8, but last year were still figuring out communication.
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And then when they jump to man, punish them ala RaRas TD against UK.
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If you open up that run game on the first drive and they have to account for it, then you hit makai polk for a 30 yard td pass and you have the momentum
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If Odom just drops 8, rushes 3 and doesn't do anything else we'll win by two touchdowns. Elko and White tried mixing in some man and some safety blitzes but Will did a good job of picking those up. Like Chizik said Saturday night, "Just dropping 8 and you stop Mike Leach is a myth."
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Originally Posted by
Lord McBuckethead
Conversations on this board has been lacking this week.
Arkansas really made us put on the brakes last year. It was the end of the beginning phase for Mike Leach at MSU. It almost did us a favor in a way. The LSU game made our offense look invincible with solid QB play throwing against man to man every play. Then Arkansas came in and limited us to 4 yard pass plays and we were the ones that couldn't remain patient. Since then, our offense has grown leaps and bounds. Building off of a smaller offensive attack, plugging away for the next 13 games or so. Then, then, then something started to click. We were showing more patience. We were starting to run the ball as called run plays. Getting linebackers to stay home on inside runs. I would argue that the NC State game was the first game were we actually were showing patience and taking what they were giving with enthusiasm. Also, everytime they switched to man we torched them. Then aTm, same thing.
Then the Kentucky game. Our entire game plan was perfect and worked to perfection. Not to mention our defense was +4 in the turnover margin. That was the most complete game under Leach we have played.
Now we circle back to Arkansas. Very physical team. Could be trouble. I think, if we keep the TO margin to 0 or maybe +1, and we operate our offense with patience, we win this game on the road. Defense will have to be solid against this hard hitting bunch, but they are looking to rebound. We just need to remind them they are Arkansas, just like we did to Kentucky.
I think we've pretty much shown we know how to attack an 8 man zone now. Alabama threw a wrinkle at us and shut us down, but I'm not sure if it was the wrinkle or just talent level that stopped us. I am thinking it was general coaching; I don't think their D is more talented than A&M, but I can believe their D is more fundamentally sound.
THis weekend to me will settle whether we are consistent or not. We've played 3 good games out of our last 4, after playing 1 good gamem out of our first 4. If we come out on the road and play well against a solid team, then I will believe the Bama game was just Bama outscheming/talenting/playing us more so than us being inconsistent. If we show up and the La Tech/Memphis/LSU/Bama team shows up, then we'll know that we're just still a very inconsistent team at this point.
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Here is the thing about last year - We ran for 100 yards before you factor in sacks. We passed for 313. We had 24 first downs to their 17. We ran 84 plays to their 65. We held them to 275 yards in total offense to our 400. Heck, we were even 4 for 6 on 4th down conversions. Our QB made horrid decisions that led to 3 picks inside the Arkansas 40 - including a Pick 6 - and that was the difference in the game. Then we still had a chance to tie it midway through the 4th and Johnson gets stuffed on the Arkansas 7 on a 4th and 2. That game was entirely about turnovers. Yes, drop 8 factored in and helped create the turnovers, but we did move the ball on them pretty effectively. I really think that game was much more about Costello forcing bad throws then it was about Arkansas discovering some miracle defense.
"After dealing with Ole Miss for over a year," he said, "I've learned to expect their leadership to do and say things that the leadership at other Division I schools would never consider doing and to justify their actions by reminding themselves that "We're Ole Miss.""
- Tom Mars, Esq. 4.9.18
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Don't turn the ball over and score in the redzone. That's it. That's the formula because dropping 8 just makes it take longer.
That and no penalties on offense
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Make absolutely no mistake, Arkansas is a good team.
They are #8 in pass defense. They are no joke, it will take a good effort from all aspects to win this game.
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Originally Posted by
Hot Rock
Make absolutely no mistake, Arkansas is a good team.
They are #8 in pass defense. They are no joke, it will take a good effort from all aspects to win this game.
Go look at the teams they've played. Those teams don't throw it. That defense is about to be exposed.
We had turnovers and played horrible last year at the QB spot. That won't be the case this year.
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I think what everyone is forgetting about is when we played KENTUCKY that was Rogers 1st start and when we played Arkansas he faced the drop 8 for the first time. look what a difference a year made with Kentucky i think Arkansas will be surprised how improved he is since then. if we block well he will rip them a new Arse.
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Good job class!
Everyone has kind of stated it. and I agree last year was a fluke game, we had a trojan horse for a QB and a mental case for a RB, not just two MAJOR positions in this offense but, two major players that were seniors and we all knew we needed to ride them or we were going die. and we died because they were bad! Like bad! I almost think we would have won that game if Rogers had started, at least we wouldn't have had all the turnovers.
Edit: last year they were -2 in turnovers with one going to the house. That is huge.
My opinion is we win tomorrow:
-keep protecting the ball.
-keep being patient, take what they are giving us.
-Don't force anything (will has done a good job of that)
-Do our thing on D, there is no reason why they should blow us out of the water on D.
I really think this is ours to lose, we are the better team, I think we are better coached, and our scheme is built to find the weakness. There's isn't we stop that run and they will be in trouble.
Last edited by Maverick91; 11-05-2021 at 11:46 AM.
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Anyone else notice how much better we've run the ball since cole smith replaced dolla bill? Cole has been a road grader, very physical. Just watch him. Good in pass pro too.
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Originally Posted by
Cooterpoot
Go look at the teams they've played. Those teams don't throw it. That defense is about to be exposed.
We had turnovers and played horrible last year at the QB spot. That won't be the case this year.
Corral lit that pass defense up. That pass d looks good when you've shut down teams like Rice and Arkansas Pine Bluff.
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Originally Posted by
99jc
I think what everyone is forgetting about is when we played KENTUCKY that was Rogers 1st start and when we played Arkansas he faced the drop 8 for the first time. look what a difference a year made with Kentucky i think Arkansas will be surprised how improved he is since then. if we block well he will rip them a new Arse.
That's incorrect. Costello was QB the whole Arkansas game. He started against UK, threw 4 more picks and then got yanked for Will ( who then threw 2 picks in 15 attempts). Will's first start was game 6 against Vandy
"After dealing with Ole Miss for over a year," he said, "I've learned to expect their leadership to do and say things that the leadership at other Division I schools would never consider doing and to justify their actions by reminding themselves that "We're Ole Miss.""
- Tom Mars, Esq. 4.9.18
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Originally Posted by
BrunswickDawg
That's incorrect. Costello was QB the whole Arkansas game. He started against UK, threw 4 more picks and then got yanked for Will ( who then threw 2 picks in 15 attempts). Will's first start was game 6 against Vandy
You are right which gives me more confidence with Rogers we beat them. they only had 275 total yards last year.
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It will help that one of their best DB's out. Good teams overcome that stuff. That didn't help KY last week when we lost A CB early.
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