🏈 Arkansas has a much better defense this year?

[BamaDelta]

First, let me say I know Arkansas can win this Sat. I'm worried just like normal. I don't know how our D let the North Texas QB pick us apart on a drive or two. Against North Texas the one drive that ended with a blocked FG and the one drive that our young D kept 'em out at the end - those would probably end with a TD or two and maybe a made FG thrown in with Wilson and company. It's hard to rely on a D over and over again, and I hope this season doesn't come down to that.

With that said, it's made to seem that our offense is like a high school offense and our run game is non-existent. Maybe that's coming from our line struggling. Maybe that's coming from Trent not starting out red hot. Maybe that's coming from a new, untested QB. I don't know. ???? What I do know is from reading this past week I'm lead to believe Arkansas' D will be in our backfield all day and AJ will be running for his life. I'm lead to believe we're going to have to be one dimensional, and we're just not up to that.

That led me to do some searching. I know statistics don't mean a ton, but I certainly feel much better when looking at Arkansas' numbers. I know they played Troy, but I don't know their other opponents. I'm hoping their D is pedestrian as their stats indicate. Right now it shows them giving up almost 4.6 yards a carry. If that continues wow, just wow!

http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/football/ncaaf/stats/team-total-defense

 

[jdpas29]

i actually don't remember any great defenses at Arkansas. i'm sure there have been some decent ones but.... they aren't known for defense.

petrino, as big of a turd as he is, is a pretty good coach. i'm sure arkansas will improve under his direction. the lack of a consistent running game, however, is the key to this game. basically a one-dimentional team with a new QB going up against Alabama's defense??? it just doesn't bode well for them scoring a lot.

on the contrary, i do believe alabama's offense may struggle mightily with the hogs. not because the hogs are great, but because we have some run blocking problems that any decent SEC defensive line could take advantage of.

 

[Arkie64]

We've had a very weak schedule and it's afforded us the chance to reveal almost nothing and rest, heal people.

Even though playing vanilla on both sides of the ball, we beat Mo St. 51-3 and NM 52-7.

We built a 31-7 lead on Troy, then fell flat. Troy's not that bad of a team and their spread offense got in a couple of scores late.

Hogs have been bored in preseason and are ready for a real game.

I don't know if our D can stuff your run or not. I can only say our D has been continually built to do just that ever since Petrino's arrivial, and we are in better shape this year to doit than last. We are bigger, stronger and deeper on the inside, speed on the edges, deep and experienced overall, we only lost one DB from last year's defense.

will it be enough? we'll see.

 

[kc]

Love how you keep bring up that Arky has been vanilla...so has Bama. That will have nothing to do with Sat. Bama is just as ready for the SEC season to start.

 

[BamaDelta]

Love how you keep bring up that Arky has been vanilla...so has Bama. That will have nothing to do with Sat. Bama is just as ready for the SEC season to start.

Plus, I know teams keep their offense vanilla but their D? What, did they not want to tackle? Would it be showing Alabama too much? The only thing a D might not show in full is blitz packages. Other than that I don't know too many D's that "hold back".

 

[Arkie64]

Plus, I know teams keep their offense vanilla but their D? What, did they not want to tackle?

blitz packages, stunts, coverages, everything.

We've played as basic a defense as can be played thus far.

No game film from this year is going to help determine what the D will do Saturday.

I know it'll likely be that way for Arkansas too.

 

[TerryP]

blitz packages, stunts, coverages, everything.

We've played as basic a defense as can be played thus far.

No game film from this year is going to help determine what the D will do Saturday.

I know it'll likely be that way for Arkansas too.

So, you honestly think a new defensive scheme can be implemented over 15 practices in the spring and the fall camps?

Doesn't work that way.

Hell, I've watched two of your three games this year and can recognize pass routes and schemes. I don't study as much film as our LB's do.

There is no such thing as vanilla.

It's what you believe.

 

[RollTideinGA]

Ive never heard of a vanilla defense.