Dual threat QB Green, Arkansas pile on Arkansas State 56-14
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- — Quarterback Taylen Green accounted for 420 total yards, running for 151 yards on nine attempts and one touchdown while passing for 269 yards and four scores, in leading Arkansas past Arkansas State 56-14 on Saturday.A contest between in-state colleges 50 years in the making — at least for one university’s fan base — easily went the way of the bigger program that had refused to schedule it until Saturday, as Arkansas (2-0) of the Southeastern Conference ran roughshod over the Sun Belt Conference’s A-State.
Arkansas scored inside the first 39 seconds of the game, a two-play, 75-yard drive finished by Mike Washington’s 53-yard run through left tackle, and went on to pile up four scores and 191 yards on the ground in the opening quarter. Green found Raylen Sharpe for a 37-yard touchdown pass and ran through the middle for 64 yards and a score, as the Razorbacks led 28-7 within the first 10 minutes of the game.
Arkansas State’s only answer in that time was a 98-yard kickoff return by Chauncy Cobb, as the Razorbacks’ defense overwhelmed the Red Wolves’ offense.
But Arkansas’ offense idled most of the second quarter with a determined but shaky passing game. Green was intercepted twice in the first half – one play after the defense turned the ball over at ASU’s 30 late in the first quarter — and had three passes batted down by the Red Wolves’ defensive front.
“We’ll think about the two picks… we got that corrected with his eyes and where to go with the ball after the second quarter,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said of Green. “But he was outstanding with his legs. When he takes off, you just know you’re going to get a first down, and then what happens after that is just extra gravy.
“He threw the ball to eight guys. Our protection was great. I know he didn’t have to scramble much. I bet our average per carry was high.” It was: Arkansas averaged 11.1 yards per rush. Green and Washington’s average per carry was 29.7 yards.
Meanwhile, ASU (1-1) dominated second-quarter possession, though it didn’t put much of a dent into the Hogs’ substantial lead. ASU broke through with its first offensive touchdown, a jump pass from quarterback Jaylen Raynor to offensive lineman Cameron Ambrose, who had stepped in at tight end, with 3:44 left before intermission.
“When you play a team like Arkansas … they will expose you,” Arkansas State coach Butch Jones said. “If your eyes are in the wrong place, if you don’t use the proper technique or fundamentals and details to execute, you’re going to be behind, and the speed of the game is going to get you and the size of the game is going to get you. That was the case, particularly the way we started.”
Green broke the Hogs’ second-quarter drought by engineering a 12-play, 83-yard drive, throwing 8 yards to Jalen Brown for the score with 53 seconds left in the half. His touchdown passes of 33 yards to tight end Rohan Jones and 14 yards to wideout O’Mega Blake in the third quarter left no doubt.
THE TAKEAWAY
Arkansas looked like it could run unimpeded all game against Arkansas State. The Razorbacks rushed for 191 yards on 10 attempts in the first quarter, including long touchdown runs of 53 by Mike Washington and 64 by Taylen Green, in building a 28-7 first-quarter lead. Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino seemed determined to get Green into a passing rhythm in the second quarter, but instead, the Razorbacks stalled for most of the quarter, as Arkansas State controlled possession, though only scoring once and missing a 53-yard field. Green’s four touchdown passes raised his season total to 10 in two games. He was 17-for-26 passing; 7 of 8 in the third quarter.
HOG DEFENSE DOMINATES
Arkansas’s defense had four sacks and 10 tackles for loss in limiting Arkansas State to 285 total yards.. Linebacker Xavian Sorey Jr. led Arkansas with 14 total tackles.
TOUGH RUNNING
Arkansas State senior running back and kick returner Ja’Quez Cross was lost for the season with a knee injury in practice earlier in the week. The Sun Belt Conference preseason All-Conference second team player was ably replaced on kick returns by Chauncy Cobb, who returned a kickoff 98 yards for a first-quarter score. But Arkansas State’s running game was limited, and no one topped quarterback Jaylen Raynor’s 38 yards rushing on 15 attempts. ASU gained 153 yards on the ground, averaging 3.6 yards per carry. Raynor was 21 of 33 passing for 125 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
TIGHT DELIVERY
Arkansas has reloaded its tight end room and involved all of them in the passing game Saturday. Andreas Paaske, Jaden Platt and Rohan Jones combined for five catches, 88 yards and a touchdown.
THE FUTURE
Taylen Green’s day at quarterback was over after three quarters. Redshirt freshman KJ Jackson, his heir apparent, took over in the fourth and guided the Hogs to a 99-yard scoring drive, finishing the eight-play drive with a 6-yard run.
LAST GAME FOR LITTLE ROCK?
Arkansas has played football games in Little Rock since 1906, with only a handful of absences, but Saturday’s game with Arkansas State is the last Razorback game in the current contract for War Memorial Stadium. In recent years, Arkansas has fallen short of selling out the 54,0000-seat stadium, but Saturday’s game drew a full house.
UP NEXT
Arkansas State is home at Jonesboro against 16th-ranked Iowa State Sept. 13.
Arkansas opens SEC play at 20th-ranked Ole Miss, also Sept. 13.
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