Mark Buffalo • Arkansas News Bureau
By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee saw a sign of growth in the early moments Saturday, when Tyler Wilson turned down a chance to toss a deep ball to Jarius Wright.
It may have been tempting, sure. But Wilson opted for the safer, surer choice in his second start.
So he checked down to running back De’Anthony Curtis for a gain that kept a drive alive.
“It’s progress,” McGee said. “If we’re able to call deep passes and they’re not there and we check the ball down to our running backs, then we’re really going to be a good offense.”
Arkansas’ offense wasn’t perfect during the 52-3 win against New Mexico (0-2), but it didn’t have to be Saturday night. The Razorbacks (2-0) showed progress in piling up the sixth-highest yardage total (632) and 34 first downs (tied for second-most in school history) in front of an announced crowd of 52,606 in War Memorial Stadium.
“There’s no telling what we can do if the offense hits all cylinders and we keep it rolling,” Arkansas wide receiver Cobi Hamilton said, pointing to mistakes like two turnovers and a couple of penalties that negated big gains.
Wilson, who didn’t return after halftime because of concussion-like symptoms, guided Arkansas to four scores in the first half and threw for 259 yards and a touchdown. Backup Brandon Mitchell replaced him in the second half and threw for 174 more, leading the Razorbacks to three touchdowns.
It all culminated in another easy night against a nonconference foe. There were hiccups, sure. Especially early. But Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said the Hogs accomplished what they were looking for in taking another step forward.
“We came down here and got done what we needed to get done,” Petrino said. “We had a lot of emotion, a lot of focus and did a good job of executing and getting the ball in the end zone.”
Arkansas scored seven touchdowns to be exact.
Wilson threw a 12-yarder to receiver Jarius Wright on a crossing route on the first possession. He added a 7-yard touchdown run to cap a well-run two-minute drill late in the half.
It did prove costly. Wilson sustained a big hit on the play, one that ended his night after McGee noticed he was sluggish in the locker room.
Mark Buffalo • Arkansas News Bureau
“I can read kids … and he didn’t seem to be doing all right,” McGee said.
But his absence didn’t slow down the offense.
Mitchell, in his first chance to run the team an entire half, threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Hamilton in the fourth quarter. He showed off his wheels, too, running for a 14-yard score later.
Freshman receiver Marquel Wade had an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, which was the third special teams touchdown in two games, in the first quarter. And freshman running back Kody Walker had one-yard touchdown runs in each half.
“They opened us up a little bit,” New Mexico defensive back Dante Caro said of Arkansas’ high-powered attack. “We were expecting their speed.
“We knew they had a lot of speed and they obviously had a great core of receivers.”
The production was more than enough for a defense that, much like its offensive counterparts, endured some early struggles in allowing 101 yards in the first quarter. Arkansas lost its chance for a shutout early, when New Mexico moved downfield and scored on a 47-yard field goal by James Aho.
But the veteran group buckled down from there and held the Lobos to 297 yards. New Mexico didn’t reach the end zone and the three points allowed equaled the fewest in Petrino’s tenure.
“We would’ve liked to stop them a little bit more and not allow some of those plays and sack the quarterback,” Petrino said. “But we did a nice job of changing the field position and giving the ball to the offense in good shape.”
The only concern after Saturday’s win were the injuries to key players. On top of Wilson, Wright suffered a strained knee and defensive end Jake Bequette left early with a hamstring injury.
The severity of each injury was not known, although they didn’t appear severe. All three captains were on the sideline watching the Razorbacks perform throughout the second half.
But the nicks and bruises did give Arkansas a chance to show some depth, especially on offense.
Receiver Joe Adams, who went 15 yards on a toss sweep to open the game, tallied 111 yards (33 rushing, 78 receiving). Running back Ronnie Wingo ran for 73 yards, leading a ground game that rushed for 259 yards. And Hamilton caught five passes for 132 yards, scoring his sixth touchdown in five games played in Little Rock.
“I think that we learned a lot about our style of offense,” McGee said of his group. “We’re still trying to figure out who we are as an offense with the new personnel that we have and I think we learned a lot about ourselves (Saturday).”
Arkansas’ 103 points in two games was the second-best total to open a season in school history.
It’s the most scored to open a season since 1911, when the Razorbacks scored 165 points.
Arkansas won its seventh straight in Little Rock and is now 11-0 in home nonconference games under Petrino. There’s no doubt the Razorbacks still have room for improvement offensively, according to players and coaches. But they’ll get an opportunity to take another step forward when they play Troy in Razorback Stadium next Saturday.
“We’ve still got things to focus on and get better on,” Adams said. “But we’ve just got to go to practice and maybe come out next week and do another 50-point game.”
