Five questions with an Arkansas beat writer.

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Five questions with an Arkansas beat writer.

By Nubyjas Wilborn | nwilborn@al.com

4-5 minutes

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1. Is last week’s 52-51 Arkansas loss against Ole Miss the wildest game you’ve written on a deadline? How did you handle it?

Believe it or not, it wasn’t even the wildest Arkansas-Ole Miss game I’ve covered.

I’d have to put Arkansas’ 58-56 victory at Ole Miss in 7 overtimes in 2001 at No. 1 on the list.

I remember going down to the field with about 5 minutes left in regulation (having no idea the game would go another hour-plus or whatever it was) and Arkansas leading 17-10. Still, Ole Miss is driving with Eli Manning at quarterback.

I couldn’t believe how many fans were leaving the game with the Rebels looking like they could tie it up, but I guess they wanted to get back to the Grove or go home.

That was the night Arkansas QB Matt Jones became a star.

Then there was the 2015 Arkansas-Ole Miss game when the Razorbacks won 53-52 in overtime aided by the Hunter Henry Heave. (If you don’t know the play, Google it).

We had our main beat writer Tom Murphy and columnist Wally Hall in Oxford last week, but I covered the game remotely from home because the postgame interviews were on Zoom only.

The game kicked off at 11 a.m., so no deadline pressure for my sidebar and notes. But those other two games were tough deadlines with all the craziness.

Arkansas’ 7-overtime 71-63 win at Kentucky in 2003— another Matt Jones classic — also was a night game.

But glad to say I’ve covered a pair of 7 overtime games. Not too many writers have done that.

2. What makes KJ Jefferson so unique as a quarterback?

Jefferson is 6-3 and 245 pounds and a physical runner to go along with having a strong arm. You don’t see many quarterbacks his size willingly seek out contact, and no doubt strike fear in some defensive backs when they see him running at them with a full head of steam.

The leaping touchdown Jefferson scored at Ole Miss last week was one of the better plays I’ve seen a quarterback make.

Jefferson has a really strong arm and is developing into a more accurate passer; it seems week by week.

His combination of size, speed, and power (both as a runner and passer) is unique.

3. What’s going on with the defense?

The Razorbacks’ run defense got shredded the last two weeks at Georgia and Ole Miss after they defended the run well in beating Texas and Texas A&M.

Georgia has a really good offensive line and backs, as does Ole Miss (and QB Matt Corral is an impressive runner), but it still was shocking to see the defense look so, well, defenseless.

Georgia’s and Ole Miss’ coaches figured out some good ways to attack Arkansas, and the Razorbacks struggled with their gap control and setting the edge. It will be interesting to see if the Razorbacks switch from a three-man front to a four-man front against Auburn.

4. How is new head coach Sam Pittman adapting to Arkansas, and how is everyone adapting to him?

Given that Arkansas was a combined 1-23 in SEC games from 2017-19, Pittman and his staff have done a remarkable job in having the Razorbacks ranked in their second season.

Pittman may not have been a big name nationally when he was hired, but he was known to Arkansas fans as the Hogs’ offensive line coach from 2013-15.

Things started going south for the Razorbacks when Pittman left to be the O-line coach at Georgia. Fans knew that, and they knew about Pittman’s background as a superb recruiter, so I think they were glad to have him back leading the program.

Plus, Pittman wanted the job when a lot of coaches didn’t.

5. Who’s a player on offense and one defense Tiger fans should pay attention to from Arkansas?

Junior wide receiver Treylon Burks is one to watch on offense. He got off to a slow start after missing a lot of preseason camp practices because of a leg injury, but then broke out with a 91-yard touchdown catch — off a short pass — against Georgia Southern and had an 85-yard TD against Texas A&M. Last week; he had 37-yard gains with leaping catches on back to back plays.

Senior middle linebacker Grant Morgan is the Razorbacks’ emotional leader and heart and soul on defense. A former walk-on, Morgan will be all over the field making tackles.

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn sports for Alabama Media Group.

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