Arkansas’ offense runs short on time

Arkansas' Alex Collins, left, looks to dodge Victor Hampton of South Carolina Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013, during the second quarter of the game against South Carolina at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

Arkansas' Alex Collins, left, looks to dodge Victor Hampton of South Carolina Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013, during the second quarter of the game against South Carolina at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

FAYETTEVILLE - Two pillars in the Bret Bielema philosophy for playing winning football are being successful in time of possession and turnover differential.

After positive early returns in those departments - a plus-3 turnover margin and a nearly 10-minute advantage per game in time of possession - during Arkansas’ nonconference run, the results have turned dramatically the other way since the Razorbacks began SEC play.

Arkansas has a minus-6 turnover margin and a 35-minute time of possession deficit in losses to Texas A&M, Florida and South Carolina.

The Razorbacks would seemingly have to break that trend Saturday for Arkansas (3-4, 0-3 SEC) to have any chance at upsetting No. 1 Alabama (6-0, 3-0) in Tuscaloosa.

“It’s paramount,” Bielema said.

The Razorbacks lost the takeaway battle by a 3-1 margin and took a drubbing in time of possession (43:25 to 16:35) in last week’s 52-7 loss to South Carolina in Fayetteville.

Neither Bielema nor any of his assistants had seen anything like the disparity in total plays in that game, with South Carolina running 89 to Arkansas’ 37.

“It’s our job to get off the field,” defensive coordinator Chris Ash said. “We had several opportunities on third down where we could’ve made drives shorter and we didn’t get it done.”

Alabama Coach Nick Saban, whose team has only seven takeaways in six games and has a plus-1 turnover margin, said turnover margin is a huge factor.

“I think it’s one of the most important stats in winning and losing,” he said. “We haven’t gotten a lot of turnovers defensively, which we certainly need to improve on. We obviously are not pleased with the fact that we turned the ball over a couple of times in our last game, which has been a little bit uncharacteristic of our backs.”

Arkansas had four consecutive three-and-out series after Brandon Allen’s first-quarter interception was returned 21 yards to set up South Carolina’s go-ahead touchdown. One of them included a stop of fullback Kiero Small on a third-and-1 dive play.

Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said it was tough for any of the Razorbacks to stay in rhythm against South Carolina.

“I was out of rhythm more than anybody,” he said. “It’s tough when you run that few plays.”

South Carolina kept control of the ball by going 9 of 16 on third-down conversions and 5 of 5 on fourth-down conversions. Arkansas went 2 of 7 on third downs and 0 of 1 on fourth down.

The Razorbacks have dealt with injury problems to Allen and the receiving corps, had an offensive line shuffle that resulted in true freshmen Denver Kirkland and Dan Skipper starting at guard, and are in the transition phase to a new offensive philosophy, all while competing in the division that has produced the past four BCS national champions.

The painful part of Arkansas’ lost fumbles against South Carolina is that they came at the end of a 50-yard run by Keon Hatcher and the end of a 29-yard run by Alex Collins as he stretched for the goal line.

So the Razorbacks not only added to their turnover and time deficits, they also had any momentum from the big plays quickly quashed.

Bielema admits that the Hogs’ averages in three conference games of a minus-2 turnover margin and an 11:40 deficit in time of possession won’t cut it.

“Time of possession obviously factors in both offensively and defensively,” he said. “Not only in how effective you are with the ball in your hands, but how you monopolize the clock, how you’re able to capitalize on first downs and keep the chains moving. It’s a very big part of what we believe in.”

Up next ARKANSAS AT NO. 1 ALABAMA WHEN 6 p.m. Central Saturday WHERE Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

RECORDS Arkansas 3-4, 0-3 SEC; Alabama 6-0, 3-0 TV ESPN RADIO Razorback Sports Network

Sports, Pages 17 on 10/17/2013