OFFENSE
Quarterback
A Heisman Trophy winner vs. a junior-college transfer in his second start. There is never a broken play with Johnny Manziel at the wheel, and the Aggies are perfectly comfortable having Manziel throw and bolt and freelance to his heart’s content. The Razorbacks, meanwhile, would like their other offensive players to support quarterback AJ Derby. Manziel (77 of 110, 1,228 yards, 12 touchdowns, 4 interceptions) ranks No. 7 in passing efficiency and has helped propel A&M to No. 5 nationally in total offense (602.3 ypg).
His passing yards are sixth in the NCAA despite his half-game suspension in the opener and missing big chunks of two other halves because the games were blowouts. Manziel, a redshirt sophomore, has 255 net rushing yards, 17 yards in losses and 3 rushing touchdowns while averaging a team-best 6.5 yards per carry. He is No. 8 in total offense (370.8), which tops the SEC. Derby (18 of 32, 173 yards, 1 TD) threw a strike to Javontee Herndon for a score last week, but his accuracy was off on several other passes. Derby has done well with his pre-snap reads and checks and has been sacked only once. He’ll have to limit mistakes today to give Arkansas a chance. Brandon Allen (26 of 44, 388 yards, 5 touchdowns, 1 interception) is unlikely to play. The Hogs are No. 33 in pass efficiency and No. 112 with 151.5 passing yards per game.
Running backs
Texas A&M’s rating here does not account for quarterback Johnny Manziel, who is the team’s second-leading rusher. Ben Malena (45 carries, 263 yards), a 5-9, 195-pounder, leads the Aggies with 5.8 yards per carry and 5 touchdowns. Several runners take reps at the spot under coordinator and running backs coach Clarence McKinney, including Tra Carson (32 carries, 165 yards, 4 TDs), Brandon Williams (17 carries, 68 yards) and Trey Williams (6 carries, 39 yards). Malena is averaging 11 carries per game, just ahead of Manziel, who has the only 100-yard rushing game for the Aggies. Texas A&M ranks No. 42 in rushing offense (211.3 ypg). Rutgers shot linebackers and defensive backs on run blitzes and prevented Alex Collins (86 carries, 481 yards, 2 TDs) and Jonathan Williams (63 carries, 418 yards, 3 TDs) from carving them up. Arkansas is averaging 5.1 yards per carry after entering the Rutgers game averaging 5.5 yards per rush. The Hogs’ three-game streak of dual 100-yard rushers ended in a 101-yard team performance vs. Rutgers. Kiero Small (18 carries, 53 yards) had reduced touches last week, doing more lead blocking again. A lost fumble by Williams is the only turnover by a running back at the one-third mark of the season. Arkansas ranks No. 23 in rushing (246 ypg).
Receivers
How will the Hogs contend with 6-5 Mike Evans (22 catches, 575 yards, 3 TDs), who is No. 3 nationally in receiving yards and has nine catches of 30-plus yards. Evans is Manziel’s favorite target on scramble plays and the rangy sophomore is No. 4 nationally with 26.1 yards per catch. He gained notoriety by catching 7 passes for 279 yards and 1 touchdown against Alabama. Malcome Kennedy, a 6-0 junior, (19 receptions, 218 yards, 4 TDs; 3 TDs against Alabama), 6-2 senior Derel Walker (12 receptions, 183 yards) and 5-11 sophomore Sabian Holmes (10 receptions, 121 yards, 1 TD) have been quality options beyond Evans. Top tight ends Nehemiah Hicks and Cameron Clear have one catch each, but the Aggies might give them more pass-game work today after watching the Hogs defense against Rutgers. Javontee Herndon (12 receptions, 200 yards, 4 TDs) has done well as the lead receiver for Arkansas, averaging 16.7 yards per catch. The returns of Keon Hatcher (5 receptions, 72 yards) and D’Arthur Cowan, from a foot injury, will help Julian Horton (6 receptions, 57 yards) and Eric Hawkins (1 reception, 11 yards) add a variety of route runners to Arkansas’ low-power passing game. Freshman Hunter Henry (8 receptions, 125 yards, 1 TD) is off to a good start, leading a tight end position that also features senior Austin Tate, in his second game back from injury, Jeremy Sprinkle (2 receptions, 22 yards) and Mitchell Loewen (1 reception, 24 yards, 1 TD).
The Hogs’ down field blocking has been pretty good.
Line Texas A&M lost the No. 2 pick in the NFL draft from last year’s unit, but they have another NFL draft commodity in left tackle Jake Matthews, an All-American who was rated the No. 1 senior by NFL.com’s Gil Brandt. Matthews is making his 38th consecutive start today. The group also features right tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, 6-5, 295, right guard Germain Ifedi, 6-5, 311, left guard Jarvis Harrison, 6-3, 325, and center Mike Matthews, 6-2, 285. Ogbuehi has made 23 consecutive starts and Harrison has made 22. The Aggies are No. 35 with 1.3 sacks allowed per game. They are No. 105 in time of possession, essentially the direct opposite of the Arkansas offense, where there are rumblings of a shakeup that could affect playing time at the guard spots. The Razorbacks’ struggles last week were not all to blame on the line, but they didn’t play well. Arkansas center Travis Swanson’s 42 consecutive starts are the third-longest active streak in the NCAA. Left tackle David Hurd graded well last week and should make his 16th start.
Grady Ollison at right tackle and guards Brey Cook and Mitch Smothers are being pushed for playing time by true freshmen Denver Kirkland and Dan Skipper, and Luke Charpentier’s reserve work has gone well, perhaps setting him up for more snaps. Arkansas is No. 70 in total offense (397.5 ypg), No. 73 in scoring (28.3) and No. 10 in time of possession (34:58).
DEFENSE
Line
The Aggies are starting to find their roles after enduring suspensions and shuffling, but have managed only three sacks. Tackle Alonzo Williams (13 tackles, 1 sack, 3 passes broken up) has been the most productive, though rush end Julien Obioha (8, 1 pass broken up, 1 hurry) is coming on. Nose guards Isiah Golden (8, 2 tackles for loss) and Kirby Ennis (5 tackles, 1 hurry) have each played in three games. The end rotation also features Daeshon Hall (7 tackles, 1 tackle for loss), Tyrone Taylor (7 tackles, 1 sack, 3 tackles for loss), Gavin Stansbury (4 tackles) and Tyrell Taylor (4 tackles, 1 quarterback hurry). Texas A&M ranks No. 105 against the run, allowing 218.3 yards per game. Arkansas’ front four is racking up the kind of impact numbers many thought last year’s front would produce. Ends Chris Smith (13 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 5 quarterback hurries) and Trey Flowers (9 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 quarterback hurries) have wreaked havoc on pass rushes and each has won SEC lineman of the week honors. Flowers also has two forced fumbles, an interception and a pressure that led to an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Robert Thomas (19 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks) leads the defensive tackles, while Darius Philon (8 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 quarterback hurries) had two sacks last week to push for time behind Byran Jones (9 tackles, 1 quarterback hurry).
Youngsters Deatrich Wise (5 tackles, 2 quarterback hurries), DeMarcus Hodge (4 tackles), Brandon Lewis (4 tackles, 1 pass broken up) and JaMichael Winston (2 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception) are picking up quality repetitions as the next wave.
The Razorbacks are giving up 92.5 rushing yards per game to rank No. 2 in the SEC, No. 13 nationally.
Linebackers
The Aggies had to find a spot for freshman Darian Claiborne (18 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 tackles for loss) at middle linebacker based on his play-making ability. Senior Steven Jenkins (15 tackles, 1 hurry, 1 forced fumble, 1 tackle for loss) has started one game each on the strong and weak sides. Senior Nate Askew (10 tackles, 1 interception, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss) is scheduled to make his first start on the strong side today. Donnie Baggs (14 tackles, 2 hurries) started the first three games at middle linebacker. Texas A&M is No. 110 in total defense, allowing 475.3 yards per game. Arkansas’ ability to spy, cover and pursue will get a workout today. The Razorbacks are giving multiple players a chance in the second tier, with senior Jarrett Lake (30 tackles, 1 pass broken up, 1 quarterback hurry, 1 fumble recovery) leading the charge despite being suspended for a game. Braylon Mitchell (24 tackles, 2 passes broken up, 2 quarterback hurries) has been the odd linebacker out in nickel situations. Sophomore Otha Peters (3 tackles, 2 passes broken up) is in the middle linebacker mix with Austin Jones (18 tackles, 1 fumble recovery), who knows the schemes but hasn’t flashed big-play potential. Martrell Spaight (12 tackles, 1 sack) is improving, but he hasn’t dealt a prime-time “Spaighting” yet. Price Holmes (3 tackles) has played in passing situations. Arkansas ranks No. 17 in total defense (289.8 ypg) and tied for 30th in turnover margin at plus-0.8 per game.
Secondary
A&M’s top five tacklers are defensive backs, which helps explain why the Aggies rank No. 110 in total defense. The Aggies underwent a shakeup last week, with play-making Deshazor Everett (24 tackles, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, 2 tackles for loss) moving from corner to free safety, giving Tramain Jacobs (23 tackles, 1 interception, 2 passes broken up, 1 tackle for loss) a start at cornerback and moving safety Clay Honeycutt (29 tackles, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery) into a backup role. Strong safety Howard Mathews (31 tackles, 3 passes broken up)is the lone four-game starter. Sophomore De’Vante Harris (13 tackles, 1 pass broken up) has wrangled a starting cornerback job, while freshman Alex Sezer Jr. (5 tackles, 1 pass broken up) had two starts at corner before moving into a reserve role. Toney Hurd Jr. (21 tackles, 1 passes broken up, 1 forced fumble) is the top nickel. The Aggies rank No. 73 in pass efficiency defense and No. 87 in passing yards allowed (257 ypg). Arkansas had done well at avoiding huge plays until last week, when Gary Nova burned corner Tevin Mitchel (22 tackles, 2 passes broken up, 1 interception return for TD, 1 tackle for loss) twice and worked over the Hogs’ middle as well. Will Hines (14 tackles, 3 passes broken up) and Mitchel have started all four games at corner, and free safety Eric Bennett (24 tackles, 3 passes broken up) has done the same.
Rohan Gaines (5 tackles) has recovered from his knee injury to earn a probable start at nickel today, which might leave Alan Turner (24 tackles, 1 pass broken up) at strong safety for another start. The Razorbacks are No. 35 in pass efficiency defense and No. 45 in passing yards allowed (197.3)
Special teams
Aggies punter Drew Kaser doesn’t have enough punts to qualify, but if he did his 50.5 average would lead the country. Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said Kaser gets “world record” hang time. The Aggies are No. 13 in net punting (41.8). Texas A&M’s place-kicking has been messy, with Taylor Bertolet - who missed 7 extra points last season - missing two in a row last week before being replaced by Josh Lambo, whose first try went awry on a bad hold. Bertolet, who missed a 39-yard field-goal attempt against Arkansas last year, is 2 of 3 on field goals, including a 44-yarder; Lambo made a 40-yarder last week on his only try. The Aggies rank No. 35 in punt returns (12.1) and No. 104 on kickoff returns (18.1). Arkansas thrived and dived with its punt team last week. Zach Hocker had a 77-yard punt to help raise his season average to 45.7, and Sam Irwin-Hill completed a 24-yard pass and boomed a 47-yarder to the 2, but both punters had long returns on short hang-time punts that led to touchdowns. The Hogs fell to No. 67 in net punting (37.2) after giving up 106 yards in returns to Rutgers. Hocker is 5 of 5 on field goals, with a long of 53, 13 of 13 on extra points and sixth with a kickoff average of 64.95 yards.
Javontee Herndon has returned just five punts for a 7.2 average. The kickoff return tandem of Eric Hawkins (22.5) and Keon Hatcher (19.0) hasn’t broken a big gainer yet.
Intangibles
The forecast calls for a 50 percent chance of rain, with possibly heavy showers, around kickoff.
Precipitation chances rise to around 60 percent by halftime, similar to last year’s game in College Station. Arkansas worked with wet footballs a few times during the week. The Aggies unloaded on Arkansas last season at Kyle Field to break a three-game losing streak in the renewed series.
The Razorbacks would want to think twice about trying to get under Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel’s skin, since it seems like trash-talking by opponents has only spurred him on this season.
This should be Arkansas’ first sellout in four home games under Bret Bielema, so perhaps the fans will make their presence felt. Then again, Texas A&M was 6-0 on the road last season, so playing at Razorback Stadium shouldn’t be overly intimidating for the Aggies. A nightmare scenario for Arkansas would be a couple of bad breaks and an early deficit, followed by rain, which could reduce the hostility factor in a hurry. On the flip side, if the Razorbacks can score early, force a couple of turnovers and establish their running game, they would have a chance at shocking the No. 10 Aggies.
Sports, Pages 24 on 09/28/2013