FAYETTEVILLE - Brandon Allen wasn’t supposed to play.
It was believed he was too hurt to even practice. That is, until Friday night, when Coach Bret Bielema welcomed him back on Twitter.
It also was believed - and there is no doubt Bielema would be good at the final table of the World Series of Poker - that the Hogs would line up and run it between the tackles against a defense that had struggled to stop the run.
Bielema, his staff and the entire team were running misdirection all week, and it almost paid off.
All Allen did was prove that if he hadn’t been hurt last week the Arkansas Razorbacks would have beaten Rutgers. After Arkansas was held to 283 total yards a week ago, Allen led the Hogs to 483 yards Saturday night, passing for 282 yards and 3 touchdowns, in a 45-33 loss to No. 10 Texas A&M. He had two interceptions, but one was very late.
Allen, a sophomore, gave the Razorbacks a chance and, even in a loss, more hope for the future than had been felt in at least a week.
What the Razorbacks couldn’t do was the same thing no team has been able to do. They couldn’t stop Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel for four quarters, although after completing 18 of 23 passes in the first half for 204 yards and 2 touchdowns his coaches slowed his passing attack by going almost exclusively with a running game in the second half.
The Aggies lined up and ran the ball successfully against the Razorbacks, even though stopping the run is supposed to be the Hogs’ strength. It is what they practice every day.
It was obvious Saturday night the Heisman Trophy winner really is trying to be more of a pocket quarterback, and that could hurt his team at some point. The Aggies need Manziel to run, and when he was flushed out of the pocket he was too quick, too fast and too elusive for the Razorbacks.
The last person to play in Reynolds Razorback Stadium who had the ability to make people miss the way Manziel does was former Arkansas quarterback Matt Jones.
Manziel showed some of his cocky attitude at times, doing more than his share of mouthing, but the truth is he is a phenomenal talent.
With him leading the way, the Aggies scored on their first four possessions - they ran only nine plays on their side of the field and 23 on Arkansas’ - and led 24-10, but Arkansas offensive coordinator Jim Chaney was ready to turn this into an old Southwest Conference shootout that ended with more than 1,000 yards combined.
Allen led the Hogs 82 yards for a touchdown, passing for 55 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown to Jonathan Williams that made it 24-17, and the defense celebrated by stopping the Aggies.
Starting at their own 6, the Hogs drove to the Aggies 22 before Zach Hocker made it 24-20 going into the half with a 39-yard field goal.
DeShazor Everett intercepted a pass by Allen on the third play of the third quarter and returned it for a touchdown, but Allen quickly made up for his mistake by driving the Hogs 75 yards in just four plays, with 47 yards coming on back-to-back passes to freshman Hunter Henry. Freshman Alex Collins ran in from the 9 to make it 31-27.
The Hogs defense held, but Arkansas went three and out to set up A&M’s methodical ground attack. It covered68 yards and gave the Aggies a 38-27 lead with 4:42 left to play in the third quarter.
Allen drove the Hogs 65 yards, with the final 19 coming on a pass to Williams, but for some reason the Razorbacks went for two and failed.
The Aggies kept it on the ground again. This time they went 57 yards for a touchdown to make it 45-33.
Despite the rain and a 12-point deficit with 3:03 to play, most of the 72,613 were still there and calling the Hogs.
It was a defeat, but in that cloud there were some silver linings.
Sports, Pages 23 on 09/29/2013