Hog Calls

Hogs putting up Petrino-like scores

Arkansas' Bret Bielema celebrates after a touchdown during the fourth overtime of an NCAA college football game against Auburn, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, in Fayetteville, Ark. Arkansas won 54-46 in four overtimes. (AP Photo/Samantha Baker)
Arkansas' Bret Bielema celebrates after a touchdown during the fourth overtime of an NCAA college football game against Auburn, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, in Fayetteville, Ark. Arkansas won 54-46 in four overtimes. (AP Photo/Samantha Baker)

FAYETTEVILLE -- Picture a Razorbacks soap opera and one of those just snapped out of it long-term amnesia victims that are soap opera staples.

The victim, an Arkansas football fan, emerges from amnesia dating to 2011 and is met with recent Razorbacks scores.

"54-46, 63-28, 53-52 ..." he muses. "Guess there's still no 'D' in Petrino, but Bobby sure can outscore 'em."

Uh, it's not Bobby anymore.

No doubt he would voluntarily go into relapse after finding out about John L. Smith's season in 2012, and surely he wouldn't believe Wisconsin's "ground and pound" Bret Bielema would be compiling Petrino-like scores at Arkansas.

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Actually, Bielema has delivered what he promised would eventually occur.

While predicated on the run, his best Wisconsin teams passed proficiently, were well-balanced and took advantage of defenses that stacked the box.

The stunner isn't that it has come to pass, but that it came to pass this year.

Keith Jackson, the Razorbacks radio network analyst, College Hall of Famer and nine-time Pro Bowl tight end, noted last week at the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club meeting that Arkansas' wide receivers situation is vastly better than at the start of the season.

That's startling. Keon Hatcher, the team's leading receiver in 2014, was lost for the season with a broken foot after just two games during which he caught 13 passes for 198 yards.

However, junior Drew Morgan leads the SEC with nine touchdown catches. Junior Dominique Reed has five touchdown catches and one run rushing touchdown in the past five games, and sophomore Jared Cornelius, two games returned from a broken arm, also excels as one of quarterback Brandon Allen's main targets. They enhance renowned tight ends Hunter Henry and Jeremy Sprinkle.

"It's awesome to have threats all over the field," Henry said. "It helps me and Sprinkle out a lot. It's funny looking back, with people worried that we wouldn't have threats."

What isn't so funny is a Razorbacks defense that shut out Ole Miss and LSU last year required a remedial course in Tackling 101 to prepare for running back Leonard Fournette, the nation's leading rusher, and the LSU Tigers tonight in Baton Rouge

The Hogs did hold Fournette's SEC equivalent, Alabama's Derrick Henry, to fewer than 100 yards (27 carries for 95 yards) earlier this season.

Mobile quarterbacks and receivers who escape tackles have vexed them most.

COX'S SUPER HOMECOMING

He lives in Jonesboro now, but former Razorback kicker Steve Cox came home to Charleston in a super ceremony last weekend.

The punter/kickoff/field-goal specialist for the Washington Redskins' 1987 season Super Bowl champions was honored by and honored his hometown as part of the NFL honoring its 50th Super Bowl anniversary.

All who played on Super Bowl champions can return to their high school with a $5,000 NFL donation to their school.

"It was great," Cox said. "They turned out the whole school and ran a highlight film. I also had a golden football with my name and Super Bowl 22 embossed on it.

"I gave it to Charleston for their trophy case."

Sports on 11/14/2015

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