NO. 12 MISSISSIPPI AT NO. 22 ARKANSAS

Defense needs better positioning

Alabama running back Joshua Jacobs is pursued by Arkansas defenders during a game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, in Fayetteville.
Alabama running back Joshua Jacobs is pursued by Arkansas defenders during a game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly became the second 100-yard rusher against the Arkansas defense last year in the Razorbacks' 53-52 overtime victory in Week 9.

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He was also the final one.

Rushing defense declines

• Arkansas has fallen from 21st to 83rd nationally in rushing yards yielded per game over the past four weeks:

OPP.;RU-YDS-TDS;YPC;AVG.;SEC (NCAA)

La. Tech;23-79-2;3.4;79.0;3 (t26)

@TCU;32-195-4;6.1;137.0;6 (63)

Texas State;26-22-0;0.8;98.7;3 (21)

vs. Texas A&M;37-366-4;9.9;165.5;9 (76)

Alcorn State;38-155-1;4.1;163.4;10 (73)

Alabama;34-264-3;7.8;180.2;9 (83)

SOURCE NCAA.com

Alabama's Derrick Henry couldn't crack the 100-yard plateau on the Hogs, and neither did LSU's Leonard Fournette nor Tennessee' Jalen Hurd.

Auburn's Peyton Barber, with 120 yards on 37 carries, was the one running back to run for more than 100 yards against the Arkansas defense last season, and Barber needed 52 yards in the four overtime periods to get there.

Arkansas' ability to stop the run was a point of pride during a 2015 season in which the Razorbacks had a porous pass defense.

Arkansas ranked second in the SEC and 12th in the country against the run, allowing 116.5 rushing yards per game.

Being stout against the run was a preseason expectation for this Arkansas team, with the return of nine starters for a defensive unit that had been No. 2 in the SEC against the run for two consecutive years.

It hasn't turned out that way.

Alabama's Damien Harris shredded the Razorbacks for 122 yards on 13 carries last Saturday as the Crimson Tide powered their way to 264 rushing yards in a 49-30 victory at Razorback Stadium.

Harris became the third 100-yard rusher on the Hogs through six games.

Texas A&M quarterback Trevor Knight and Aggies running back Trayveon Williams trampled the Hogs for 157 and 153 yards, respectively, each on 12 carries or less in the Aggies' 45-24 victory on Sept. 24.

Arkansas enters Saturday's game ranked No. 9 in the SEC and No. 83 nationally by allowing 180.2 rushing yards per game.

"Obviously the expectation was to play better, but the reality of the film -- I can see why people have scored," Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said. "The reality of us not being able to do certain things, it's easy to see why points have happened, why yards have happened. It's pretty easy to see on film why things have happened and why they need to be fixed."

Suddenly, the strength of the Arkansas defense is leaking like a sieve and the the Razorbacks are looking for answers.

"It's a collective thing," defensive coordinator Robb Smith said. "It's not one guy. We have to do a better job of setting the edge. ... We have to do a better job of using our tackling system. ... You need 11 guys to perform for you at their best on every play and we will work for that consistency this week."

Presnap recognition and alignments, shedding blockers, gaining leverage by staying on the inside hip of opposing ball carriers and taking good angles are all keys in harnessing a running game.

The Razorbacks have had issues in each of those departments. Now, with weakside linebacker Dre Greenlaw out with a broken foot, senior Brooks Ellis will be joined be less-experienced Dwayne Eugene and De'Jon Harris at linebacker.

Defensive backs coach Paul Rhoads discussed the importance of leverage.

"We were in position and then we gave up that position on several cases," Rhoads said Wednesday, looking back at the Alabama game. "You don't want to have to two-way tackle a guy if you don't have to. ... We had those positions and we gave them up or lost them, so that's been a high point of focus with us as we worked on tackling drills today."

Bielema said the defensive players and the coaching staff have pride and intend to correct the run-game problems.

"As a coach, I have obviously a defensive background," Bielema said. "If I have to get more involved, I have to get more involved. But I just believe we've got to come up and play a lot faster and play a lot better in all phases on defense."

The Rebels rank No. 83 nationally with 157 rushing yards per game.

But Ole Miss will probably give the Hogs a big test on the ground, based on what Kelly did last season -- 110 rushing yards and three touchdowns -- and Arkansas' run-stopping problems this season.

Kelly's production came on a combination of called runs and Houdini-like escapes out of the pocket.

Ole Miss Coach Hugh Freeze has noted that Bielema talked during his Monday news conference about the need to tweak and change some things.

"They have given up some rush yards," Freeze said, "but there are good teams that can do that.

"Typically, they've been a lot like us, just bend and don't break. You try to hold teams to field goals and bank on your offense scoring some touchdowns. They've been very good at that."

Arkansas players said they expect better performances against the run during the second half of the season.

"A couple of years ago, things weren't always good," defensive tackle Taiwan Johnson said. "Towards the end of the year we started to kick it into gear. I think that's something we can do if everybody just buys in to what the scheme is."

Sports on 10/14/2016

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