FAYETTEVILLE -- These Razorbacks handle success like a boiling pot minus a pot-holder.
Off 4-8 and 2-10 2017 and 2018 seasons, skidding on a slide commenced upon losing 24-7 and 24-0 halftime leads in losses ending 2016, success seldom has been in their grasp, much less grasping to cope with it.
Coach Brent Brennan's 2-1 San Jose State Spartans, the 21-points underdog bottom rung Mountain West opponent brought in for an Arkansas rent-a-win Saturday night at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, did have an open-date week dissecting the Razorbacks. Obviously they dissected thoroughly.
Given those parameters off the Razorbacks' exuberance from their 55-34 victory over Colorado State on Sept. 14, this columnist's expectations perhaps weren't oddsmakers-lofty for Arkansas vs San Jose State.
Something like "a modest achievement was modestly achieved," entered this columnist's pregame mind regarding the eventual summation of how Chad Morris' Razorbacks would get by to make their second-year coach beyond a 2-game winner for the first time upon inheriting a 4-10 skid from Bret Bielema's final 14 games.
Turns out those lowered expectations proved too high.
The Spartans stunned Arkansas from the get-go leading 24-7 at half.
Like against Colorado State, the Razorbacks roared back in the fourth quarter. They netted two fourth-quarter touchdowns added to a third-quarter field goal. Arkansas tied it 24-24 while the defense was pitching a second-half shutout.
Then in five easy pieces, the Spartans' 5-play, 75-yard drive started with 2:56 left and finished with a 19-yard touchdown run at 1:13. Arkansas' defense dissolved. The Hogs dissolved with it, suffering a 31-24 loss rivaling last year's 44-17 nonconference rent-a-win loss to North Texas at Reynolds Razorback Stadium as the embarrassing low points of the Morris era.
That comes off his era's so far apex, beating with its big fourth quarter those same Colorado State Rams who overcame a 27-9 deficit last season to beat Arkansas, 34-27 in Fort Collins, Colo.
Enthusiasm can blow into hot air. Morris sensed an ill-wind blowing as his by three touchdowns favored Hogs took the field, knowing after this alleged cupcake five straight SEC entrees await, starting next Saturday vs. Texas A&M at the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium.
"I was a little concerned in pregame warmups," Morris said. "I thought we were a little too loose. I thought it was a little too giddy. We're not good enough to come out and just walk out on the field with a Razorback logo on your helmet and expect you're going to win. You've got to show up and play and we didn't show up and play in no phase of it."
Arkansas' remaining test for nonconference concentration isn't until Nov. 9, hosting Western Kentucky in Fayetteville.
By then, who knows how these Hogs will look at that game?
Or how many will still care to look at them.
Sports on 09/23/2019