FAYETTEVILLE -- Facing a triple-option offense is such a rarity, University of Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman made sure to get some planning and practice time in on the Georgia Southern schemes during training camp.
The Eagles (1-1) will have a fresher look to their option attack when they face the No. 20 Razorbacks (2-0) on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Veteran quarterback Justin Tomlin is back to run the offense, which can conduct the classic triple-option look with a dive back, a quarterback read on the edge and a pitch man, among many other formations.
"They've got a lot of offense now," Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said. "They can go from five-wide to running the option. It just depends on, I guess, how they're feeling at the time."
Tomlin has 392 rushing yards in his career while serving as the top backup to Georgia Southern legend Shai Werts, who piled up 3,083 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in 49 games from 2017-20 before transferring to Louisville.
"I think he's a guy that makes their offense go," senior linebacker Bumper Pool said. "We've been preparing for him to be in there, but any guy they have will run it well."
Pittman noted the Eagles quarterbacks through two games -- freshmen Cam Ransom and Sam Kenerson -- had pitched to the tailback only four times. Otherwise, they had given to the dive back, mostly 6-0, 230-pound Logan Wright, or kept it themselves on run plays.
Tomlin puts pressure on every defender responsible for the dive, the quarterback or the pitchman, Pittman said.
"He made some pitches last year that so far this year the other quarterbacks either didn't or aren't comfortable doing," Pittman said. "He's truly going to take that offense, in my opinion, to a different level, because he has done it so much and I'm sure he's been practicing."
The Arkansas defenders have been shown Tomlin operating the triple option at its best.
"He does make their offense go," Arkansas safety Joe Foucha said. "He's a guy that will pull it more. The other quarterback [Ransom], he'd give it off more I feel like.
"As for the guys on the back end, it's going to be about your eyes and discipline. Make sure everyone is doing their job, filling the right gaps. That's how we're going to go about it, and that's going to help us win the game, because they have a triple option. They do a lot of option throughout the game."
Georgia Southern Coach Chad Lunsford said Tomlin is ready to roll.
"He's got to relax, trust his instincts, let the game come to him, not try to push it too quick, too soon, and just operate the offense," Lunsford said. "I do think he's got a lot of credibility with our team. I think he's built a lot of credibility with our team from his games and this offseason.
"If he'll relax, trust his instincts, do what he's coached to do, I think Justin Tomlin will do a really good job."
Pittman expressed his frustration with Tuesday's practice in no uncertain terms on Wednesday. He said the scout team, which isn't used to running the Georgia Southern schemes, wasn't operating at a fast-enough tempo, and the entire team did not have the focus he wanted to see.
That feeling was relieved at least some after Wednesday's practice, in which quarterback Malik Hornsby, one of the fastest players on the team, conducted a selection of plays with the second offense, against the starting defense.
Speaking on his radio show Wednesday night, Pittman said the pace of that day's practice was much better.
"I know Tomlin is good, but he can't be faster than Malik Hornsby," Pittman said. "We'll see I guess. They really did a good job of fitting that up today."
The Arkansas defense is off to a strong start, even with a good deal of shuffling personnel in its front seven. Tackle John Ridgeway, an active 320-pounder, missed the opener while recovering from an appendectomy. End Dorian Gerald suffered a leg injury in practice last week and is out for the year.
The top linebacking trio of Grant Morgan, Hayden Henry and Pool has played one quarter together due to targeting suspensions and Morgan's knee injury last week. Morgan has been practicing this week and is expected to be ready for the game. Henry and Morgan both won national player of the week awards after they accounted for 15 and 13 tackles, respectively, against Texas.
Arkansas ranks 43rd in the FBS against the run, allowing 105.5 yards per game against ground-hugging Rice and a Texas team with ace tailback Bijan Robinson. The Longhorns managed 138 yards on 41 carries, an average of 3.4 yards per attempt that was bolstered by quarterback Casey Thompson's lengthy scrambles late in the game.
However, the Georgia Southern attack is an approach seldom seen in major college football, which has shown the ability to take over games with ball control when effective.
"It's going to cause us to have to be very disciplined," Pool said. "It's something we have to pride ourselves on this week in practice, everyone doing their job and honing in on their responsibilities.
"We saw them in camp. We kind of spent a day on them just because it is a different style of offense."
Wright, who averages 6.9-yards per carry, piled up a career-high 177 rushing yards in the season-opening win over Gardner-Webb.
The term "workhorse" comes to mind on Wright, whom Pittman expressed his admiration for several times during the week.
The Razorbacks are happy they got the camp time in on the Eagles.
"Very excited because during this week of practice, it's not the first time we've seen the option offense," Foucha said. "Now that it's here, it's not hitting us off guard. We know everything that's coming, and we're still working."
Added Pool, "At the time we thought it was so far away, but the season comes up so quickly. So, getting to see it just so it's familiar is huge. I feel like we know what they're doing, and just getting to have a step up on them this week we're excited about it."
Saturday’s game
GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT NO. 20 ARKANSAS
WHEN 3 p.m.
WHERE Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Fayetteville
RECORDS Georgia Southern 1-1; Arkansas 2-0
TV SEC Network