FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas freshman Luke Hasz was selected on Thursday as the John Mackey Tight End of the Week following his big performance at LSU last weekend.
The 6-3, 242-pounder from Bixby, Okla., pulled down 6 receptions for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns in the biggest game of his young career.
"It was awesome," Hasz said on "Sam Pittman Live" on Wednesday night. "My family got to come down. My Mom, Dad, sister, girlfriend, so it was a great experience. It being LSU at night, that tops everything."
Hasz's touchdown catches came on passes covering 59 and 11 yards. He also caught a two-point conversion pass that knotted the score at 24-24 in the fourth quarter.
Hasz became the first Razorback freshman to score multiple touchdowns in a game since tight end Hunter Henry, the winner of the 2015 Mackey Award, did it at LSU in 2013. He was also the first Arkansas freshman since 2012 to post 100-plus receiving yards with multiple touchdowns in a game.
Hasz has the second-highest receiving grade among the nation's tight ends at 88.7, per Pro Football Focus.
He ranks first among all freshman tight ends with 239 receiving yards and is fifth nationally among all tight ends and second behind Georgia's Brock Bowers (256) in the SEC. Hasz is tied for the team lead with three touchdown catches and he ranks second in yards per catch (15.9) and receiving yards per game (59.8).
Perfect inside 30
Cam Little made a pair of 23-yard field goals in the first half as Arkansas built a 6-0 lead.
The chip-shot makes made Little 15 of 15 in his career on field goals of 30 yards or closer.
The junior from Moore, Okla., is now 37 of 45 (.822) on career field goals, on pace to break the school record for accuracy currently held by Connor Limpert, who was 41 of 52 (.786) between 2016-19.
Playing in Arlington
Texas A&M officials have made it clear they want the game against Arkansas to be played on campus after the contract in Arlington ends after next year, but Coach Jimbo Fisher had some positive things to say about playing in AT&T Stadium.
"I get the home-and-home," he said. "I get all that and I appreciate it because anytime you can play in Kyle Field, I love it. But I do think those venues are nice and neat ... if you're in playoff games, bowl games.
"I think our kids relate to Jerry's World, being in the state of Texas. I mean, that's where your state championships are played. That's where they dream their whole life of going to play."
Fisher said he likes playing in the home of the Dallas Cowboys, who are owned by former Razorback Jerry Jones.
"It's the Cowboys, maybe the most known team in the country, and it's a venue that's tremendous, it's a great facility," he said. "I don't mind playing there. I understand bringing it home-and-home, and I get it, but I do think it's a neat thing."
Turnover titan
Dwight McGlothern's first quarter interception was the Arkansas cornerback's third takeaway of the season despite seeing limited duty in Games 2 and 3 with a turf toe injury. McGlothern notched his second interception of the year and the seventh of his career when he peeled off the edge and undercut an out route for tight end Mason Taylor.
The pick was the second thrown by LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels this season.
McGlothern, a transfer from LSU in 2022 and a Houston native, also forced a fumble against BYU in Week 3.
Third down play
The Razorbacks drastically improved their ability to stay on the field last week in a hostile environment, going 8 of 13 on third-down conversions at LSU.
That contrasted with their 2 of 13 showing in a 38-31 home loss to BYU the week before.
The Razorbacks rank sixth in the SEC and 34th in the country with a 47.2% conversion rate on third downs. Arkansas converted at a 46% rate in that department last season to rank 21st in the FBS.
Texas A&M's defense will present the toughest challenge yet on third downs as the Aggies are first in the SEC and second in the nation with a 20.4% third-down conversion rate allowed.
Fast talker
Jimbo Fisher is well known for talking 100 miles an hour.
Sam Pittman said Fisher is the same way when he's talking with other coaches before the game.
"He's rolling, man," Pittman said. "You better pay attention. That's why he's such a good recruiter. He talks so fast, you have to listen to him."
Johnson and receivers
When Texas A&M backup quarterback Max Johnson had to play in the second half against Auburn because of starter Conner Weigman's ankle injury, the passing game was sharp.
Johnson completed 7 of 11 passes for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns without an interception.
Aggies Coach Jimbo Fisher said he wasn't surprised by the chemistry between Johnson and the starting receivers.
"Practice and what you did in the offseason, what you did in the summer, what you did when nobody was watching," Fisher said of extra work. "All the coaches weren't there, nobody was there, and you're out there throwing one-on-ones or routes or skeleton or whatever they do in the summer.
"We're learning to practice better and you've got guys that can execute and guys are fighting and competing for jobs because they want playing time and they want the ball."
'12th' connection
Texas A&M's designated 12th man, graduate student Sam Mathews, has a connection to Arkansas.
The League City, Texas, native began his college career at Harding University in Searcy, where he redshirted in 2018 and sat out in 2019 and 2020 after transferring to Blinn Junior College prior to joining the Aggies for the 2021 season.
The 6-3, 210-pound linebacker was named 12th Man by Coach Jimbo Fisher on Aug. 29.
Call crew
The SEC Network broadcast team assigned to the game consists of Dave Neal on play-by-play, Matt Stinchcomb as analyst and Alyssa Lang as the sideline reporter.
Extra points
The Razorbacks have 41 interceptions in 40 games since Coach Sam Pittman took over for the 2020 season.
Sophomore defensive tackle Cam Ball posted a career-high 6 tackles at LSU.
Luke Hasz