Last week LSU had the unenviable task of taking on the offensive juggernaut that is Ole Miss. And it came in a year in which the Rebels went all in to build their most talented roster in recent memory. The Tigers pulled off the upset in dramatic fashion. Brian Kelly’s evolving team now has the privilege of going to Fayetteville to face the talented 4-2 Razorbacks. Sam Pittman’s group has been more competitive than most expected and presents a well-balanced offensive attack. This might sound far-fetched, but we’ll explain why Arkansas is LSU’s biggest challenge to date.
The Challenges of the Arkansas Offense
It’s one thing to possess the mental and emotional capacity to muster up the intensity from week to week that came with playing a top-10 Ole Miss team. It’s another to remain composed in a rocking Razorback Stadium against a team that could easily be 6-0. This isn’t a trap game, because Arkansas is too good to be considered a trap.
In their two losses, the Hogs outgained Oklahoma State by a ridiculous 263 yards. They held Texas A&M to under 300 total yards while outgaining them by over 80 yards. For all the hot-seat talk surrounding Pittman in the offseason, this is a legitimate team with a dangerous offense.
Quarterback Taylen Green is the Red Bull that gives the offense wings. Green passed for over 260 yards against both Tennessee and Texas A&M’s highly regarded defenses. Green is an athletic quarterback who uses his mobility to buy time to pass. He loves to attack the middle of the field and throws well on the run. Arkansas is ranked in the top 10 in converting third-down conversions, and that’s mostly due to Green’s connection with wide receiver Isaiah Sategna.
Arkansas is a competent passing team, but the success of its offense starts with the run. Ja’Quinden Jackson simply produces at a high rate in a business-like manner with no flash or dancing in the backfield. He’s tough to bring down, has 10 touchdowns on the year, and is backed up by a 250-pound bulldozer of a running back in Braylen Russell. LSU’s front seven will need the same focus and intensity they brought last week to have success.
Attacking Arkansas
The Arkansas defense has standouts at every level. Former LSU transfer Landon Jackson is one of the nation’s best defensive ends. Xavian Sorey is a force and middle linebacker and leads the teams in tackles. Both safeties are aggressive in run support, but TJ Metcalf jumps off the screen at free safety with the ground he can cover to make open-field tackles.
The Hogs like to play with three down linemen, with a standing edge defender, and two linebackers. Similar to LSU, their pass rush is unpredictable. The edge player won’t always rush, but a linebacker, nickel, or safety could come at any time. Arkansas was sticky in coverage, and its pressure never allowed Tennessee’s star quarterback Nico Iamaleava to get comfortable.
A common theme of LSU previews on a weekly basis, regardless of the media outlet, is “they need to get the run game going”. The Tigers have proven they can win without it, but its presence would make Garrett Nussmeier’s life significantly easier. An effective rushing attack not only limits what Arkansas can do with exotic blitzes but also limits the opportunities for miscommunication between Nussmeier and his receivers in what will be a wild environment. Rest assured, LSU won’t suddenly morph into the Baltimore Ravens, but their chances to run are better against this front than they were against Ole Miss.
The impressive LSU receiver group will be even better with the news of freshman tight end Trey’Dez Green moving to receiver. The Arkansas secondary is better than its 81st-ranked pass defense would indicate, but they still don’t match up well with the likes of Kyren Lacy and Aaron Anderson. Nevertheless, it will be important for Nussmeier to have a good understanding of his hot reads and check-downs. Arkansas won’t allow him to stay in one spot, and he’ll need to process his progressions quicker at times than he did last week.
What to Expect
It seems that as the college football world changes, LSU vs. Arkansas remains the same. The past four games have been decided by three points. The Razorbacks are always a challenge for LSU even in their worst years. The crowd will be riled up and ready to give the same boost to Arkansas that the Tigers got last week in Baton Rouge.
The third-down defense will be critical for LSU. Green’s ability to run limits the options in defending the pass. However, the Hogs have offensive line deficiencies that could cost them. Whoever LSU lines up over the Arkansas right tackle out of Bradyn Swinson, Sai’vion Jones, or Dashawn Womack, is a bad matchup for the Hogs.
The LSU offense won’t have it easy either. Arkansas might not get sacks, but it won’t be a shock if they force an interception that sends the home crowd into a frenzy. In the end, a more effective running game will take enough pressure off Nussmeier to make enough plays for LSU to pull off another close win.
