It was the first game of the season for the Arkansas Razorbacks (1-0, 0-0 SEC), but the offense looked to be a well-oiled machine in the Hogs’ 52-7 win over the Alabama A&M Bulldogs (0-1, 0-0 SWAC) on Saturday. The Arkansas offense scored on each of its first three drives, with quarterback Taylen Green throwing a touchdown pass to C.J. Brown to start things off. Scott Starzyk booted a 53-yard field goal on the following drive, and then Green found Raylen Sharpe all alone for a 35-yard score to push the Hogs ahead 17-7.
FAYETTEVILLE — It was the first game of the season for the Arkansas Razorbacks (1-0, 0-0 SEC), but the offense looked to be a well-oiled machine in the Hogs’ 52-7 win over the Alabama A&M Bulldogs (0-1, 0-0 SWAC) on Saturday.
The Arkansas offense scored on each of its first three drives, with quarterback Taylen Green throwing a touchdown pass to C.J. Brown to start things off. Scott Starzyk booted a 53-yard field goal on the following drive, and then Green found Raylen Sharpe all alone for a 35-yard score to push the Hogs ahead 17-7.
“Offensively, we threw seven touchdown passes, I think Taylen did a good job of avoiding pressures,” head coach Sam Pittman said postgame. “Some of them were simple twist games where they had pressure on, some of them they brought one more than we could protect in our protection, who was hot. We’ve got to get better there, butI was proud that we were able to throw the ball to a lot of different people, get them involved. I think that’s going to help us in the future with those guys, get some confidence.”
In total, offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino engineered an offense that racked up 552 yards of total offense and went a perfect 5-for-5 in redzone trips. Green threw for 322 yards and six touchdowns to no interceptions, and he completed 77% (24-of-31) of his passes.
Taylen Green’s connection with O’Mega Blake
Transfer wide receiver O’Mega Blake has been making plays since back in spring practice, but he went on another level on Saturday. Blake finished as the team’s leading receiver with seven receptions for 121 yards and one touchdown. He had 55 yards after the catch, which is more than any other receiver had total.
“Just hearing it every day from coach Petrino – yards after the catch,” Blake said postgame. “And just self-motivated, and just wanting to get the extra yards. So, that’s really all there is to it.”
On the final drive of the first half, Arkansas drove 59 yards, and Green found Blake from six yards out to cap off the drive with a touchdown with six seconds left.
That touchdown pass wasn’t the only time he found Blake on that drive, though. On that drive, Blake hauled in three receptions and he was responsible for 60 receiving yards.
“You got to feed the playmakers,” Green said postgame of that drive. “And he does a great job of getting open. Then I see mismatches and I got to do my job to get him the opportunity and he’s got to do the rest.”
Taylen Green spreading the wealth
On top of Blake’s monster game, Arkansas’ wide receiver corps — which has been the subject of a lot of questions in the preseason — answered the bell.
Altogether, seven different Razorback wide receivers recorded at least one reception, and five of those recorded at least two.
“I wasn’t surprised,” Green said. “If you see how, how much work they put in, but at the same time, how fast they practice, especially O’Mega and CJ…just the way that they work every single day, they could be tired but you wouldn’t know it. I’m not surprised, but I’m just glad and grateful to have a receiver room like this.”
The next-highest in receptions and yards was Brown, a Bentonville native who caught four passes for 49 yards and two touchdowns.
Brown’s big day comes just weeks after his father passed away. In a tough time for him and his family, he said after his touchdown receptions, he told head coach Sam Pittman they were in honor of his dad.
“He has a strong faith and his family are such great people,” Pittman said. “They helped him through all this and hopefully we did too. We sure did try. He told me, he said, ‘That’s for my daddy’ on the first one. And then I went and grabbed him on the second one and he said ‘That one was too.’ So, man it was a great moment.”
Hogs look to keep momentum in monster matchup next week
With the win, Arkansas moves to 1-0 for the fourth year in a row. Up next, an in-state matchup with Arkansas State looms at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
“We got a whole lot of kids in there that think they’ve got to get better here this next week playing Arkansas State,” Pittman said. “No disrespect to Alabama A&M at all, but it’s easier to get up for A-State. It’s not a rivalry because we’ve never played it, but I think it’ll be easier for our guys to have good practices.”
Arkansas defensive lineman Cam Ball said the team has to keep the preparation the same for Arkansas State as it does for every other team on the schedule.
“I heard that they’ve been wanting to play us for, like 93 years or so,” Ball said. “We’re just gonna prepare for them, like any other opponent. Arkansas State from what I’ve seen in previous years and the previous game, they got a really good team…We’re just going to prepare for them, how we prepare for each and every team. But they have a good team, man. And I’m excited to play for the state of Arkansas.”
Arkansas and Arkansas State will kick off from War Memorial Stadium on Sept. 6 at 4 p.m. Be sure to stay tuned to HawgBeat for more coverage of Arkansas football.
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