UA @ AU - It's Game Week

Notable Stats from 2013 AU @ UA:

Points scored: AU+18

Turnovers: UA+3 (UA gave up 2 fumbles and threw 1 interception)

3rd down efficiency: UA +1% (9/16 vs 6/11)

Time of possession: UA +8 minutes

AU RB Tre Mason: 32 carries, 168 yards, 5.3 YPC 4 TD
Rest of AU rushing: 14 carries, 65 yards, 4.6 YPC, 0 TD

UA RB's Williams + Collins: 33 carries, 196 yards, 5.9 YPC, 0 TD

*Alex Collins was a true freshman and carried the ball 18 times @ 5.1 YPC.

UA RB/KR Korliss Marshall: 1 kickoff return for 87 yards.

*Korliss Marhsall is now one of UA's 3 feature RB's after splitting time at RB and S in his freshman year last season. Many believe Marshall is the most explosive and fastest of the 3 feature 'backs.



Players lost to draft:

AU: 4 (OT Greg Robinson (2nd pick), DE Dee Ford (23rd pick), RB Tree Mason (3rd round), FB Jay Prosch (6th round))

UA: 4 (C Travis Swanson (3rd round), DE Chris Smith (5th round), FB Kiero Small (7th round), K Zach Hocker (7th round))



Arkansas - what to watch for:

1. TE Hunter Henry (Soph.) - Henry caught 1 pass for 10 yards against AU last year. After that game, Henry finished the final 3 games of the season (@ OM, MSU, @ LSU) averaging just over 3 catches and 1 TD/game. He is one of the best receiving TE's out there.

2. WR Demetrius Wilson (Sr.) - Missed last season due to injury and now returns as a starting WR. He was brought in by Petrino in 2012 as a community college transfer - Petrino beat out Tennessee for him. He's 6'3" with 4.4 speed. Hoping he can be that long range deep threat when we throw off play action.

3. New DC Robb Smith and DB Coach Clay Jennings - Robb Smith is trying to install a more agressive defense as opposed to our bend and usually break defense we saw from last season. Clay Jennings comes over from TCU and has a track record of putting good defensive back play on the field - something Arkansas hasn't seen in a long time. IMO, you have to counteract an AU type offense with aggression and risk taking - you can't just sit back and wait for them to make a mistake or hope your red zone defense can make a stop. They are just too efficient and well coached - you have to try and disrupt their flow.


Prediction:

AU: 34
UA: 27