re: Presser quotes, CBB, Enos, Smith...

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There is probably no better time for an off week than now for Arkansas, a team coming off an embarrassing defeat at Auburn.

After getting whipped 56-3 by the Tigers (the second-largest defeat a ranked SEC team has suffered in the history of the AP poll), the Razorbacks have some time to lick their wounds and figure out what went wrong. Specifically, what happened to their defense.

The 543 rushing yards the Razorbacks yielded to Auburn were the most allowed to any FBS team in a game this season. But this wasn’t a one-game issue for Arkansas. Defensively, the Razorbacks have been statistically poor in their three losses to Texas A&M, Alabama and Auburn.

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said the Razorbacks have to closely look at three things: structure, personnel and confidence.

“First thing you have to look at is structure,” said Bielema, a former defensive coordinator himself. “Obviously, to make sure that the things we're asking our guys to do they can carry out. If you see things repeatedly not happen well, you have to look at, is that a structure we can continue to coach or do we have to modify it?

“Second thing is personnel, obviously. The guys you've got lined up at certain positions, if they can execute the task, things that you've seen guys do in the past, whether or not they can do it.

“I think the third and most important thing is the confidence level of your players and coaches. When they have three scores as fast as they did in the beginning minutes of a first quarter of a game like that, not only does it affect your defense, it affects, obviously, offense, special teams, the confidence level of your entire sideline. That part is probably the area that I concentrate on more than anything, especially on weeks like this, and believe me, we've had some heart-to-heart discussions since Saturday about who we're lining up and how we're asking them to line up and what they're doing. But the big thing, too, is to get our guys playing fast, physical and getting them to play with confidence.”

Against Ole Miss in Week 8, the Razorbacks made a key stop late and provided reason for optimism on defense, allowing the Rebels only 403 yards and holding them to a season-low 30 points. But that turned out to be an aberration; their performances against other Power 5 conference competition (TCU, Texas A&M, Alabama, Auburn) has established a disturbing trend.

Against Texas A&M, Alabama and Auburn, the Razorbacks allowed more than 9 yards per play (10.02 to Texas A&M, 10.14 to Alabama, 9.16 to Auburn). While the 543 rushing yards skews averages, they haven’t been that good stopping good rushing teams: Alabama ran for 264 yards; Texas A&M ran for 366 against the Razorbacks.

For the season, Arkansas is allowing 7.95 yards per carry to Power 5 conference competition, by far the worst such rate in the Power 5 (Purdue, which is 64th in the Power 5, allows 6.8 yards per rush). Of the 123 FBS teams that have played a Power 5 opponent, Arkansas’ mark is the worst nationally. Before the Razorbacks played Auburn, they were allowing 7.28 yards per rush.

It’s all a bit surprising for a defense that had reason for optimism this preseason. Defensive coordinator Robb Smith and defensive-line coach Rory Segrest entered their third season with the program, linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves was in his second, and the staff added former Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads to run the secondary -- a hire that was well-regarded.

Combine that with the return of nine defensive starters and the addition of a five-star recruit at defensive end (McTelvin Agim) and there was justification to believe that the Razorbacks would make at least some improvement. That hasn’t been the case and experience, Bielema pointed out, can be overrated at times.

“There's not one play from a year ago that's going to count in our 2016 statistics,” Bielema said. “We've got to line up and play every play for what it is. There's not one tackle from last year that carries forward. There's not one touchdown. It's not coachspeak; it's reality. If you begin to rest on the accomplishments of years past or even last week, you're not going to have much success.”

With a weekend off before the Razorbacks face SEC East-leading Florida, there’s at least a little time to make decisions about necessary changes. But somehow they have to find a way to turn it around or they’ll risk taking a step backward after increasing their win total each of the last two seasons.

“You have a chance to go out and change the perspective on what you are known as,” Bielema said. “And hopefully they're going to do that with open arms.”

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Bert seemed a bit petty and defensive

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