Bret Bielema took the reigns of the Arkansas program as head coach in 2013. He brought with him a sense of pride that rested on a hard-nosed, ground and pound mentality that meshed with his Big 10 background.
Running the football has been the backbone of the Razorback offense, and it’s been a common theme throughout Bielema’s entire career. His teams are 56-13 when rushing for 200 yards in a game. He’s had a 1,000-yard rusher each year he’s been at Arkansas (two in 2014), and entering this season Arkansas had rushed for at least 2,500 yards the last three seasons.
This year isn’t much different. Rawleigh Williams III has recorded 605 yards on the ground already this year and the Razorbacks are running for 176 yards per game.
“Yeah, like I said earlier in years past, the ability of their tight ends and quarterbacks to be really balanced and you commit people you felt like you had to commit to stop the run, then those guys winning in space on you and a lot of one-on-ones,” Ole Miss Head Coach Hugh Freeze said. “Whether it be the receivers or their tight ends. They have done a really nice job staying balanced with that. It has given us a lot of problems.”
But what has been a strength for the Razorbacks, has also been their kryptonite. They are not stopping the run. Arkansas has allowed 1,058 yards rushing to opponents this season, an average of 180 per game and an average of 5.7 yards per carry.
It’s been a weakness, and it’s one Ole Miss will need to exploit if it wishes to leave Fayetteville Saturday night with a win.
“We will have a good plan for what we’ve seen, there could be some things we don’t see. They have given up some rush yards, but there are some good teams that can do that,” Freeze said. “Typically, they’ve been a lot like us, just bend and don’t break, you try to hold teams to field goals and banking on your offense scoring some touchdowns. They’ve been very good at that.”
Alabama gashed Arkansas for 264 yards on the ground last week and commanded the edge on defense running the ball outside.
“They did a lot of inside power runs too and all over,” running back Akeem Judd said. “We’ve just got to get our opportunities.”
What may aid Arkansas is the fact that this has not been the Rebels’ strength this year. To be fair, Ole Miss started behind the eight ball. Running Back Jordan Wilkins was ruled ineligible before the year and lost running back Eric Swinney in the first quarter he played this season.
“I keep telling everyone, it is very hard to run the ball in this league,” Freeze said.
The load has been transferred to the shoulders of running backs Judd, and somewhat unexpectedly to Eugene Brazley and freshman D’Vaughn Pennamon. The Rebels have been serviceable though, averaging 157 yards per game with the ground attack seemingly improving each week.
With Pennamon out in Ole Miss’ last game against Memphis, both Brazley and Judd rushed for more than 100 yards, the first of their careers.
“Our whole backfield can get in, and as you saw last week, Eugene went in there and tore it up. It was his time to go,” Judd said. “He’s quicker and shiftier. He cuts and reads really good.”
Freeze said one of the biggest keys in this week’s game will be converting on third down, and having a run game to lean on in short yardage situations, or preventing third and long scenarios will be paramount on Saturday night. Ole Miss rushed for 263 yards against Memphis, and a semblance of that run game on display two weeks ago can only bode well for the Rebels this weekend.
