Arkansas 9/3 3:30 ESPN

[bearcatjd]

I was at the game & it was a great college atmosphere. I believe we could have/should have won this game. But we played them tough & close on the road. If we clean up the mistakes & overthrows we will be a very good team this year!

[Lobot]

Here's the box score:

https://www.espn.com/college-footbal...meId/401403855

On paper Ben Bryant looks like he had an off day and still threw for 325. Kiner and McClelland and the speed receivers had good days on offense.

Ivan Pace Jr. had a whale of a day on D . Ja'quan Shepard did as well although I really don't think you want your CB making that many tackles.

[Bearcat93]

Nice summary. I’d probably say I want more games like this - clearly home and home, but I’d like to see us play interesting and challenging OOC games. Kiner was a bright spot yesterday- looking forward to seeing more from him. Putting the loss aside, from a football fan perspective, I’d rather see us develop around Prater than be more one dimensional with Bryant. Honestly, had we lost with Prater yesterday, at least he’s getting valuable experience. Fickell tends to keep his starter in a bit long in my opinion-last year I would have liked to see Prater get more meaningful minutes when we were up by a lot. I would have put Evan in for a series yesterday just to see what he could do.

Yes, defensively we were inconsistent, but there was plenty to be impressed by once we iron out our tackling issues.

[Lobot]

I go to Fayetteville for the weekend and y'all melt down.

I'd had some time to think about what I saw live but haven't watched the broadcast yet.

My thoughts:

Playing your first game at an SEC stadium after losing 9 guys to the draft is pretty suboptimal. This was a buy game scheduled during the Tuberville era. Hopefully this will be a the last one of those we do.

That said, I never felt like the guys we had out there didn't play well. Ben's got to put more zip on the ball on those long outs. The defender jumped the route on the first drive and we were lucky that wasn't a pick six. We missed some VERY wide open receivers in that game. To me it appeared that we overthrew, dropped or ran the wrong route on about 4 possible TDs. The overthrows were bugging me but to be honest if Ben's going to miss a deep ball, miss it long, not short. Those don't get picked. The offense needs polish but I think we'll be ok. We were open all over the field yesterday and missed opportunities.

The defense needs to work on tackling in space. We let guys bounce outside and get to the edge a lot and the first defender missed the tackle way too often. Especially true with the DBs. Too many chunk yardage plays given up on D.

You can't turn the ball over and miss FGs on the road in that environment. They gifted us a touchdown in the 2nd half and we backed up 40 yards. In case you were wondering it was very loud on that end of the stadium during that drive. We probably should have worked on a silent count a bit more? The one play we got off on that drive was the most convoluted running play I've seen us call in a long time. There were at least 3 guys in the backfield that reset or went in motion on that play. Too cute down that close. Line up and put your head down.

Special Teams were for the most part very good. One of the things I noticed is that Mason Fletcher's punting style is very Australian rules like. There's a slight rugby style run and delay in his kick and it freezes the defense because he might run or throw. It also allows the coverage team to get behind the ball and down it easily.

The refs were somewhat questionable in the 2nd half. I found it odd that there was only 1 (?) review that whole game on Bryant's fumble.

Someone needs to have a chat with the equipment guys. Either we can't tighten a chinstrap or Arkansas was playing dirty and pulling them off or both.

This is a game that we probably could have and should have won if we execute better. MIssed opportunity. All three of the SEC teams we've lost to in the last 3 years have been neutral site or road games where we were the lower ranked team and weren't favored to win. I can't remember the last time we've had a SEC opponent in Clifton if ever. In recent memory we've only beaten one SEC team and that was Vandy in the Liberty Bowl.

[coach]

You have to defer to the coaching staff. These guys have been nothing but right on most of their choices, and honestly if you are going to throw the ball 50 times the more experienced guy on the road against a top opponent is definitely a big issue. Look, the game plan was solid offensively. They moved the ball, and guys were regularly open. Execution can take time. Des, Pierce, Young, et. al spent a **** of a lot of time working. It's a process.

[Corporateballa]

No further thoughts or comments from me on the Arkansas game.

[coach]

The schedule is booty. They should run the table even with a mediocre QB. 0-3 vs. the SEC in the last three years. Not quite ready for the BIG BOYS. Should be fine vs. the AAC and teams like Miami of Oxford.

You may need to drill a little deeper on the SEC reference as the 3 losses are to a #1 Bama, very highly ranked Ga team two years ago, and Arky on the road with a lot of new pieces. I think Osu is like 1-7 or 8 against Bama, Ga, Florida and Auburn in bowl games as well. These are the better Sec teams they are losing to. I was encouraged for a first game with as many new pieces. I think if they can stay healthy they have a chance to win the rest of their games, and overall the offense has many weapons if they can square the timing. We had many, many guys open yesterday against good competition Losses sting when opportunity presents itself, but it happens. There was a time when we would not have been very competitive in a road opener like this and it isn't that long ago. They played hard, but as I unfortunately thought turnovers were going to rule the day. Focus has to be on playing a clean game.

[GoCats1994]

Consider these 5 drives in Arkansas territory... INT, Fumble, missed FG, missed FG, penalties forcing punt instead of FG attempt.

[leo from jersey]

That was a winnable game. Too many mistakes to overcome. Missed passes. Missed field goals. Penalties - especially false start on 3 yard line and holding on long otherwise perfectly executed screen play did us in. IMHO we should be playing Prater. He has a much higher upside with is ability to run.

sadly we didn't reload due to the silly mistakes. We did show promise and I look forward to Coach Fick getting it going.

[Greg7173]

That was a winnable game. Too many mistakes to overcome. Missed passes. Missed field goals. Penalties - especially false start on 3 yard line and holding on long otherwise perfectly executed screen play did us in. IMHO we should be playing Prater. He has a much higher upside with is ability to run.

[Corporateballa]

I guess Notre Dame didn't count......or Indiana. I realize they aren't from the "almighty" SEC.

Every game counts.

[Oldtimer_UC_fan]

0-3 the last three years vs. SEC football teams. That’s all I’m saying. We do fine vs. the AAC.

I guess Notre Dame didn't count......or Indiana. I realize they aren't from the "almighty" SEC.

[Corporateballa]

0-3 the last three years vs. SEC football teams. That’s all I’m saying. We do fine vs. the AAC.

We gave Georgia all they could handle. Bad clock management killed that one. Alabama beats pretty much everyone. Today was a real stinker, but we were in it all the way. I do think we are just about there.

[London 'Cat]

You mean that D5 high school? Trying playing against Elder, Colerain and St X. There is a reason he isnt starting in year 3 at UC

They were D3 in 2019, when Wyoming won the state championship and won every game it played. Our high school had 3 D1 college scholarship players on it, and Prater was by far the best player on the field that night. Bryant missed many open receivers and two of those misses were for certain TDs if the throw was made accurately. And, Prater would have at least been able to run out of the sacks that Bryant took. The timing of penalties was the most damaging. 1st and goal from the 3 following an AK turnover. And the long kick return that UC went backward after being in at least FG territory.

[UC4me]

The schedule is booty. They should run the table even with a mediocre QB. 0-3 vs. the SEC in the last three years. Not quite ready for the BIG BOYS. Should be fine vs. the AAC and teams like Miami of Oxford.

We gave Georgia all they could handle. Bad clock management killed that one. Alabama beats pretty much everyone. Today was a real stinker, but we were in it all the way. I do think we are just about there.