The Arkansas Razorbacks had their hands full coming into the 2014 football season, with a big SEC losing streak “cloud” hanging over their heads. In fact, the Hogs carried that streak deep into this year, which eventually reached 17-games. Yes, head coach Bret Bielema and the Razorbacks struggled to win in the SEC yet again this season. With only three games left in 2014, Arkansas finally broke serve with a victory in shutout fashion versus the mighty LSU Tigers at home-sweet-home Fayetteville. The Hogs completely handled LSU with a surprising 17-0 win.
Then, in the following week, the Razorbacks again squashed an SEC West foe as they thrashed the Ole Miss Rebels in the heavy Fayetteville rain. Winning the contest 30-0, Arkansas had ended an absolutely horrible losing streak in dominating fashion in consecutive weeks. Improving to 6-5 on the year, the Hogs finished their season against the SEC East leading Missouri Tigers on the road in Columbia. Inevitably, the Razorbacks lost the game in a close 21-14 affair. What’s the good news for the Razorbacks? They end up going 6-6 overall, and will play in a bowl game during the holidays.
It surely was not hard to see the end of their dreadful streak coming to an end this season — earlier in the year, they should have conquered Texas A&M in Arlington, yet a late rally by the Aggies sealed their fate, 35-28 in overtime. A few weeks later, the Hogs had now No. 1 Alabama on the ropes in Fayetteville. However, to no avail, the Razorbacks let another chance at snapping the streak slip away as Bama squeaked out a 14-13 victory. As you can see with these examples, Arkansas was trending in the right direction — they just needed to figure out how to close a football game. Well, insert LSU and Ole Miss and there you have it. The Razorback were victorious two weeks in a row.
Among the bright spots outside of coach Bielema’s optimistic attitude towards his football team, quarterback Brandon Allen and the terrific running back duo of Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins made visible impacts on the field. Allen played with some swagger, as well as sheer toughness throughout the 2014 campaign, while the RB duo of Williams and Collins carried the load for the Razorbacks all season long. Williams and Collins were the best duo in the NCAA at the end of the season, leading the country in both total yards gained and total touchdowns.
As I mentioned in my last Razorbacks’ article, the running attack of Arkansas led to simplistic efficiency with the play-action pass. Most, if not all of the Hogs passing attack was attributed to the ability to run the football between the tackles, and then capitalize on opposing defenses’ eight-man fronts to stop the run. In the midst of those fronts, Allen was able to pick apart defenses with hard play-action, causing defensive secondary’s to look foolish at times.
Not only are the Razorbacks in good hands with QB Brandon Allen, freshman and little brother QB Austin Allen can play within Arkansas’ scheme as well. In the second half of the Ole Miss game after Brandon sustained an injury, Austin left off where his big brother started, as the Hogs rolled to the aforementioned 30-0 pounding of the Rebels.
When looking at the Razorbacks overall record at 6-6, most people think mediocrity. However, under the cloud of their 17-game SEC losing streak, the Hogs resolve has showed they will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.
Based on squashing their losing streak in the SEC, as well as the passion they played with this season, I have no choice but to give the Razorbacks a B+ grade for 2014. That grade might seem silly for a squad that is 6-6, but the adversity they overcame has been nothing short of remarkable.
*Section Photo credit to Wesley Hitt, Getty Images; Featured Photo (above) credit to Nelson Chenault, USA Today Sports.
