By Otis Kirk
FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' Sam Pittman is finally getting his night game in Fayetteville as No. 14 Ole Miss is set to take on the Hogs Saturday night.
Arkansas will have senior night as the Razorbacks play their last home game of the season. Arkansas has lost its last three games in Razorback Stadium and would love to snap that streak against Lane Kiffin's Rebels.
"Well it seems like we’re getting healthier," Pittman said. "We’re excited to play Ole Miss Saturday and have a night game. We haven’t played one this year. We understand how very talented and physical Ole Miss is and well-coached. Played very well this year. But we’re looking forward to the opportunity."
Ole Miss is coming off a narrow 30-24 loss to Alabama while the Hogs fell to LSU 13-10 this past Saturday. The Rebels have an explosive offense. They are averaging 36.1 points per game which ranks fourth in the SEC and No. 19 in FBS. The 485.7 yards per game of offense is third in the SEC and 13 in FBS. The 259.8 yards per game rushing is tops in the SEC and third in FBS.
"Ole Miss, obviously very explosive on offense," Pittman said. "They're running the ball as well as anybody in the SEC. Pretty balanced still though with about 265 to 225, somewhere in there. Very explosive. Have great skill. (Jonathan) Mingo, (Quinshon) Judkins the running back, (Jaxson) Dart, really, really fine talent skill-wise. That's not saying (Malik) Heath, (Jordan) Watkins (aren't), they've got really good wideouts.
"Defensively, disruptive. They run a 3-2-6. Can get after the quarterback and have been blitzing more of late I think more for the run game trying to slow down opponent's runs against them. They're playing extremely well. Obviously, lost a close game Saturday, but they played extremely hard. Well-coached. We are looking forward to having a night game here. I think it's our first night game of the year. I know it is our first night game at home. We're looking forward to another opportunity."
Dart, a transfer from USC, has completed 150 of 247 passes for 2,123 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also has carried the ball 96 times for 508 yards. Judkins leads the SEC with 205 carries for 1,171 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also has caught 10 passes for 85 yards and a touchdown. Mingo has 37 receptions, Heath 38 and Watkins 24. Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss topped Arkansas 52-51 last season in Oxford. Kiffin, known for explosive offenses, was asked if that was his type game?
"Uh, we won," Kiffin said. "So it was. I don’t care if they’re high or low scoring, I just want to win them. I even said after the game, when everybody’s like, ‘Oh, you guys finished, you know how to finish.’ No, they just didn’t make the two-point play. Had they, then everybody would be saying, ‘Oh, they know how to finish and we don’t.’ So much like some of these teams as you’ve seen lately around the country, where they go down to the last play. Then everybody all of a sudden, when one play goes one way, they, you know, one program’s got it all figured out and the other one doesn’t. So that game was very competitive and obviously could have went either way."
If reversed, Kiffin was asked if he would have gone for two as Pittman chose to do?
"Good question," Kiffin said. "I probably wouldn’t have, because we were at home and just probably would’ve kept playing. But also that doesn’t mean that’s right. Usually you do go for two in a high-scoring game like that so you have the last shot."
Arkansas is expected to have quarterback KJ Jefferson back for this game after he missed LSU. Kiffin knows how good Jefferson is after last season's battle in Oxford.
"I mean he’s obviously a problem because he’s so physical when he runs the ball," Kiffin said. "He can make you miss, he can run you over. You know we had a major issue, especially later in the game as they’re moving the ball and making first downs, that tires you out."
Last season, Jefferson completed 25 of 35 passes for 326 yards, three touchdowns and one interception against Ole Miss. He also rushed 20 times for 85 yards and three touchdowns. Jefferson is from Sardis (Miss.) North Panola and seems extra inspired against the Rebels.
"I think it's a big deal, honestly," Pittman said. "You could feel it last year when we went down there. Obviously my first year, he didn't play. But you could feel it last year that he wanted to play well, and coming from that area, I think there is some motivation. And when he's motivated, everybody is.
"I think the other thing about that is his last outing he didn't play well. And to be honest with you, that was a hard one for him. You get a guy who hasn't practiced, that's hurt, it's a tough combination. And then he didn't play last week, and those two games we've lost after winning a couple in a row. And so I think he'll play well. I think he'll play very inspired for a lot of reasons, with being the team closest to home being one of them."
Arkansas will also get right tackle Dalton Wagner and nickel Myles Slusher back for Ole Miss. Slusher was suspended last week while Wagner missed the LSU game with an injury. Pittman talked about Jefferson, Wagner and Slusher.
"He’s practiced most every play this week, so I feel good about him," Pittman said of Jefferson. "Dalton Wagner also has practiced a lot this week. And I have cut the suspension off of Slusher, so he has practiced this week as well. So we’re probably about as healthy as we’ve been for a long, long time and certainly there’s some soreness in those first two I talked about, but that’s going to happen in Game No. 11 in our league. So I feel pretty good about all those guys."
Arkansas has struggled running the football against Liberty and LSU. Pittman knows those issues have to be corrected for Arkansas to have any chance on Saturday.
"Well I think obviously we’re having edge problems, so we have tried to close the edges out," Pittman said. "I think we have to be willing to play-action throw the football down there. And certainly we have to get some knock back off the ball. We’ve got to knock them off the ball, which we’re not getting enough of those right now.
"But our biggest problem early down there has been edge pressure. The other night if we pull the ball we’ve got a walk-in and we just … and our reads have been a problem a little bit as well. So all those things in combination, but the bottom line is if you’re gong to be a good offense you’ve got to score touchdowns down there and we’re certainly trying to figure that out and work on that."
While it will be a cold night on Saturday in Fayetteville, Pittman feels fans will see a great game full of offense.
"Well it’s always exciting to play Ole Miss, especially with Lane being the coach and all that," Pittman said. "He’s a popular man, great coach, all those type things. And he’s got them going. It’s always exciting because the fans are going to be excited about the game because there’s going to be a lot of offense. I’m sure they can use that as I don’t think their defense is…I didn’t say that. Last year it was 52-51. I’d say that’s a lot of offense. And I know they’ve got a really good offensive team. And we do too. If we can get our quarterback back, I think it’ll be one well of a game just like these other ones have been.
"If I thought we had any advantage on that it would be playing home at night. Our fans haven’t left us. They’ll be sold out just like they were Saturday. They’re disappointed, but guess what? So am I. Very. And we’re working hard to change that. But I understand their disappointment. They’re going to show up and raise a lot of heck on Saturday, and we’re going to need them to. I think that’s what this series is all about. We recruit a lot of the same kids and things of that nature. Obviously Sam Carter left and went over there, and different things. There’s certainly a lot to play for and we’re not bowl eligible and we sure need to get that way."
Arkansas (5-5, 2-4) needs one more win to become bowl eligible. They will travel to Missouri for the final game of the regular season. Ole Miss (8-2, 4-2) is currently third in the SEC West. Missouri (4-6, 2-5) will host New Mexico State on Saturday. If the Tigers win that game they will be playing to get bowl eligible against Arkansas on Friday, Nov. 25.
Saturday night's kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and televised on the SEC Network.