Regardless of Mississippi State’s six-game shedding streak, Arkansas coach Sam Pittman mentioned he will not take the Bulldogs calmly when the colleges meet Saturday afternoon in Starkville, Miss., in a Southeastern Convention conflict.
Following its 34-10 loss at house final week to No. 8 LSU — a 16-10 sport within the third quarter — Arkansas (4-3, 2-2) will meet Mississippi State (1-6, 0-4). However Pittman mentioned Monday that his squad must ignore the Bulldogs’ report and pay shut consideration to their freshman quarterback, Michael Van Buren Jr.
The Bowie, Md., product has changed Blake Shapen, who suffered a season-ending shoulder harm in opposition to Florida on Sept. 21 and can search a second redshirt.
Van Buren, a 6-foot-1, 200-pounder, has responded with robust performances and pocket poise in three straight begins. He has accomplished 61 of 114 passes for 792 yards and 6 touchdowns, with two interceptions, behind an offensive line that has allowed him to be sacked 11 occasions.
“They’re vast open (with Van Buren),” Pittman mentioned of the Bulldogs’ offense. “If you happen to press them, they’ll throw deep. He can throw the deep ball … and make performs together with his toes. He provides them alternatives.”
And the Razorbacks might face the Bulldogs with out a key offensive weapon. Pittman mentioned his prime working again, Ja’Quinden Jackson (592 yards, 10 TDs), can be “very questionable” at finest for the matchup.
“He is been beat up, mainly, in SEC play,” Pittman conceded.
The Bulldogs are 15-18-1 all-time in opposition to Arkansas however have received the previous two conferences, together with the lowest-scoring outing within the 34-game sequence final season – a 7-3 street win in Fayetteville.
First-year Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby doesn’t have a victory over an FBS faculty but — the Bulldogs beat FCS foe Japanese Kentucky 56-7 in Week 1 – and so they sit with Auburn within the convention’s basement with 0-4 marks.
In a 34-24 loss to No. 14 Texas A&M final Saturday, the Bulldogs surrendered at the very least 30 factors for the sixth straight sport. At 33.3 factors per sport, their protection ranks third worst amongst Energy 4 models.
“Our normal-down protection, first and second down, was pretty much as good as we have performed all yr lengthy,” Lebby mentioned Monday. “We created 16 third downs, (however) then not with the ability to get off the sector after third down was the distinction in taking part in actually, actually good protection.”
–Subject Stage Media
