LSU vs Arkansas: Q&A with Razorbackers

As we look ahead to Saturday’s LSU vs Arkansas matchup in Fayetteville, we sat down with J.R. Follett, the editor at Razorbackers, the Arkansas fan site on the Fansided network. J.R., who you can follow @JohnnyOnHogs, was kind enough to answer our questions in regard to this weekend’s game.

Also, check out J.R. Follett’s interview of Death Valley Voice’s Cameron Roberson, for the Razorbackers’ Q&A.

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Death Valley Voice (DVV): Talk about Arkansas’ season so far. Has it met expectations to this point? How does the SEC losing streak factor into how fans view the season?

Razorbackers (RB): This season has been nothing short of an emotional roller coaster. Each heartbreaking SEC loss has created so much frustration among Hogs’ faithful but at the same time, there’s so much optimism toward the future. Arkansas is playing out arguably the toughest schedule in all of college football, something Hogs’ fans knew coming into 2014. We realistically expected to wait for Mississippi State or Ole Miss to get an in-conference win but nobody expected to be so close against Texas A&M and Alabama.

DVV: LSU is coming into this game directly after a heartbreaking loss to Alabama. Arkansas and LSU typically play tough, competitive, and close games. Many folks on the LSU side are concerned about this game. How is this game being viewed on the Arkansas side?

RB: This may be Arkansas’ most winnable SEC game of the season simply because of last week. LSU comes out of a hard-fought battle with Alabama while the Razorbacks had time to rest up and study early last week. Arkansas’ fans are excited to get Korliss Marshall back onto the field and expect him to play a big role into the offense. Nobody in Fayetteville expects the Tigers to roll over but Arkansas has the healthier edge and is playing at home.

DVV: This is the first year since Arkansas joined the SEC that this game is not scheduled for the day after Thanksgiving, as the SEC is changing things up in the SEC West scheduling-wise. Do Arkansas fans view the LSU game as a true rivalry? Does the “Golden Boot” mean anything?

RB: Winning the “Golden Boot” means everything for an Arkansas team that is 4-5 and potentially missing out on another bowl season. After so many close calls and late-game letdowns this season, the Razorbacks just want a moment to storm the field, hoist a trophy, and celebrate. We obviously haven’t held the boot in a few years so we’re due. This game definitely doesn’t feel the same being played earlier than we’re all used to.

DVV: How does the Arkansas fan base feel about the job Bret Bielema has done since taking over the program?

RB: Arkansas’ fans absolutely love Bret Bielema and are 100% in support of the job he’s doing. Bielema has brought a hard-nosed style of football we haven’t enjoyed since the Lou Holtz era and it gets better each week. When was the last time a 5-loss team got so much respect from the rest of college football? Bielema has brought the program back to relevance in less than two seasons, with the best still to come. Arkansas is absolutely cleaning up on the in-state recruiting scene and has recently locked up commits from big recruits in Florida and Oklahoma.

DVV: What are the strengths for this year’s Razorback team?

RB: Arkansas continues to live and die by the ground attack but thus far, 2014 has been a season to remember for defense. Robb Smith was hired in February to specifically shut down the potent offenses of the SEC West and he’s doing just that. Arkansas has been tough against the run and continues to find ways to shut down the opposition’s impact players. We expect Robb Smith to stack his Hogs in the box and dare Cam Cameron to put the ball into the air.

DVV: What are the weaknesses for this year’s Razorback team?

RB: The Hogs are weak at the quarterback position where Brandon Allen struggles against pressure. Allen plays with anxiety in the pocket and can’t seem to string together a late drive with the game on the line. An inability of Arkansas’ receiving corps to get separation downfield hasn’t helped either. The worst case scenario for the Razorbacks is another 2^nd half in which Brandon Allen is throwing 40 times while playing from behind.

DVV: Who are three Arkansas players that LSU fans need to keep an eye on?

RB: Korliss Marshall is the speed Arkansas has missed in the “Three-Headed Monster” backfield. Marshall returns from a 3-game suspension with fresh legs and an appetite for the open field. Get ready to hear Trey Flowers’ name called over and over again on Saturday night. As described by one particular Alabama fan: “Flowers is a tackle-for-loss and forced-fumble producing machine.” Finally, LSU fans who don’t know anything about Hunter Henry need to watch the final drive of Arkansas vs. Mississippi State. The Hogs lack an elite wide receiver and continue to rely on Henry’s playmaking when the ball is in the air, late.

DVV: Okay, now to put you on the spot. How about a final score prediction?

RB: All the variables surrounding this game feel right for Arkansas to finally snap the SEC skid. On a cold and wet night, LSU misses the game-tying field goal on their final drive. The Razorbacks win, 17-14.

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