Herring apologizes for late letdown
Posted on Sunday, October 14, 2007
FAYETTEVILLE — Reggie Herring didn’t take the bait.
Asked if he would’ve been happy knowing Auburn would score only nine points before its 9-7 victory over Arkansas on Saturday night, the Razorbacks ’ defensive coordinator rubbed his face and took in a deep breath.
“Careful, Reggie,” Herring said before taking another deep breath. “First off, I’d like to say I’m really proud of our players and the way they fought. I apologize to the Arkansas fans. We didn’t get it done in the end, period. Our job is to hold them out.”
Arkansas’ defense held Auburn out of the end zone, but on a night when the Razorbacks’ offense struggled to get untracked, the Tigers’ three field goals were enough to secure the victory.
“We gave them a few field goals, and that’s all it took,” senior linebacker Weston Dacus said. “I figured if we held them to that, that we would have a win, but things don’t always fall your way.”
Wes Byrum’s final kick, a game-winning 20-yarder with 21 seconds to play, came at the end of a 50-yard drive. The drive included a 30-yard pass from quarterback Brandon Cox to wideout Robert Dunn, easily the Tigers ’ biggest gain of the game.
Before that play, Auburn had only four plays of 10 or more yards, the longest being tailback Brad Lester’s 18-yard run on the final play of the first half.
“We didn’t give up any big plays, we didn’t give up any cheap plays, and that’s something we’ve been working on,” Herring said. “So in that respect, we did improve.”
After allowing an average of 41. 5 points and 442. 5 yards of total offense in previous SEC losses to Alabama and Kentucky, Arkansas held Auburn to 290 total yards and held the Tigers without a touchdown for the first time this season.
That was little solace to Herring and his players.
“It’s kind of bittersweet because I’ve always made it a practice that at the end of the day it’s our job to win games,” Herring said. “That’s the bottom line.”
“We’ve got to finish,” Dacus said. “We didn’t do that, and it’s disappointing.”
The Arkansas defense got off to a somewhat rocky start when it allowed Auburn to go 61 yards for a field goal on the game’s opening possession, a drive that was aided by a personal foul call against Matterral Richardson and an offsides call against Fred Bledsoe.
“I don’t mind aggressive penalties,” Herring said. “It’s the stupid penalties, you know, offsides or just a downright blatant [pass ] interference, bad judgment that bother me.”
Despite those miscues, the Razorbacks allowed little after the opening possession, forcing the Tigers to punt on their next four series. Arkansas continued to be stingy in the second half, highlighted by Dacus’ forced fumble that ended an Auburn drive at the Razorbacks’ 6-yard line.
Arkansas forced Auburn to go three plays and out on its next series before allowing a 36-yard drive that ended with a missed Byrum field goal. The Tigers moved 23 yards for a 38-yard Byrum field goal on their next possession, then went 35 yards before he missed a try from 46 yards with 4: 19 to play.
The Razorbacks’ offense answered by mounting a go-ahead touchdown drive, and the Tigers took possession at their 47 with 1: 28 to go. Facing second-and-10 at the Arkansas 42, Cox found Dunn over the middle, and Dunn sped down the sideline to put Auburn in position for the game-winning field goal.
“The receiver made a great play on the ball,” senior safety Matt Hewitt said. “There’s nothing you can do about it. He made a great play.”
And Arkansas’ defense was left dealing with another fourthquarter comeback by an SEC opponent despite playing its best game of the season.
“We’re all working so hard together to make this thing right... and it’s just really a hard game to swallow,” Herring said.
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