NO. 7 TEXAS 52, ARKANSAS 10 : Awful in Austin
Posted on Sunday, September 28, 2008
AUSTIN, Texas — Yes, that was “Arkansas” across the front of those white jerseys Saturday. Yet No. 7 Texas treated its old rival like any other nondescript, nonconference patsy in destroying the Razorbacks 52-10 before an announced crowd of 97, 833 at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
“Whew, that’s a beating,” Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said as he took a chair in the interview room. “They beat us in every way.”
The Longhorns (4-0 ) staked their claim to a poll jump, an opportunity created by losses for No. 1 Southern California, No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 Florida this week. They did it by smacking around their old Southwest Conference rival in its time of transition to the Petrino era.
“What a great day for Texas,” Longhorns Coach Mack Brown said. “To have a game like we had and have the guys play so hard and well and beat an SEC team that’s a rival to us for many years makes it even more special.”
Texas snuffed Arkansas’ hope before halftime, much like Alabama did last week, and cashed in the third long defensive touchdown given up by the Hogs — Aaron Williams’ 81-yard interception return — in the past two games.
“We got our butts kicked,” Arkansas offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said. “There’s not a whole lot to say. We haven’t been involved in a whole lot of those.”
Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick was sacked six times and lost a fumble on one of those plays.
“Everyone is frustrated and upset,” Dick said. “That’s part of it sometimes.”
Arkansas’ margin of loss in the past two games — 77 points — is believed to be the second-most in consecutive games in school history. The 1919 team lost 63-7 to Henry Kendall and 35-7 to Texas in back-to-back games for a combined 84-point deficit.
“We’re struggling right now and we’re taking a whole bunch of blows,” Arkansas tight end D. J. Williams said. “It’s about time for us to sit back, talk to ourselves and see if we’re going to keep taking these beatings or step up and take care of them.”
Quarterback Colt McCoy led the Longhorns to scores on seven of his eight series before leaving the game to the Texas reserves with a 45-3 lead late in the third quarter.
McCoy enhanced his budding Heisman Trophy credentials by accounting for 269 total yards and five touchdowns. McCoy improved his completion percentage of. 778 by hitting 17 of 19 passes for 185 yards and 3 scores.
“We tried to blitz and he’d make a pass-check for a touchdown, or we try to blitz another way and he’d make a run check and get a big play,” Bobby Petrino said. “They were very efficient and basically beat us in every phase.”
McCoy, a junior, picked apart the Razorbacks’ defense through the air and on the ground, running 9 times for 84 yards and 2 scores.
“We were really good in our no-huddle,” McCoy said. “We’re practicing really well. If we continue to do the little things, we have a chance to be really good.”
The Longhorns didn’t have much difficulty handling Arkansas’ young defense on virtually every possession through three quarters. McCoy had a 35-yard scoring run around left end and a 5-yard run up the middle in the second quarter, then threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter as the Longhorns piled up the points.
“He’s awfully good,” Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. “He made our guys on the back end look real slow on that one [35-yard ] touchdown. He saw things well and we didn’t do a good job of disguising some things and he saw it right away and took advantage of it.”
McCoy’s performance was a drastic contrast to that of Dick and the struggling Razorbacks offense.
Texas amassed 421 total yards and averaged 5. 8 yards per play, while the Razorbacks managed a season-low 191 yards and 3. 5 yards per play.
“It’s frustrating,” said Dick, who completed 7 of 13 passes for 138 yards, lost a fumble on a sack and was generally roughed up all game. “We’ve got to improve at every facet.”
Even Arkansas’ successes had short shelf lives.
The Hogs drove 36 yards with their second possession and lined up for a 44-yard field goal that would have tied the game, but Alex Tejada missed the try. Texas was in the end zone 11 plays later.
The Razorbacks got their first defensive stop at the 2: 55 mark of the second quarter and had a chance to pull within two touchdowns with a score before the end of the half.
Instead, Texas’ John Gold unloaded a 54-yard punt, and on the next snap, Henry Melton broke through the Arkansas offensive line, hit Dick and forced a fumble that was recovered by Texas ’ Ben Alexander.
Five plays later, McCoy kept it up the middle for a 5-yard touchdown and the Longhorns led 31-3.
Arkansas’ lone highlight came late, when Antwain Robinson recovered a fumble forced by Lavunce Askew against Texas quarterback John Chiles and raced 80 yards for his fourth career touchdown.
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