Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

10/23/2010 at 5:58pm

Image by Mark Wagner

Joe Adams returns a punt 97 yards for a touchdown. It was a record-setting return.

Arkansas 38, Ole Miss 24
Why Arkansas Won
Remember how the lack of a running game and special-teams blowups have cost No. 23 Arkansas victories this year? Well, they won the game for the Razorbacks on Saturday against Ole Miss. With the victory Arkansas ended a two-game losing streak against the Rebels and Coach Houston Nutt.

Joe Adams returned a punt 97 yards for a touchdown. Knile Davis looked like a featured back with 176 yards on 22 carries with three touchdowns.

And the Razorbacks gritted out a game where quarterback Ryan Mallett (shoulder), Adams (ankle) and wide receiver Greg Childs (ankle) spent most of the second half on the sidelines with injuries.

Gamebreaker
Each time Ole Miss seemed to be threatening, Knile Davis seemed to have the answer.

His 22-yard run with 7:15 left set the final margin and came on the heels of an Ole Miss score that pulled the Rebels within 31-24. Davis also had a 71-yard run in the third quarter that pushed the lead to 31-17 after Ole Miss pulled within 24-17.

Davis became the first Razorback to rush for 100-plus yards since Broderick Green did it against Eastern Michigan on homecoming last year.

Record Setter
Joe Adams helped Bobby Petrino make good on a promise to Ken Hatfield.

Adams returned a punt 97 yards for a touchdown with 6:02 remaining in the second quarter. Petrino promised Hatfield, a former punt return specialist for the Razorbacks, on Aug. 30 that the team would get a punt return for a touchdown this season.

It was a record-setting return for Adams. Hatfield, who also coached the Razorbacks, had a return of 95 yards against Tulsa in 1963. Hatfield led the nation in punt return yardage as a junior and senior.

Who’s Next?
Add Lance Ray to the list of players Arkansas has tried on kickoff returns.

Ray replaced Cobi Hamilton. And Hamilton replaced Joe Adams. And Joe Adams replaced Dennis Johnson.

Johnson is injured and unable to play. The other replacements have been because kick returns have been unproductive so far this year.

Ray averaged 22 yards per return. He had a long of 27, quite an improvement over last week when Adams and Hamilton averaged under 18 yards per return.

Quick Strike
Arkansas wasted no time on its scoring drives. The Razorbacks four touchdown drives took just 1:42, 1:02, :28 and 1:49.

Ole Miss dominated time of possession 36:11 to 23:49, but it didn’t matter. Arkansas struck quickly.

Sideline View
Ryan Mallett ended a second consecutive game on the sidelines. Petrino said Mallett bruised his throwing shoulder and couldn’t get velocity on his passes.

Mallett, who sustained a concussion last week against Auburn, finished 13 of 24 for 196 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Tyler Wilson filled in for Mallett and completed 3 of 5 passes for 71 yards.

“There’s no damage done to the labrum or rotator cuff or anything like that,” Petrino said. “I think he’ll be OK.

“It’s just a matter of him getting strength back and being able to throw the ball.”

Also sidelined were receivers Greg Childs and Joe Adams, each with ankle injuries. Petrino said he is hopeful neither is serious.

“We’ll have to wait and see,” Petrino. “I didn’t hear the word ‘high,’ so I’m happy about that. Hoping that’s not what it is.”

Adams was brought into the postgame interview room along with Mallett. Both said they expected to be ready for the Vanderbilt game.

Delay of Game
Play was delayed a total of 89 minutes on two separate occasions because of weather.

First, play was suspended with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter due to inclement weather. Lightening was spotted “within a six mile radius” of Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the head official announced and both teams went to the locker room for 58 minutes.

Another delay happened in the fourth quarter. It lasted approximately 31 minutes.

Former sports information director Rick Schaeffer said this is the third weather delay at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Houston Nutt was the Arkansas coach in one of them, the 2001 Tennessee game that marked the opening of a renovated Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Speaking Out
“It feels real good to get the win. There’s no doubt about it. I’m proud of our football team that they put last
week behind us. … I feel like we did that all week long. It was a giant step from last year.”
— Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino

Up Next
Arkansas hosts Vanderbilt for homecoming. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Tagged: Ryan Mallett, Bobby Petrino, Houston Nutt, Ole Miss Rebels, Arkansas Razorbacks