LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas had more rushing yards in the first half of its opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday night than in 10 of the Razorbacks’ 12 games last season.
UAPB obviously was no match for Arkansas’ offense, but 215 rushing yards on 19 attempts in the first half is notable for the Razorbacks in their 70-0 victory at War Memorial Stadium in comparison to how they struggled to run the ball against another Football Championship Subdivision opponent last year.
When Arkansas beat Western Carolina 56-13 in Little Rock during last season’s opener, the Razorbacks were held to 69 rushing yards on 30 attempts and needed the passing of quarterback KJ Jefferson to move the ball.
In building a 28-0 lead in the first quarter against UAPB, Arkansas’ four touchdowns came on rushing plays:
• An 8-yard run by running back Ja’Quinden Jackson.
• A 4-yard run by quarterback Taylen Green.
• A 46-yard run by Jackson.
• A 4-yard run by running back Rodney Hill.
Jackson, a redshirt senior transfer from Utah, ran 8 times for 101 yards and didn’t play in the second half.
“I thought our running backs ran really hard,” Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said. “I think Ja’Quinden Jackson proved he can run over you, he can make you miss.”
It was a dominating game for the Razorbacks’ revamped offensive line which featured four new starters in tackles Fernando Carmona and Keyshawn Blackstock, guard E’Marion Harris and center Addison Nichols to go with Josh Braun, a returning starter at guard.
“I think our offensive line, we needed a game like this for some confidence to jell together,” Pittman said. “I thought Coach [Eric] Mateos did a really good job of getting them ready and our backs ran extremely hard.”
Jackson said it was a nice debut as a Razorback after rushing for 797 yards at Utah last season.
“I was just having fun,” Jackson said. “Having fun with the guys, flying around the field.
“And the O-line did great tonight. I had 100 in the first half. Couldn’t ask for nothing better.”
With Arkansas leading 42-0 and going for another score before halftime, Green went back to pass and ended up scrambling 36 yards for a touchdown with 9 seconds left in the second quarter to make it 49-0.
“I looked at my first keys and what I have to do, and the routes,” Green said. “Then I felt pressure to my right and escaped the pocket.
“I knew it was the two-minute [drill], and at first I was going to throw it away, but then I decided to run.
“Of course the clock keeps rolling if I get tackled, so I was like, ‘I better score.’
“I crossed the field and saw the green grass and, you know, let my speed do the rest.”
Green, who didn’t play in the second half, finished with 6 rushing attempts for 88 yards and 2 touchdowns, and completed 16 of 23 passes for 229 yards and 2 touchdowns.
“He extended plays, and we really couldn’t get to him,” UAPB Coach Alonzo Hampton said. “Obviously, he’s a really good football player, and we knew he could run the boot and things of that nature.
“Early in the game, we made them drive the ball, but he was able to escape and make things happen. So my hat’s off to him.”
Braylen Russell, a freshman running back from Benton, scored on a 9-yard run in the third quarter for a 56-0 Arkansas lead.
“Oh, man, I’m so happy for him,” Pittman said. “Coming back here and he got a touchdown.
“I don’t know if he hit anybody. I mean, he ran really hard in there. … Oh they may hit his legs and you wouldn’t know it.
“It had to be a thrill for him. It was a thrill for me to watch him because he could’ve went a lot of places. He chose the Hogs and then Braylon ends up coming in, scoring a touchdown in his first collegiate game for the Hogs. Pretty special.”
The eight rushing touchdowns — including one each by redshirt freshman backup quarterback Malachi Singleton and sophom*ore junior college transfer Tyrell Reed — against UAPB nearly matched last season’s total for the Razorbacks.
Arkansas combined for nine rushing touchdowns in 2023 with Jefferson and running backs Raheim “Rocket” Sanders and A.J. Green — who all transferred after last season — tying for the team lead with two rushing scores each.
In the second half Thursday night when the third and fourth quarters were shortened from 15 minutes to 10, the Razorbacks had 14 carries for 61 yards to finish with 33 for 279.
“They did a good job,” Hampton said. “A lot of it, for us, was missed tackles and that’s typically what happens in the first game.
“We missed a lot of tackles where we could’ve had drives stopped. That’s a credit to them.”
The only games last season in which Arkansas had more rushing yards than it did in the first half against UAPB were in victories at Florida (47 carries for 226 yards) and over Florida International (53 for 323).
The Razorbacks’ average of 139 rushing yards last season ranked 87th nationally.
“First, that speaks volumes to our coaching staff and the schemes that they put in the game plan,” Green said of how effectively Arkansas ran the ball Thursday night. “It speaks volumes to the O-line and the communication that they have.
“There’s a lot that goes into it. There’s a lot of preparation, and praise goes to the O-line and how they handled it and the communication that they had.
“And praise to the running backs, because it’s different footwork and different looks and different schemes. I mean, just having them, it’s a luxury.”
A reporter pointed out to Green and Jackson the Razorbacks’ running struggles last season.
“Like you said, it wasn’t good last year, and we picked it up this year,” Jackson said. “But it’s a lot of stuff we have to work on, as well, to get better and get where we want to go.
“But it is exciting to see what we did.”
