Several Hogs record firsts in blowout win over Arkansas State
It was a weekend of firsts for many reasons in the Arkansas Razorbacks’ (2-0, 0-0 SEC) blowout 56-14 win over the Arkansas State Red Wolves (1-1, 0-0 SBC) on Saturday.
The glaring first was the in-state meeting between the Hogs and Red Wolves. The Hogs started lightning fast and jumped out to a quick 28-7 first-quarter lead that propelled them to the win, and outside of a kickoff return for a touchdown, the Red Wolves failed to get much going throughout the game.
ALSO READ: Arkansas owns state after 56-14 win over Arkansas State
Taylen Green’s firsts
Taylen Green recorded 390 all-purpose yards (239 passing, 151 rushing) and made light work of the Red Wolves defense.
Despite his affinity for running the ball, this game was actually the first as a Razorback that Green had recorded over 100 yards rushing, and he hit that mark in the first quarter thanks in part to a 64-yard touchdown run.
There was also some not-so-great firsts for the Hogs’ signal caller, though. He also threw two interceptions, which were his first of the young season.
“Think about the two picks, it wasn’t like it was a tipped ball, you know what I mean?” head coach Sam Pittman said after the game. “Obviously we got that corrected with his eyes and where to go with the ball after the second quarter I guess is when it was. But he was outstanding with his legs. I mean, when he takes off, you know you’re going to get a first down, then what happens after that is gravy.”
ALSO READ: Social media reacts to Arkansas’ 56-14 win over Arkansas State
Xavian Sorey Jr. records first interception of season for Hogs
Green wasn’t the only one who threw an interception, though, and redshirt senior linebacker Xavian Sorey Jr. snagged the first of the season for the Hogs in the first quarter of the game.
“I was playing the out, basically the out break bomb, and it felt kind of fake,” Sorey said after the game. “And it wasn’t fake. It was a good play, good play by my D-line, forcing the quarterback to get the ball out quick. Yeah, that’s really it.”
Interestingly, that interception came exactly one play before Green threw his first interception of the season.
In the Hogs’ first game of the season, Sorey graded out as the worst defender on the team according to Pro Football Focus. This week, however, he turned a complete 180 and stood out among the rest.
Sorey finished the game with a team-high 15 tackles, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and half of a sack along with that interception.
“I knew Sorey was going to have a good game just because he was so low and down about the game that he played last week,” Pittman said. “But we got production out of the front seven, and that was good to see.”
ALSO READ: Sorey’s career performance ignites Hogs defense
Julian Neal records first interception as a Razorback
Arkansas defensive back Julian Neal, like Sorey, also made his presence felt on Saturday, and recorded his first interception as a Razorback on Saturday.
On that play, there was a miscommunication between Arkansas State quarterback Jaylen Raynor and a wide receiver, and the ball floated directly to Neal, who snagged the interception with relative ease.
It wasn’t the first time Neal got his hands on the ball that game, as he nearly had an interception in the first quarter on a pass that just barely bounced off his hands.
On top of the interception, Neal finished the game with the second-most sacks on the team with 11, and he had two pass breakups to go along with 0.5 tackles for loss.
Rohan Jones finds end zone for first time as a Hog
Against Alabama A&M, Arkansas tight end Rohan Jones didn’t factor into the game hardly at all from an offensive standpoint. A former FCS All-American, Jones didn’t record any receptions in Week 1, but showed what he’s capable of against Arkansas State.
Jones finished Saturday’s game as the leader in receiving yards, and only needed two receptions to do it. One of those was a 33-yard touchdown pass, his first as a Razorback.
“It felt really, really good, I’m not gonna lie,” Green said after the win. “Like, I threw it, and I was just watching, but when he turned the sideline, he was moving, rolling. I was like, ‘Oh, he’s gonna score.’ But just how he showed his speed and his versatility, too, the blocking and receiving, you know. We’ve seen him in practice, but, you know, that game speed, he was moving.”
