Hawgs Illustrated Gameday Extra
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1477681
under performed all year. That should help the Arkansas pass rush. "I watched both teams all year. For both, the quarterback is the key player." SEAN CLIFFORD The Penn State quarterback is regarded as a pocket passer, but his rushing stats mislead. He is the third-leading career rusher among quarterbacks for the Nittany Lions with 851 yards. His sack totals reduced his rushing yards by 202 yards this year, leaving him with 117 net yards on 87 carries. Clifford is a three-year starter with 7,644 yards in career passing. He's thrown for 61 touchdowns with a career completion percentage of 60.9. He's got 31 career starts and has played in 36 games. He'll likely finish with most of the school passing records because the redshirt senior plans to return for a sixth year at Penn State. Clifford's 2021 numbers are impressive. He's completed 247 of 396 passes for 2,912 yards. He's thrown for 20 TDs against just six interceptions. KJ JEFFERSON The Arkansas quarterback hasn't thrown as much as Clifford, mainly because his team features better balance. Jefferson has completed 184 of 275 passes for 2,578 yards. He's totaled 21 TDs against just three interceptions, one of which was a Hail Mary to end the first half at Ole Miss. Jefferson is the better runner. He's second on the Hogs' rushing charts this season with 554 yards on 126 carries. Trelon Smith is tops with 554 yards on 117 carries. Jefferson was bruised and battered with all those carries over the second half of the season. He took heavy shots in both the Texas A&M and Ole Miss games, and seemed less inclined to tuck the ball when he left the pocket down the stretch. With over one month away from contact, is Jefferson prone to run a little more in the bowl game? No one is giving away game plans, but Pittman seemed to give that a nod in some comments during bowl preparations. THE PITTMAN WAY It's clear that Pittman wanted balance in his offensive system. He's a veteran offensive line coach who always thought the best way to eliminate sacks was to lean on the run to set up play-action passing. That seems to be what Arkansas has done with Kendal Briles calling plays. The second-year offensive coordinator has not only displayed run-pass balance, but there is a balance in the way the ball is distributed among a talented running back group. Consider that the Hogs have six rushers with at least 20 carries. Raheim "Rocket" Sanders has 101 for 499 yards. Starter Dominique Johnson has 86 for 498 yards. NO BURKS No one knows for sure what defections have taken place at Penn State. Franklin has maintained silence on all opt out situations. But it's clear that the Hogs will not have their best player, All-SEC first team wide receiver Treylon Burks. The junior with 66 catches for 1,104 yards and 11 TDs will not play in the bowl or return for his senior season. That opens the door for Ketron Jackson and Stephens, both speedsters, for some work at wide receiver. Senior De'Vion Warren will start at the slot in place of Burks and looked sharp in the season finale against Missouri after rounding into shape after 2020 knee surgery. PENN STATE LOSSES The Nittany Lions have not provided a bowl depth chart and their game notes have not included one in weeks. But they will have to replace their top two inside linebackers, top receiver and top safety for the bowl game. Ellis Brooks (100 tackles) and Brandon Smith (81 tackles), the starting All-Big Ten linebackers; All-America safety Jaquan Brisker (64 tackles); and All-Big Ten receiver Jahan Dotson (91 receptions for 1,182 yards and 12 TDs) announced they have opted out of the bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft. Franklin hasn't indicated how they'll be replaced, but the backup at middle linebacker is starting defensive end Jesse Luketa. So that impacts the front four. There may be more Lions out for the bowl game. Since several Arkansas practices have been at least partly open, the loss of Burks seems to be the main subtraction in the Arkansas depth chart. Defensive end Tre Williams opted out, but only after an off- the-field issue. Penn State's top prospect in the offensive line, left tackle Rasheed Walker, arrived at the bowl site on crutches. He was injured late in the season. THE PENN STATE DEFENSE The strength of the Nittany Lions is on defense. Defensive coordinator Brent Pry left in early January to become head coach at Virginia Tech. Franklin quickly named fired Miami coach Manny Diaz as the coordinator. However, that may not change the plans for the Lions for the bowl game. Franklin has named co-coordinator Anthony Poindexter, the linebackers coach, as the signal caller for this game. The Lions are seventh nationally in scoring defense at 16.8 per game. They gave up just 344.3 yards per game against a tough schedule. The Lions returned three pass interceptions for touchdowns. FIELD POSITION Penn State does not mind a punt. Franklin will play the field position game with an offense that doesn't commit many turnovers. The Lions are second in the nation in net punting at 45.1. Jordan Stout, an All-Big Ten punter, averages 46.6. Arkansas counters with Reid Bauer, solid with a 43.2 average. The Hogs have a net punting average of 38.4, which is 80th in the nation. MOMENTUM Who has it? The Hogs (8-4) finished with a flourish. Arkansas won November trophy games over LSU and Missouri while winning four of its last five. The only loss was 42-35 at Alabama. Conversely, Penn State stumbled to the finish. The Lions (7-5) lost five of their last seven. Their only wins in that stretch were over Maryland and Rutgers. Penn State soared to No. 4 in the national polls with a 5-0 start that included victories at Wisconsin and over Auburn at home. The Lions began their tailspin with a nine-overtime home loss to Illinois. That was the only loss to a team that did not finish the season in the top 15. Those five losses were by a combined 21 points. INSPIRATION This long has been the biggest factor in bowl games: Who wants to be there? Of course, it's clear that many who don't want to play just stay home these days. But it's old hat for the Lions to be playing in a bowl game. It's not for the Razorbacks. Penn State is playing in a New Year's Day bowl or New Year's 6 game for the fifth time in six years. Are the Lions as excited about this game as the Razorbacks? DEFENSIVE PLAYMAKERS This might be where the Hogs have an advantage. With the Penn State opt outs at linebacker — and the Hogs are healthy and strong at linebacker — it may be the key Arkansas advantage in the game. Arkansas seniors Bumper Pool (120 tackles), Grant Morgan (96 tackles) and Hayden Henry (94 tackles) were all working through minor injuries late in the season. They should be full strength for the bowl game. Those three rotate at the two inside linebacker spots. The irony of this strength is that Penn State has long bragged about linebacker prowess, but the Linebacker U tag was mainly appropriate in the 1970s. Maybe in a surprise, it goes to the Hogs for this game. Keys n Continued from Page 2 New Larger Showroom! Call for an appointment! • Ceramic Tile • Porcelain Tile • Natural Stone Tile Come in and check out our HUGE Tile inventory! 479.751.4043 13241 Puppy Creek Rd Suite 6 • I-49 @ Wagon Wheel Rd Exit 76 www.townzentile.com SHARE YOUR SMILE 479-254-0200 www.DrKenBerley.com Ken Berley, DDS 5417 Pinnacle Point Drive Suite 200 | Rogers, AR Your smile is our first priority, and we'll give you something to smile about. To schedule an appointment, please contact us today. We look forward to providing you with the personal care you deserve. Special to the NWA Democrat-Gazette/David Beach Arkansas' KJ Jefferson (1) and Penn State's Sean Clifford are the quarterback matchups for the bowl game. 1.1.2022