Mo State game: Arkansas postgame notes
Arkansas Game Notes
Missouri State — 9/5/09
Team Notes
Arkansas is now 90-22-4 (.793) all-time in season openers.
The Razorbacks are now 25-7-1 all-time in season opening games in Little Rock.
This is the first time Arkansas opened its season in Little Rock since 1991.
The Razorbacks are now 6-0 against Missouri State.
Arkansas is 1-0 in coin tosses this season.
Arkansas’ 38-point margin of victory against Missouri State exceeds its total margin of victory (16 points) in five games during the 2008 season.
The Razorbacks’ 48 points are the most by an Arkansas team since the 2005 season when they scored 49 against Missouri State.
The Razorbacks’ 447-yards of passing offense between Ryan Mallet (309) and Tyler Wilson (138) are a school record for a single game, breaking the mark of 387 yards against LSU on Nov. 28, 1997.
Arkansas’ first scoring drive of the 2009 season went six plays for 46 yards and resulted in a touchdown. The drive consumed 3:20 and occurred with 8:37 left in the first quarter. It was Arkansas’ first touchdown on their opening drive since the LSU game last season which was one of just three opening drive touchdowns during the 2008 season. The Razorbacks have scored on their opening drive in their last three games.
40 scholarship players are on the Arkansas sideline for their first collegiate football game.
The Razorbacks averaged 4.6 points per game in the first quarter in 2008, Arkansas is averaging 21.0 in the first quarter in 2009. The Razorbacks didn’t score in the first quarter last season until game six (Auburn, field goal) and did not score a touchdown until game seven (Kentucky).
Arkansas forced two turnovers against Missouri State. The Razorbacks forced 16 turnovers during the 2008 season with the first coming in game three against Alabama
The Razorbacks had two touchdown runs in the first quarter matching their season high in a game from last season.
Arkansas’ 21 points in the first quarter are the most by an Arkansas team under head coach Bobby Petrino.
In the first half, 207 of Arkansas’ 290 total yards came on first down for an average of 15.9 yards per play.
The Razorbacks’ longest scoring drive of the day was a 99-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter. It lasted seven plays and just 1:34 on the clock. Joe Adams had the scoring catch, a 40-yard reception from Ryan Mallett.
Individual Notes
Bobby Petrino ran his collegiate season-opening record to 6-0 with the win against Missouri State.
Rudell Crim, Ryan Mallet, Seth Oxner and Van Stumon, started their first games as a Razorback.
Ryan Mallet completed his first nine passes and was a perfect 5-5 in the first quarter. His first completion went for seven yards to Jarius Wright. His first touchdown pass was a 40-yard pass to Joe Adams culminating a 99-yard drive.
On the day, Ryan Mallet was 17-22 (.773) for 309 yards and one touchdown pass. Mallet’s passing totals rank the following for a single game. Completion Percentage – T4th, .773, Yards — 12th, 309.
Michael Smith scored Arkansas’ first offensive touchdown of the season on a 15-yard run off left tackle. He now has 15 rushing touchdowns in his career.
D.J. Williams made his first catch in the second quarter, a 12-yard reception in the second quarter which set up Arkansas’ second-quarter field goal.
Dennis Johnson’s game opening kickoff return for a touchdown was the first opening kickoff return for a touchdown since Felix Jones returned one 100 yards for a touchdown against Ole Miss on Oct. 21, 2006 . The 91-yard return was the second kickoff return for a touchdown in Johnson’s career (Tulsa, Nov. 1, 2008, 96 yards) and is the 18th longest in Arkansas history. The kickoff return for a touchdown is the first at War Memorial Stadium for the Razorbacks since Felix Jones returned a kick 100 yards against Mississippi State in 2005.
Zach Stadther and Malcolm Sheppard combined for Arkansas’ first sack of the season, a three-yard loss.
Wendel Davis made the second interception of his career in the first quarter. He had one in 2008 against Auburn.
Jarius Wright had six catches for 139 yards, both career highs (his previous career bests were five receptions for 112 yards). His receiving total of 139 yards is more than Missouri State’s team total of 123.
Broderick Green’s first carry as a Razorback was a one-yard touchdown run.
Ben Cleveland matched his season total for catches last season with a second-quarter reception from Tyler Wilson.
Alex Tejada converted six point after attempts as well as 20- and 24-yard field goals.
Tramain Thomas made his first career interception in the third quarter.
Tyler Wilson engineered a touchdown drive in his first series of the season with a two-yard pass to Van Stumon in the back of the endzone in the second quarter.
Arkansas’ first punt of the night came with 1:40 left in the third quarter. Freshman Dylan Breeding’s first collegiate punt went for 36 yards and was inside the 20, but a penalty brought the ball outside the 20.
Game Notes
Today’s attendance of 55,572 was a sell out and is the 15th-largest in War Memorial Stadium history. It is the most since Nov. 24, 2006, when 55,833 watched Arkansas play LSU.
Today’s attendance is also the second-largest season opening attendance in War Memorial Stadium history behind the Vanderbilt game on Sept. 16, 1978 (55,718).
Arkansas’ captains were Adrian Davis, DeMarcus Love Ryan Mallett and Michael Smith.
Kick off was at 6:07 p.m.
Download: Game Notes – Missouri State.pdf
