Razorbacks Tangle with Tigers

Game 6

Arkansas vs.

Auburn

Saturday, Oct. 13, Fayetteville, Ark.

6:45 p.m. CT

Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium

Rankings:

Auburn (4-2, 2-1 SEC) – AP – 22; Coaches – 25

Arkansas (3-2, 0-2 SEC) – AP – RV; Coaches -NR

The Coaches:

Arkansas: Houston Nutt (Oklahoma State, 1981)

Career Record: 106-68/.609 (15 years)

Arkansas Record: 70-46/.603 (10 years)

vs. Auburn: 5-4

Auburn: Tommy Tuberville (Southern Arkansas, 1976)

Career Record: 100-51/.662 (13 years)

School Record: 75-31/.707 (Nine years)

vs. Arkansas: 5-7 (4-4 at Auburn; 1-3 at Ole Miss)

TV: ESPN

Play-by-Play: Mike Patrick

Analyst: Todd Blackledge

Sidelines: Holly Rowe

Radio: ARSN (XM Channel: 144)ARSN (Spanish)

Play-by-Play: Chuck Barrett Carlos Chicas

Analyst: Keith JacksonJose Lopez

Sidelines: Quinn Grovey

Internet: Live audio and stats at www.hogwired.com

RAZORBACKS TANGLE WITH TIGERS: Arkansas will host Auburn, Sat., Oct. 13, with kickoff set for 6:45 p.m. at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. The 17th match up between the two teams will be shown on ESPN.

NOTING THE RAZORBACKS:

* Arkansas and Auburn will meet on the gridiron for the 17th time in history this weekend. Auburn leads the series 9-6-1, including a win in the first meeting between the two schools in the 1984 Liberty Bowl. Auburn won the last three meetings before the Hogs took a 27-10 win at Auburn last season.

• Heisman Trophy candidate Darren McFadden racked up 122 yards rushing and a touchdown on 25 carries last Saturday against Chattanooga. He currently ranks third nationally with a 155.8 rushing yards per game average, while ranking 11th nationally in all-purpose yards with 185.6 per game.

• Fellow junior Felix Jones gives UA two running backs ranked in the top 10 in rushing yards per game. Jones enters the Auburn game ranked eighth nationally with a 126.2 yards per game average. He has 631 yards rushing on the season with five touchdowns while accounting for 209 all-purpose yards per game (1,045) to rank third nationally.

• McFadden and Jones have both rushed for 100-yards in a single game on eight separate occasions, including last season’s 27-10 win on The Plains against then-No. 2 Auburn. McFadden reeled off 145 yards, including a dazzling 63-yard touchdown run, while Jones accounted for 104 yards on just 13 carries with a touchdown.

• Jones’ 10.52 yards per carry average leads the country. He is averaging 2.29 yards per rush more than the second-best mark nationally, Southern California’s Stafon Johnson (8.22). Jones also leads the country in career yards per carry among active players with a 7.75 ypc average.

• McFadden is closing in on the Arkansas career rushing record. After his 122 yards in vs. Chattanooga, McFadden is just 32 yards shy of passing Ben Cowins’ (1975-78) school record of 3,570 yards. His 3,539 yards rushing is also second in career rushing among active Bowl Subdivision players.

• Arkansas’ rushing attack ranks second nationally at 338.40 yards per game. That mark also leads the SEC by 111.1 yards over second-place LSU. UA has led the SEC in rushing four of the last five years. UA has rushed for at least 300 yards in four-of-five games this season and has rushed for at least 200 yards in 10 of their last 12 games.

• The Razorbacks’ offense not only ranks second nationally in rushing, but ranks eighth nationally and second in the SEC in total offense. UA is averaging 507.6 yards of total offense per game with 33.8.4 coming on the ground and 169.2 through the air.

• The Hogs’ stable of tailbacks have combined for 10 100-yard rushing games through the first five games of the season, including three backs over 100 yards vs. North Texas. The school record for combined 100-yard rushing games in a season is 13 (1975 and 2006).

• McFadden and Jones have both rushed for 100 yards in four of the Hogs’ five games this season and eight times in their careers. McFadden has cracked the 100-yard barrier in all five games, while Jones has eclipsed 100 yards in four games and just missed the fourth with 96 yards at Alabama.

•Jones and McFadden also rank thrid and 11th respectively, in the NCAA Bowl Subdivision in all-purpose yards. Jones is averaging 209.0 all-purpose yards per game, while McFadden is totaling 185.6 per contest. McFadden (4,499) ranks second in career all-purpose yards at Arkansas, while Jones ranks third (4,154).

• McFadden’s five-consecutive 100-yard rushing games ties an Arkansas record set by Jerry Eckwood in 1975. He also broke UA’s career record for 100-yard rushing games with 17 over his 30-game career.

• Jones has two kickoff returns for touchdowns this season on 90-yard and 82-yard bursts. He ranks fourth nationally in kickoff return average at 34.4 ypr. He currently leads the SEC in career kickoff return average at 28.8 yards per on 50 career returns.

• True freshman PK Alex Tejada is making a big impact early in their Razorback career. Tejada is 10 for 11 on field goal attempts and 25 of 26 on PATs. Tejada is tied for eighth nationally in scoring at 11.0 points per game. He also ranks tied for fourth in the NCAA in field goals per game at 2.00. He leads the SEC in both scoring and field goals.

• Tejada’s 47-yard field goal vs. Chattanooga was a career long and the longest for any Razorback since David Carlton hit from 47 against Tennessee on Oct. 5, 2002. The last field goal longer than Tejada’s 47-yarder was Matt Swartz’s 49-yarder against Southwest Missouri State on Sept. 2, 2000.

• Jerell Norton and Michael Grant are quickly making a name for themselves in the defensive backfield for the Razorbacks. Norton and Grant are both tied for fifth nationally and lead the SEC with 1.80 passes defended per game. Norton also ranks tied for 17th in interceptions per game at .60 with three picks through Hogs’ first five games.

• Malcolm Sheppard ranks fourth in the SEC and tied for 36th nationally with an average of 1.40 tackles for loss per game. Sheppard has 7.0 TFL (-24) yards in the first five games. He also is tied for the SEC lead with .40 forced fumbles per game (two total) and tied for 18th nationally.

• Arkansas’ hogs up front on the offensive line have not only done a fantastic job opening holes for Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, but they have been one of the best teams in the country at protecting the quarterback. The Hogs’ offensive line has allowed just 13 sacks in their last 19 games for an amazing average of just 0.684 sacks allowed per game. UA ranks fifth nationally in sacks allowed in 2007 (.80 per game).

• Arkansas ranks No. 1 in rushing offense in the SEC during Houston Nutt’s tenure (1998-2007). The Hogs have averaged 196.09 yards per game in Nutt’s 10-year tenure (22,746 yards in 116 games).

• UA head coach Houston Nutt won his 70th career game in Little Rock last Saturday vs. Chattanooga. He boasts a 70-46 career record at Arkansas.

• Jeremy Davis has made a successful transition back to punter where he began his collegiate career in 2004. The junior from Fort Smith, Ark., ranks sixth in the SEC 40.96-yards per punt average through the first five games this season.

• The Hogs have scored 20 points or more in 87 of Houston Nutt’s 116 games (75.0 percent) as head coach.

• Arkansas has now scored in 140 consecutive games, a school record for scoring in the most consecutive games in team history. Arkansas has not been shut out since a 28-0 loss to LSU in Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 18, 1995.

THE McFADDEN REPORT:

• Darren McFadden has run for 779 yards on 130 carries and tallied seven rushing touchdowns this season. He has equalled the school record with five-consecutive 100-yard rushing games. McFadden has tied Jerry Eckwood’s record from 1975.

• His 155.8 ypg rushing average ranks third nationally, while 185.6 all-purpose yards per game ranks 11th nationally.

• The 100-yard rushing game vs. Chattanooga was the 17th of McFadden’s 30-game career in cardinal and white. He broke Ben Cowins’ (1975-78) previous school record of 16.

• The Little Rock native has had at least 200 all-purpose yards in three of his five games this season. McFadden’s 185.8 all-purpose yards per game ranks 11th nationally. He also inched closer to Gary Anderson on Arkansas’ career all-purpose yards list. McFadden’s 4,499 all-purpose yards is 37 yards shy of passing Anderson’s mark of 4,535 yards (1979-82).

• McFadden passed Dickey Morton for second place on Arkansas’ career rushing chart against North Texas and now has 3,539 career rushing yards. He is just 32 yards shy of passing Ben Cowins’ school record of 3,570 yards.

• McFadden connected for his fourth career passing touchdown on a 42-yard strike to freshman Crosby Tuck in the opener against Troy. The 42-yard pass was the longest completion of his career. He has now completed 9-of-13 career passes for 124 yards and four touchdowns. McFadden boasts a career passing efficiency rating of 235.6.

• McFadden has caught seven passes this season for 56 yards. His three grabs vs. Alabama tied his career high for receptions in a game.

• He has accounted for 821yards of total offense and racked up 928 all-purpose yards through five games this season. McFadden ranks ninth in total offense behind eight quarterbacks and second in all-purpose yards behind teammate Felix Jones.

• For all of your D-MAC related questions visit his official web site at 5DarrenMcFadden.com.

SERIES HISTORY: Arkansas and Auburn have met on the gridiron 16 times previously with the Tigers holding an 9-6-1 advantage. Auburn won the last three meetings before Arkansas took a 27-10 victory from Tigers in Auburn in 2006.

Auburn leads the series in Fayetteville, 3-2, with Arkansas winning in 1999 and 2001 and Auburn earning victories in 1997, 2003 and 2005. In addition to the Fayetteville games listed above, the two teams split a pair of games at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

Auburn won the only meeting between the two teams prior to Arkansas’ SEC membership. The Tigers earned a 21-15 win over the Razorbacks in the 1984 Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn.

LAST TIME AGAINST AUBURN: Arkansas relied on a swarming defense and the rushing tandem of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones to beat No. 2 Auburn 27-10.

McFadden rushed for 145 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown run, and Jones ran for 104, leading the Razorbacks to the stunning victory.

Jones’ 1-yard touchdown run gave Arkansas a 24-10 lead late in the third quarter that was too much for a sputtering Auburn offense to overcome.

The 15-point underdogs sacked Brandon Cox five times, including once by Jamaal Anderson and Keith Jackson on fourth-and-9 from the Arkansas 39 on the final play of the third quarter.

The Razorbacks capitalized on an Auburn mistake to push its lead to two touchdowns. Jones’ TD capped a drive that began at the Auburn 34 after Kody Bliss’s 19-yard punt.

Flanker Reggie Fish set up the score with a 25-yard run after lining up kneeling near freshman quarterback Mitch Mustain.

Arkansas didn’t need much trickery against the nation’s No. 3 scoring defense, with Jones and McFadden racking up big yards up the middle and by sprinting outside. The Razorbacks made it easy on Mustain by running on 36 of their final 38 plays.

He was an efficient 7-of-10 passing for 87 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown to Marcus Monk, and wasn’t sacked.

Arkansas held tailback Kenny Irons to 75 yards on 15 carries. Cox was 17-of-29 for 153 yards, but seldom had time to look downfield. The Tigers managed just 213 total yards while Arkansas had 366.

LEGENDARY ROCKER: Before embarking on a college coaching career, Arkansas defensive line coach Tracy Rocker was one of the most decorated defensive linemen in college football history at Auburn. Rocker played for the Tigers from 1985-88 earning a bevy of awards including two All-America honors and three All-SEC accolades. As a senior in 1988, he became the first SEC player to win both the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award. He was also named SEC Player of the Year in 1988. He finished his Auburn career with 354 tackles, including 48 behind the line of scrimmage. In August of 2005, Rocker was officially enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind.

HERRING CONNECTION: Arkansas defensive coordinator Reggie Herring is certainly familiar with this weekend’s opponent. Herring served as the linebackers coach for Pat Dye at Auburn from 1986-91. During that span, the Tigers posted a combined record of 52-16-2, won three SEC championships and made five bowl appearances.

This year there will also be another familiar face on the Auburn sidelines for Reggie Herring. His son, Adam, is listed as a linebacker on the Tigers’ roster. Adam graduated from Shiloh Christian, with Razorback Crosby Tuck, and signed with Auburn during the February inking period.

ARKANSAS TIGER: Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville is no stranger to the state of Arkansas. Tuberville was born in Camden, Ark., and graduated from Harmony Grove High School. Tuberville then attended Southern Arkansas University where he played as a free safety on the football team. He graduated from SAU in 1976.

Tuberville began his coaching career as an assistant at Hermitage (Ark.) High School. After two years (1976-77), he was promoted to head coach for the 1978-79 seasons. Tuberville then traveled to Jonesboro to serve as defensive ends and linebackers coach for Arkansas State from 1980-84.

HOMEWARD BOUND: The Tigers’ roster boasts three players who hail from Northwest Arkansas: LB Adam Herring (Springdale, Ark./Shiloh Christian), QB Kodi Burns (Fort Smith/Northside) and OL Lee Ziemba (Rogers/Rogers).

LEADING THE PACK: When it comes to rushing the ball, no team in the Southeastern Conference has done it more effectively in recent years than the Arkansas Razorbacks.

The Hogs have led the SEC in rushing yardage in four of the last five seasons, including 2005 and 2006. And they are on their way once again in 2007 after racking up 1,692 yards (338.4 ypg) through five games. Arkansas became the first team to pace the SEC in rushing four times in five seasons since Alabama led the league in four-consecutive seasons from 1971-74.

In 2007, the Hogs lead the country in yards per carry as a team with 6.46 yards per tote and rank second in yards per game at 338.4. UA has tallied 200 or more rushing yards in 21 of its last 34 games dating back to the eighth game of the 2004 season. In addition, the Hogs earned 190 or more yards in two other games. That also includes eight games of 300 yards or more and two 400-yard-plus games.

The Hogs led the SEC in rushing in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006 with an average of 218.9, 241.9, 216.9 and 228.5 yards per game, respectively. Arkansas is attempting to become the first team to pace the SEC in rushing five times in six seasons since Ole Miss led the league in six-consecutive seasons from 1957-62.

2007 Rushing Leaders

Team Gms Att Net Avg. TDs Yds/pg

1. Navy 5 300 1742 5.81 16 348.40

2. Arkansas 5 262 692 6.46 14 338.40

3. West Virginia 6 300 1867 6.22 25 311.17

4. Oregon 5 232 1390 5.99 15 278.00

5. Illinois 6 274 1567 5.72 15 261.17

McFADDEN & JONES FORM DYNAMIC DUO: The Arkansas tailback duo of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones are the most-productive rushing teammates in the country (among the NCAA top 100) in 2007, averaging 286.75 yards per game. McFadden ranks second nationally at 164.25 ypg while Jones is 10th, accounting for 122.5 ypg. The Central Florida combo of Kevin Smith and Phillip Smith are second at 223.25 yards per game.

Rushers (Individual Avg.)

Team Combined YPG

1. Darren McFadden (155.80) / Felix Jones (126.20) Arkansas 282.00

2. Eugene Jarvis (141.83) / Julian Edelman (59.67) Kent State 201.50

3. Mike Hart (162.67 / Brandon Minor (34.80) Michigan 197.47

4. Michael Desormeaux (110.67) / Tyrell Fenroy (86.0) Louisiana-Lafayette 196.67

5. Calvin Dawson (134.0) / Frank Goodin (54.6) Louisiana-Monroe 189.00

SEC ELITE: Darren McFadden is quickly etching his name in the SEC record books among some of the best running backs the conference has ever produced. His 1,647 yards rushing ranks as the fifth-best total in a single season in the history of the Southeastern Conference. Herschel Walker’s (Georgia) 1,891 yards in 1981 leads the way. McFadden’s total is the most in the SEC since Bo Jackson (Auburn) rushed for 1,786 yards in 1985.

In 2005, McFadden became just the seventh freshman in league history to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark in his first season. He joined Walker, Emmitt Smith (Florida), Reggie Cobb (Tennessee), Chuck Webb (Tennessee), Jamal Lewis (Tennessee) and Justin Vincent (LSU). His 1,113 yards was the sixth-best freshman rushing total in SEC history.

McFadden also ranks 11th in career rushing in the Southeastern Conference with 3,539 yards on the ground in just 30 games.

SEC’s Top 15 Career Rushing Totals

Yards Player, School (games) Years

1. 5,259 Herschel Walker, Georgia (33 games) 1980-82

2. 4,557 Kevin Faulk, LSU (41 games) 1995-98

3. 4,303 Bo Jackson, Auburn (38 games) 1982-85

4. 4,163 Errict Rhett, Florida (48 games) 1990-93

5. 4,050 Dalton Hilliard, LSU (44 games) 1982-85

6. 4,035 Charles Alexander, LSU (44 games) 1975-78

7. 3,928 Emmitt Smith, Florida (31 games) 1987-89

8. 3,835 Sonny Collins, Kentucky (41 games) 1972-75

9. 3,831 Carnell Williams, Auburn (42 games) 2001-04

10. 3,565 Shaun Alexander, Alabama (42 games) 1996-99

11. 3,539 Darren McFadden (30 games) 2005-present

12. 3,523 James Brooks, Auburn (38 games) 1977-80

13. 3,420 Bobby Humphrey, Alabama (35 games) 1985-88

14. 3,368 Joe Cribbs, Auburn (38 games) 1976-79

15. 3,333 Moe Williams, Kentucky (33 games) 1993-95

SEC’s Top 10 Single-Season Rushing Totals

Player, School (# rushes) Year Yards

1. Herschel Walker, Georgia (385 rushes) 1981 1,891

2. Bo Jackson, Auburn (278 rushes) 1985 1,786

3. Herschel Walker, Georgia (335 rushes) 1982 1,752

4. Charles Alexander, LSU (311 rushes) 1977 1,686

5. Darren McFadden, Arkansas (265 rushes) 2006 1,647

6. Herschel Walker, Georgia (274 rushes) 1980 1,616

7. Moe Williams, Kentucky (294 rushes) 1995 1,600

8. Emmitt Smith, Florida (284 rushes) 1989 1,599

9. Rudi Johnson, Auburn (324 rushes) 2000 1,567

10. Garrison Hearst, Georgia (228 rushes) 1992 1,547

FELIX THE CAT: Felix Jones had five 100-yard rushing games last season and has four 100-yard games early this season with 129 vs. Troy, 133 vs. Kentucky, 132 vs. North Texas and 141 vs. Chattanooga. Jones is currently eighth nationally and second in the SEC in rushing at 126.2 yards per game while leading the country in yards per carry at 10.51. His 11 100-yard career rushing games are tied for fourth in school history. Jones’ 2,425 yards rushing is eighth in school history, while his 4,154 all-purpose yards is third.

Jones has also returned his third and fourth kickoff returns for touchdowns of his career with a 90-yard dash vs. Troy and an 82-yarder against Kentucky. He is fourth nationally in kickoff returns with a 34.40 ypr average and third in all-purpose yards with a 209.00 average.

Last season he rushed for 106 yards vs. Southeast Missouri State, 104 yards at then-No. 2 Auburn, a then-career-high 141 yards vs. Louisiana-Monroe, 137 yards vs. LSU and a career-high 150 yards vs. Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl. Jones finished second in the SEC and 34th nationally in rushing with 83.43 yards per game. He had a career-best 1,168 yards rushing that ranks seventh in school history on just 150 carries. Jones’ 7.58 yards per carry average led the SEC and ranked second in the country.

TRIPLE-DIGIT RUSHERS: The Razorbacks’ rushing success has resulted in 10 100-yard rushing efforts in the first five games of the 2007 season.

Junior Heisman Trophy candidate Darren McFadden has rushed for at least 100 yards in all five games with 151 vs. Troy, 195 at Alabama, 173 against Kentucky, 138 in the first half vs. North Texas and 122 vs. Chattanooga.

Felix Jones has four 100-yard rushing efforts with 129 yards against Troy, 133 yards vs. Kentucky, 132 vs. North Texas and a season-high 141 vs. Chattanooga. He came up just four yards shy of 100 at Alabama. Junior-college transfer Brandon Barnett registered his first career 100-yard rushing game vs. North Texas with 105 yards on 16 carries.

The Razorbacks combined for 13 100-yard rushing games last season as McFadden produced seven, Jones five and Michael Smith one.

Most Combined 100-Yard Rushing Games in a Season

13 – 2006

13 – 1975

11 – 2003

10 – 2007

9 – 2005

9 – 1977

8 – 2001

8 – 1989

8 – 1965

100-YARD RETURN: Jerell Norton’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against North Texas is a UA school record, surpassing Orlando Watters 99-yard return vs. LSU in 1993. It is just the 11th 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in SEC history and just the second since 1968. Prior to Norton’s return, LSU’s Greg Jackson had the last 100-yard interception return in the SEC in 1988. It is the fourth 100-yard interception return in the bowl subdivision this season and just the 79th in NCAA history.

FANTASTIC FRESHMAN: PK Alex Tejada made quite an impression during his first five games in cardinal and white. The Springdale, Ark., native is 10 for 11 on field goals attempts and is 25 of 26 on extra point attempts to account for 55 points. He currently ranks tied for fourth in the country in field goals per game (2.00) and ranks tied for eighth nationally in scoring (11.00). In the Troy game, he became the first Razorback since Chris Balseiro to make four field goals in a game (vs. Missouri, 2003 Independence Bowl, Dec. 31, 2003). Tejada is 4 for 4 from 20-29 yards, 4 for 4 from 30-39 yards and 2 for 3 from 40 and beyond.

Tejada’s 47-yard field goal vs. Chattanooga was a career long and the longest for any Razorback since David Carlton hit from 47 against Tennessee on Oct. 5, 2002. The last field goal longer than Tejada’s 47-yarder was Matt Swartz’s 49-yarder against Southwest Missouri State on Sept. 2, 2000.

TRIO OF 100-YARD RUSHERS: A trio of Razorbacks found plenty of running room in Arkansas’ win over North Texas. The Hogs’ tailback tandem of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones were joined by junior-college transfer Brandon Barnett for a trio of 100-yard rushing efforts.

McFadden reeled off his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season and the 16th of his career. The junior from Little Rock rolled up 138 yards and two touchdowns in the first half.

Jones notched his third 100-yard game of the season with 132 yards on seven-impressive carries. His efforts were highlighted by a sideline-stepping 71-yard-touchdown run. Barnett received his first rushing attempts in a Razorback uniform and ripped off 105 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. Peyton Hillis wasn’t far of the 100-yard mark with 66 yards on 11 carries.

The last time Arkansas boasted three 100-yard rushers was in the 2005 season opener when Jones (137), Hillis (135) and De’Arrius Howard (120) accomplished the feat. UA also did it in 2001’s seven-overtime win at Ole Miss when Matt Jones (110), Cedric Cobbs (100) and Fed Talley (113) did it. The only other time the Hogs have had three 100-yard rushers was in Arkansas’ 1993 win over LSU in Baton Rouge. In the victory, Oscar Malone (143), Carlton Calvin (123) and Marius Johnson (106) turned the trick.

PROTECTING THE QB: The Arkansas offensive line has not only produced some of the best rushing numbers in college football over the past two seasons, but has also been outstanding at protecting the quarterback. The Hogs’ front line has allowed just 13 sacks over the last 19 games, dating back to the start of the 2006 season for an average of 0.684 per game. Rutgers is the only team to better that number with just 12 sacks in the last 19 games for a 0.632 per game average. Arkansas is currently tied for fifth nationally in sacks allowed with a .80 per game average.

BIG NUMBERS AGAINST THE MEAN GREEN: The 66 points scored against North Texas was the sixth-highest figure in school history and the most in a non-overtime game since 1928 (73-0 win over Texas Southwestern). The 45-first-half points were the most for a Arkansas team in the Houston Nutt era (1998-present). UA also generated 713 yards of total offense against the Mean Green, which is the second-highest figure in school history. The record is 859 yards against Pittsburg (Kan.) State in 1936. The 713 yards of total offense was also the third-highest total in college football this season.

PROTECT THIS HOUSE: Home field advantage has been good to the Razorbacks, especially during the Houston Nutt Era. Arkansas is tied with Florida for the second-most SEC home wins since 1998 with 50. The Hogs are 50-16 (.758) in games played at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Arkansas is 21-2 in Little Rock and 29-14 in Fayetteville in that 10-year span under Coach Nutt. (See chart at bottom right of page 4).

STILL ATOP THE BOWL LIST: Arkansas is atop the bowl appearance list for SEC Western Division teams since 1998. The Razorbacks have made seven bowl appearances since Houston Nutt took over the reins in Fayetteville, including the 2007 Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Fla. Arkansas has made two appearances in the Cotton Bowl (2000 and 2002) and the Citrus/Capital One Bowl (1999 and 2007) and one in the Las Vegas Bowl (2000), the Music City Bowl (2002) and the Independence Bowl (2003).

Although Arkansas has a rich bowl tradition, in the eight seasons prior to Nutt’s arrival the Razorbacks had earned only two bowl berths.

DENTING THE SCOREBOARD: Arkansas has now scored in 140 consecutive games, a school record for scoring in the most consecutive games in team history. Arkansas has not been shut out since a 28-0 loss to LSU in Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 18, 1995.

UA ranks fourth among league schools in the longest active scoring streak. Florida ranks first in the SEC earning points in 235 consecutive contests.

RACKING UP 20: The Razorbacks have made a routine of racking up 20 points since Houston Nutt arrived in Fayetteville. Arkansas has scored 20 points or more in 87 of Nutt’s 116 games (.750) as head coach. Arkansas is 39-13 mark (.750) in game where they score 20 points or more over the last seven seasons.

100 AND COUNTING FOR NUTT: The Razorbacks’ game against Vanderbilt last fall was the 100th in the 10-year career of Hog boss Houston Nutt. He owns a 70-46 (.603) career record at Arkansas. Nutt is just the third coach in school history to coach 100 games (currently 116) at the helm of the Razorback program. Fred Thomsen (1929-41) was the first, posting a 56-61-10 (.480) record while Frank Broyles (1958-76) is the school’s all-time leader with 207 games coached (144-58-5 [.708]) in 19 seasons.

Coach Total Games Seasons

Frank Broyles 207 19 (1958-1976)

Fred Thomsen 127 13 (1929-41)

Houston Nutt 116 10th (1998-present)

Nutt’s tenure at Arkansas is also a rare feat for any SEC coach. Only three coaches hired in the SEC since 1990 have enjoyed a stint of 100 games at the same school. Nutt became the fourth against Vanderbilt last season.

Coach, School (Years) Games

Philip Fulmer, Tennessee (1992-current) 181

Jackie Sherrill, Miss. State (1991-2003) 153

Steve Spurrier, Florida (1990-2001) 150

Houston Nutt, Arkansas (1998-current) 116

HEISMAN No. 2: Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden was the first Heisman Memorial Trophy finalist in school history. The then sophomore finished second to Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith, becoming only the fifth underclassman to ever finish in the top two. McFadden earned 45 first-place votes and 878 total points, edging out Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn (13 first-place votes, 782 total). McFadden captured 298 second-place votes with Quinn garnering 276. Below is a breakdown of the voting.

Heisman Trophy Voting

Player, School 1st 2nd 3rd Total

Troy Smith, Ohio State 801 62 13 2,540

Darren McFadden, Arkansas 45 298 147 878

Brady Quinn, Notre Dame 13 276 191 782

Steve Slaton, West Virginia 6 51 94 214

Michael Hart, Michigan 5 58 79 210

Colt Brennan, Hawaii 6 44 96 202

ALL-AMERICANS ALL AROUND: Arkansas had four players earn All-America honors following the 2006 season, including Darren McFadden who was a unanimous selection. Joining McFadden was offensive lineman Jonathan Luigs, who was also a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the top center in the nation. Tony Ugoh was a second-team selection at left tackle and Stephen Parker garnered second-team honors at left guard. In 2005, Felix Jones became the first UA freshman to earn first-team All-America honors when he was selected as a kickoff-return specialist.

MARVELOUS MONK: At 6-6, Marcus Monk has stood out since the day he stepped foot on campus. He led all Southeastern Conference freshmen in receiving in 2004 and set a school record for freshman receiving along the way. Monk broke Richard Smith’s UA record (33) for receptions by a freshman when he hauled in 37 balls for 569 yards and six touchdowns. He tied for the team lead in catches and garnered freshman All-SEC honors for his efforts. As a sophomore in 2005, Monk caught 35 passes for a team-high 476 yards and seven touchdowns.

In 2006, Monk produced the best numbers of his career with 50 catches for a career-high 962 yards. He caught a school record 11 touchdown passes and averaged 19.2 yards per catch, which was the second-best in the SEC. He was ninth in the league in yards per game (68.71). Monk’s 962 yards is the third-most in a single season in school history.

Monk has caught at least one pass in each of his 36 career games as a Razorback. That mark is the most among returning wide receivers heading into the 2007 season. He has caught at least three passes in 23 of his 36 career games.

MONK ATOP CAREER TD CHART: Marcus Monk’s touchdown catch against Florida in last year’s SEC Championship game was his 24th career TD reception. That moved him ahead of Anthony Lucas on the all-time school chart. Lucas had 23 career TD grabs from 1995-99.

Arkansas’ All-Time Touchdown Receptions List

1. Marcus Monk 24

2. Anthony Lucas 23

3. Richard Smith 17

Arkansas’ Single-Season Touchdown Receptions List

1. Marcus Monk, 2006 11

2. Anthony Lucas, 1998 10

3. Derek Russell, 1990 8

Chuck Dicus, 1968 8

5. 7 tied with 7

HOG WILD IN OVERTIME: Arkansas is 6-1 in overtime games dating back to the 1996, which was the first season overtime was used to break ties at the end of regulation. The six wins is tied for the third most overtime wins in NCAA history (Missouri is 8-3). The .857 winning percentage, among teams with at least five overtime games, ranks third to Nebraska, South Florida and Michigan’s 5-0 records.

Download: 2007 Arkansas Game Notes – Auburn.pdf