UA?s Offensive Line Anderson & Vavra Pick Up Hogwired.com Player of the Week Honors

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas’ entire offensive line, defensive end Jamaal Anderson and kicker Brain Vavra have earned Hogwired.com Player of the Week honors following Saturday’s win over Tennessee.

Arkansas, now No. 5 in the Associated Press poll and No. 6 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches’ rankings, knocked off the then-No. 13 Volunteers, 31-14, for its ninth straight win to improve to 9-1. The Razorbacks are also the only undefeated team in Southeastern Conference play at 6-0.

The offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage with the Hogs rushing for 259 yards on 45 carries, an average of 5.8 yards per rush. UA also threw for 166 yards for 425 yards of total offense.

The line, primarily senior left tackle Tony Ugoh, senior left guard Stephen Parker, sophomore center Jonathan Luigs, junior guard Robert Felton, senior right tackle Zac Tubbs and senior guard/center Jeremy Harrell, paved the way for Darren McFadden to rush for 181 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries. Fellow sophomore Felix Jones gained 72 yards on 13 attempts.

The line also did not allow a sack with quarterback Casey Dick going 10-of-15 passing for 154 yards and a touchdown.

Ugoh graded out at 95 percent with seven knockdown blocks. Luigs graded 93 percent and Parker 91 percent with six knockdowns. Tubbs had a team-high eight knockdowns. Felton had seven and Harrell four.

Anderson earned the defensive award with five tackles, including three sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss, and two quarterback hurries. His three sacks were for 16 yards. He now has 49 tackles for the year, and leads the team with 10 sacks and 14 tackles for loss.

The junior from Little Rock led a defensive effort which limited Tennessee to 266 total yards. UT entered the game with the 12th-best passing offense in the nation, but was just 16-of-34 passing for 174 yards.

Vavra, a sophomore from Bentonville, kicked off six times and recorded three touchbacks. Tennessee’s average starting field position following the six kickoffs was its 19-yard line.

Following each game this season, Hogwired.com will recognize an offensive, defensive and special teams player of the week. Recipients are chosen by the UA football coaching staff.