ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS 2005 FOOTBALL GAME 11 Arkansas vs. Louisiana State Friday, Nov. 25, Baton Rouge, La. 1:40 p.m. CT Tiger Stadium Rankings: Arkansas (4-6, 2-5 SEC) - NR Louisiana State (9-1, 6-1 SEC) - (No. 3 AP/ No. 3 USA Today) The Coaches: Arkansas: Houston Nutt (Oklahoma State, 1981) Career Record: 93-61/.604 (13th year) Arkansas Record: 57-39/.594 (8th year) vs. Louisiana State: 3-4 Louisiana State: Les Miles (Michigan, 1976) Career Record 37-22/.627 (5th year) School Record: 9-1/.900 (1st year) vs. Arkansas: 0-0 TV: CBS - 1:40 p.m. CT Play-by-Play: Craig Bolerjack Analyst: Spencer Tillman Sidelines: Dwayne Ballen Radio: ARSN Play-by-Play: Paul Eells Analyst: Keith Jackson Sidelines: Quinn Grovey Internet: Live audio and stats at www.hogwired.com HOGS TAKE ON TIGERS IN ANNUAL BATTLE OF THE BOOT: Arkansas will travel to Baton Rouge to take on the No. 3 LSU Tigers in the annual Battle of the Boot. The Razorbacks and Tigers will play for the trophy for the 10th time when the two teams meet at Tiger Stadium. The game is slated for a 1:40 p.m. CT kickoff and will be televised by CBS Sports. Arkansas (4-6, 2-5 SEC) will be looking to parlay the momentum of back-to-back victories over Ole Miss and Mississippi State into a season-ending win against the Tigers. LSU (9-1, 6-1 SEC) will be looking clinch a share of the SEC Western Division title and punch its ticket to next weekend s SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, Ga. NOTING THE RAZORBACKS: * Arkansas and LSU will meet for the 51st time on the gridiron on Friday when the two teams meet in Baton Rouge. LSU leads the series 31-17-2 including wins in three of the last four meetings. The Tigers have won eight of 13 meetings since the Razorbacks entered the SEC in 1992. (For more on the series see p. 2) * For the 10th-consecutive year since its inception, Arkansas and LSU will be playing for "The Golden Boot," a trophy shaped like the two states combined. The trophy was introduced into the series prior to the 1996 game. It is believed to be the heaviest trophy awarded in a college football rivalry. It weighs approximately 175 pounds. * Arkansas has played the fourth-toughest schedule in the nation according to NCAA rankings this week. Vanderbilt, USC, Alabama, Louisiana-Monroe, Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and LSU have combined to post a 57-33 record (.633). Missouri State isn t included in the rankings since it is Division I-AA. All games against Division I-AA opponents by Arkansas and its opponents aren t included in the ratings. Results against Arkansas are also not taken into the equation. * Five of Arkansas 11 opponents were ranked this season marking only the fourth time in school history that the Hogs have played as many as five nationally ranked teams in one season. All four occurrences have come since 1997 with three of those coming in the Houston Nutt era. The Hogs faced five nationally ranked opponents in 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2005. * Arkansas freshman Felix Jones leads the nation in kickoff returns with an average of 33.73 yards per return. Jones became the seventh Razorback in history to return a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown last weekend against Mississippi State. No UA player has ever led the nation in kickoff returns. * Arkansas has employed more true freshmen on the field this season than any team in the nation according to a recent poll of football sports information directors. The Razorbacks have played 18 true freshmen in the first nine games of the season. Of those 18 players, five true freshmen have earned a start on offense or defense including quarterback Casey Dick in each of the past three games. www.hogwired.com ARKANSAS (4-6, 2-5 SEC) Date Opponent Site TV Time/Result Sept. 3 Missouri State Fayetteville, Ark. None W, 49-17 Sept. 10 *Vanderbilt Fayetteville, Ark. None L, 24-28 Sept. 17 USC Los Angeles, Calif. FSN L, 17-70 Sept. 24 *at Alabama Tuscaloosa, Ala. JP L, 13-24 Oct. 8 #La.-Monroe Little Rock, Ark. None W, 44-15 Oct. 15 *Auburn Fayetteville, Ark. None L, 17-34 Oct. 22 *at Georgia Athens, Ga. JP L, 20-23 Nov. 5 *South Carolina (HC) Fayetteville, Ark. JP L, 10-14 Nov. 12 *at Ole Miss Oxford, Miss. None W, 28-17 Nov. 19 *#Mississippi State Little Rock, Ark. None W, 44-10 Nov. 25 *LSU Baton Rouge, La. CBS 1:40 p.m. # Little Rock, Ark. * SEC Game All Times Central LOUISIANA STATE (9-1, 6-1 SEC) Date Opponent Site TV Time/Result Sept. 10 at Arizona State Tempe, Ariz. ESPN W, 35-31 Sept. 26 *Tennessee Baton Rouge, La. ESPN L, 27-30 OT Oct. 1 *at Mississippi State Starkville, Miss. PPV W, 37-7 Oct. 8 *at Vanderbilt Nashville, Tenn. ESPN2 W, 34-6 Oct. 15 *Florida Baton Rouge, La. CBS W, 21-17 Oct. 22 *Auburn Baton Rouge, La. ESPN W, 20-17 OT Oct. 29 North Texas Baton Rouge, La. None W, 56-3 Nov. 5 Appalachian State Baton Rouge, La. None W, 24-0 Nov. 19 *at Mississippi Oxford, Miss. ESPN2 W, 40-7 Nov. 25 *Arkansas Baton Rouge, La. CBS 1:40 p.m. * SEC Game All Times Central www.houstonnutt.com
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS 2005 FOOTBALL HIGHLIGHTING THE 2005 SEASON The Missouri State Game Arkansas racked up 483 yards rushing against the Bears, which ranks as the seventh highest single-game total in school history. The Razorbacks had three running backs gain over 100 yards rushing in a single game for the first time since the 2001 season, including Felix Jones (137), Peyton Hillis (135) and De Arrius Howard (120). Vickiel Vaughn and Sam Olajubutu led the Hogs defense with 10 tackles each. The Vanderbilt Game Senior running back De Arrius Howard rushed for a career-high 139 yards on 21 carries. Quarterback Robert Johnson had his most prolific passing day as a Razorback with a career-high 204 yards on 17-of-29 passing. He threw two touchdowns and one interception. Vickiel Vaughn recorded a career-high 11 tackles against Vanderbilt. He also tied his career best with two pass breakups. The USC Game Freshman Felix Jones tallied 224 all-purpose yards against the No. 1 Trojans. Jones rushed for 66 yards and netted 147yards on four kickoff returns. Arkansas rushed for 197 yards against the Trojans. It was the most rushing yardage USC had given up in 37 games dating back to an overtime game against Washington State in 2002. The Alabama Game Arkansas rushed for 41 yards on 11 carries in the first quarter, topping what Alabama had been allowing per game (38.0). Freshman Darren McFadden s 70-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run was the longest of his career. Senior linebacker Sam Olajubutu tallied a new career-high 16 tackles, including two tackles for a loss of 10 yards. The Louisiana-Monroe Game Darren McFadden and Felix Jones became the first freshmen duo in Razorback history to each rush for 100 yards in a game and they both set career-highs with two rushing touchdowns. McFadden s 125 yards tied James Rouse (1985) for the fifth-most rushing yards in a single game by a freshman and he also broke off a career-long 64-yard kickoff return to open the second half. Chris Balseiro s 42-yard field goal in the first quarter tied his career long set last season at Mississippi State. The Auburn Game Darren McFadden recorded his second-consecutive 100-yard rushing game, rushing for 108 yards on 13 carries. Peyton Hillis had a career-high seven receptions for 81 yards. Sam Olajubutu finished the game with a career-high 18 tackles. Vickiel Vaughn recorded UA s sixth interception of the season in the second quarter. The Georgia Game Darren McFadden s 190 yards on 31 carries set a single-game school rushing record for a freshman. He also holds the record for most 100-yard rushing games in a season by a freshman with three. McFadden increased his season rushing yards total to 682, setting a school record for rushing yards in a season by a freshman. Cedric Cobbs held the previous mark with 668 in 1999. Felix Jones had season highs of three receptions and 43 yards. The South Carolina Game Center Kyle Roper was given the Crip Hall Award, honoring the homecoming game s most outstanding senior. Freshman Casey Dick made his first start at quarterback, going 12- of-24 for 137 yards with one TD and one interception. Darren McFadden had his fourth-consecutive 100-yard rushing game with 187 yards on 32 carries. The Ole Miss Game Arkansas won its first SEC game of the year with a 28-17 victory over Ole Miss. Junior Randy Kelly earned his first-career interception, which he ran back 42 yards for a touchdown. It also marked UA's 13th defensive TD since 1998 and second of the 2005 season. Sophomore Marcus Monk touchdown receptions in the third and fourth quarters moved him into eighth on the UA career list with 12. The Mississippi State Game With 165 rushing yards, Darren McFadden became the first UA freshman and the seventh player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Freshman Felix Jones returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. Jones became the seventh Razorback to accomplish the feat. Arkansas defense held MSU to 44 yards of total offense in the first half and recorded a season-high seven sacks. Arkansas scored 41 points in the first half against the Bulldogs. www.hogwired.com SERIES HISTORY: Arkansas and LSU will meet for the 51st time on the gridiron on Friday when the two teams meet in Baton Rouge. LSU leads the series 31-17-2 including wins in three of the last four meetings. The Tigers have won eight of 13 meetings since the Razorbacks entered the SEC in 1992. LSU holds a 7-1-1 advantage in games played in Baton Rouge. Arkansas won in its first league contest in Baton Rouge by a score of 42-24 in 1993. The Hogs featured three 100-yard rushers in that win over the Tigers. From 2001-03, the winner of the game went on to represent the SEC Western Division in the SEC Championship Game. This week's game will mark the 10th time the two teams have met on the Friday following Thanksgiving. The post-holiday football tradition began in 1996. OTHER SERIES NOTES: LSU has outscored Arkansas 741-664 in the series....the teams first met in 1907 in Baton Rouge....Between 1913 and 1936 the teams played 23 times with all of those games played in Shreveport....There has been 17 shutouts in the series including a scoreless tie in 1947....The last true shutout came in 1995 when LSU posted a 28-0 victory in Baton Rouge....There have been 16 games decided by a touchdown or less, with LSU holding a 13-3 advantage in those games....the largest margin of victory in the series was 51 points by Arkansas in a 51-0 win in 1910. BATTLE FOR THE BOOT: For the 10th-consecutive year since its inception, Arkansas and LSU will be playing for "The Golden Boot," a trophy shaped like the two states combined. The trophy was introduced into the series prior to the 1996 game. It is believed to be the heaviest trophy awarded in a college football rivalry. It weighs approximately 175 pounds. In six of the last seven meetings, the trophy has changed hands. LSU is the only school to defend the trophy. LSU won the trophy in its first two years (1996, 1997) before Arkansas reclaimed it in 1998. LSU won the trophy in 1999. The Razorbacks won the trophy in 2000 with a 14-3 win in Little Rock before the Tigers earned it back last season with a 41-38 victory at Baton Rouge. The Hogs took the trophy back in 2002 with a 21-20 win over LSU in Little Rock, but the Tigers reclaimed it in 2003 with a 55-24 win and kept it with a 43-14 win in 2004. UPSET ALERT: A national ranking has not necessarily been a favorable sign in the UA- LSU series history. There have been 12 meetings when one team holds a national ranking and one team is unranked. Of those 12 games, the unranked team has won six of those meetings, including winning four of the last six. Year Ranked Team Result Score 2004 No. 12 LSU W 43-14 2003 No. 3 LSU W 55-24 2002 No. 18 LSU L 21-20 2001 No. 24 Arkansas L 41-38 2000 No. 24 LSU L 14-3 1999 No. 17 Arkansas L 35-10 1998 No. 13 Arkansas W 41-14 1997 No. 17 LSU W 31-21 1996 No. 19 LSU W 17-7 1995 No. 14 Arkansas L 28-0 1954 No. 9 Arkansas L 7-6 1936 No. 13 LSU W 19-7 LAST TIME AGAINST THE TIGERS: No. 12 LSU spoiled Arkansas postseason hopes with an impressive 43-14 win over the Razorbacks at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The Tigers jumped out to a 27-14 lead at halftime and never looked back snapping the Hogs 17-game winning streak under Houston Nutt at Little Rock in the process. LSU quarterback Marcus Randall threw two touchdown passes and rushed for two more to lead the Tigers to the win. Arkansas quarterback Matt Jones passed for two scores in his final game as a Razorback. LAST TIME IN BATON ROUGE: The LSU offense put up 55 points, including 34 in the first half, as the No. 3 Tigers cruised to a 55-24 victory over the Razorbacks in Baton Rouge in 2003. LSU quarterback Matt Mauck completed 12-of-19 passes with four touchdowns as the Tigers amassed 436 yards of total offense on the day. Arkansas tailback Cedric Cobbs rushed for 169 yards and a touchdown while www.houstonnutt.com
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS 2005 FOOTBALL ARKANSAS - LOUISIANA STATE SERIES HISTORY www.hogwired.com LSU leads 31-17-2 YEAR RESULT SCORE SITE 1901 L 15-0 Baton Rouge, La. 1906 T 6-6 Baton Rouge, La. 1907 L 17-12 Little Rock, Ark. 1908 L 36-4 Little Rock, Ark. 1909 W 16-0 Memphis, Tenn. 1910 W 51-0 Little Rock, Ark. 1911 W 11-0 Little Rock, Ark. 1912 L 7-6 Little Rock, Ark. 1913 L 12-7 Shreveport, La. 1914 W 20-12 Shreveport, La. 1915 L 13-7 Shreveport, La. 1916 L 17-7 Shreveport, La. 1917 W 14-0 Shreveport, La. 1919 L 20-0 Shreveport, La. 1920 L 3-0 Shreveport, La. 1921 L 10-7 Shreveport, La. 1922 W 40-6 Shreveport, La. 1923 W 26-13 Shreveport, La. 1924 W 10-7 Shreveport, La. 1925 W 12-0 Shreveport, La. 1926 L 14-0 Shreveport, La. 1927 W 28-0 Shreveport, La. 1928 W 7-0 Shreveport, La. 1929 W 32-0 Shreveport, La. 1930 L 27-12 Shreveport, La. 1931 L 13-6 Shreveport, La. 1932 L 14-0 Shreveport, La. 1933 L 20-0 Shreveport, La. 1934 L 16-0 Shreveport, La. 1935 L 13-7 Shreveport, La. 1936 L 19-7 Shreveport, La. 1947 T 0-0 *Dallas, Texas 1953 L 9-8 Little Rock, Ark. 1954 L 7-6 Shreveport, La. 1955 L 13-7 Little Rock, Ark. 1956 L 21-7 Shreveport, La. 1966 L 14-7 **Dallas, Texas 1992 W 30-6 Fayetteville, Ark. 1993 W 42-24 Baton Rouge, La. 1994 L 30-12 Little Rock, Ark. 1995 L 28-0 Baton Rouge, La. 1996 L 17-7 Little Rock, Ark. 1997 L 31-21 Baton Rouge, La. 1998 W 41-14 Little Rock, Ark. 1999 L 35-10 Baton Rouge, La. 2000 W 14-3 Little Rock, Ark. 2001 L 41-38 Baton Rouge, La. 2002 W 21-20 Little Rock, Ark. 2003 L 55-24 Baton Rouge, La. 2004 L 43-14 Little Rock, Ark. *1947 Cotton Bowl **1966 Cotton Bowl At Fayetteville: Arkansas leads 1-0 At Little Rock: LSU leads 8-5 At Baton Rouge: LSU leads 6-1-1 At Shreveport: LSU leads 16-9 Razorback running back DeCori Birmingham hauled in two catches for 69 yards and two scores in the loss. FAMILIAR NAME: Razorback fans are sure to recognize one name on the LSU football roster. True freshman fullback Steven Korte is the son of former Arkansas All-America offensive lineman Steve Korte. The elder Korte lettered at Arkansas from 1981-82 and was a first-team all American at offensive guard in 1982. He earned All-Southwest Conference honors in both of his seasons with the Razorbacks. Following his collegiate career, Korte went on to play for the New Orleans Saints in the NFL from 1983-90. FRESHMEN 1,000-YARD RUSHERS: When Arkansas and LSU meet in Baton Rouge on the day after Thanksgiving, the game will feature two of the seven players in SEC history to rush for 1,000 yards in their freshman seasons. LSU's Justin Vincent and Arkansas' Darren McFadden are the most recent additions to exclusive list. Vincent earned 1,001 yards for LSU in helping the Tigers to a national championship in 2003. McFadden topped the 1,000-yard mark last weekend against Mississippi State. The only other freshman running backs in the history of the league to earn 1,000 yards are Herschel Walker (1,616) in 1980, Emmitt Smith (1,341) in 1987, Reggie Cobb (1,197) in 1987, Chuck Webb (1,236) in 1989 and Jamal Lewis (1,364) in 1997. FAMILIAR FACE: LSU special teams coordinator and linebackers coach Bradley Dale Peveto once held similar responsibilities at the University of Arkansas. Peveto assisted linebackers coach Joe Pate under former UA head coach Danny Ford with the Hogs in 1994-95. Peveto was part of the Razorbacks' first SEC Western Division championship in 1995. He worked with a number of standouts including former All-SEC linebacker Mark Smith. A former SMU football four-year letterman, Peveto is in his first season with the Tigers. OTHER UA-LSU CONNECTIONS: * LSU offensive guard Brett Helms was a standout at Stuttgart (Ark.) High School. He redshirted as a true freshman in 2004 and has played this season for the Tigers. * Arkansas linebacker Matt Stoltz signed with LSU out of Pulaski Academy in Little Rock. He attended LSU and redshirted during the 2004 season. He transferred to Arkansas in time for the 2005 season. He hasn't played this season for the Razorbacks. * LSU head coach Les Miles and Arkansas cornerbacks coach Bobby Allen were on the same coaching staff at the University of Colorado in 1983-84. Miles was an assistant coach with the Buffaloes from 1982-86. Allen served as a graduate assistant in 1983-84. * LSU offensive line coach Stacy Searels coached with Arkansas defensive line coach Tracy Rocker at the University of Cincinnati in 2002. Searels was with the Bearcats from 2000-02. Rocker served only one season (2002) before moving on to Arkansas. HOGS AGAINST NO. 3 RANKED TEAMS: Arkansas has not had much luck against No. 3 ranked teams in its history. The Razorbacks are 1-11 all-time against teams ranked in the third position. The only win in 12 tries came when Arkansas defeated Tennessee 28-24 in Fayetteville in 1999. Clint Stoerner hit Anthony Lucas with a late touchdown pass to upset the Volunteers at Razorback Stadium. Fans rushed the field following the game and celebrated by carrying the goal posts to Dickson Street. Ironically, the Razorbacks most recent meeting against a No. 3 team came two years ago in Baton Rouge when the Hogs played LSU. The Tigers recorded a 55-24 win on their way to an SEC and a national championship. DENTING THE SCOREBOARD: Through the first 10 games of the 2005 season, Arkansas has scored in 120 consecutive games, the second-longest streak 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 longest scoring streak in Razorback history is 125 games set from 1973-83. The Hogs were shut out by Southern Cal, 17-0, in the season opener on Sept. 15, 1973, and went 125 games before being blanked by SMU, 17-0, on Nov. 19, 1983. Arkansas ranks fourth among league schools in the longest active scoring streak. Florida ranks first in the SEC earning points in 214 consecutive contests. www.houstonnutt.com
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS 2005 FOOTBALL OTHER FACTS ABOUT THE BATTLE FOR THE BOOT * Houston Nutt is 3-4 in BOOT games. Les Miles is coaching in his first Battle for the Boot. * Four of the last five BOOT games (including this year) have decided who represents the Western Division in the SEC championship game * Until this year, since the first BOOT game in 1996, the winner has won or shared the SEC western division title 50% of the time (4 of 9 years). If LSU wins this season it will win a share of the SEC western division title. * Twice, the visiting team has won the BOOT. LSU won the inaugural trophy in 1996 (17-7) at Little Rock and again last season (43-14) in Little Rock. * On Nov 27, 1996 at the initial press conference at the Arkansas State Capital announcing the Battle for the Boot, Governor Mike Huckabee represented Arkansas and since Louisiana Governor Mike Foster (R) could not attend, Lt Gov Kathleen Blanco (D) represented LSU. Blanco is now the current Governor of Louisiana (D). * The two most popular youth video football games in the country are produced by EAS. They are the Madden NFL game and the NCAA Football game. The Battle of the Golden Boot has been a featured game on NCAA Football for the past 3 years allowing for young video players to have an actual Arkansas vs LSU matchup with the winner receiving a digital version of the big trophy. There were only 23 trophy games featured in 2003, now there are 36. 1) Why the "Battle of the Boot"? LSU and Arkansas don't have the longtime rivalry or trophy game that other SEC teams have, ie Alabama-Auburn, Miss-Miss st, Fla-FSU/Tenn, Tenn- Fla/Ala/Kentucky, South Carolina-Clemson, Georgia-Georgia Tech/Fla. The lack of an annual rival or trophy game for Ark/LSU, the fact they play each other at the end of the season on national television, their location geographically,the intensity of each team's zealous fans and the expectation that both will hopefully be challenging for the SEC West annually, make this game a good spot for a trophy matchup regardless of records or standing. 2) Was the Boot designed to create a true rivalry game? Not necessarily. You can't create a rivalry that isn't really there. The "Battle for the Boot" simply creates a Trophy Game. If a rivalry develops from it that would be great. If not, at least it gives Arkansas and LSU players a little added motivation to win the game. Most competitive players like to play to win anything. A true competitor would lay it on the line for an empty coke can. There are currently several Trophy games per year around the country that are played between teams that have not been equally competitive for decades. Some teams actually have two "Trophy" games per year. These games are not considered rivalry games because they haven't been competitive, but the two teams can still have something to play for. 3) Why Arkansas and LSU? Beside the fact mentioned above, LSU and Arkansas do you have some similar football background. Both the Tigers and Razorbacks have had a rich and storied football history over the past 100 years. From National Championships for the Tigers in 1958 and the Razorbacks in 1964, to "The Great Runs" of Billy Cannon against Ole Miss and Ken Hatfield vs Texas, both schools have great gridiron legacies. Since their first matchup in 1901, some of those legacies were created when the two teams played each other. The 1946 Cotton Bowl that ended in a 0-0 tie and is remembered by many as the "Ice Bowl", featured such great players as Y.A. Tittle for LSU and Clyde "Smackover" Scott for Arkansas. The 1966 Cotton Bowl was the scene of a stunning upset as the 7-3 Tigers defeated the second ranked and 10-0 Hogs 14-7. Besides the great game history between LSU and Arkansas, both states even have a football connection off the field as LSU's first Bengal Tiger mascot, Mike 1, was purchased by the student body from the Little Rock Zoo in 1937. 4) What's behind the heavy and expensive trophy? Some trophy games have been around for many decades and their trophy value is founded in a long history and sometimes the oddness of the trophy itself. Since the Arkansas/LSU trophy game was going to be a new one, the best way to create value and significance is to make it more unique than any other trophy. The "Boot" is the most expensive trophy in all of college football and is one of the heaviest (weighs between 150-200 pounds). It requires teamwork to carry it off the field. www.hogwired.com www.houstonnutt.com
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS 2005 FOOTBALL RAZORBACKS ON PRESEASON WATCH LISTS/HONORS Pierre Brown All-SEC West Second Team - Phipps All-SEC Third Team - SEC Coaches Preseason Jeremy Davis All-SEC Fourth Team - Phil Steele's College Football Robert Felton All-SEC third-team - Athlon Sports Marcus Harrison All-SEC third-team - Athlon Sports Reggie Herring No. 5 Defensive Coordinator in the Nation - Rivals.com Jared Hicks No. 30 Tight End in the Nation - Phil Steele's College Football Peyton Hillis No. 17 Fullback in the Nation - Phil Steele's College Football De'Arrius Howard All-SEC Fourth Team - Phil Steele's College Football No. 60 Running Back in the Nation - Phil Steele's College Football Felix Jones No. 48 Freshman Running Back in Nation - Phil Steele's College Football Brandon Kennedy No. 14 Fullback in the Nation - Phil Steele's College Football Darren McFadden No. 9 Future Stars in the SEC - Athlon Sports No. 9 Freshman Running Back in Nation - Phil Steele's College Football No. 28 Best Incoming Athlete in the Nation - Athlon No. 1 Best Incoming Athlete in the SEC - The Sporting News Marcus Monk Honorable Mention All-American - Street & Smith's Annuals All-SEC First Team - Hooten's Arkansas Football All-SEC Second Team - SEC Coaches Preseason All-SEC Second Team - Phil Steele's College Football All-SEC Second Team - Phipps All-SEC West Second Team - Phipps No. 42 Wide Receiver in the Nation - Phil Steele's College Football No. 1 Wide Receiver in the SEC - Hooten's Arkansas Football No. 3 Wide Receiver in the SEC - The Sporting News SEC's Surest Hands Award - The Sporting News Kyle Roper Rimington Award Watch List All-SEC Second Team - Phipps All-SEC Third Team - Athlon Sports All-SEC Third Team - Phil Steele's College Football All-SEC West First Team - Phipps No. 2 Center in the SEC - The Sporting News No. 14 Center in the Nation - The Sporting News No. 24 Center in the Nation - Phil Steele's College Football Marcus Shavers No. 20 Freshman Defensive Lineman - Phil Steele's College Football Kevin Thornton No. 33 Freshman Defensive Back in Nation - Phil Steele's College Football Zac Tubbs All-Welcome Back National First Team (Offense) - College Football News All-SEC Second Team - SEC Coaches Preseason All-SEC Second Team - SEC Media All-SEC Fourth Team - Phil Steele's College Football No. 34 Offensive Tackle in the Nation - Phil Steele's College Football Vickiel Vaughn All-SEC Second Team - Hooten's Arkansas Football All-SEC West Second Team - Phipps All-SEC Fourth Team - Phil Steele's College Football No. 22 Strong Safety in the Nation - Phil Steele's College Football www.hogwired.com 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 70 of Nutt's 96 games (.729) as head coach. Arkansas is 52-18 (.743) when scoring 20 points or more including a 26-9 mark (.743) in the last four seasons. YOUTH MOVEMENT: Arkansas has utilized the most true freshmen in the nation this season according to a recent survey conducted among football sports information directors. The Razorbacks have played 18 true freshmen this season. Five of those 18 freshmen have started a game this season for the Hogs. Defensive end Antwain Robinson became the 18th true freshman to play for the Hogs when he saw action against Ole Miss. In addition to Robinson, Stephen Arnold (PK), Cole Barthel (QB), Mark Bonner (CB), Casey Dick (QB), Freddie Fairchild (LB), Reggie Fish (WR), Elston Forte (FS), Tyrell Graham (LB), Cord Gray (DT), Felix Jones (RB), Jamar Love (CB), Darren McFadden (TB), Will Moore (PK), Mitch Petrus (OL), Marcus Shavers (DT), Brandon Sturdivant (LB) and Jose Valdez (OT) have all played in at least one game in their true freshman season. True Freshmen Played 1. Arkansas 18 2. Kent State 15 3. Duke 14 Kentucky 14 5. Nebraska 13 6. Florida State 12 Navy 12 Oklahoma 12 Utah State 12 10. Illinois 11 Oklahoma State 11 Mississippi State 11 Northwestern 11 Pittsburgh 11 Notre Dame 11 Temple 11 USC 11 Virginia 11 NUTT IN NOVEMBER: Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt and the Razorbacks have been tough to beat in November during his tenure in Fayetteville. After posting a combined record of 6-6 in his first three seasons with the Hogs, Nutt has reeled off a 16-5 (.762) clip since 2001. Nutt's best November numbers came in 2002 when the Hogs recorded five consecutive victories to win the SEC Western Division Championship and a trip to the 2002 SEC Championship Game. Nutt was a combined 11-7 in November in his previous head coaching stints at BOWL APPEARANCES (1998-2004) SEC Florida 7 Georgia 7 Tennessee 7 Arkansas 6 Ole Miss 5 Auburn 5 LSU 5 Alabama 4 Miss. State 3 Kentucky 2 South Carolina 2 Vanderbilt 0 MOST HOME WINS (1998-2005) SEC Tennessee 41-11.788 Arkansas* 41-13.759 Georgia 40-8.833 Auburn 40-15.727 Florida 39-9.813 LSU 39-13.750 Alabama 36-19.655 Ole Miss 31-19.620 Miss. State 27-20.574 South Carolina 27-24.529 Kentucky 22-27.449 Vanderbilt 14-36.280 * Includes all games in Fayetteville and Little Rock www.houstonnutt.com
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS 2005 FOOTBALL ARKANSAS BY THE NUMBERS Record........................................4-6 SEC..........................................2-5 West......................................2-2 East.......................................0-3 Non-Conference................................2-1 Home.........................................3-3 Away.........................................1-3 Neutral........................................0-0 Day..........................................2-3 Night (5 p.m. or later)............................2-3 TV Games.....................................0-4 CBS.......................................0-0 ESPN......................................0-0 ESPN2.....................................0-0 FSN.......................................0-1 Jefferson Pilot...............................0-3 Scoring First...................................2-3 Opponent Scoring First...........................2-3 Leading at Half.................................3-2 Trailing at Half..................................1-3 Tied at Half....................................0-1 Leading after Third..............................3-1 Trailing after Third...............................1-5 Tied after Third.................................0-0 Overtime Games................................0-0 Scoring less than 20 pts..........................0-4 Scoring 20+ points..............................2-2 Scoring 30+ points..............................3-0 Allowing less than 20 pts.........................4-1 Allowing 20+ points..............................0-4 Allowing 30+ points..............................0-2 Rushing for less than 100 yds.....................1-0 Rushing for over 100 yds.........................3-6 Rushing for 200+ yds............................3-3 Passing for 100+ yards..........................4-4 Passing for 200+ yds............................0-0 Passing for 300+ yds............................0-0 Totaling less than 300 yds........................1-0 300+ yds. of total offense.........................3-6 400+ yds. of total offense.........................2-0 500+ yds. of total offense.........................1-0 Allowing less than 100 yds. rushing.................1-1 Allowing less than 300 yds. total off.................1-2 Allowing 300+ yds total offense....................3-4 Having 100-yd. rusher............................4-3 Opp. have 100-yd. rusher.........................1-3 No Turnovers..................................0-0 Less than 3 turnovers............................3-4 3 or more turnovers.............................1-1 No takeaways.................................0-2 Less than 3 takeaways..........................1-4 3 or more takeaways............................2-0 More than 30:00 of possession.....................2-4 Less than 30:00 of possession.....................2-2 www.hogwired.com Murray State and Boise State. In 13 years as a head coach, Nutt and his squads are 33-18 (.647) in November. Nutt in November at Arkansas 1998-2-2 1999-2-2 2000-2-2 2001-3-1 2002-5-0 2003-4-1 2004-2-2 2005-2-1 Total - 22-11 HOGS SCHEDULE RANKED FOURTH IN THE NATION: Arkansas has played the nation s fourth-toughest schedule according to NCAA rankings. Vanderbilt, USC, Alabama, Louisiana-Monroe, Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and LSU have combined to post a 57-33 record (.633). Missouri State isn t included in the rankings since it is Division I-AA. All games against Division I-AA opponents by Arkansas and its opponents aren t included in the ratings. Results against Arkansas are also not taken into the equation. The Hogs have navigated a top-10 nationally ranked schedule in three of the last four seasons. It appears that state will soon be be four of the last five seasons. Five of Arkansas 11 opponents were ranked this season marking only the fourth time in school history that the Hogs have played as many as five nationally ranked teams in one season. All four occurrences have come since 1997 with three of those coming in the Houston Nutt era. The Hogs faced five nationally ranked opponents in 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2005. In 2004, Arkansas' schedule ranked No. 8 in the nation based on cumulative opponents winning percentage (.613). In 2003, Arkansas ranked No. 26 in strength of schedule. Arkansas boasted the fourth-toughest schedule in both 2002 and 2001. In 2000, the Razorbacks' schedule rated 12th in the country. ARKANSAS IN OVERTIME Record: 5-1 Year Opponent Score No./OTs 1996 at Mississippi St. W 16-13 OT 2000 at Mississippi St. W 17-10 OT 2001 at Ole Miss W 58-56 7 OT 2002 at Tennessee L 41-38 6 OT 2003 at Alabama W 34-31 2 OT 2003 at Kentucky W 71-63 7 OT Arkansas NCAA Records in Overtime Longest games in NCAA history: seven overtimes (Arkansas at Kentucky, 2003; Arkansas at Ole Miss, 2001) Third-longest game in NCAA history: six overtimes (Arkansas at Tennessee, 2002) Most points scored in overtime: 47 at Kentucky, 2003 Most points scored in an overtime game (both teams): 134, UA (71) at Kentucky (63), 2003 Most points scored in overtime (both teams): 86, UA (47) at Kentucky (39), 2003 Most plays in an overtime game (both teams): 202, UA (199) at Kentucky (103), 2003 www.houstonnutt.com
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS 2005 FOOTBALL www.hogwired.com RAZORBACK OFFENSE HOGS AMONG NATION S BEST IN RUSHING: Arkansas continues to rank among the nation s best when it comes to rushing offense. After leading the country in rushing for the first two weeks of the season, the Razorbacks rank ninth in this week s statistical rankings. Arkansas has been in the top 10 in rushing for every week, but one, this season. Arkansas is averaging 235.1 yards per game on the ground through the first 10 games of the 2005 campaign. Arkansas racked up 483 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 51 carries against Missouri State in the season opener. Arkansas tailbacks Felix Jones (137), Peyton Hillis (135) and De'Arrius Howard (120) all topped the 100-yard rushing mark in the victory. The Hogs total of 483 rushing yards against the Bears still ranks as the top team rushing output by an NCAA Division I-A team this season. Arkansas also registered among the NCAA s single-game highs with 321 yards in a win over Louisiana-Monroe. Arkansas finished 22nd in the nation last season in rushing yardage averaging 187.4 yards per game. NCAA Leaders Rushing Offense (Through Nov. 19, 2005) Team Games Carries Yards TD Avg. 1. Navy 10 544 2867 34 286.70 2. Texas 10 470 2843 41 284.30 3. Minnesota 11 559 3079 34 279.91 4. Memphis 10 485 2626 22 262.60 5. Southern Cal 11 433 2741 42 249.18 6. Air Force 11 588 2712 28 246.55 7. La.-Lafayette 10 474 2454 28 245.40 8. West Virginia 9 456 2131 23 236.78 9. Arkansas 10 447 2351 18 235.10 10. California 11 440 2582 24 234.73 ABOVE AVERAGE: Arkansas has made a habit out of racking up big rushing yardage against some of the nation s top rush defenses. The Hogs have topped their opponents rush defense average in seven of nine opportunities this season. In addition, Arkansas rushed for 483 yards against Missouri State in the season opener. The only times the Hogs have failed to reach the opponent s rush defense average was against Vanderbilt and Ole Miss. Arkansas rushed for 194 yards against Vanderbilt after the Commodores had given up 274 yards in their season opener. The Hogs gained 89 yards rushing against Ole Miss when the Rebels were averaging 139.5 yards rushing a game coming in to the Arkansas game. In fact, freshman tailback Darren McFadden has single-handedly topped the Hogs opponents average in six of nine outings including against all four ranked opponents the Razorbacks have played this season. Avg. UA Team McFadden Team Opp. Rush* Rush Yds Rush Yds Missouri State 1st game 483 70 Vanderbilt 274.0 194 6 Southern California 60.0 197 88 Alabama 38.0 237 95 Louisiana-Monroe 193.2 321 125 Auburn 107.6 148 108 Georgia 91.2 216 190 South Carolina 168.1 219 187 Ole Miss 139.5 89 22 Mississippi State 141.7 247 165 * Entering Arkansas game LEADING THE LEAGUE: Arkansas is also pacing the SEC in rushing yards per game. The Hogs 235.1 average out-distances second-ranked Auburn (202.7 ypg.) by more than 32 yards per game. Arkansas is also leading in yards per attempt with 5.3 yards per rush. Arkansas has led the league in rushing in two (2002 and 2003) of the last three seasons. The last SEC team to lead the conference in rushing three times in four seasons was Auburn (1983-85). TRIPLE DIGIT RUSHERS: The Razorbacks rushing success has resulted in 10 100-yard rushing efforts in 10 games this season. Freshman Darren McFadden has already set a new UA freshman record with five 100-yard rushing games. McFadden topped the 100-yard mark against Louisiana-Monroe (125), Auburn (108), Georgia (190), South Carolina (187) and Mississippi State (165). No other Razorback freshman has more than two 100-yard rushing games in his inaugural season. Senior tailback De Arrius Howard topped the 100-yard mark in the first two games this season (120 vs. Missouri State, 139 vs. Vanderbilt). Freshman Felix Jones racked up 137 yards against Missouri State and 102 against Louisiana-Monroe. Sophomore Peyton Hillis earned the first 100- yard rushing game of his career with 135 yards against Missouri State. Arkansas earned a total of five 100-yard rushing efforts all of last season with a pair of those coming from quarterback Matt Jones. In all, Arkansas players boast 236 100-yard rushing performances with 51 of those coming in the Houston Nutt era (1998-2005). TRIO OF 100-YARD RUSHERS: A trio of Razorbacks found plenty of running room in Arkansas' win over Missouri State. Freshman Felix Jones led the Razorbacks with 137 yards and one touchdown on eight carries. Jones' performance was the third-best by a Razorback freshman in school history and included an 80-yard touchdown run on his second career carry. Sophomore Peyton Hillis racked up 135 yards and three touchdowns on 14 attempts in the victory. It was Hillis' first career 100-yard rushing game. Senior tailback De'Arrius Howard tallied his fourth career 100-yard rushing effort with 120 yards on 12 carries. Freshman tailback Darren McFadden also made a run at the 100-yard mark earning 70 yards on nine carries. The last time Arkansas boasted a trio of 100-yard rushers was in the Hogs' seven-overtime win at Ole Miss in 2001. Quarterback Matt Jones (110) and tailbacks Cedric Cobbs (100) and Fred Talley (113) each eclipsed the 100-yard plateau in the longest game in NCAA history. The last time three Razorbacks gained 100 yards or more rushing in a regulation game was in Arkansas' 1993 win over LSU in Baton Rouge. In the 42-24 victory, Razorback running backs Oscar Malone (143), Carlton Calvin (123) and Marius Johnson (106) turned the trick. RUSHING TO PAYDIRT: Arkansas pulled off a rare feat in its 28-17 win over Ole Miss. The Razorbacks won a game in which they didn t score a rushing touchdown. The win over the Rebels marked only the fifth time in 19 ocurrences that the Hogs have won a game without a rushing score in the Houston Nutt era. The Razorbacks scored on an interception return and three passing touchdowns in their win over the Rebels. The last time Arkansas won a game without a rushing touchdown was in 2002 when the Hogs topped South Carolina 23-0 on two passing scores and three field goals. Arkansas is now 5-14 (.263) when they do not score at least one rushing touchdown since 1998. Arkansas is 52-25 (.675) when scoring at least one rushing touchdown since 1998. Other Rushing Superlatives: * Arkansas rushed 52 times for 197 yards in the loss to No. 1 Southern California. The Hogs' total was the most rushing yards given up by the Trojans' defense in their last 37 games. The last team to rush for as many yards against USC was Washington State (201) in an overtime game in 2002. * Arkansas also racked up big rushing yardage against another of the nation s top defenses. The Razorbacks earned 237 yards rushing in a 24-13 loss at Alabama. The Crimson Tide defense entered the game ranked first in the SEC and 24th in the nation in rushing defense. They had allowed only 114 rushing yards in their first three games combined. In fact, Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden s 70-yard touchdown run in www.houstonnutt.com
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS 2005 FOOTBALL the fourth quarter accounted for nearly double the real estate of Alabama s average rushing defense total (38.0) in the first three contests. * Arkansas racked up 216 yards against No. 4 Georgia. The Bulldogs were only yielding 91.2 yards per game entering the contest. McFadden doubled the Bulldogs average with 190 yards of rushing alone. TOTAL EFFORT: While the rushing game has been the primary catalyst, Arkansas is among the league leaders in total offense as well. The Razorbacks rank sixth in the SEC and rank 61st in the nation averaging 372.6 yards per game. Arkansas is ninth in the nation in rushing offense (235.1 ypg) and ranks 109th (137.5 ypg) in passing offense. OFFENSIVE FIREWORKS: Arkansas' offense was in high gear in the Razorbacks' 49-17 season-opening win over Missouri State. The Hogs racked up 591 yards of total offense in the victory. The total ranked ninth all-time on the UA school record list for total offense in a single game and was the most since Arkansas tallied 605 yards in a seven-overtime win at Kentucky in 2003. The 483 yards earned on the ground ranked seventh on the school record chart for rushing yards in a game. The last time Arkansas rushed for more yards as a team was in 1987 when the Hogs churned up 502 yards in a win over New Mexico. FRESHMEN LEADING THE WAY: Arkansas freshmen Darren McFadden and Felix Jones have been leading the way for the Razorbacks on the ground this season. The two true freshmen have combined to rack up seven 100-yard rushing games this season. It is the first time in school history that two true freshmen have recorded a 100-yard rushing game in the same season. In fact, McFadden and Jones each earned 100 yards rushing in the same game against Louisiana- Monroe earlier this season. McFadden set a new UA freshman single game rushing record with 190 yards against No. 4 Georgia. In the process, McFadden became the first UA freshman to earn 100 yards in three or more games in his first season. Single Game 100-Yard Rushing Performances by a UA Freshman 190 - Darren McFadden vs. Georgia, 2005 187 - Darren McFadden vs. South Carolina, 2005 169 - Darryl Bowles vs. Texas A&M, 1979 165 - Darren McFadden vs. Mississippi State, 2005 143 - Brandon Holmes vs. LSU, 2000 137 - Felix Jones vs. Missouri State, 2005 131 - Matt Jones vs. Mississippi State, 2001 125 - Darren McFadden vs. Louisiana-Monroe, 2005 125 - James Rouse vs. Texas, 1985 121 - De'Arrius Howard vs. Mississippi State, 2002 118 - Oscar Malone vs. LSU, 1992 110 - Matt Jones vs. Ole Miss, 2001 108 - Darren McFadden vs. Auburn, 2005 107 - Cedric Cobbs vs. Tennessee, 1999 103 - Chrys Chukwuma vs. Louisiana Tech, 1996 102 - Felix Jones vs. Louisiana-Monroe, 2005 FRESHMEN FEAT: Freshmen tailbacks Darren McFadden and Felix Jones made some history when both players rushed for more than 100 yards in Arkansas win over Louisiana-Monroe. They became the first UA true freshmen to earn 100 yards or more rushing in the same game. McFadden rushed for a career-high 125 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. Jones racked up 102 yards and two scores on 14 attempts. RISING STAR: Freshman Darren McFadden is off to a torrid start in his Razorback career. The North Little Rock, Ark., product has posted five 100- yard rushing efforts this season including in four-consecutive games earlier this season. He was recently named the SEC Freshman of the Week in back-to-back weeks for his efforts against No. 21 Auburn and No. 4 Georgia. McFadden has rushed for 70+ yards in eight of his 10 collegiate games including a 190-yard effort against Georgia, a 187-yard outing against South Carolina, a 165-yard performance against Mississippi State, a 125- yard effort against Louisiana-Monroe and a 108-yard performance against Auburn. RANKING AMONG THE NATION S BEST: Arkansas freshman tailback Darren McFadden ranks among the top freshman running backs in the nation in nearly every statistical category. McFadden ranks second overall among the nation s freshmen with 105.6 rushing yards per game. He is second with five 100-yard rushing games with two of those efforts coming against ranked opponents. His 6.95 yardsper-carry average also ranks second among freshmen. For complete freshmen rankings - see previous page McFADDEN AMONG LEAGUE LEADERS IN RUSHING: Darren McFadden finds himself among the SEC rushing leaders again this week with his average of 105.6 yards per game. McFadden ranks second in the SEC trailing only Auburn s Kenny Irons (109.55). McFadden actually led the SEC two weeks ago with a 108.6 yard average, but tallied only 22 rushing yards against Ole Miss. He rebounded with a 165-yard effort against Mississippi State to valut back into second place in the league rushing race. McFadden is attempting to become only the third freshman to lead the SEC in rushing. Only Georgia s Herschel Walker (1980) and Florida s Emmitt Smith (1987) have led the SEC in rushing as freshmen. Seven Razorbacks have led the league in rushing in school history. Cedric Cobbs was the last and the only one to lead the SEC when he topped the league in 2003 with an average of 110.0 yards per game. No UA THE RAZORBACKS RECORD UNDER HOUSTON NUTT??? Leading At Leading After Trailing At Trailing After Tied At Tied After Halftime 3rd Qtr. Halftime 3rd Qtr. Halftime 3rd Qtr. 1998 7-1 8-2 2-2 1-0 0-0 0-1 1999 6-0 7-0 1-4 1-4 1-0 0-0 2000 4-0 4-0 1-4 2-6 1-2 0-0 2001 3-1 5-1 1-4 1-4 3-0 1-0 2002 8-1 8-0 1-4 1-5 0-0 0-0 2003 8-0 8-0 0-4 1-4 1-0 0-0 2004 5-3 5-0 0-3 0-6 0-0 0-0 2005 3-2 3-1 1-3 1-5 0-1 0-0 Total 44-8 48-4 7-28 8-34 6-3 1-1 www.hogwired.com www.houstonnutt.com
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS 2005 FOOTBALL DARREN McFADDEN NATIONAL FRESHMAN RANKINGS (Rankings include Top 10 freshmen rushers in the nation as of 11/12/2005) Rushing Yards Player, School Att. Yds. TD Avg./Carry Avg./G 1. Tyrell Sutton, Northwestern 198 1178 16 5.95 117.80 2. Ontario Sneed, Central Michigan 201 1004 8 5.00 100.40 3. Darren McFadden, Arkansas 131 891 8 6.80 99.00 4. Tyrell Fenroy, Louisiana-Lafayette 158 889 9 5.59 88.90 5. Steve Slaton, West Virginia 117 659 11 5.63 94.14 6. Wynel Seldon, Wyoming 171 829 9 4.85 82.90 7. Ray Rice, Rutgers 151 817 3 5.41 81.70 8. Javon Ringer, Michigan State 120 811 5 6.76 81.10 9. Kevin Smith, UCF 189 810 5 4.29 81.00 10. Jamaal Charles, Texas 102 772 9 7.57 77.20 11. Keegan Herring, Arizona State 132 771 6 5.84 77.10 100-Yard Rushing Games Total 1. Tyrell Sutton, Northwestern 5 2. Darren McFadden, Arkansas 4 2. Ontario Sneed, Central Michigan 4 2. Tyrell Fenroy, La.-Lafayette 4 5. Steve Slaton, West Virginia 3 5. Kevin Smith, UCF 3 5. Jamaal Charles, Texas 3 5. Javon Ringer, Michigan State 3 5. Andre Brown, TCU 3 5. Keegan Herring, Arizona State 3 5. Mico McSwain, Ole Miss 3 Top Rushing Games 1. Andre Brown, NC State (32 att., 248 yards, 2 TD vs. Southern Miss) 2. Tyrell Sutton, Northwestern (29 att., 244 yards, 3 TD vs. Wisconsin) 3. Ray Rice, Rutgers (27 att., 217 yards vs. Connecticut) 4. Tyrell Sutton, Northwestern (30 att., 214 yards, 4 TD vs. Northern Illinois) 5. Keegan Herring, Arizona State (23 att., 197 yards, 2 TD vs. Northwestern) 6. Javon Ringer, Michigan State (13 att., 194 yards vs. Illinois) 7. Darren McFadden, Arkansas (31 att., 190 yards, 2 TD vs. Georgia) 8. Jamaal Charles, Texas (16 att., 189 yards, 3 TD vs. Rice) 9. Steve Slaton, West Virginia (31 att., 188 yards, 5 TD vs. Louisville) 10. Darren McFadden, Arkansas (32 att., 187 yards vs. South Carolina) Average Yards Per Rush (Freshmen ranked in top 100 rushing) 1. Jamaal Charles, Texas 7.57 2. Darren McFadden, Arkansas 6.80 3. Javon Ringer, Michigan St. 6.76 4. Felix Jones, Arkansas 6.47 5. Aaron Brown, TCU 6.12 6. Tyrell Sutton, Northwestern 5.95 7. Keegan Herring, Arizona State 5.84 8. Andre Brown, North Carolina St. 5.73 9. Steve Slaton, West Virginia 5.63 10. Ray Rice, Rutgers 5.41 11. James Davis, Clemson 5.31 12. Ontario Sneed, Central Michigan 5.00 www.hogwired.com www.houstonnutt.com
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS 2005 FOOTBALL freshman has ever led the league in rushing. UPPING THE AVERAGE IN LEAGUE PLAY: As impressive as McFadden s 105.6 rushing average is, his average in league play has been even better. The freshman is racking up 110.4 yards per game in SEC play. McFadden ranks second only behind Auburn s Kenny Irons (117.6) in rushing in league games. TOPPING 1,000: McFadden became the first Razorback freshman and seventh UA player in school history to surpass the 1,000-yard rushing mark in a season in the Hogs 44-10 win over Mississippi State. McFadden earned the mark in style breaking away for a 64-yard run in the fourth quarter against the Bulldogs. McFadden is the third Razorback in the last four seasons to reach that mark after Talley (2002) and Cobbs (2003) both achieved their 1,000-yard campaigns under Houston Nutt. The previous six Razorbacks have combined for a total of nine 1,000- yard rushing seasons. Ben Cowins rushed for more than 1,000 yards three times in his career while Dickey Morton accomplished the feat twice. Madre Hill, Cedric Cobbs, Fred Talley and James Rouse all recorded one 1,000-yard season. UA 1,000-YARD RUSHING SEASONS Player Year Att. Yards TD 1,000 on Att. 1. Madre Hill 1995 307 1,387 15 200 2. Cedric Cobbs 2003 227 1,320 10 178 3. Dickey Morton 1973 226 1,298 5 171 4. Ben Cowins 1977 220 1,192 14 160 5. Dickey Morton 1972 242 1,188 6 197 6. Ben Cowins 1976 183 1,162 7 147 7. Fred Talley 2002 197 1,119 2 166 8. Darren McFadden 2005 152 1,056 10 152 9. Ben Cowins 1978 188 1,006 6 187 10. James Rouse 1987 182 1,004 17 182 CLOSING IN ON 1,000 QUICKLY: Darren McFadden took the second fastest trek to 1,000 rushing yards in school history. Only Ben Cowins in 1976, reached the milestone quicker than the current Razorback tailback. Cowins reached the 1,000-yard mark on his 147th rushing attempt of the season. McFadden eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on rushing attempt number 152. No other Razorbacks have reached 1,000 yards in less than 160 attempts. SEC 1,000-YARD FRESHMAN CAMPAIGNS: Even in a league with the rich history of the Southeastern Conference, only seven times has a freshman rushed for 1,000 yards or more in a season. Legendary running backs Herschel Walker and Emmitt Smith were the first two to accomplish the feat in 1980 and 1987, respectively. The last freshman in SEC history to rush for 1,000 yards was LSU s Justin Vincent 4TH QUARTER DEFICITS OVERCOME TO WIN UNDER NUTT 4th Qtr. Year Deficit Score Opponent Final Score 2005 3 17-14 Ole Miss 28-17 2003 14 31-17 Alabama 34-31 (2OT) 2002 10 17-7 LSU 21-20 1998 7 20-13 Kentucky 27-20 1999 3 24-21 Tennessee 28-24 2001 3 10-7 UNLV 14-10 www.hogwired.com in 2003. McFadden is only the 69th freshman in NCAA history to reach that milestone. Northwestern s Tyrell Sutton and Central Michigan s Ontario Sneed became the 67th and 68th freshman to rush for 1,000 yards earlier this season. SEC Freshman 1,000-Yard Rushers *Herschel Walker, Georgia 1980 (1,616) *Emmitt Smith, Florida 1987 (1,341) Reggie Cobb, Tennessee 1987 (1,197) Chuck Webb, Tennessee 1989 (1,236) Jamal Lewis, Tennessee 1997 (1,364) Darren McFadden, Arkansas 2005 (1,056) Justin Vincent, LSU 2003 (1,001) * Led the SEC in rushing yards per game RECORD-BREAKING FRESHMAN: Darren McFadden is already re-writing the UA freshman record book. With his five 100-yard rushing efforts this season, he became the only UA freshman to rush for 100 yards in a game more than two times in his first season as a Razorback. Only Matt Jones and current teammate Felix Jones have as many as two 100-yard rushing games in their freshman campaign. McFadden broke Darryl Bowles (169) single-game rushing record by a freshman when he tallied 190 yards against No. 4 Georgia. In the process he also passed Cedric Cobbs (668) for the UA freshman single-season rushing mark. With two touchdowns against Mississippi State, he earned the UA freshman touchdown record. McFadden boasts 10 touchdowns with all of them coming on the ground. James Rouse held the previous record with nine rushing touchdowns in 1985 McFadden Freshman Records Broken Single Game - Rushing 190 - Darren McFadden vs. Georgia, 2005 Previous Record: 169 - Darryl Bowles vs. Texas A&M, 1979 Season - Rushing 891 - Darren McFadden (Through 9 games) Previous Record: 668 - Cedric Cobbs, 2002 100-Yard Rushing Games 5 - Darren McFadden, 2005 Previous Record: 2 - Matt Jones (2001) and Felix Jones (2005) Touchdowns 10 - Darren McFadden, 2005 Previous Record: 9 - James Rouse (1985) TWO-GAME TOTAL: When it comes to back-to-back rushing performances, only former Razorback tailback Fred Talley can match what Darren McFadden accomplished in games against No. 4 Georgia and South Carolina. THE HOGS UNDER NUTT In Games Decided By: 3 points or less...........................................7-7 7 points or less.........................................17-14 10 points or more.......................................36-23 20 points or more........................................30-9 30 points or more........................................13-3 40 points or more.........................................3-1 50 points or more.........................................1-1 www.houstonnutt.com