Hampton, Poydras make connection

ROBERT TURBEVILLE
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks scored on the same play against Southwest Missouri State. But this one was a lot bigger.
With Arkansas trailing Alabama 21-20, quarterback Robby Hampton connected with tight end Marcellus Poydras for 9-yard touchdown pass with 1:04 left that toppled the Crimson Tide 28-21 Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
The situation looked bleak for the Razorbacks. No. 1 tailback Cedric Cobbs was out with a separated right shoulder. No. 2 tailback Fred Talley was out with a broken left hand.
The Razorbacks had 80 yards to go, and they hadn't crossed midfield since late in the third quarter.
The unlikely happened thanks to a 32-yard run by tailback Alvin Ray to Alabama's 15-yard line. Three plays later, the Razorbacks faced third-and-5 from the Tide's 15.
The Razorbacks lined up in an offset I-formation, with fullback Adam Daily lined up behind the right guard. Ray was the tailback, and Boo Williams and Richard Smith were lined up wide left. Hampton was under center. Poydras was the tight end on the right side.
"It looks like it's going to be a run," Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt said. "But you look in the flat first, then you look at the tight end in the end zone."
Hampton dropped back. Ray stayed to block. Daily floated out to the right flat. Williams ran a flag pattern in the end zone, and Smith ran a button-hook at the goal line. Poydras faded to the right corner of the end zone and was uncovered. A two-point conversion pass from Hampton to Boo Williams set the final score.
"Everything worked perfect," Poydras said.
The play was the same one the Razorbacks used in a 38-0, season-opening victory over Southwest Missouri State, but that time, it was a 4-yard touchdown in the second quarter that made it 14-0.
This one was much, much bigger.
"We never gave up. We never gave up," Poydras said. "When we came back in the second half, we knew what we had to do. We drove down the field a lot of times. This time we just had to make sure we got it in the end zone."

This article was published on Sunday, September 24, 2000

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