Like it is: Hogs have transformed into a bowl-deserving team

WALLY HALL
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

There wasn't a sissy in the place.
War Memorial Stadium was rocking with a wet but rowdy crowd of 43,982 who celebrated as their Arkansas Razorbacks knocked off a ranked team for the second week in a row and became bowl-eligible. At least in name.
"Our fans were incredible," Houston Nutt said. "They are like the team, they never gave up."
Bone-chilled but thrilled, the fans watched a defense that gave up eight touchdowns three weeks ago to Tennessee but not even one in the last two games.
How effectively the Razorbacks neutralized the Tigers was clearly seen in one single statistic: LSU never drove into Arkansas territory.
Its second possession started at the Arkansas 45 and ended at the UA 8, but that was the Tigers' lone experience in enemy territory.
A 14-yard drive did get them to midfield -- once.
It was a defense that held Josh Booty to 6 completions in 27 attempts and only 1 of 17 in the second half.
What has happened is more than just Booty being shell-shocked by Quinton Caver and Carlos Hall.
It is more than holding the Tigers to a season-low 149 yards, and only 13 yards in the second half.
What has happened is obvious -- and it has to be blatantly so because no one will say it -- but two games ago John Thompson started calling the defensive signals, and in that time the Hogs are undefeated.
Thompson insists it is not him, but the results speak for themselves.
LSU, riding a four-game winning streak, needed to win to make it to the Cotton Bowl, but now the Tigers are probably headed to Shreveport and the Independence Bowl.
Last time Tigers Coach Nick Saban was there, he was with Michigan State and they were whipped by LSU.
The Razorbacks' bowl chances still seem slim, but if Kansas State knocks off Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game, both should earn a Bowl Championship Series berth.
That could open the galleryfurniture.com Bowl, which would give the SEC eight bowls for nine eligible teams.
The Las Vegas Bowl takes an at-large team to play against the Mountain West champion, so that is a possibility, too.
The Hogs' bowl chances could ride with how much leverage SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer has, and that is one of his strengths.
Whatever, the Razorbacks took care of business to make certain they reached six victories.
With just 2:52 gone in the first quarter, Caver picked off Booty's first pass and raced untouched 33 yards for the score.
The Hogs would never trail.
For the most part, it was like two counterpunchers waiting on the other to drop his guard.
LSU blinked first, fumbling a punt that Jermaine Petty recovered for Arkansas at the LSU 19. The Hogs took over at the 34 after a celebration penalty.
It was precisely 3:58 on the rainy, cold afternoon, 14:09 to play, when the Hogs re-entered the battleground after a timeout. It was fourth-and-4 from the 18.
Boo Williams set a perfect pick, and Robby Hampton lofted an 18-yard pass to Richard Smith.
On the next play, Brandon Holmes ran for the touchdown and sealed the victory.
Houston Nutt's play-calling was the difference.
Not just on that play, but because of something he had Hampton prepared to do all afternoon -- run the clock down on every play.
Most snaps came with the play clock inside five seconds.
"We knew we would need to shorten the game as much as possible," Nutt said. "Robby just did a great job."
Holmes' touchdown run was similar to the game-winner against Mississippi State last week in that the offensive line just wore down the defense.
"A few games ago, we realized it starts with the front five," left guard La'Zerius White sad. "We can't wait on something to happen. We have to make it happen."
They did that in the final quarter when freshman Holmes carried 16 times for 62 yards, including the 10-yard touchdown.
There has been a transformation of this team the past two weeks, especially on defense, but also on offense where a true freshman, who two weeks ago almost was moved to linebacker, got the job done.
Now, for the effort, they should be bowl-bound, if Kramer has the clout.

This article was published on Saturday, November 25, 2000

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