 
|
RETURN to main page
Down and out in Vegas
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE LAS VEGAS -- Somewhere between the Ozarks and the Strip, the Arkansas Razorbacks underwent a personality change. Looking nothing like the resurgent group it was in late November, Arkansas' defense unraveled under the pressure of a vibrant UNLV offense and the Razorbacks lost the Las Vegas Bowl 31-14 Thursday night at Sam Boyd Stadium. Arkansas scored on its first possession and then managed just one touchdown the rest of the game and was outgained 476-298 by the Rebels. The Hogs collected one first down and 116 yards in the second half. UNLV undressed the Razorbacks behind the passing and scrambling of quarterback Jason Thomas, who completed 12 of 17 passes for 217 yards and 3 touchdowns. Receiver Nate Turner made 8 catches for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. Arkansas quarterback Robby Hampton, healthier than he'd been in two months, completed 18 of 40 passes for 183 yards and 2 touchdowns. He overthrew open receivers several times. Arkansas ran head-on into an opponent inspired by its first bowl trip in six years and insulted by condescending comments from Hogs sophomore receiver Sparky Hamilton. Hamilton did a TV interview that aired Tuesday in Las Vegas, in which he said Arkansas was a more powerful team than UNLV. He made the same comments to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that day, comments which appeared in Thursday's editions. "They made a comment that they were superior to us," Thomas said. "We came out there in the first quarter and hit them in the mouth, got the momentum early and kept the pressure on. After that, they didn't think they were superior to us anymore." Several Arkansas players seemed surprised by the Rebels' performance. "We knew they were a good team, but it looked like they played a lot harder tonight than what we've seen them play like on film," receiver Boo Williams said. "They're a very good team. They've got a great quarterback. He's got the tools to go to the next level." The Rebels (8-5), who tied for third place in the Mountain West Conference, won the bowl game that is played annually in their home stadium. A chunk of the partisan crowd of 25,868 stormed the field and tore down a goal post. While jubilation reined on one side, frustration boiled into an ugly incident on Arkansas' sideline. Arkansas rover Derrick Johnson had to be restrained by teammates after a heated exchange with assistant coach Bill Johnson. Johnson and cornerback Orlando Green left the field and went to the locker room with about two minutes to play and Green returned moments later. Coach Houston Nutt would not comment on the incident. The loss spoiled a surprise ending to the regular season, in which the Razorbacks overcame an injury epidemic to win their last two games to become bowl-eligible. Arkansas finishes the season at 6-6, its first non-winning season since 1997, when that team went 4-7 in Danny Ford's last year as coach. How about this for more bad news: Arkansas has to play UNLV again to open next season in Little Rock. The game was scheduled long before the two teams were invited to the bowl. By the looks of the first meeting, the Hogs will need the time to figure out the Rebels' offense. The defense that shut Mississippi State and LSU out of the end zone allowed UNLV to move up and down the field. A diet of counter plays and draws seemed to mystify Arkansas, and the Rebels threw deep on the Hogs all night. Thomas threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Troy Mason to give the Rebels a 21-14 lead with 2:21 left in the third quarter. Dillon Pieffer kicked a 26-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter and Kevin Brown added an 18-yard touchdown run with 5:39 to play after the outcome was all but settled. Arkansas' offense moved within striking distance of the end zone only once in the second half, reaching the 12-yard line in the third quarter before Brennan O'Donohoe missed a 29-yard field goal attempt. The score was tied 14-14 at the time. "That really took the air out of us," Nutt said. "If we hit that, then we go up and it's a different game." Williams caught 5 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown in the first half but made just two catches for 13 yards in the second half. "Things just went south for us in the second half," Williams said. "I really can't explain it. Everything just went wrong for us." The offense had struggled all season, though. The defense had not struggled like this since Nutt changed philosophies in Week 10 by putting John Thompson in charge. Thompson installed more aggressive and gambling schemes that produced two victories. Arkansas had not allowed a touchdown in 10 quarters, including the first quarter of the bowl, until Thomas threw 19- and 5-yard passes to split end Nate Turner in the second quarter. Alternately leaving receivers wide-open and being in position but failing to make plays, Arkansas' defensive backs never did consistently slow down the Rebels' receivers. Johnson was in position to swat away the touchdown pass to Mason. Green was in position to make an interception but mistimed his jump, allowing Turner to catch a 45-yard pass falling on his back. That set up Turner's 5-yard touchdown catch to tied the score 14-14 with 3:12 left in the second quarter. UNLV adjusted to Arkansas' early pressure by moving Thomas out of the pocket, giving him more time to scan the field and more time for the receivers to get open deep. Turner ran by safety Ken Hamlin and broke open just as Thomas' first pass arrived in the end zone, tying the game 7-7 with 12:09 left in the first half. Two series later, Turner shook off cornerback D'Andre Berry with a quick move inside and caught the second touchdown pass. By that time, Thomas had thrown for 149 yards -- he had been averaging just 155 per game -- and had sent the Rebels into halftime tied 14-14. They would have led if not for Pieffer's missed 41-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter. It was a wild first half. Thomas spit in the face of Arkansas guard Kenny Sandlin after being chased out of bounds on a 27-yard run and being chucked by Sandlin on the sideline. Sandlin was not in on the play. UNLV was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. Arkansas and UNLV had four plays each of 15 yards or longer. UNLV fumbled three times but recovered each one. A potential fourth fumble was not allowed because officials ruled that the knee of Mason, who was returning a punt, had touched the ground first and the non-call proved costly to Arkansas. Replays showed Mason dropped the ball before his knee touched. Four plays later, Thomas hit Turner with the 5-yard touchdown pass with 3:12 left in the half. Arkansas had gone ahead 14-7 almost seven minutes earlier when Hampton threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Williams. Hampton hung in the pocket an extra second and took a hit from behind as he threw. Arkansas took the opening possession 69 yards in 14 plays, scoring on third and goal from the 7 when Hampton scrambled and fired a bullet to senior fullback Rod Stinson just over the goal line in a crowd. It was the first touchdown catch of Stinson's career. Nutt went for it on fourth and 8 from the UNLV 35 on the drive with Hampton throwing a 14-yard pass to Richard Smith.
This article was published on Friday, December 22, 2000RETURN to main page
Copyright and permissions Copyright © 2000, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. |
