Studs and duds from Razorbacks close home loss to No. 4 Aggies

Stud: Arkansas fanbase

The Razorbacks had plenty of individual studs during the game, but its biggest was the announced home crowd of 73,845 showing up after enduring a two hour weather delay.

Maybe it’s the Bobby Petrino factor that has fans hanging on by a thread. But, he’s got his team and fanbase bought in while taking two potential playoff teams to the wire. 

Stud: RB Mike Washington

Washington is running around like man possessed this season as one of the many offensive transfers to pan out. 

He earned his second straight 100-yard performance and third of the year by rushing for 16 carries for 147 yards but missed paydirt by inches on a couple of carries. 

The fifth-year senior's success speaks volumes for a seldom known 2-star running back out of upstate New York. He always dreamed of playing at a high level in the SEC and has proven as much with a short sample size.  

If he continues to put together quality games together, then he’ll etch his name into the Razorback record books with a possible 1,000 yard season.

Stud and Dud: Taylen Green

There is no other player on the Arkansas roster than can captivate the field and TV sets each week than the Razorbacks star quarterback.

As many incredible plays he performs by putting the whole team on his back, he can make some ill advised decisions that can put the offense behind the sticks rather quickly.

Whether it be 20-yard sacks running backwards to evade pressure or struggling with ball security at key points that's what he brings to the table.

Green had an electric night by completing 19-of-32 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns while running all over the field for 133 yards and two touchdowns, but sack yardage netted him just 85 yards on the night.

At this point in his career, Arkansas has to take the positives with negatives at this point in Green's career while hoping for the best. That means the best will have to come against teams outside of the College Football Playoff discussion such as Auburn and Mississippi State over the next two weeks.

Dud: Razorbacks' defense

As if we haven't beat this horse to death already this season, we'll do it once more.

What former coach Sam Pittman allowed his defense to become is an atrocity to big boy football, and this wasn't the first instance during his tenure. At one point, Arkansas' pass coverage in 2022 was dead last among FBS, FCS, Division II and likely couldn't have covered an NAIA offense.

Readers will probably hate the term used here, but this defense is generationally bad across the board. The defensive line lacks anyone who can generate a rush, its linebacker corps has failed to live up to expectations, and the secondary continues to be exposed by tight ends sitting in the flat and skinny drag routes.

As good as Arkansas' offense is, the defense is bad and there's no way to overcome a lack of personnel at this point, especially along the defensive line.

Interim defensive coordinator Chris Wilson is trying to manage the hand he's dealt, but it alos led to his defensive front being gouged by Aggies' running back Rueben Owen in the second half for a pair of touchdowns on virtually what appeared to be the same play.

Whoever the Razorbacks' next coach is in December will have a major overhaul on their hands, but luckily athletics director Hunter Yurachek has pledged the resources necessary to do just that when the transfer portal opens.

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