By the Numbers: 38 days until Arkansas football

The Arkansas Razorbacks kickoff their 2023 college football season in 38 days when Western Carolina visits War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Saturday, September 2.

Here at HawgBeat, we will count down the days until Sam Pittman and his team run through the “A” for the first time.

With 38 days remaining, we will take a look at a current player, former player, some interesting scores, highlights and other miscellaneous things in Razorback history tied to the number 38.

Anton Pierce committed to Arkansas as a preferred walk-on by way of Little Rock. The 6-foot-2 safety prospect was rated as a 5.3 two-star by Rivals. With offers from Army, Air Force, Navy, North Alabama and Memphis, Pierce decided to stay home.

As a senior at Wilbur D. Mills High School, Pierce recorded 50 catches for 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns on offense. Defensively, he totaled 67 tackles, 10 pass breakups, six interceptions and five tackles for loss. He is listed as a defensive back on the Arkansas roster.

“Smacking Joe Black” is a nickname earned from his hometown of Smackover, Arkansas, and due to his ferocious tackling ability. Black was a member of the 1964 Razorback football team — the only one to win a national championship.

After his playing days were over, Black became the head coach at Smackover, and he led the Bucks to a 9-4 record in 2008.

Sadly, Black passed away at the age of 71 in 2015, but his memory lives on through his time with Razorback football and the lives he touched as a high school coach and mentor.

The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors hosted the Razorbacks for the first and only meeting between the two teams in program history. Going into the game, Arkansas was 8-3 and Hawaii was 5-6.

Razorback running back James Rouse had a good performance, gaining 96 rushing yards on 24 carries to push himself over the 1,000-yard mark for the season.

Legendary safety Steve Atwater made two interceptions in the game, including one in the first half to stall the Rainbow Warriors’ offense.

In the fourth quarter, Arkansas scored three touchdowns in quick succession to put the game away. Razorback freshman fullback Barry Foster drove in a touchdown as did Rouse and quarterback John Bland.

Arkansas had just lost to Alabama and was looking to avoid a third straight loss to Tennessee during the 2022 season. In a thrilling six-overtime game, the Razorbacks came up just short against the No. 10 Volunteers.

Entering the fourth quarter, Tennessee led 10-3. After a long Tennessee touchdown run put the Vols up 17-3, the Houston Nutt-led Razorbacks tied the game on a Matt Jones' 92-yard touchdown to Richard Smith.

In overtime, both teams went back and forth in front of an electric Neyland Stadium crowd. With the Razorbacks leading 38-35 in the sixth overtime, all Tennessee needed was a touchdown to end it.

A pass from quarterback Casey Clausen to tight-end Jason Witten resulted in a game-winning 25-yard touchdown and the Volunteers narrowly escaped defeat.

Following this game, Arkansas beat No. 24 Auburn and finished the 2002 season with a 9-5 record after losses to Georgia in the SEC Championship and Minnesota in the Music City Bowl.

Miller was an unranked running back prospect from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. He transferred to IMG Academy for his senior year of high school before enrolling with the Razorbacks.

As a freshman in 2015, the 5-foot-9 two-way player appeared in 12 games, mostly on special teams. He made two tackles.

In 2016, Miller played in all 13 games, totaling nine tackles, including five on kickoffs. He earned a scholarship prior to the season.

In his final season as a Razorback, Miller was relegated to special teams play where he made nine tackles and recovered one fumble.

With a lack of playing time, Miller chose to take his talents to the Montana Grizzlies for his final season of eligiblity.

In a legendary performance from Arkansas running back Darren McFadden during the 2007 season, the Razorbacks outlasted the Gamecocks, 48-36.

In 38 total plays, McFadden carried the ball 34 times for a whopping 321 yards and one touchdown, including a run of 80 yards.

The 6-foot-1 running back also threw a touchdown pass to Robert Johnson for McFadden's fifth passing touchdown of the season.

McFadden finished the 2007 season with 1,830 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.

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