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FAYETTEVILLE — A major key to Arkansas preventing another record-breaking passing performance by K.J. Costello this week this week is turning up the pressure.
The Razorbacks hope to make the Mississippi State quarterback - fresh off throwing for an SEC-record 623 yards in an upset win at LSU - as uncomfortable as possible Saturday.
Unfortunately for them, though, they could be without one of their starting defensive ends and best pass rushers. After suffering an ankle injury against Georgia, Gerald has missed multiple practices this week and head coach Sam Pittman did not sound optimistic that he’d be ready this weekend.
“Well, I don’t know,” Pittman said when asked about his status Thursday afternoon. “We’re hoping, but as of right now, we’ll just have to kind of wait and see.”
If he’s unable to play against the Bulldogs, Arkansas will have a couple of options to fill Gerald’s spot.
Although he missed the opener, sophomore Mataio Soli is back at practice and will be able to play Saturday. Listed as the second-team jack on the depth chart, he replaced Gerald when he suffered a season-ending injury in last year’s opener and then started the final 11 games of the season.
“We needed him back regardless of Dorian’s status, but we needed him back,” Pittman said. “He’s looked good. Obviously, he was out a few days…10 days, so we were concerned about his conditioning, but not so much anymore.”
With Soli out against Georgia, though, it was sophomore Zach Williams who stepped up Gerald’s absence last week.
He played a career-high 66 snaps - which was about three times as many as he played in any game as a true freshman - and was credit with seven tackles, including a sack. Even if Gerald is able to play, Pittman said the performance earned Williams more playing time moving forward.
“I thought he played hard,” Pittman said. “Obviously, he got a sack, so that'll do something for his confidence. We're certainly going to need him for pressure on Costello on Saturday.”
Coupled with defensive ends Julius Coates and Eric Gregory, who rotated on the other end of the defensive line, those players will be critical in generating the pass rush Pittman and defensive coordinator Barry Odom are looking for.
Against LSU, Costello completed nearly two-thirds of his passes when given a clean pocket, but his completion percentage dipped below 50 percent when pressured, according to Pro Football Focus.
“If we let him just sit back there, he's going to pick us apart,” Pittman said. “We have to move him. He can't just stand there. … If we don't sack him, he has to move. We have to pressure him and I'm excited to see what our scheme does."
Based on what the Tigers did, even in a losing effort, the Razorbacks should be able to get some pressure on the graduate transfer from Stanford.
In addition to five sacks, the Bulldogs also gave up seven quarterback hits and 28 hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. That earned them an abysmal 8.9 pass-blocking grade.
Right guard Dareuan Parker posted a solid 78.6 grade, but Mississippi State’s other four starters earned sub-50 overall grades with sub-30 marks in pass blocking.
LSU’s defensive ends racked up 21 total pressures, with right tackle Kwatrivous Johnson being charged with 11 of them - contributing to his 0.0 pass-blocking grade.
If the Razorbacks can take advantage of those weaknesses - and the back end of the defense can stick with receivers - they’ll have a shot at containing the Bulldogs’ explosive offense.
“I feel like we need to get pressure on him because I feel like he’s better inside the pocket,” safety Simeon Blair said. “If we get him off his spot, I feel like it’ll be better for us.
“When he does get out of the pocket, we just have to make sure we lock on to our man and stay in our zones, that way there won’t be any open spots for him to find.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on SEC Network Alternate.
