Hogs hold top SEC pass coverage grade through two weeks
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After finishing 11th in 2019, the Arkansas Razorbacks currently top the PFF grade chart for pass coverage in the SEC through two games.
Pass coverage was Arkansas's third worst category last season behind passing and pass blocking but, despite losing their leading coverage man Kam Curl, the group's looking stronger than they have in several years.
Even though the game ended in a 27 point deficit, the Razorbacks held Georgia to 266 yards passing and they came up with a pick and six pass breakups. Their grade against the Bulldogs was not overly impressive with a 64.7, but that still would've been the third highest grade last season.
It was the Hogs' performance against Mississippi State that really helped out their overall season grade and pushed them to the top of the SEC. The 85.5 grade, bolstered by one pick six by Gregory Brooks Jr. and two interceptions by Joe Foucha, is the highest they've received in pass coverage since PFF started grading games in 2014.
The Razorbacks held Mississippi State to 313 passing yards, nearly half as many as LSU allowed against the Bulldogs in week one. Quarterback K.J. Costello completed 43 of 59 passes (72.9%) but his 5.1 yards per attempt ranked 11th in the SEC in week two.
Barry Odom's game plan of rushing three and dropping eight back in coverage worked like a charm but the players also credited their game prep and film study for getting in the right position to make plays on Saturday. Brooks described how he made the pick six play:
"Basically all week in practice they ran that exact play, and I picked it off all week in practice. So I knew it was going to come," Brooks said. "I just sunk deep and broke on the quarterback’s hand and made a play."
Foucha is one of just three SEC defenders with two interceptions through two games and Arkansas is one of four SEC teams to have three different defenders with one or more picks, joining Georgia, LSU and Texas A&M.
Arkansas's highest graded defenders in pass coverage so far this season are Montaric Brown, Joe Foucha, Simeon Blair and Myles Slusher.
Arkansas's defense currently ranks tied for 5th in scoring defense, giving up 25.5 points per game and ninth in passing yards per game. Despite giving up 289.5 passing yards per game, they've limited huge plays through the air. So far, opponents have averaged just 5.4 yards per pass attempt, ranking them second in the SEC.
Arkansas, Georgia and Tennessee are currently the only defenses in the SEC that've had more picks than passing touchdowns allowed.
The Razorbacks face Auburn on the road on Saturday at 3 p.m. The Tigers rank 12th in the conference in passing yards per game (205) and they rank last in completion percentage (55.2).