Sign up for an annual HawgBeat subscription and get $50 for Arkansas gear on the Rivals Fan Shop ––> details

College Students, get a year of HawgBeat coverage for just $11.95. Request details via email from your school account (.edu) to nchavanelle@yahoo.com.

Arkansas’ struggles on defense the last several years are well documented.

Giving up more points and yards per game than ever before last season was just the latest chapter in arguably the Razorbacks’ worst stretch of defense in school history.

One of the common themes of those units has been allowing big plays. Over the past four seasons, opponents have racked up 77 plays of at least 40 yards against Arkansas. That ranks 124th out of 130 FBS teams and dead last in the SEC.

For some perspective, the other 13 schools in the conference have given up an average of 46.4 such plays over that span - despite many playing several more games because of bowls.

The man tasked with fixing that issue is defensive coordinator Barry Odom, who was specifically asked about this area during a teleconference with local reporters Friday afternoon.

“The other side has scholarship guys, too; we’re facing some (good) players,” Odom said. “There are going to be times when they make some plays. That’s going to happen.

“But also, let’s eliminate big plays. Structurally, let’s make sure that we’re sound and understand our responsibilities in doing our job every snap. You look at bottom line, our best way that we can play defense is making sure we don’t give up explosive plays.”

Not surprisingly, about two-thirds of those big plays were through the air, as it’s typically easier to get chunk yards in the passing game than by running.

However, Arkansas has struggled in both departments. It’s ranked 100th or worse in passing yards allowed per attempt and rushing yards allowed per carry three times each over the previous four seasons.

There are obviously more issues than just big plays, but if the Razorbacks could make a jump in cutting those down in 2020, it would go a long way in improving the overall defense.

“Say you play 75 snaps - you could play really good defense for 68 of those 75 plays, but on those seven remaining plays if you give up chunk yardage or explosive plays, then it’s not a very good day,” Odom said. “So it’s not just on the defensive line, it’s not just on the secondary, it’s all of them collectively together.”