Arkansas football continues its 2024 season against Louisiana Tech in just four days at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, and Bulldogs head coach Sonny Cumbie spoke to the media Tuesday to preview the matchup.
Louisiana Tech has been on a bit of a roller-coaster this season, as it defeated a team like Western Kentucky (7-3 record) and nearly beat NC State on the road, but the Bulldogs lost Tulsa, FIU and Sam Houston.
Under Cumbie's leadership, Louisiana Tech has accumulated a 10-24 (7-16 CUSA) overall record in three seasons. This year, the Bulldogs boast the No. 104 total offense (344.4 YPG) and No. 61 passing offense (232.2 YPG) in the country.
This will mark the fifth meeting between the two teams, as Arkansas leads the series 4-0. The Razorbacks won the first ever matchup, 16-0, in 1901 and their lastest victory came in 2016, 21-20.
Here's everything Cumbie had to say about Pittman, the Razorbacks and his team:
On Arkansas QB Taylen Green:
Cumbie: “I think what obviously jumps out to you is his athleticism, but I think since he came from Boise State to Arkansas, I think Coach Petrino, his track record with quarterbacks speaks for itself. He’s done a really remarkable job in that area, he’s a phenomenal play-caller and football coach. I think he’s done a lot with Taylen in terms of throwing, his accuracy, his ability as a passer and I think they’ve really tailored what they do offensively to his skill set.
"He’s able to push the ball down the field in terms of the play-action, throws the ball accurately deep down the field and then when things are covered up, he puts some strain on you from a coverage standpoint in particular on third downs just because of his ability to extend plays. He’s 6-foot-6, 230-pounds, he’s a big kid and he can run fast. So, he’s difficult to tackle at times."
On his interactions with Sam Pittman:
Cumbie: "Really the interactions I’ve had with Coach Pittman have been exclusively in recruiting. We were at the junior college national championship game last year in Little Rock. I believe it was Iowa Western and East Mississippi. You know you have opportunities to bump into people and say hello and visit with them and that’s really been the extent of our interactions on the road recruiting."
On facing Arkansas in 2017 as TCU's OC:
Cumbie: "It was a great atmosphere. I remember in the end zone, can’t remember which one it was, the complex was being built. I see that’s completed on film. It was a great atmosphere. That game was really important for us in that season in terms of ’16 because in ’15 the year before, you guys beat us in overtime. And so that was a big game for us to be able to pull that one off early in the year."
On former Arkansas LB Zach Zimos:
Cumbie: “I think Zach has had a huge impact on our program. I think coming to us last year his role really grew and evolved at linebacker last year towards the end of the year. And then this year from a defensive standpoint, the structure that we play, it fits him really well at linebacker. Whether it’s at Sam linebacker or whether it’s at Mike, he’s got some position flexibility there. And he’s brought obviously production and he’s done a lot of great things on the field for us.
"Football means a great deal to him. He studies the game as much as anybody that we have. And so from that standpoint, really glad to have him in our program. And then you go into the other side of it, just the type of leader that he is. He cares a great deal about football. He works extremely hard.
"It’s hard to put into words in terms of the value that he’s brought to our football team and this team room and the meeting rooms and how he approaches things. He’s such a mature kid and I think that brings the level of your room up and the level of your football team up. I think it’s a success story from the transfer portal from the standpoint of coming somewhere and having an impact on the field and also off the field.
"Shoot, he was at AAP car line this morning, welcoming kids to school at the local elementary school. He’s been very intentional about his time here in Ruston, so I think his impact has undoubtedly gone further than just what he’s done on the football field and we love having him."
On former LA Tech Bulldog and current Razorback Keivie Rose:
Cumbie: “Keivie’s a good player. He was a good player. He was here with us for a couple years and ended up graduating in the summer and going to Arkansas. He’s a good player and I wish Keivie the best in every game except for this one. He was fun to coach."
On Arkansas' defense:
Cumbie: “I think their roster is a really good roster. I think Landon Jackson is arguably one of the best pass-rushers in the country at defensive line. I think Eric Gregory creates a lot of problems from an interior standpoint on the defensive line, and I think you take out the Ole Miss game from a defensive standpoint in watching it just because I think that’s the outlier in the whole season.
"I think the rest of the season they’ve played really good defense, you mentioned it, they held Tennessee to 14 points I believe. They held Texas, as explosive of an offense that they have to 20 points last week. So, I think they’ve played really, really consistent defense minus the Ole Miss football game.”
On Arkansas' offense:
Cumbie: "I think on offense, Ja’Quinden Jackson is a really top-notch running back. I mean, he’s really difficult to tackle, he’s physical. I think Isaiah Sategna is top-end speed-wise. He showed it, I know it got called back in the Pine-Bluff game, but he showed it in terms of the punt-return game. In terms of his speed and his ability to make plays with the football, Andrew Armstrong, a Texas A&M-Commerce transfer, kid from Dallas at 6-foot-4, 205-pounds, runs really well.
"So, they’re explosive and their offensive line is probably the biggest we’ve seen. So, I think that Coach Pittman and his staff – it’s a tough league and the division that they’re in is really difficult, but I think their roster is very talented."
