Arkansas defense needs help, but it can still help itself

Let's be very clear up front: The defense is not what's wrong with Arkansas football. It isn't the first problem, the second problem, the third, fourth, or fifth.

Hunter Yurachek is problem number one. Arkansas not having good-enough offensive players, flowing from Yurachek's mismanagement, is problem number two. KJ Jackson is problem number three. Arkansas doesn't have a field general and passer who can mask the limitations elsewhere on the offense. The offensive line is problem number four. No run game exists to burn clock and keep the defense fresh. Problem number five is no second receiver being good enough to take pressure off Chris Marshall. The defense is not one of the five foremost problems with this team. It has been decent - not great, but tolerable - in light of the offense's many flaws and the Hogs' overall inability to control the ball and put the defense in positions to succeed. 

However, none of this means the defense is perfect or that it doesn't have to do anything more than what it is already doing. It's not as though the defense is a finished product, or that it is maxing out. Not even close. The defense is doing an acceptable job under brutally limited circumstances. It is not what is holding the program back, but it is not reaching the full height of its potential, either.

Arkansas' defense is not what lost the Razorbacks their game against Texas A&M. KJ Jackson throwing an early interception and putting the Hogs in a hole is what created the downward spiral which overwhelmed UA in this game. Nevertheless, the Arkansas defense - early in the contest, when freshness and fatigue were not factors - did not play its best. Texas A&M was able to run the ball on 15 of its first 18 plays and have success with that run-heavy approach. The Arkansas defense fundamentally failed at the obvious game plan for the Hogs against A&M: Make Marcel Reed win the game with his throwing arm. Reed is not a good passer. We know this. Everyone in the SEC knows this. Yet, Arkansas' defense was not able to steer the game in a direction where Reed had to make throws in third-and-long situations to keep drives alive and give A&M a chance to win. The Aggies were able to run the ball early, get a lead early, and shape the game the way they wanted to. 

Arkansas' defense is not the problem, but early-game defense and run-first defense obviously can be better. If this can improve, the team can improve ... and games might not get away from the Hogs in first halves. This is something for Ron Roberts' group to shoot for as the season moves along.