Brandon Allen returned from a shoulder injury against Texas A&M and threw for a career high 282 yards and three touchdowns. The sophomore signal caller also threw a pair of interceptions in the loss, but his return did provide a spark for the Arkansas offense.
“He is a great leader,” said Running Back Jonathan Williams. “He has a great arm and he can make any pass. It’s really exciting to see him back out there.”
“He is a big leader for us and gives a spark to us,” said Tight End Hunter Henry. “The fact he was going to fight through that injury and come out and play, it kind of gave us an edge to go out there and play a little bit harder.”
This week’s game at the swamp should be one of the toughest challenges for the Razorback offense this season. Florida has defensive backs who play outstanding man-to-man coverage and defensive linemen who generate a lot of pressure.
“We can’t give them anything, because they are such a great defense,” said Allen. “Anything that we mess up ourselves is only going to help them and that is something we can’t afford.”
“They are good,” said Offensive Coordinator Jim Chaney. “They are fast. They are complex in the way they line up in the front and their secondary is very aggressive. It will be quite a challenge for us.”
Yards will be hard to come by for Arkansas on Saturday. Florida has the best rushing defense in the nation and ranks second in total defense, allowing just over 202 yards per game.
“We have to be efficient,” said Allen. “We have to do all of the little things right on our offense. They are a big and fast defense and not many mistakes on their side of the ball.”
“You know they are really good and they measure out in the top categories every where around the nation,” said Henry. “It is going to be a big challenge for us and we are going to have to execute our game plan and have a great week of practice in preparation for them.”
The Hogs have not defeated the Gators since joining the SEC back in 1992 and that is a huge motivational factor for the players and coaching staff this week.
