Team Grades
~Overall: 65.1
~Defense: 66.7
~Run defense: 51.7
~Tackling: 43.0
~Pass rush: 58.2
~Coverage: 78.9
Notes
~ Safety TJ Metcalf led the Razorbacks not only in overall defense, but in run defense (81.5), tackling (82.3) and coverage (88.3).
~ The lowest tackling grades on the team belonged to safety Jayden Johnson (26.0), defensive end Landon Jackson (30.0), defensive end Anton Juncaj (35.9), linebacker Xavian Sorey Jr. (32.4) and linebacker Brad Spence (27.6).
~ Cornerback Jaheim Singletary had the secondary's lowest coverage grade (45.2), and also struggled in tackling (46.5) and run defense (45.4).
~ Nickelback Doneiko Slaughter rebounded in a big way against Auburn, as he finished with a 74.0 pass-rush grade and a 66.9 coverage grade.
~ Transfer linebacker Anthony Switzer excelled in tackling (81.3) and run defense (72.8), while transfer cornerback Marquise Robinson stood out in tackling (74.2) and coverage (69.7).
Arkansas Defense PFF Grades - Auburn
Note: Minimum of two snaps required.
| Player, position | PFF Grade - Auburn | Snaps vs Auburn |
|---|---|---|
| TJ Metcalf, S | 89.8 | 60 |
| Anthony Switzer, LB | 72.2 | 18 |
| Bradley Shaw, LB | 71.1 | 3 |
| Marquise Robinson, CB | 68.2 | 52 |
| Kee'yon Stewart, CB | 67.8 | 34 |
| Doneiko Slaughter, NB | 66.4 | 60 |
| Quincy Rhodes Jr., DE | 65.0 | 15 |
| Stephen Dix Jr., LB | 62.7 | 33 |
| Jayden Johnson, S | 62.1 | 60 |
| Eric Gregory, DT | 61.6 | 39 |
| Nico Davillier, DE | 60.6 | 41 |
| Cam Ball, DT | 60.6 | 38 |
| Landon Jackson, DE | 60.4 | 53 |
| Anton Juncaj, DE | 58.7 | 20 |
| Xavian Sorey Jr., LB | 58.2 | 48 |
| Keivie Rose, DT | 50.3 | 24 |
| Ian Geffrard, DT | 48.3 | 11 |
| Jaheim Singletary, CB | 42.7 | 34 |
| Brad Spence, LB | 36.1 | 20 |
TAKEAWAYS
1. Coverage crew steps up with contributors out
A key storyline heading into Arkansas-Auburn was pass-first Tigers signal caller Hank Brown versus a Razorbacks secondary without Jaylon Braxton and Hudson Clark.
Well, the weakened unit passed the test with mostly flying colors. To start, Metcalf put on a legacy performance to essentially shore up the starting safety position for the rest of the season.
Kee'yon Stewart, Robinson and Slaughter all finished in the top 10 of Arkansas' defensive grades, with the lone bad mark coming from Singletary.
Brown and Payton Thorne are far from the best quarterbacks Arkansas will face in the SEC, but the improvement in coverage is a good sign when preparing for Texas A&M quarterbacks (Marcel Reed and Connor Weigman) who both have under 60.0 completion percentages.
2. Time for change in linebacker room?
After a 10-tackle performance against UAB, Arkansas made the switch from Brad Spence to Stephen Dix Jr. in the starting lineup against Auburn. The former Marshall transfer took advantage and put on another solid performance against the Tigers, but question marks remain in the group.
Fellow starter Sorey (58.2) and Spence (36.1) both finished with poor grades and were especially subpar in the tackling department. That doesn't exactly bode well for the depth in the unit, especially when your other contributors (Switzer, Bradley Shaw, Alex Sanford) only played a combined 22 snaps.
3. Disappointment along defensive line
There comes a time when what you see is what you get, and that may be the unfortunate case for Landon Jackson. After a good game against UAB, the pass-rusher fell back down to earth with a middling outing against SEC competition (57.1 pass-rush grade).
In addition to him, Juncaj, Keivie Rose and Geffrard all graded out below 60.0. Defensive end Quincy Rhodes Jr. looked solid in limited reps, as he finished with a 65.0 grade on 15 snaps.
The three players who need to provide more are Cam Ball, Eric Gregory and Nico Davillier. The trio wasn't bad by any means against Auburn, but if opposing quarterbacks are ever going to be frightened by the Razorbacks' front, someone has to step up John Ridgeway or Armon Watts-style.
