From @Jamesonevers
arkansas.rivals.com
After arguably the worst performance of the season in a blowout home loss to Auburn last week, Arkansas turns its attention to the Florida International Panthers, who the Hogs will play Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
FIU is a Conference USA member and has had similar struggles to Arkansas, going just 4-6 so far in the season, including a 1-6 mark in CUSA games. Arkansas enters Saturday's clash as heavy favorites — 31-point favorites to be exact, so we *should* be in for a pretty healthy Razorback win, despite recent performance.
Here is what to expect from FIU on Saturday night.
Record: 4-6
Last Week: 40-6 loss at Middle Tennessee
Offensive Coordinator: David Yost
Offensive Scheme: 11 personnel zone running game, air raid influence
Defensive Coordinator: Jovan Dewitt
Defensive Scheme: 4-2-5
Arkansas has had a really tough schedule, with road games at LSU, Alabama, and Ole Miss. This game is absolutely a reprieve from that.
This FIU team is really just not great, having not beaten any team of real quality, and being outright dominated in games against teams even remotely competent. FIU’s wins have been against 1-9 UCONN, 2-8 Sam Houston, 3-8 North Texas, and FCS Maine, all by one score. FIU also owns loses of five scores twice, four scores once and three scores twice.
Offensively, FIU has averaged 19.3 points per game. The Panthers have been able to move the ball in most games, but scoring has been more of a problem. FIU has scored a touchdown on just over 50% of their red zone trips and its getting points on about 75% percent of their trips near the opponent's end zone.
Defensively, FIU has played to the level of the competition, performing pretty well against bad offenses and getting lit up by good offenses. FIU has given up 38 to a good Liberty team, 41 to Jacksonville State and 40 to Middle Tennessee last week. Given the level of competition FIU presents, it is likely to see a similar scoring output from the Razorbacks.
Run Defense - The strength of the team, FIU has largely been a solid run defense for most of the season. FIU has allowed under five yards per carry in six out of 10 games, and has only allowed over five yards per carry in one game. The run defense is led by linebackers Donovan Manual and Reggie Peterson, who have 38 and 24 run stops respectively.
The Panther run defense has also done a good job of limiting explosive plays, with just over 14% of opposing carries against them going for 10 yards or more yards. FIU has also generated a negative play on 10% of opponent rushes, both solid to elite marks in the FBS.
Running Game - Although not the best running game in the world, the FIU running game has its positives. FIU averages a solid 4.6 yards per rush, with two running backs over five yards — Kejon Owens and Shomari Lawrence. Owens in particular has been explosive, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He has 11 runs over 10 yards on just 66 attempts. The Panthers also do a decent job of staying ahead of the sticks, with only 9% of their runs losing yardage, one of the better marks in CUSA overall.
Pass Protection and Quarterback Play - In what feels like something I write every week, the FIU passing games leaves a lot to be desired. The Panthers have been sacked a whopping 42 times in 10 games, with every single one of their quarterbacks owning a pressure to sack rate above 35%, although none of them have thrown enough passes to qualify for the national leaderboard. The offensive line isn’t much better, with a team pass blocking grade of 48.3, which is worst in all of the FBS. Arkansas will have a ton of chances to get pressure Saturday, against a very overmatched Panther offensive line.
Pass Coverage - While not as glaring as the offensive line, Pass coverage can be a problem for FIU. FIU has gotten torched on multiple occasions, with both Middle Tennessee and UTEP averaging over 12 yards per attempt, and has given up more than seven yards per attempt in every game except Jacksonville State and UConn. FIU has been particularly vulnerable over the middle of the field, with no linebacker on the team owning a coverage grade over 66, per Pro Football Focus. Arkansas has not always been able or willing to make hay through the air, but room to roam will be available in the Panther secondary.
I would be shocked if this didn’t get ugly for FIU, as it has shown basically no ability to stop teams with any kind of real talent, and Arkansas despite it poor record will be by far the best team the Panthers have played. Despite Arkansas’ abysmal performance last week, the Hogs should find themselves back in the win column with relative ease.
Arkansas 41, FIU 10
HawgBeat - Scouting the FIU Panthers
HawgBeat provides an in-depth look at the challenge FIU presents for Arkansas.
arkansas.rivals.com
After arguably the worst performance of the season in a blowout home loss to Auburn last week, Arkansas turns its attention to the Florida International Panthers, who the Hogs will play Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
FIU is a Conference USA member and has had similar struggles to Arkansas, going just 4-6 so far in the season, including a 1-6 mark in CUSA games. Arkansas enters Saturday's clash as heavy favorites — 31-point favorites to be exact, so we *should* be in for a pretty healthy Razorback win, despite recent performance.
Here is what to expect from FIU on Saturday night.
FIU Resume
Coach: Mike MacIntyre (3rd season)Record: 4-6
Last Week: 40-6 loss at Middle Tennessee
Offensive Coordinator: David Yost
Offensive Scheme: 11 personnel zone running game, air raid influence
Defensive Coordinator: Jovan Dewitt
Defensive Scheme: 4-2-5
Tale of the tape
Arkansas has had a really tough schedule, with road games at LSU, Alabama, and Ole Miss. This game is absolutely a reprieve from that.
This FIU team is really just not great, having not beaten any team of real quality, and being outright dominated in games against teams even remotely competent. FIU’s wins have been against 1-9 UCONN, 2-8 Sam Houston, 3-8 North Texas, and FCS Maine, all by one score. FIU also owns loses of five scores twice, four scores once and three scores twice.
Offensively, FIU has averaged 19.3 points per game. The Panthers have been able to move the ball in most games, but scoring has been more of a problem. FIU has scored a touchdown on just over 50% of their red zone trips and its getting points on about 75% percent of their trips near the opponent's end zone.
Defensively, FIU has played to the level of the competition, performing pretty well against bad offenses and getting lit up by good offenses. FIU has given up 38 to a good Liberty team, 41 to Jacksonville State and 40 to Middle Tennessee last week. Given the level of competition FIU presents, it is likely to see a similar scoring output from the Razorbacks.
Strengths
Run Defense - The strength of the team, FIU has largely been a solid run defense for most of the season. FIU has allowed under five yards per carry in six out of 10 games, and has only allowed over five yards per carry in one game. The run defense is led by linebackers Donovan Manual and Reggie Peterson, who have 38 and 24 run stops respectively.
The Panther run defense has also done a good job of limiting explosive plays, with just over 14% of opposing carries against them going for 10 yards or more yards. FIU has also generated a negative play on 10% of opponent rushes, both solid to elite marks in the FBS.
Running Game - Although not the best running game in the world, the FIU running game has its positives. FIU averages a solid 4.6 yards per rush, with two running backs over five yards — Kejon Owens and Shomari Lawrence. Owens in particular has been explosive, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He has 11 runs over 10 yards on just 66 attempts. The Panthers also do a decent job of staying ahead of the sticks, with only 9% of their runs losing yardage, one of the better marks in CUSA overall.
Weaknesses
Pass Protection and Quarterback Play - In what feels like something I write every week, the FIU passing games leaves a lot to be desired. The Panthers have been sacked a whopping 42 times in 10 games, with every single one of their quarterbacks owning a pressure to sack rate above 35%, although none of them have thrown enough passes to qualify for the national leaderboard. The offensive line isn’t much better, with a team pass blocking grade of 48.3, which is worst in all of the FBS. Arkansas will have a ton of chances to get pressure Saturday, against a very overmatched Panther offensive line.
Pass Coverage - While not as glaring as the offensive line, Pass coverage can be a problem for FIU. FIU has gotten torched on multiple occasions, with both Middle Tennessee and UTEP averaging over 12 yards per attempt, and has given up more than seven yards per attempt in every game except Jacksonville State and UConn. FIU has been particularly vulnerable over the middle of the field, with no linebacker on the team owning a coverage grade over 66, per Pro Football Focus. Arkansas has not always been able or willing to make hay through the air, but room to roam will be available in the Panther secondary.
Prediction
I would be shocked if this didn’t get ugly for FIU, as it has shown basically no ability to stop teams with any kind of real talent, and Arkansas despite it poor record will be by far the best team the Panthers have played. Despite Arkansas’ abysmal performance last week, the Hogs should find themselves back in the win column with relative ease.
Arkansas 41, FIU 10
