LITTLE ROCK — It was a successful Arkansas debut for 6-foot-6, 230-pound redshirt junior quarterback Taylen Green on Thursday night during the 70-0 shutout of the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions in front of 40,127 fans at War Memorial Stadium.
The Boise State transfer filled the stat sheet with with 229 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, 88 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He was 16-of-23 passing (70% completion percentage) on the evening and he carried the ball six total times for an average of 14.7 yards per carry.
Oh, and all of that was just in the first half. Green didn't play at all in the second half, which featured two 10-minute quarters due to the Razorbacks' 49-0 halftime lead. Arkansas ended the game with 687 yards of total offense — third most in school history — and 10 total touchdowns.
"He extended plays," UAPB head coach Alonzo Hampton said after the game. "We couldn’t really get to the quarterback, didn’t get a sack and obviously man, he’s a really good football player. We knew he would run the boot and things of that nature. Early in the game, if you noticed, we made him drive the ball, but he’s a good football player. Again, my hats off to him and what they’re doing."
ALSO READ: Social media reacts to Arkansas' 70-0 win over UAPB
Green's initial drive featured a few first-game jitters, as he was off the mark on a few throws before he started to settle in a little more throughout the first half. That opening drive was capped off by an 8-yard touchdown run by Utah transfer halfback Ja'Quinden Jackson, and Green followed suit with a 5-yard rushing score of his own on the next possession to make it a quick 14-0 lead.
After Jackson posted his second touchdown with a 46-yard don't-look-back run on the next drive and Florida State transfer Rodney Hill added a 4-yard score, his first as a Hog, it was finally Green's turn again.
VIDEO: Sam Pittman, players postgame - Arkansas 70, UAPB 0
Arkansas' fourth drive of the game, which began with 14:54 in the second quarter, featured a 34-yard pass from Green to Texas A&M transfer receiver Jordan Anthony to get deep in Golden Lions' territory. Three plays later, Green found 6-foot-7 wide receiver Tyrone Broden for a 9-yard touchdown, the first passing touchdown of Green's Razorback career.
A native of Lewisville, Texas, Green really started to flash late in the second half, beginning with a 23-yard dime of a touchdown pass right in the breadbasket of tight end Ty Washington's hands to make it a 42-0 lead for the Razorbacks.
"Yeah, that’s straight drill-work," Green said of the touchdown to Washington. "I mean, we, the quarterbacks, Coach Petrino, we work that every single day. When they’re doing special teams, we’re always on the turf field working that exact look and that exact play.
"When we saw it, Coach Petrino was like, ‘that’s drill work’. And just praise to Ty for not stopping on the route. Caught it and scored a touchdown. You know, we had a little celebration that we were practicing, so it was fun."
RELATED: Highlights from Arkansas' shutout win over UAPB
The Hogs' new quarterback one-upped himself on that throw right before halftime, when he dashed from one side of the field to the other while evading UAPB defenders for a 36-yard touchdown run — his second of the day on the ground and fourth total.
"At first, you know, I looked at my first keys and what I have to do, and the routes," Green said. "Then I felt pressure to my right and escaped the pocket. I knew it was the two-minute, and at first I was going to throw it away, but then I decided to run. Of course the clock keeps rolling if I get tackled, so I was like, ‘I better score’. I crossed the field and saw the green grass and, you know, let my speed do the rest."
"We knew he was fast but we just hadn’t seen it," Pittman said. "The broken play coming down the UAPB sideline there going north, that was a hard run. That was a hard play because he had to come all the way across and he had the speed."
Green wasn't perfect by any means Thursday, and he caught a few breaks on some passes that were not on the mark. There were at least one or two drops by Arkansas receivers, as well.
First-year offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino clearly has a weapon at his disposal in Green, who threw for 1,752 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions a year ago at Boise State. Green's legs have always been a threat, as he dashed for a combined 903 rushing yards and 17 scores on the ground over the 2022-23 seasons.
Up next, the Razorbacks will hit the road for a tough non-conference test at No. 17 Oklahoma State on Saturday, Sept. 7. Kickoff at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma, is slated for 11 a.m. CT and ABC will televise the game.
The Boise State transfer filled the stat sheet with with 229 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, 88 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He was 16-of-23 passing (70% completion percentage) on the evening and he carried the ball six total times for an average of 14.7 yards per carry.
Oh, and all of that was just in the first half. Green didn't play at all in the second half, which featured two 10-minute quarters due to the Razorbacks' 49-0 halftime lead. Arkansas ended the game with 687 yards of total offense — third most in school history — and 10 total touchdowns.
"He extended plays," UAPB head coach Alonzo Hampton said after the game. "We couldn’t really get to the quarterback, didn’t get a sack and obviously man, he’s a really good football player. We knew he would run the boot and things of that nature. Early in the game, if you noticed, we made him drive the ball, but he’s a good football player. Again, my hats off to him and what they’re doing."
ALSO READ: Social media reacts to Arkansas' 70-0 win over UAPB
Green's initial drive featured a few first-game jitters, as he was off the mark on a few throws before he started to settle in a little more throughout the first half. That opening drive was capped off by an 8-yard touchdown run by Utah transfer halfback Ja'Quinden Jackson, and Green followed suit with a 5-yard rushing score of his own on the next possession to make it a quick 14-0 lead.
After Jackson posted his second touchdown with a 46-yard don't-look-back run on the next drive and Florida State transfer Rodney Hill added a 4-yard score, his first as a Hog, it was finally Green's turn again.
VIDEO: Sam Pittman, players postgame - Arkansas 70, UAPB 0
Arkansas' fourth drive of the game, which began with 14:54 in the second quarter, featured a 34-yard pass from Green to Texas A&M transfer receiver Jordan Anthony to get deep in Golden Lions' territory. Three plays later, Green found 6-foot-7 wide receiver Tyrone Broden for a 9-yard touchdown, the first passing touchdown of Green's Razorback career.
A native of Lewisville, Texas, Green really started to flash late in the second half, beginning with a 23-yard dime of a touchdown pass right in the breadbasket of tight end Ty Washington's hands to make it a 42-0 lead for the Razorbacks.
"Yeah, that’s straight drill-work," Green said of the touchdown to Washington. "I mean, we, the quarterbacks, Coach Petrino, we work that every single day. When they’re doing special teams, we’re always on the turf field working that exact look and that exact play.
"When we saw it, Coach Petrino was like, ‘that’s drill work’. And just praise to Ty for not stopping on the route. Caught it and scored a touchdown. You know, we had a little celebration that we were practicing, so it was fun."
RELATED: Highlights from Arkansas' shutout win over UAPB
The Hogs' new quarterback one-upped himself on that throw right before halftime, when he dashed from one side of the field to the other while evading UAPB defenders for a 36-yard touchdown run — his second of the day on the ground and fourth total.
"At first, you know, I looked at my first keys and what I have to do, and the routes," Green said. "Then I felt pressure to my right and escaped the pocket. I knew it was the two-minute, and at first I was going to throw it away, but then I decided to run. Of course the clock keeps rolling if I get tackled, so I was like, ‘I better score’. I crossed the field and saw the green grass and, you know, let my speed do the rest."
"We knew he was fast but we just hadn’t seen it," Pittman said. "The broken play coming down the UAPB sideline there going north, that was a hard run. That was a hard play because he had to come all the way across and he had the speed."
Green wasn't perfect by any means Thursday, and he caught a few breaks on some passes that were not on the mark. There were at least one or two drops by Arkansas receivers, as well.
First-year offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino clearly has a weapon at his disposal in Green, who threw for 1,752 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions a year ago at Boise State. Green's legs have always been a threat, as he dashed for a combined 903 rushing yards and 17 scores on the ground over the 2022-23 seasons.
Up next, the Razorbacks will hit the road for a tough non-conference test at No. 17 Oklahoma State on Saturday, Sept. 7. Kickoff at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma, is slated for 11 a.m. CT and ABC will televise the game.
