2015 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

Last updated

2015 Arkansas Razorbacks football
Arkansas Razorbacks logo.svg
Liberty Bowl champion
Liberty Bowl, W 45–23 vs. Kansas State
Conference Southeastern Conference
DivisionWestern Division
Record8–5 (5–3 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Dan Enos (1st season)
Offensive scheme Pro-style
Defensive coordinator Robb Smith (2nd season)
Base defense 4–3
Home stadium Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
War Memorial Stadium
Seasons
←  2014
2016  →
2015 Southeastern Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
No. 25 Florida x  7 –1   10 –4  
No. 22 Tennessee  5 –3   9 –4  
Georgia  5 –3   10 –3  
Vanderbilt  2 –6   4 –8  
Kentucky  2 –6   5 –7  
Missouri*  1 –7   5 –7  
South Carolina  1 –7   3 –9  
West Division
No. 1 Alabama x$#^  7 –1   14 –1  
No. 10 Ole Miss  6 –2   10 –3  
Arkansas  5 –3   8 –5  
No. 16 LSU * 5 –3   9 –3  
Texas A&M  4 –4   8 –5  
Mississippi State  4 –4   9 –4  
Auburn  2 –6   7 –6  
Championship: Alabama 29, Florida 15
  • # – College Football Playoff champion
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • * LSU and Missouri vacated all wins due to NCAA violations.
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2015 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas during the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Razorbacks played their home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. They competed as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Arkansas was led by third-year head coach Bret Bielema. Dan Enos served his first season as offensive coordinator, replacing Jim Chaney who left for a job with Pittsburgh. Enos was previously the head coach of Central Michigan.

Contents

Personnel

Coaching staff

NamePositionSeasons at
Arkansas		Alma mater
Bret Bielema Head coach 3 Iowa (1992)
Dan Enos Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks 1 Michigan State (1991)
Sam Pittman Associate head coach/offensive line/recruiting coordinator 3 Pittsburg State (1986)
Barry Lunney Jr. Tight ends 3 Arkansas (1996)
Michael Smith Wide receivers 3 Kansas State (1991)
Jemal Singleton Running backs 1 Air Force (1999)
Robb Smith Defensive coordinator/secondary 2 Allegheny College (1997)
Vernon Hargreaves Linebackers 1 Connecticut (1986)
Clay Jennings Secondary 2 North Texas (1996)
Rory Segrest Defensive line/specialists2 Alabama (1996)
Ernest E.K. FranksDirector of recruiting3 Kansas State (2002)
Reference: [1]

Background

In the second season under head coach Bret Bielema, the Razorbacks went to a bowl game and had a winning record for the first time since 2011, which was the last season of former head coach Bobby Petrino.

Arkansas won three of its last four games, including becoming the first team in NCAA Division I history to shut out consecutive ranked opponents (LSU, Ole Miss) as an unranked team.

They ended the year by routing rival Texas in the 2014 Texas Bowl, 31–7.

Recap

Arkansas lost leading returning rusher Jonathan Williams before the season to a foot injury, tempering expectations slightly, but the #18 ranked Razorbacks cruised to a 48-13 victory over UTEP in the season opener.

The next three weeks, however, were full of disappointment. First, the Razorbacks lost to Toledo, a 23-point underdog, in Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium, 16-12, and then turned around and lost to Texas Tech in Fayetteville, 35-24. A week later, Texas A&M defeated the Razorbacks in overtime for the second consecutive year, 28-21, to begin SEC play.

Bielema got his first SEC road win to begin October, defeating the Tennessee Volunteers 24-20 in Neyland Stadium. After dropping one on the road to eventual SEC champion Alabama on October 10, the Razorbacks would not lose again until November 21.

That included a four-overtime win at home over Auburn, a wild overtime victory over then #19 Ole Miss on the road which saw the Razorbacks convert a 4th-and-25 in overtime via a lateral from tight end Hunter Henry, and a 31-14 dismantling of then #9 LSU.

Despite losing a shootout to Mississippi State in Fayetteville, Arkansas bounced back with a 28-3 victory in the regular season finale over Missouri in Gary Pinkel's final game coaching the Tigers.

Arkansas accepted an invitation to the Liberty Bowl to play Kansas State on Jan. 2. Thanks to three touchdowns and 185 yards from running back Alex Collins, the Razorbacks defeated the Wildcats, 45-23. It was the first time Arkansas had won back-to-back bowl games in consecutive seasons in program history, and the 45 points was the most ever in a bowl game. The Razorbacks have won each of their last three bowl games, counting back to the 2012 Cotton Bowl.

The seven regular season wins, including five in SEC play, were the most for Arkansas since Bobby Petrino's final season in 2011. That season also ended with a bowl game victory against Kansas State.

Tight end Hunter Henry and offensive guard Sebastian Tretola were named first team All-SEC. Henry was also a consensus first team All-American, and won the John Mackey Award given to the nation's best tight end. Tretola was named an All-American as well. Quarterback Brandon Allen, Collins, and offensive tackle Dan Skipper were named second team All-SEC. Freshman linebacker Dre Greenlaw was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, as well as the Freshman All-American Team.

Collins was named the Liberty Bowl MVP. Collins would finish the season with 1,577 yards rushing, good enough for third place in the Arkansas all-time single season record book. Collins' 20 rushing touchdowns in 2015 ranks first for the Hogs program. Collins elected to leave early for the NFL draft, finishing his college career with 3,703 yards, which is second in school history behind only Darren McFadden, and 36 rushing touchdowns. He also became only the third player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons, joining McFadden (2005-2007) and Ben Cowins (1976-1978), as well as joining McFadden and Herschel Walker as the only running backs in SEC history to have 1,000 yard seasons in their first three years playing college football.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 52:30 p.m. UTEP *No. 18
 ESPNU W 48–1367,708
September 123:00 p.m. Toledo *No. 18
 SECN L 12–1649,591
September 196:00 p.m. Texas Tech *
  • Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
  • Fayetteville, AR (rivalry)
 ESPN2 L 24–3573,334
September 266:00 p.m.vs. No. 14 Texas A&M
ESPN L 21–28 OT67,339
October 36:00 p.m.at Tennessee
ESPN2W 24–20101,265
October 106:00 p.m.at No. 8 Alabama
ESPNL 14–27101,821
October 2411:00 a.m. Auburn
  • Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
  • Fayetteville, AR
SECNW 54–46 4OT72,008
October 313:00 p.m. Tennessee–Martin *Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
  • Fayetteville, AR
SECNW 63–2864,206
November 72:30 p.m.at No. 18 Ole Miss
CBS W 53–52 OT60,680
November 146:15 p.m.at No. 9 LSU
ESPNW 31–14101,699
November 216:00 p.m. Mississippi State
  • Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
  • Fayetteville, AR
ESPNL 50–5171,936
November 271:30 p.m. Missouri
CBSW 28–365,228
January 22:20 p.m.vs. Kansas State *
ESPNW 45–2361,136
Schedule Source: [2]

Game summaries

UTEP

UTEP Miners at #18 Arkansas Razorbacks
Period1234Total
Miners0103013
#18 Razorbacks141417348

at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR

  • Date: September 5, 2015
  • Game time: 2:30 p.m. CT
  • Game attendance: 67,708
  • TV: ESPNU
  • Source [3]
Game information

Toledo

Toledo Rockets at #18 Arkansas Razorbacks
Period1234Total
Rockets637016
#18 Razorbacks070512

at War Memorial Stadium • Little Rock, AR

  • Date: September 12, 2015
  • Game time: 3:00 p.m. CT
  • Game attendance: 49,591
  • TV: SEC Network
  • Source [4]
Game information

Texas Tech

Texas Tech Red Raiders at Arkansas Razorbacks
Period1234Total
Red Raiders1477735
Razorbacks7143024

at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR

  • Date: September 19, 2015
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m. CT
  • Game attendance: 73,334
  • TV: ESPN2
  • Source [5]
Game information

Vs. No. 14 Texas A&M

#14 Texas A&M Aggies vs Arkansas Razorbacks
Period1234OTTotal
#14 Aggies01038728
Razorbacks7077021

at AT&T Stadium • Arlington, TX

  • Date: September 26, 2015
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m. CT
  • Game attendance: 67,339
  • TV: ESPN
  • Source [6]
Game information

At Tennessee

Arkansas Razorbacks at Tennessee Volunteers
Period1234Total
Razorbacks7107024
Volunteers1433020

at Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN

  • Date: October 3, 2015
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m. CT
  • Game attendance: 101,265
  • TV: ESPN2
  • Source [7]
Game information

At No. 8 Alabama

Arkansas Razorbacks at #8 Alabama Crimson Tide
Period1234Total
Razorbacks070714
#8 Crimson Tide3071727

at Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL

  • Date: October 10, 2015
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m. CT
  • Game attendance: 101,821
  • TV: ESPN
  • Source [8]
Game information

Auburn

Auburn Tigers at Arkansas Razorbacks
Period1234OT2OT3OT4OTTotal
Tigers07710778046
Razorbacks7773778854

at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR

  • Date: October 24, 2015
  • Game time: 11:00 a.m. CT
  • Game attendance: 72,008
  • TV: ESPNU
  • Source [9]
Game information

UT Martin

UT Martin Skyhawks at Arkansas Razorbacks
Period1234Total
Skyhawks0147728
Razorbacks72821763

at War Memorial Stadium • Little Rock, AR

  • Date: October 31
  • Game time: 3:00 p.m. CT
  • Game attendance: 64,206
  • TV: SEC Network
  • Source [10]
Game information

At No. 19 Ole Miss

Arkansas Razorbacks at #19 Ole Miss Rebels
Period1234OTTotal
Razorbacks7101414853
#19 Rebels7101414752

at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS

  • Date: November 7, 2015
  • Game time: 2:30 p.m. CT
  • Game weather: light rain • Temperature: 55 °F (13 °C)
  • Game attendance: 60,680
  • Referee: Tom Ritter
  • TV announcers (CBS): Carter Blackburn (play-by-play), Aaron Taylor (color), Jenny Dell (sideline)
  • Source [11]
Game information

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
— = Not ranked. RV = Received votes.
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP 1818RV————————RVRVRVRVRV
Coaches 2018RV———————RVRVRV——RV
CFP Not released——————Not released

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References

  1. ↑ "Football – 2015 Coaches". University of Arkansas Department of Athletics. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  2. ↑ "2014 Arkansas Razorbacks Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  3. ↑ "UTEP vs. Arkansas - Box Score - September 5, 2015 - ESPN".
  4. ↑ "Toledo vs. Arkansas - Box Score - September 12, 2015 - ESPN".
  5. ↑ "Texas Tech vs. Arkansas - Box Score - September 19, 2015 - ESPN".
  6. ↑ "Texas A&M vs. Arkansas - Box Score - September 26, 2015 - ESPN".
  7. ↑ "Arkansas vs. Tennessee - Box Score - October 3, 2015 - ESPN".
  8. ↑ "Arkansas vs. Alabama - Box Score - October 10, 2015 - ESPN".
  9. ↑ "Toledo vs. Arkansas - Box Score - September 12, 2015 - ESPN".
  10. ↑ "Tennessee-Martin vs. Arkansas - Game Summary - October 31, 2015 - ESPN".
  11. ↑ "Arkansas vs. Ole Miss - Game Summary - November 7, 2015 - ESPN".
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