Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Andrew Armstrong and quarterback KJ Jefferson after 28-6 win over Kent State on Saturday at Razorback Stadium.
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00:00 What do you think maybe prevented y'all from getting out to the fast start that you did and like not getting your run game going?
00:05 Maybe the way you wanted to today that I'll come down to focus. I mean, that's the main thing
00:09 I mean no excuses
00:10 uh
00:10 we just got locked into the details and execute the game plan and come out with a
00:15 Edge and play with passion from the start
00:17 I mean we kind of did this second half with a play with a chip on my shoulder and the edge to
00:20 Want to go and pull this thing out and you know, I said get the victory
00:23 But I feel like we got to come out with a no saying with an edge a chip on our shoulder early on in the game
00:28 So don't sit there tempo and set the standard
00:30 They had run plays in for you
00:33 But it was mostly like to convert short stuff and ended up having to run you a lot
00:36 Was that a little surprising that you had to run as much as you did? Not at all
00:39 I mean, I mean
00:40 I wouldn't do anything for my team as long as we get the victory put my teammates in the best position to win
00:45 So I wouldn't do anything
00:46 I mean so once coach Enos caught a play and I mean it was up to me to just execute I put my trust in
00:52 Those guys to block Andrew the line and running back those guys to block and I just executed so I want to surprise it
00:57 I'm Andrew your touchdown play. Can you maybe describe what the play was and how you got to put down and you know, how it went?
01:04 Well, no, I just got around them, you know working at practice, you know, we found a time I work sideline drills
01:13 Oh, why is it because coach guiding? So we when he rode out through me don't on a corner
01:18 I got both feet down
01:19 You know
01:20 I was just not being aware where I was on the field and not not stepping out of bouncing and securing a path and looking
01:25 at ball in
01:28 Another one the way you guys drew it up KJ where the first touchdown pass the Andrew but you showed pretty good piece of you know
01:35 Mine there get in the ball and sit by him. Could you describe that play from your perspective and then Andrew?
01:40 We're just kind of running around back here. He is
01:43 The play broke down or kind of what was supposed to happen on that and it turned out. Okay
01:49 So the snap was kind of low it come by surprise
01:52 It's most of that but first before the flames thought I looked at it down to distance third down
01:55 So I didn't want to follow the ball
01:57 In red zone, so I just grabbed it and rolled out and then I saw Andrew in the back of his own wide open
02:03 So I just tried to give him a good catch ball and made a play
02:06 But originally it was supposed to be a little like a little high level type of all route for Andrew and running back
02:12 So that was originally what it's supposed to be in but we made it work
02:15 I mean we see enough still get back to the high low so we made it work. Oh
02:18 Yeah, like I said, I'm a reaction player so I just think everybody flowing to the left
02:23 So I just flew to the right and I just happened for me to become wide open
02:26 I threw my hands up so you could see me and he just threw it through the past my cutting back to end though
02:31 Both you guys it was 14 to 6
02:34 To start the second half and then you guys get stopped on the fourth down
02:39 Can't stay at a lot of momentum the defense, you know, not only you know, that doesn't even want to try field off
02:45 So they're pushing back so far. What do you think about the defense?
02:47 Good did there for y'all that sequence already an outstanding job me in the whole game in this
02:52 Man in the first half. I mean that came out
02:54 The executed a game plan that played as a unit as a team on defense
02:59 They fly around the ball a lot of TFL's and a lot of guys around the ball ball carrier
03:04 So that came out executed a game plan
03:07 It was extremely proud of defense and as an up front office perspective, I'll just tell my guys like defense doing their job
03:13 So it's time for us to wake up and go Arkansas stand a football. So that's the main thing
03:18 I mean, we got to come out get back to the drawing board clean up some things that we had
03:22 We've messed up on it. Keep moving forward. It's been good days on good days
03:25 It for both the I think had three catches today a couple of them were really contested know that deep ball
03:31 What do you remember about those catches maybe that deep throw to Isaac and just how timely were those?
03:38 I think both those catches look to touchdowns. I like you said a bow later touchdown
03:42 I mean we need a spark we need somebody to make the play and as it came through with a contested catch on the first one
03:48 We needed that to get the momentum flowing on our side
03:52 so just being able to just read the defense and then just
03:55 Tesla making a great contest to catch and me from the bottom the area the only he can catch it and
03:59 the second bar the second pass I threw the test was a
04:02 Contestant as well. We feel like you're the passing
04:05 But I mean like just putting about anywhere near test. I mean, yeah, he'll go make the play on it
04:11 So just having a guy like that that you can put it around. He has extremely catch rate
04:15 It's so just put the ball around and hit no he'll make a play
04:18 You know what you take on where you guys are offensively through two games and the fact that the run game hasn't got going yet
04:24 Is that frustrating?
04:26 At times it is frustrating
04:28 But I mean, I know I know what type of team that we have and I know what those guys are capable of doing
04:33 So, I mean it's just all about just building good days and be able to consistency
04:37 I mean we are trying to figure out different things and it's early in the season still
04:41 I mean we have a long season ahead of us and we just want to keep stacking good days on good day to keep just
04:45 building it and maintain
04:48 Just where you are offensively through two games I feel like you know, I'm great right now I'm just
04:54 Letting it blow as it does, you know, I'm not trying to force anything
04:57 Things don't go out if things don't go our way, you know
05:00 Just go to the next play because there's nothing is literally impossible for us to do anything about the last play that should happen
05:05 So, you know, I just feel like the best thing was just to keep going and and keep keep moving on
05:10 Listen to what you know has to tell us and just ask you
05:15 We might have seen it last week
05:17 I can't remember but that like formation down at the one where you had three running backs behind you under center just like
05:23 Have you ever played a formation like that before where you've got three different running backs behind you and what are kind of the benefits?
05:29 of that formation down at the goal line
05:31 So I haven't played with three running backs back there in the backfield
05:34 But it's also an advantage for us because I mean they don't know who's gonna carry the ball
05:38 We got different players to set up with different guys to carry the ball
05:41 I mean I can carry anybody can carry it
05:43 Just kind of keep the defense kind of honest make sure they're reading their keys, right?
05:47 Try to get one guy out of a gap or whatever
05:49 so I mean just having a play like a goal line a formation like it is extremely outstanding and
05:55 Listen because you never know what you're gonna get on defense and for us to have a formation like that
06:00 I mean we got different cards to go up with the people. We have answers
06:03 There were a couple weeks what's the connection with with Andrew been like that's been good
06:10 I mean just having a guy like Andrew quarterback for me anytime. I roll out the pocket break the pocket
06:15 He's always trying to mirror me get in my line of vision
06:18 So having a guy like that understands football has a great sense of football IQ
06:22 Passionate about the game and I'm passionate as well. So I mean just anytime
06:26 I know he's on the field and I break the pocket
06:28 I know he's gonna find some kind of way to try to get up and get in my line of vision
06:32 It's been I guess since the bowl game last year where you had the kind of game like you had today
06:38 You know during spring practice. Nobody touches you during two days. Nobody touches you and and really not last week
06:45 But also today 14 carries how to feel physically to get out there and have to do that what you did a lot last
06:50 It actually felt good. I mean cuz I ain't been hitting so long like you said, so once I got the first hit
06:55 I was like, okay, I'm back now. I feel good and I'm ready now
06:58 So I mean it felt good as being a little bit Jason. I say how my teammates get out there and secure the victory
07:04 Knowing this crunch time situation that I will have to carry the ball and be they got her
07:07 Go make a first down and give my team a spark try to get some momentum for and make a play or something
07:12 It felt really good getting back to it
07:14 Big catches from you guys get got first downs there. I mean that really used to tie them up
07:22 I think in the first time second half you and Luke cook up your time talk about that
07:25 I just look I mean a great right one for him to be only a freshman
07:30 He has a great sense of football IQ as well. I mean, you know, you understand it down to distance
07:35 He knows why I put you know, it's causing different calls
07:36 So just having a guy like Luke is so versatile that you can flex him out wide or you have him in the corner
07:42 He's taking one great rap
07:43 So I mean we want to be able to use and create Mitch matches
07:45 So we thought coach, you know saw that those kind of magic trying to match tight in with a bigger guy
07:49 It's kind of slow guy. So having a guy like Luke, I mean was needed on the second half. He stepped up big time
07:56 But AJ started the game soon to get some momentum for you to get better as the game went on talk about AJ
08:02 Like you say it's his constant his confidence group
08:06 From the first snap to the last night's confidence group. I mean tremendously so just having a guy like AJ and Rashad and
08:12 Dominique on and everyone's beating off each other off each other energy momentum. So those guys always been
08:18 Just ready to head up here that name and calling wait on the opportunity to present itself in AJ guys
08:24 I'm doing today. He made the most of it. So just having a guy like those guys and we can rotate in
08:28 There is no slack or no step down. So
08:31 Sometimes teams don't play as well as they want as well they expect and they can lose these kind of games
08:37 You've seen it happen to a lot of different teams. I'm honest you guys are to and oh, how good do you feel about that?
08:43 And you know, you can learn some lessons, but not coming off a loss but for the win
08:47 For sure, like I said start fast and coming out and being more physical
08:54 Just play with passion
08:55 I mean I feel like we went out there it was like kind of caught in a moment a little bit
09:00 Just from us being back home first game in the stadium
09:03 So he's kind of caught in a moment, but just being able to just keep down get back on my focus and just maintain
09:09 Just going out there passion having fun with I mean kind of kind of get away a little bit from there
09:15 And we kind of brought it back to second half to chip on my show to play Arkansas brand of football
09:19 So just being able to come out and play Arkansas brand football for the whole four quarters
09:23 I mean, there's gonna be a sparklets and there's no one in the sides on the group
09:26 Do you ever thought on that also? I was curious your take on that. I'm on the defense, but they'll bail you all out
09:32 We work with the defense every day and they just get better and better every day
09:37 So, you know, they just it's not even them building us out. It's just we have faith in them, you know
09:42 We didn't we didn't we didn't get the fourth down
09:44 So, you know, we already know that we was gonna be back on the field eventually
09:47 So, you know, you know our defense they're gonna be great this year. They've been great today, you know, they just
09:51 They've been doing everything they need to do