Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman's complete press conference after surprising loss to BYU on Saturday night at Razorback Stadium.
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00:00 Want to give BYU credit.
00:03 They came and played.
00:04 We knew that everyone had a team
00:07 that played extremely hard and.
00:10 They certainly did.
00:13 Who care?
00:13 They took care of the ball a bit
00:16 better than us and they certainly
00:18 were better in the penalty area and.
00:21 Want to give them credit.
00:22 They played a good football game and.
00:25 And we've got a lot of things to clean up.
00:28 They exposed us a little bit in
00:30 with their pass rush and not
00:32 necessarily bringing extra just
00:34 with their hands. And certainly
00:38 the penalties. We've got to get a handle on that.
00:42 Sam, I know it's fourth and real short,
00:45 but when you went for it,
00:47 the 50 there in the third quarter
00:48 your last week you said the
00:50 Sam Olytics said not to do that.
00:51 What not to look for you,
00:53 but from the 49 yard line that
00:55 comes in I was talking about the 35.
00:58 I thought we could get it and
01:00 I went for it. Obviously we didn't.
01:02 They outscored you 17 zip after that.
01:05 How much do you think that's
01:06 strong momentum? Now I really
01:08 don't know. It's it's hard to say
01:10 because I mean, I guess we can say
01:12 that all the points after that
01:14 came because of that play, but.
01:17 I know three of them came off of that play.
01:19 You know, I don't know that.
01:22 The other 14 did.
01:23 I mean, I don't know who's who's to know,
01:26 but I know three of them did.
01:30 Yeah, you talk about that final drive.
01:32 You guys had, I think,
01:33 five penalties on the final drive.
01:35 I think they accepted four of them, though.
01:37 What was going on and why?
01:39 Why do you think the offense
01:40 one was having?
01:40 They were all holding penalties.
01:43 They're all holding.
01:44 Well, no, no one jumped outside
01:46 on one of them as well,
01:48 but the rest of them are holding penalties and.
01:53 You know when Chambly went down with
01:56 we remove Brady out to tackle and and.
02:02 Moved well, we moved Chambly over to
02:04 begin with because critics have gotten hurt.
02:07 And.
02:09 And then Chambly went down and
02:11 Curtis came back out there,
02:12 but we just we weren't moving our feet.
02:16 We were getting on edge and we they
02:19 boldest you know a lot of the game.
02:22 And then when you're setting for a bowl,
02:25 sometimes you.
02:27 You're susceptible for inside moving.
02:28 That's what happened and we start
02:30 with where we were holding.
02:33 Lady, well, I mean 281 yards,
02:35 which is surprising with the 38 points.
02:38 Your thoughts on you talked about
02:40 that fourth down call at midfield.
02:42 Seemed like you guys had a lot of
02:43 momentum defenses playing well.
02:46 Do you feel like that was a big
02:47 momentum swing in the game?
02:48 Obviously that's seemed to be where
02:50 things kind of turned to you.
02:51 Well, I mean.
02:54 I guess you have been asked twice,
02:56 so I guess the answer is yes.
02:58 But I didn't.
02:59 I mean.
03:00 We were at 14 to nothing and they went
03:03 up 21 to nothing in the first half and.
03:06 I don't think it was because we
03:08 went for it on 4th down, so.
03:10 I mean.
03:11 I I think.
03:14 That.
03:16 They were making third and longs,
03:18 you know, and we couldn't get.
03:20 We couldn't get him off the field,
03:22 but if I had to do again,
03:24 I wouldn't go for it on 4th down.
03:25 Obviously we didn't make them.
03:28 Then you talked about the past pro issues.
03:30 Just was there anything by you
03:31 is doing to surprise you at all?
03:33 Or just kind of what was the?
03:34 Not at all.
03:36 There wasn't any glitches that
03:38 we weren't ready for it.
03:39 It wasn't.
03:39 It wasn't a blitz past.
03:41 I mean they they kind of gaps when
03:44 we're trying to run the football.
03:46 They just they they whipped us
03:49 and that's what happened.
03:50 I I I don't age and we start
03:53 chipping him and all those type
03:55 things and going into the game.
03:56 We really didn't feel like we
03:57 would need to chip out there and
03:59 things that we could get our back
04:00 out in the route and all that.
04:01 They proved that they were longer,
04:06 stronger than what we what we
04:10 anticipated on watching film wise,
04:13 and they got actors.
04:15 Strategic X's and O's reason for
04:19 TJ on 4th and one to not go like
04:21 under center or something.
04:22 What's third question?
04:26 I'm gonna ask on that.
04:28 I've already.
04:29 I think I've already answered the question.
04:31 I just think a lot of fans are
04:35 back again on 4th and one.
04:36 You gotta get this quarterback that
04:38 sizes other into the question.
04:39 2 for 13 on third down tonight.
04:44 What did you think the issues
04:45 were there on that down?
04:48 Well, some of it had to do with.
04:51 Distance, you know,
04:52 some of them had to do with
04:54 percentage of getting we're losing
04:56 first down so we're behind the sticks,
04:58 you know?
04:59 Obviously there was a few drops
05:04 and then we had some pressure.
05:06 And the pressure that be why you
05:09 gave us tonight was was.
05:12 Really?
05:15 Probably the difference in the game as far as.
05:18 Playing the game, you know?
05:22 I just thought they were.
05:24 They were all over it and it was again.
05:26 It wasn't it wasn't necessarily
05:29 a glitch there and stuff.
05:31 So I think that affected
05:32 this big time on third down.
05:34 Yeah, yeah, another 4th and one.
05:38 You know down you're gonna go for it.
05:41 Yeah, and then you get the penalty.
05:42 I how tough is that?
05:43 Could you feel like you're down 7?
05:45 You gotta keep driving.
05:46 The only problem there was.
05:48 If we go for it,
05:49 we don't make it there.
05:50 The game's over.
05:51 You know,
05:52 and I did have the three timeouts,
05:54 so that was a conversation that we had.
05:56 And then I think you know
05:58 thought we could get it.
06:01 But we were very,
06:03 very concerned about running the snake
06:05 because they were jumping bear.
06:07 You know we had all the guards.
06:08 They had the guards on.
06:10 And the center and it's easy to say
06:12 that you can just you got a big
06:14 quarterback and you can still
06:15 get close down, but.
06:17 If they're in there and they're
06:19 plugging a gap sheet, you know,
06:21 they basically would have five
06:22 guys in there for your three so.
06:25 But yeah, we jumped off sides on that one.
06:28 When the next well documented
06:30 away from home, just how tough
06:32 is it to lose this one with
06:34 what you got coming on?
06:36 Well, it's hard to lose anytime,
06:38 you know, especially because
06:39 the crowd was so great and
06:41 the hogworth was so great and
06:42 people were loud and you know,
06:44 we were just, you know, we disappointed.
06:47 From the home fans, you know that
06:49 they're all hard to lose,
06:51 but I don't really look at it as a four game.
06:55 Stretch on the road and all that.
06:57 I'm just LSU is we all saw
06:59 play really well today and we've
07:01 got our work cut out for us,
07:03 but.
07:04 And we'll be ready to play
07:05 when we go down there,
07:06 but LSU next one at night.
07:09 And obviously it's hard to go into
07:10 Baton Rouge or Brady who holds
07:13 himself to such a high standard.
07:14 How does he mentally
07:16 turn the page from this?
07:17 I think it'd be fine.
07:21 You know, we ask you to move out there.
07:24 Devin Manuel just hasn't been healthy
07:26 and that is staying here and we keep
07:30 thinking that it's going to get back and.
07:33 So we made a decision on Thursday
07:35 that that's you know we played Brady
07:37 on Tuesday, Wednesday, I left tackle.
07:40 Just to make sure because I didn't
07:41 think that would be able to play.
07:43 But he'll be fine.
07:44 He'll he'll bounce back from.
07:46 He's won a lot of games here and
07:47 been been a great player for us.
07:50 And he'll he'll bounce back.
07:53 Anyway, he wasn't the reason
07:55 we lost the game.
07:56 He'll be fine.
07:58 But you notice you started snacks
07:59 and Damon Braxton quarter night.
08:01 What went into that?
08:02 You also rotate guys there.
08:03 Yeah, I just thought they
08:05 practiced the best you know we.
08:07 We didn't practice well that
08:10 corner on Tuesday we made the
08:12 decision that we need to be a
08:15 little bit better there so we.
08:17 Braxton learned that right,
08:19 you know, and we thought we might
08:21 be a little bit better putting
08:22 snacks at corner and having hard
08:24 play you know obviously a safety.
08:28 And Kingston number 82 for them.
08:30 I went back and looked.
08:31 He hadn't played much the first
08:32 two games for the touchdown pass.
08:34 I caught a touchdown surprise you
08:35 a little bit with what he's able
08:37 to do that way.
08:37 He's good kickoff return guy,
08:39 so I knew that he had a lot of talents.
08:41 You know we we were nervous about him at
08:43 there but he made some really good
08:45 players on us and we had a little screen.
08:48 I believe it would stay put to him.
08:50 Will told that screen was.
08:52 You know they great ball and we
08:54 really want nobody in front of him.
08:56 I'll score so quick on the long run
09:04 by by green and the power turns 14 zip.
09:06 Do you think?
09:08 I know you didn't think this,
09:09 but you think there's a feel on the team
09:10 that hey, this is going to be easy.
09:12 I don't think so.
09:14 You know I told the team that I have time.
09:16 Thank the Lord for adversity.
09:18 Yeah, we had it in the first tab and
09:20 then we came back and went up three and.
09:23 And.
09:25 And I don't be why you played
09:27 a really good game.
09:28 They played a physical game.
09:29 We got a lot of work to do, but.
09:32 They they did better job with it
09:34 than we did because they were in it too.
09:36 You know they were down 14 downtown
09:38 and all this kind of stuff and.
09:40 They came back and won the game so.
09:43 But I thought at halftime.
09:47 We were in good shape and came out and
09:49 you know I was two three and out went
09:51 and scored. And then stopped him again.
09:54 Had the ball, didn't make it on 4th
09:56 and one and then they would not
09:58 take the pillow and then after that
10:00 we're down for 14 or low or to a pig.
10:03 So.
10:06 Like like AJ and the older guys,
10:08 what was your message to the team?
10:09 And how do you think yellow
10:10 bonds back from that?
10:11 Well, we played hard and then
10:14 not we played hard.
10:15 We just didn't play smart,
10:16 so we've got to do a better
10:17 job of playing smart.
10:19 Try to do a better job of
10:21 holding on the football.
10:22 You know we had two turnovers and
10:24 we haven't had any all year.
10:26 You know that's credit to be why you
10:28 there they're knocking it out and
10:29 they're in in passing lanes and
10:32 all those kind of things.
10:34 But that's two more turnovers
10:35 and we've had all year with Mr.
10:37 Philgo.
10:38 You know we hadn't had an
10:39 opportunity to kick one,
10:40 you know so.
10:41 There's some few uncharacteristic
10:46 things went on today that and that's
10:49 my response very very fixed.
10:50 Do I know that you you have talked
10:56 about going back to the spring?
10:57 You know some issues with that
10:59 tackle and you know,
11:00 pass protection stuff.
11:01 Is this something that you can?
11:03 You feel like you can fix this
11:04 season or is it something that
11:05 you're going to have to adjust?
11:06 What you with the game plan is?
11:08 Well, first of all,
11:10 I think the kids from BYU pretty good.
11:12 I think they're pretty
11:13 appropriate players, you know.
11:14 Yeah, I think so.
11:20 I mean, we've got some hands
11:21 issues and things that never work.
11:23 I'm not talking about placement hands.
11:25 I'm talking about we've got.
11:26 You know two of our five linemen
11:28 are casted out pretty good,
11:30 so we've got some hand issues
11:32 that we've got it because it's hard
11:34 to you know, read.
11:36 I know if I say what are you
11:38 grab because you had a hold of it,
11:39 but you understand so it's hard
11:41 to hard to get a feel in there.
11:43 I'm not.
11:44 I'm not overly panicked.
11:46 We're just going to have to.
11:50 We have to have some help.
11:51 We have to have some tight ends help,
11:52 especially when we continue to go into
11:56 teams like BYU and continue
11:59 going to SEC.
12:01 Yeah, thank you.
12:02 Down the lines up the middle
12:04 and not getting a whole lot of yards,
12:06 but was thinking you eventually
12:07 is kind of soften them up
12:08 and soften them up.
12:09 Yeah, I think we went into the well.
12:11 We went into the game thinking
12:12 that if we could get three or four yards,
12:14 we were trying to get four.
12:16 And if we get three or four yards
12:18 that we could, you know, eventually break,
12:20 eventually break, eventually break.
12:22 And we were just trying
12:24 not to go negative on first down.
12:27 You know we were trying to get 3/4.
12:29 You know, obviously we think
12:30 four yards on first down
12:32 is a good play for us.
12:33 And sometimes it works.
12:36 Sometimes it didn't.
12:37 You know we were for whatever reason
12:40 if we pull right now on the stretch play
12:42 it seems like we're.
12:43 We will lose a couple of yards
12:45 or we're going to get 12.
12:46 You know, just kind of one way
12:48 that's a feast or famine play for us.
12:50 Actually, AJ's first run
12:52 was just a full zone stretch play
12:55 like what we like
12:56 what we ran all last year.
12:59 But.
13:00 We we we felt like
13:03 we should run the ball inside
13:04 is is why we were running.
13:06 You can only get up 281 yards
13:09 with 38 points on the board.
13:11 What did you think
13:11 about the defense overall?
13:13 But just too many mistakes.
13:15 You know they had some guys wide open.
13:17 That's one thing that you get beat
13:19 'cause you you know
13:20 you got two good players out there.
13:22 It's another.
13:22 Thank you.
13:24 You know, not covering guy
13:27 and obviously their first score
13:29 with trick play.
13:30 We, you know, we lost the title
13:32 completely lost it.
13:33 And.
13:35 You know, obviously on their little
13:37 screen that they had run back.
13:38 We did not have anybody on him.
13:40 So we've got to do a better job of of.
13:45 Assignment football over there,
13:48 but again they played hard they.
13:50 They tackle for the most part
13:54 we had a couple of BYU
13:55 made made us miss an open space
13:58 a couple times big big third downs.
14:00 So we've got to improve there as well.
14:03 We are covered just before the half.
14:08 There is an unsportsmanlike penalty.
14:09 Could you?
14:09 Did you get an explanation
14:10 on what happened on there?
14:11 Said that our kids were trying
14:14 to go into the stands.
14:16 And so.
14:17 I don't know if they were or not,
14:20 but they said that they
14:22 had told him not to jump in the stands.
14:24 You know, they didn't tell me if they jumped in or not.