Good News: Arkansas Razorbacks’ Head Coach Have Just Announced The…..Read more

Without a doubt, Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green’s performance versus UAPB was solid, with the exception of the opening play. He operated the two-minute offense with merciless efficiency, scored scores on seven of his seven attempts, and displayed his legs.

By adding to his tally of two rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns, Green joined KJ Jefferson (twice) and Casey Dick (2008) as the only quarterbacks to accomplish this feat for the Razorbacks since their 1992 SEC transition.

His time as the Hogs’ quarterback was productive, but it ended in acrimony when he and Dan Enos couldn’t come to terms, which led to Enos’ dismissal in the middle of the season.

Perhaps no statistic better shows the magnitude of green’s void left by Jefferson. Against No. 17 Ole Miss in 2021 and Kansas in the 2022 Liberty Bowl, Jefferson had his two monster games, each with two touchdowns on the ground and in the air.

Under different circumstances, Green would have kept racking up stats if given the chance, and Jefferson had 12 drives to do the same versus the Rebels despite losing 52–51.

When it mattered most, from 2021 to 2023, Jefferson produced a flood of work. Having spent his formative years just 20 minutes away from the stadium, Jefferson was officially welcomed home for the 2021 Ole Miss game in Oxford. The game may still be unfolding if coach Sam Pittman hadn’t decided to go for two on the last play of the game. With their Liberty Bowl victory over Kansas, 55–53, Arkansas enjoyed its first back-to-back seasons since 2014–15.

When Green takes on No. 16 Oklahoma State, he will see a comparable initial challenge. To put it simply, the Cowboys are a whole new level of competition. He won’t need to score touchdowns with pinpoint accuracy, but he will need to show that he possesses the same set of skills in order to win. To stay one step ahead of the skilled Oklahoma State defense, Green will need to utilize both his arms and legs.

“You’ve got to have a guy for him,” Mike Gundy, the coach of Oklahoma State, said. “When you are competing against a guy that has the ability to run, you have to take that into account in your structure of defense and style of play.”

But Green is prepared to face whatever comes his way. Attempting to keep his cool, the new signal-caller faces the first real test since Jefferson’s time.

During an appearance on the Paul Finebaum Show, Green expressed her excitement at the chance to compete on primetime ABC against a formidable opponent. “[I need to] keep the process the same, preparing the same, not really pressing, being relaxed and trusting my preparation.”

Saturday at 11 a.m. is the first time these two clubs have played one other since 1980. On ABC, you may watch the game.