Arkansas Beat Writer Thomas Murphy Previews Alabama vs. Arkansas [Audio]

A season-defining three week stretch of games for Alabama begins Saturday as they hit the road for Fayetteville, Arkansas, to face the Arkansas Razorbacks.

During Monday’s edition of The Gary Harris Show, Arkansas beat writer for The Arkansas Democrat Gazette Thomas Murphy provided a scouting report of the 2016 Arkansas Razorbacks.

Arkansas enters Saturday’s contest 4-1 but dropped their lone SEC game of the season 45-24 to Texas A&M in Arlington, Texas, on September 24.

An important area to look for from Arkansas Saturday is the performance of quarterback Austin Allen. The junior signal caller takes the reins from his older brother Brandon Allen who started the previous three seasons in Fayetteville.

Thomas Murphy compared the personality of Austin Allen to Brandon Allen’s personality on the sideline.

“He’s just a cool customer. He’s fiery. Brandon Allen’s pretty stoic. Only a few times on the sideline we could see him kind of get fired up. Austin has done that. He did it in the (Texas) A&M game. He does it on the sideline. He’s just a little more of a fiery, more hotly competitive guy than his brother.” Murphy said.

A season-defining three week stretch of games for Alabama begins Saturday as they hit the road for Fayetteville, Arkansas, to face the Arkansas Razorbacks.

During Monday’s edition of The Gary Harris Show, Arkansas beat writer for The Arkansas Democrat Gazette Thomas Murphy provided a scouting report of the 2016 Arkansas Razorbacks.

Arkansas enters Saturday’s contest 4-1 but dropped their lone SEC game of the season 45-24 to Texas A&M in Arlington, Texas, on September 24.

An important area to look for from Arkansas Saturday is the performance of quarterback Austin Allen. The junior signal caller takes the reins from his older brother Brandon Allen who started the previous three seasons with the Razorbacks.

Thomas Murphy compared the personality of Austin Allen to Brandon Allen’s personality on the sideline.

“He’s just a cool customer. He’s fiery. Brandon Allen’s pretty stoic. Only a few times on the sideline we could see him kind of get fired up. Austin has done that. He did it in the (Texas) A&M game. He does it on the sideline. He’s just a little more of a fiery, more hotly competitive guy than his brother.” Murphy said.

Despite the reputation as a physical running team, Murphy cited the running game as an area of concern due to missed opportunities in goal line situations against Texas A&M.

The Arkansas beat writer described the impact that a possible victory over Alabama would make as far as Bielema’s tenure in Fayetteville.

“To load up and get one victory over Alabama would certainly be a seminal moment for the (Bret) Bielema era here.” Murphy said.

Murphy highlighted a handful of keys to victory for Arkansas.

“If they play the style of last year’s game where they were leading 7-3 at halftime, taking a little control of the clock and limiting Alabama on the ground, then they might have a chance. I think they’ll have to win the turnover battle by a couple, three or maybe have some breaks like they did with those fumbles in the 2014 game on punts up here (Fayetteville); but otherwise, if it just plays out in chalk, then I think Alabama’s got too many advantages.” Murphy said.

He also offered a forecast as to the defensive strategy that the Razorbacks could employ against Alabama’s offense.

“I think they’d like to contain the run game kind of like they did some last year, and make him (Jalen Hurts) beat them.” Murphy said.

Catch The Gary Harris Show every weekday from 9-11 AM on Tide 102.9 and the radioPup app.