Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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36 SEPT. 27, 2025 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED GAME PREVIEW: ARKANSAS the Arkansas defense tries to sort out its own issues. In the first true test of the season, the Razorbacks allowed Ole Miss to total 475 yards of offense and 6.8 yards per play. The Rebels scored on all seven of their trips to the red zone. The Arkansas defense might have its hands full trying to slow down Notre Dame, but Green can help take the pres- sure off his teammates. "It definitely makes our job on de- fense a lot easier too as well," Worth said. "Because when our offense is put- ting up a lot of points like that, it puts the opposing team's offense in a panic mode. So, when we're putting up points like that, it definitely helps us out a lot." Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who was Arkansas' head coach from 2008-11, seems to have figured out how to get the offense humming in his sec- ond season back in Fayetteville. But his experience has yet to help Pittman's reputation as a loser in close games. After the six-point loss to Ole Miss, Pittman dropped to 7-18 in one-score games during his head coaching tenure. "Yeah, I knew that was coming," Pitt- man said in the Ole Miss postgame press conference when asked about the close game futility. "I don't know what to do with it. Tell me what to do." Pittman's best bet might be to make sure Green has the ball in his hands as much as possible with the game on the line. The fumble by Brown at Ole Miss wrecked Green's bid to be a villain to the crowd in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. But Notre Dame's defense has allowed quarterbacks to look pretty heroic late in games this season. "We're throwing it so well and we're protecting pretty good," Pittman said. "Right now we're — I mean, you've seen the first three games," Pittman said. "We're doing basically what we want to do offensively." Maybe playing at home in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium will allow Arkansas to finish the job on a big stage against the Irish. ✦ 1. Offensive Line Is Much Improved Taylen Green has been successful in large part because he's only been pres- sured on a quarter of his dropbacks, which is well below average. Arkansas' offensive line improved dramatically from 2024 to 2025. Georgia Tech transfer Corey Robinson II (a high school teammate of Notre Dame left tackle Anthonie Knapp) has been as advertised, with no pressures allowed and a 90.4 PFF pass-blocking grade through Week 3. He and return- ing left guard Fernando Carmona have formed a dominant left side. The Razorbacks lost 41-35 to Ole Miss, but the Rebels had zero sacks after taking down Green eight times in 2024. "The offensive line just seems to me to get better and better," Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said, according to the Southwest Times Record. "I just didn't feel anybody on the edge cause problems." As for the run game, Arkansas is tied for fifth in the nation with 6.94 yards per carry. A lot of that is Green, but watch the right side of the Razorbacks' O-line on running back Mike Washington's 47-yard touchdown against Ole Miss. The Rebels' edge rushers didn't cause problems, but the Razorbacks' blockers sure did. 2. Pass Defense Leaves Much To Be Desired Arkansas lost to Ole Miss because the Razorbacks allowed Rebels quarter- back Trinidad Chambliss to complete 21 of 29 attempts for 353 yards (12.2 yards per attempt). If you have no idea who Trinidad Chambliss is, that's OK. He's Ole Miss' backup; starting quarterback Austin Simmons was available but played only 4 snaps due to an ankle injury. Arkansas' pass defense, as a result, has some concerns. Cornerback Kani Walker was the main culprit, allowing 7 completions on 9 targets for 106 yards and 2 touchdowns against Ole Miss, but he was by no means the only one. Notre Dame signal-caller CJ Carr and company have a tremendous op- portunity in Fayetteville Sept. 27. 3. Ty Washington's Return To Fayetteville Junior Ty Washington, Notre Dame's No. 2 tight end, transferred from Arkansas in December. But he left the Razorbacks well before that, and not by choice. On Sept. 26, Arkansas beat Mississippi State 58-25. In the fourth quarter, after the Razorbacks had already built a sizable lead and Washington was asked to sub in. He refused. Washington's grandmother was in the hospital, with doctors indicating she did not have long. He believed he wasn't in the right headspace to enter the game. As a result, Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman removed Washington from the team. The decision stunned Washington, whose grandmother passed away a week later. "When my grandma passed, was about to pass, my dad, that was his only parent, and that hit me at home," Washington said in August. "I tried to tell them that. Some people have different views on how mental health affects people." Washington still has love for Arkansas fans and his former teammates, but this one will mean more to him. And he already gave the Razorbacks some bulletin board material in fall camp. "If you really shut them out quick, it will be done," Washington said. "The fan base will be quiet and everybody will go home." — Jack Soble Redshirt senior left guard Fernando Carmona and his linemates have improved dramatically from 2024 to 2025. PHOTO COURTESY ARKANSAS ATHLETICS Three Things To Know About Arkansas