How Arkansas Used Defensive Versatility to Stifle Tennessee’s High-Powered Offense

and

Oct 10, 2024

Arkansas' defense put on a clinic last Saturday, shutting down the high-powered Tennessee Volunteers. Coming into the game, Tennessee had been lighting up scoreboards with 69, 51, 71, and 25 points in their last four outings. But against the Razorbacks, they were held to just 14. So, how did Arkansas pull it off? The key was keeping Tennessee off-schedule, forcing them into long-yardage situations all night. Arkansas held the Vols to under 50% on third down and stopped both of their fourth-down attempts. Most impressively, they allowed only two explosive plays (20+ yards) the entire game.

Arkansas’ Defensive Structure

Arkansas leaned heavily on an odd front, using it about 85% of the time, with the majority being variations of the Tite front. This alignment gave them flexibility to show a light box while seamlessly shifting in and out of 3-high safety looks, helping them control the vertical space Tennessee loves to exploit. The middle safety played a key role, consistently fitting into the run game—aside from one explosive run by Tennessee—keeping their ground attack in check.

Run Fits by the Hogs

Arkansas' run fits were spot on all night. Despite showing "light box" looks pre-snap, they excelled at aggressively adding defenders after the snap. Time and again, the Razorbacks would line up with a 4- or 5-man box, only to creep the overhangs toward the line of scrimmage late, effectively creating a 7-man box post-snap. This late movement kept Tennessee’s offense off balance and helped Arkansas control the line of scrimmage.

Here, the Razorbacks’ 4i does an excellent job maintaining gap integrity, slipping into his gap late to make the tackle. Arkansas’ defensive line consistently set and reset the line of scrimmage, holding up against double teams from Tennessee’s offensive line all night. Their ability to win these battles in the trenches was a big factor in shutting down the Vols' run game.

This is a perfect example of Arkansas fitting the counter out of a 4-down, 3-high safety structure. The middle safety reads the play, runs the alley, and fits it perfectly, making a clean tackle to shut it down.

This play highlights exactly what we discussed earlier. The Razorbacks show a 4-man box pre-snap, but by the time the ball is snapped, they’ve shifted into a 6-man box with the middle safety fitting in to provide extra support.

Another great run fit by the middle safety. On this play, the 4i also does an excellent job falling back into the C-gap late to help finish the tackle.

The 5-tech makes a great play here, splitting the double team and tripping up the running back. The middle safety cleans up the rest.

Here’s another example of excellent safety play, this time by the field safety fitting perfectly on outside zone. Watch how the defensive line and linebackers stay flat with the run, taking away any cutback lanes and forcing the play to the perimeter.

Tired of seeing the middle safety fit? How about a clouded corner in the mix? This is another creative run fit, starting with a pre-snap look of a 5-man box. Post-snap, the corner and nickel become the overhangs, while the 3-high stays in Cover 3 over the top.

Here’s another example of the corner being involved in the run fit, showcasing Arkansas’ ability to mix up their defensive looks.

Related Content: Navigating the 3-High Defense Podcast Episode

Limiting Explosives

Arkansas excelled at limiting Tennessee to just two explosive plays all night.

However, this play was one of the few breakdowns. The linebacker boxes the insert block instead of spilling it to the two free hitters. To compound the issue, the high safety fits on the wrong side of the guard’s block on the backside linebacker, and Tennessee breaks loose for a huge gain.

On Tennessee’s second explosive play, which came during their final drive, Arkansas rushed three and lost contain on Nico. Though two safeties had the receiver bracketed, the receiver did a great job working away from both defenders, and Nico delivered a perfect throw for a huge first down late in the game.

Aside from those two plays, Arkansas successfully eliminated the big play, fit the run well, and tackled effectively in space, making it a frustrating night for Tennessee’s offense. Below is an example of a shot Tennessee had, but Nico couldn’t connect.

Pressure on Nico

The Razorbacks harassed Nico all night, sacking him four times and rarely giving him a clean pocket to work from on drop backs.

In this example, Arkansas aligns in a 5-0-5 front and mugs both interior linebackers. They bring both overhangs while dropping the interior backers into the hook zones, playing blitz coverage behind it. The result? Both offensive guards are left without an assignment, and the defensive end comes free for a sack.

On this pressure, Arkansas brings five, including the strong-side interior linebacker and the nickel, with Cover 1 behind it. Many coaches refer to this as the “America’s Blitz” path. Tennessee is running a gap scheme protection, leaving the running back 1-on-1 with the linebacker as the guard pulls for the edge. The linebacker defeats the block and gets the sack for the Razorbacks.

Here’s another example of the same blitz path, this time catching Tennessee in full slide protection—ideal for the America’s path. The pressure forces Nico to throw into tight coverage along the boundary, and the defensive back makes a great pass breakup.

The final QB pressure we’ll highlight is a well-executed 4-man stunt by the Razorbacks, commonly known as a wrap stunt. In this stunt, the 3-tech and nose both work to the strong side, while the defensive end wraps into the opposite A-gap.

Conclusion

Arkansas had Tennessee’s number on defense for most of the night, and combined with several long, clock-eating drives on offense—including a 9-minute opening series—the Volunteers were left frustrated from start to finish. The Razorbacks accomplished this by mixing up their defensive structures, utilizing 3-down, 4-down, and 3-high looks. They shut down Tennessee’s explosive playmaking ability, tackled well in space, and executed a fantastic game plan. The result? A huge upset win for the Hogs, an attempt to tear down the collapsible goalposts, and a party in Fayetteville to remember.

For more articles on CFB breakdowns click subscribe below!