FAYETTEVILLE — It wasn't always pretty, but Arkansas did everything it had to do on Saturday night to come back home with a 31-21 victory.
No longer are the Razorbacks considered the worst team in the SEC — you have to celebrate the small victories.
Fans have been looking for substance to buy in to much like first-year head coach Ryan Silverfield has been fighting to keep his team believing that the breakthrough is right around the corner.
Now, that doesn't mean the team will win another conference game the rest of the way, but there has been glimpses of substantial improvement in recent weeks. While a fourth quarter meltdown in the final seven minutes provided questions whether or not this team was going to cling to the bouy or not, that was answered and at least silenced for the next two weeks.
They're totally bought in, and played some of their best football Saturday night in Nashville.
Quarterback: B
Starting quarterback KJ Jackson has been under fire all season long for his inconsistent performances and whether or not he is an SEC-level passer. He finished the night by completing 21-of-31 passes for 251 yards and not once turned the ball over.
He was a strong contributor in the run game, recording a team-high 58 yards and one touchdown on the ground. Jackson is far from perfect, but was certainly effective in what he was asked to do against the 'Dores.
Running Backs: A
Another position group that has been under scrutiny for much of the season is finally starting to find its groove. Cam Settles, Braylen Russell and Sutton Smith were all impactful in one way or another, rushing for a season-high 187 yards on the ground and three total touchdowns.
While the uptick in production has been nice to see over the past few weeks, Missouri is going to provide a stiff test as the Tigers' defense ranks No. 26 against the run at just a shade over 103 yards per game.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: A+
When Chris Marshall went down with an apparent leg injury, fans in the stands at FirstBank Stadium and those watching from home probably let out a huge sigh. What no one likely expected was someone — or somebodies for that matter — to step up and in a big way.
Sophomore AJ Jordan received the most playing time of his college career, catching five passes for 74 yards in relief of Marshall. When one receiver who has recorded nearly 40% of the productivity in the room, it's fair to question who's next if something does happen.
At least for one game, Silverfield was able to figure that out.
"Every Monday you guys were saying, 'Ryan, who else is going to step up?' And I said, "Man, that'll be the interesting thing. We need other guys to step up,'" Silverfield said after the win over Vanderbilt. "And I think tonight, whether it was Antonio Jordan, a multitude of guys
who stepped up when when they were called.
"You think about Jamari Hawkins' big catch at the end of the game, right? He had some drops early in the season, I think you just see different guys, tight ends stepping up.
So, so proud of those guys. You know, obviously we hope Chris gets healthy, but we feel comfortable and I think tonight showcases we have enough guys are able to play at a high level."
Offensive Line: B
Arkansas' offensive line provided running room for its tailbacks and Jackson enough time in the pocket to deliver accurate passes. While none of them graded out particularly well in either pass or run blocking, they were still an effective part of the Razorbacks' offensive success.
Defensive Line: B
Five of the top nine players at the position graded out at 66.2 or higher, which is a fair assessment considering how they have performed up until this point in the season. Arkansas pressured Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis 12 times Saturday night, coming away with seven hurries, four hits, and one sack all of which helped for him into two interceptions.
Linebackers: A
Every single linebacker contributed to the Razorbacks' overall defensive success rate.
Hybrid linebacker (JACK) Steven Soles Jr. was one of the defense's most productive players, earning a 73.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus while recording nine pressures, including five quarterback hurries, on just 17 pass-rushing snaps.
His ability to disrupt the pocket helped take pressure off Arkansas' secondary, which is a major reason for his addition during the offseason. Upon his entry in the transfer portal, Soles proved to be one of the more disruptive pass rushers in the SEC, applying pressure on 27% of his snaps at Kentucky.
Secondary: A+
Remember during the offseaosn and in fall camp when defensive coordinator Ron Roberts believed veteran linebacker Khmori House had the chance to be his next great STAR defender? He' continued to emerge as a dependable presence in the secondary, earning a 73.6 overall grade across 51 defensive snaps against Vanderbilt.
Another transfer who has taken his game to a higher level in recent weeks is Shelton Lewis, who was equally as important along the boundary, posting an 83.3 tackling grade while allowing just six receiving yards on one completion in three targets.
Arguably one of the top returning players from last season, safety Miguel Mitchell continues to provide stability and dependability on the back end of the defense. The fifth-year season recorded an 81.5 tackling grade against the Commodores and is playing his most consistent football since transferring from Florida ahead of the 2024 season.
Arkansas' defensive backs weren't perfect, but they made Vanderbilt work for nearly every yard and helped keep the Commodores from taking control of the game early on. That's the kind of performance Roberts has been searching for since the season began, and something they can continue building upon as a unit moving forward.
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