UK quarterback Jalen Whitlow is sacked in the first half of a loss to Arkansas Saturday. (Victoria Graff photo)
KURT VOIGT
AP Sports Writer
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) - Tyler Wilson and Arkansas took out a season’s worth of frustration against Kentucky.
Wilson was 23 of 31 passing for 372 yards and a career-high five touchdowns to lead Arkansas to a 49-7 win over the Wildcats in a game shortened by severe weather.
Wilson threw a 74-yard touchdown pass to running back Jonathan Williams on the opening play for the Razorbacks, who had 533 yards of total offense before the game was called with 5:08 remaining in the third quarter because of lightning near Razorback Stadium. The second-half suspension followed an hour and six-minute delay in the first half.
The win was the second straight for Arkansas (3-4, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) after a four-game losing streak. Williams finished with three catches for 150 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and running back Dennis Johnson added three touchdowns.
The Wildcats (1-6, 0-4 SEC) were outgained 444-88 in total yards in the first half.
Even before the weather became a factor, Wilson and the Razorbacks had taken complete control against a Kentucky team that had played 14 true freshmen this season. The senior threw four touchdowns in the first half as the Razorbacks built a 42-0 halftime lead. His fifth touchdown pass came in the third quarter on an 18-yard pass to Julian Horton, putting Arkansas up 49-0.
The pass beat Wilson’s previous best of four touchdown passes in a game, set in a relief role against Auburn in 2010. It also tied the school record for most touchdown passes in a game, equaling the mark former Razorbacks quarterback Ryan Mallett set in four different games.
The Wildcats’ lone highlight was a 61-yard touchdown pass by freshman quarterback Jalen Whitlow to La’Rod King in the third quarter. Whitlow, starting because of injuries to Maxwell Smith and Patrick Towles, struggled throughout and finished 2 of 10 passing for 83 yards.
Arkansas, meanwhile, took advantage of the youthful and inexperienced Wildcats at seemingly every opportunity – eager for a convincing win in a season where any victory has been anything but a sure thing. The Razorbacks, whose former coach Bobby Petrino was fired in April, began the season ranked No. 8 before plummeting out of the polls after a loss to Louisiana-Monroe.
That loss was the first of four straight under interim coach John L. Smith, putting Arkansas’ streak of three straight bowl games in jeopardy. The Razorbacks snapped the streak last week in a 24-7 win at Auburn, but even that win was a struggle at times.
Arkansas looked every bit like the same team that was 21-5 the last two seasons on Saturday, though it came against a reeling Kentucky team that’s now lost five in a row since its lone win against Kent State on Sept. 8.
The Razorbacks outgained the Wildcats 307-48 in total yardage in the first quarter, after which it led 28-0. Two of Wilson’s touchdown passes in the quarter came on wheel routes out of the backfield to Williams, who added a 77-yard score to end the quarter to match his opening touchdown.
The 42-point win equaled Arkansas’ largest margin of victory in an SEC game. Its largest was a 52-6 win over Mississippi State in 2003.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
25 Responses to Football: Wilson’s 5 TDs leads Arkansas past Kentucky 49-7
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Is this the best the current coaching staff can do when they work all week a “quarterback” of the future? How can you give up 450 yards in a half if you are even the least bit prepared? It looks to me like more than the fans have given up on Joker. . . I think the team looked very much like they have quit as well.
If Joker is let go does anyone honestly believe Mitch will make an exciting hire? Not me. I know everyone will say that any hire would be better than this mess but I honestly believe Mitch will fumble this as well.
He didn’t do badly with naming a guy named Calipari to head the basketball program.
Football is an entirely different beast. The program has floundered for years only achieving a slight bit of respectability under Coach Brooks. What ever Brooks was able to do has quickly been undone by Joker and, in my opinion, will only get worse now that the kids seem to have quit on him.
The program needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. An expensive and time consumming task to be sure. Best to start right now if there is any intent to become a competitive entity.
What an embarrassment . The fans have quit on
joker, the players have quit. It is time for
Mitch to quit also. jokers half time adjust he mentioned
To the Fox reporter was ” we need to play
With pride”. Great coaching adjustment.
If your qb can’t execute plays run the Matt
Roark offense. Whitlow throws much better than
Roark. It is hard to believe this coaching staff
Has a game plan and practices it based on
How they look
Larry, since there will be coaching openings at
Ark, Auburn, Tenn and Uk this year shouldn’t
We pull the trigger now and try to get the jump
Jump on everyone else for the best hire
Possible?
Heck, they might go for Chiczik, he got a Natl. Championship! Great….
Chiczik was up to his eyeballs in the Cam Newton purchase. If we are going to go that route, I say hire Tressel today. Fire Joker today. Let Tressell have his five game sit out penalty for the last 5 games of this season, while he hits the recruiting trail, and solidifies the recruiting for the 2013 incoming class, and solidify our standing with the players on the current roster worth keeping and nurturing.
We get a jump start on the transition, and we make Tressel have a Sandy Bell moment each morning of every day of his tenure.
Part of this is a serious suggestion, and part of it is a bit sarcastic.
The real problem with the UK football program remains the same. It does not begin with Joker and it will not end with Joker’s firing.
Three weeks ago Pacman I would have said no. Today I would say yes
You have 3 good running back and you have yet to try to establish a running game. Your excuse is you fall behind. But yet you fall behind because you try to pass too much . Tonite your QB ran more than your RB. You had a running back run for 6 yards on 1st down then you came back with 2 passing play and another time you had a running back gain 14 yards . What did you do 3 straight pass plays. You don’t give your backs a chance to get going always excuse. Mobley was the first this year tonite to carry the ball 5 times as a running back know back this years has carried the ball more than 15 times and to it we are down to 2 QB and they ran the ball more than your backs. If you are not going yo used them put another lineman or tight end on the field . Oh I forgot we don’t use our tight end either. It’s a joke watching our team, because they look lost with no sense of direction. It’s time for change before we start to losing players and recruits
Preach it Georgia Blue preach it. I wonder if the players have already given up on the coaches. Would be easy for them to do
I meant Mobley was the first back to carry the ball 5 consecutive running plays In one series he had carried the ball more than your starter and the same as your 2nd string and they played the whole first half
Almost like Basketball, does anybody know how many times UK is in the record books in football?? A whole bunch. All for the most embarrassing of reasons. If the goal was to get the fans off Jokers back, he is getting there because, I’m not even really mad any more.
honestly – i quit watching when ark. got there 14th point, a run from 4yards out where uk was in run defense and ark was in obvious run mode and they went head to head and the running back for ark sauntered in without being touched. that was it for me, my 9 year old could hvae run in against uk on that one . after that i figured it was over and as i woke up this morning and checked the scores indeed i was right.
It’s SAD really really really SAD!! The upset of #1 LSU with a packed stadium seems like decades ago. Not to mention GAME DAY on campus and our AD has let all that slide away. I feel for these young men. SAD
I agree. Really sad. The officials mercifully called the game which was out of had before it really started raining. As much as I blame Barnhart and the UK administration for this debacle, Mitch is in a real pickle right now. He has to find a way to fill Commonwealth Stadium on Saturdays with the football product now being fielded. Im,possible task unless the fans just want to throw some money and time away. Barnhart has to be sweating bullets right now.
Things have hit rock bottom and regardless of the injuries and what not, the team has just not performed. I feel for these young men who try and try inspite of our game plan being horrible . At this point, I don’t see any big name hire coming to UK. Chizik is obviously on the hot seat but I don;t think he is the answer. I would love to have Chris Peterson from Boise but I highly doubt he leaves Boise to come here.
Tressel has a 5 year show cause penalty hanging over his head. Any school making that hire is asking for NCAA scrutiny out the wazoo. Normal secondary violations become a big deal when the coach is dealing with the show cause penalty. Kelvin Sampson is coaching the the League as on University would touch him with a ten foot pole.
REACH FOR LEACH
The guy is carrying more baggage around than is an airline bag handler. Should UK wish to go to those depths hire Petrino today and hope he’s still in town tomorrow.
Go for a young dynamic coach that can grow into the job. How much worse can it be? At this rate we’re into a one win season, no excitement and downright pitiful football play.
Larry every body keep talking about hire Mike Leach or Petrino. I think we should go after the coach at Louisiana Tech. They were rank 23 until they lost to Texas A&M 59-57 . His offense is rank 1st in the Nation in scoring . He won at Virginia and at Illinois this year. He has ties to the UK . He young and he can bring his OC whom also has ties the UK. It would be a great hire for the Kentucky Family . I think they should look into this Coach at Louisiana Tech.
Georgia Blue, preaching to the choir. Love Sonny Dykes and a huge Tony Franklin fan. Not sure Mitch would ever let Tony come back — and I wish he would — but Sonny could maybe get Texas Tech OC Neal Brown, a former UK WR and coach under Franklin, to run that offense. Would love to see that done
believe me winning at illinois is no accomplishment
Beating a Big Ten School, whom about 3 years ago played in the Rose Bowl. Yes Illinios played in the Rose Bowl. So what you saying when a smaller school beat a major school its not accomlishment. So why were you on here crying when Western Kentucky beat Kentucky at home. Anytime a smaller school goes in a hostile environment and win is a big accomplishment for the school and conference they play in. Louisiana Tech put points on the board. They scored 44 on Virginia, 52 on Illinois, and 57 on Texas A&M whom is in the SEC.
Since nobody seems to agree that we won’t get Mike Leach although he stated at one time he would love the challenge of the SEC and understands the support of football in Kentucky. Sonny Dykes and of course Tony Franklin would be the next huge “catch”. Throw and catch is their game and this team is already set for pitch and catch HOWEVER going on passed history doubt anything will be done. SAD