Quarterback to Back: Three concerns Arkansas QB Taylen Green raises about OSU's defense

The Cowboys and Razorbacks defeated their opponents with relative ease in FCS Week 1. The Cowboys scored 44 points against the defending FCS champions, while the Razorbacks scored 70 points against a team that went 2-9 last season. To be honest, that's probably like comparing apples to oranges.

But both will take a step up in Week 2, at least in terms of the level of athletes they face. And when we talk about Razorback athletes, quarterback Taylen Green cannot be left out.

Let's look at three things Green possesses that pose a threat to the Cowboys defense this weekend. But first, here's how the two quarterbacks compare numbers.

As the numbers show, there is a stark contrast in style and skill between the two quarterbacks. Bowman is the more traditional pocket passer whose job it is to distribute the ball to his playmakers and control the play, while Green demands much more attention due to his ability to go out and make a play himself.

This brings us to the first reason for concern regarding Poke defense.

Green has wheels

Green is dynamic. He can beat you both in the air and on the ground, which always makes an opposing defense the loyal cowboys a little nervous.

In his previous two years at Boise State, Green had 1,022 rushing yards and 19 rushing TDs, along with 25 passing TDs and 15 interceptions. As a freshman in 2022, Green was one of only nine FBS quarterbacks to score at least 10 passing and 10 rushing touchdowns, and he was the only freshman to do so. And he did it without taking over the full starting lineup until Week 5.

He showcased those skills last weekend in the Razorbacks' 70-0 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, completing 16 of 23 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns and adding 88 rushing yards and two more runs on the ground, averaging nearly 15 yards per rushing attempt.

“You have to have an opponent for him,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “When you're playing against an opponent that can run, you have to factor that into the defensive structure and the style of play. We have a lot of ways to do that because we're seeing them quite a bit now. It's just about being disciplined and making sure someone is taking responsibility for the quarterback.”

He has a revised O-Line

Much like Bowman, Green feels pretty secure behind his line. Arkansas completely rebuilt its offensive line in the offseason, signing three new starters, also through the transfer portal. Last weekend, they kept Green off the floor, allowing zero sacks, zero QB hurries and just two tackles for loss. But Arkansas coach Sam Pittman knows the true test for his O-line will come Saturday.

“…Did we have a lot of (missed assignments)? We didn't have any up front. We didn't really have any pressure issues. But they didn't put any pressure on us either,” Pittman said. “We didn't really have any pressure issues, but they didn't put any pressure on us either. We'll be under pressure on Saturday, I have no doubt about that.”

The Cowboys return a defense that allowed a respectable two sacks per game on average last season, while the Hogs allowed the SEC's most at four sacks per game. We'll see if Arkansas's new-look front can hold its own against OSU's defense, which returned 10 starters. Something has to happen, and that could make all the difference in Saturday's outcome.

He has confidence and drive

If there is such a thing, the Razorbacks will head to Stillwater with a lot of momentum. Not only has Arkansas received an influx of talent on offense, but the Razorbacks have brought back former head coach Bobby Petrino to lead the offense, and he's helping to fuel that momentum with his confidence.

This week, Taylen Green spoke with ESPN's Paul Finebaum about Arkansas' upcoming visit to OSU and its big win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff. The one thing he took away from the 70-0 loss to the in-state FCS opponent is the energy his new OC exuded.

Green said Petrino demands excellence from his quarterback and those expectations impact the rest of the offense.

“That goes down to the O-line, to the running backs, to the receivers, just anybody having the mindset of, 'We're going to score on every single drive,'” Green said. “Every time we get the ball in our hands, the belief and the execution that we need and that we're going to have is '10 out of 10.' That's how we train every single day.”

As Green (and Petrino) note, they did just that in their season opener, scoring a touchdown on all 10 possessions. The offense is unstoppable. Why wouldn't they go into this weekend full of confidence?