By Nate Allen
Special to the News-Times
FAYETTEVILLE - Reducing the game day active roster from Arkansas' 85 allowed available for home games to the NCAA allowed 70-man travel maximum ought to help the Razorbacks' unanimity tonight opening their SEC season at Auburn, Ala.
Given the 1-2 Razorbacks' non-conference performances the last two Saturdays, losing 34-27 and 44-17 to underdog non-Power Five conference members Colorado State of the Mountain West in Fort Collins, Colo., and especially at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville to North Texas of Conference USA, it seems already difficult for new Arkansas coach Chad Morris to find 70 true believers, much less 85 that Arkansas can beat nationally No. 9 Auburn at Auburn.
Morris insists only Razorbacks true believers travel on his game night roster to Auburn to play tonight's SEC West game televised by SEC Network at Auburn's generally packed 87,541-seat Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Former Arkansas offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn's Tigers, 2-1, opened the season defeating the Pac-12 preseason favored Washington Huskies in Atlanta.
They lost 22-21 to SEC West rival LSU last Saturday at Auburn on a game-ending field goal.
Losing a last play heartbreaker to now nationally No. 6 LSU perceived night and day different than losing by 27 at home to North Texas after trailing by 34.
Hence the "I'm a Believer" tune that Morris deems a must if the Hogs are to stand a chance against these Auburn Tigers that embarrassed Arkansas 52-20 last season in Fayetteville.
"Obviously, you go into every ball game expecting to win," Morris said.
"I shared with our players, ‘If you don’t believe, don't get on the plane. Matter of fact, don’t even come out to practice if you don’t believe.’ Because if you can’t believe things are moving in the right direction, there’s no business being here."
Morris said the Hogs came into the kickoff against Eastern Illinois, a 55-20 Arkansas win over a lower division (FCS) team and certainly as favorites opened believing they would beat Colorado State and North Texas.
But ever since the Bret Bielema regime closed the 2016 season losing halftime leads in 28-24 and 35-24 losses to Missouri in the SEC and Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl followed by last season's 4-8 overall/1-7 SEC season that booted Bielema out the door, these Hogs often have seemed distracted when they lead into a fall like at Colorado State or never in it at all like against North Texas.
"I think the biggest challenge that we're facing right now is just being able to overcome both success and adversity as it comes.," Morris said.
Morris faces a huge task working on the Hogs themselves and their psyche.
He's still sorting it at quarterback. Fourth-year junior Ty Storey of Charleston, yanked after his first start two games ago, gets another chance this week.
Third-year sophomore Cole Kelley's chance last week was four times taken away by UNT interceptions.
On Arkansas' defense, while still having mainstay Ryan Pulley at one cornerback, Morris and defensive coordinator John Chavis at the other corner alternate a third and fourth teamer.
Starter Chevin Calloway becomes two games called away "dealing with personal family issues," Morris said.
Britto Tutt, last week's starter, is injured and "will miss a few weeks," Morris said.
All of this would be troubles enough without the considerable opposition.
Morris calls Auburn's defensive front seven "as good as I've seen."
If not wreaking their own havoc, the Tigers' huge front four weighing 278 and 282 on the ends flanking 320-pound tackles Dontavius Russell and Derrick Brown, ties up blockers. They free the linebackers, especially middle 'backer DeShaun Davis, who has 25 tackles in three games, including 4 1/2 for minus-12 yards, three quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.
Injuries have compelled Auburn to shuffle some on its offensive line, but running back JaTarvius Whitlow averages 5.8 per carry.
Arkansas got passed silly by outstanding North Texas quarterback Mason Fine and faces another fine one in Jarrett Stidham.
The Baylor transfer last year quarterbacked Auburn to the SEC championship.
The Razorbacks' best chance appears Auburn overconfidently overlooking them.
Possible but not likely with Malzahn, a Fort Smith native and former Arkansas state high school coach (Shiloh Christian and Springdale) at the Auburn helm.
Arkansas gave Malzahn his college coaching start in 2006 then enriched him with an obligatory December offer after Bielema was fired. Auburn countered, ponying up $7 million per year to keep him.
Particularly coming off the LSU loss, Malzahn has incentive to show Auburn he's earning his keep by biting the hand that first enriched him.
The Razorbacks need to believe that almost as much as they need somehow to believe they can win.