KATV Channel 7 - The Spirit of Arkansas: Jim Harris: Performance Bar Is Pretty High For Cream-Puff Opener

Jim Harris: Performance Bar Is Pretty High For Cream-Puff Opener

Without getting too giddy about a 44-point win over a weak Football Championship Subdivision program, Arkansas' fans still will have a hard time pointing out too many glaring problems with the Razorbacks' performance at Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday night. Coaches, on the other hand, will have a film study that will be more revealing. But the 51-7 final score, a 44-point margin over Missouri State, is probably where UA players, fans and coaches alike saw this one going.

Bobby Petrino wasn't going to put some ridiculous, attention-grabbing score up on the undermanned neighbors from Springfield, Mo., so the Hogs hit that first marker.

Senior Joe Adams provided the electrifying excitement with a Southeastern Conference record-tying two punt returns for touchdowns (61, 69 yards) and four more that had 70,607 fans up and screaming. Senior Jarius Wright made the difficult look routine twice for touchdown catches of 33 and 29 yards. The latter had an unbelieving official ruling the play incomplete before replay showed otherwise, that Wright had indeed held on while his left foot landed inbounds.