FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas sophomore tight end Luke Hasz has 5 receptions for 88 yards and 1 touchdown. The sophomore is tied for fourth in receptions and is fourth in receiving yardage on the team, but there was an expectation he would be more involved in the passing game after a big freshman season that saw him notch 16 receptions for 253 yards and 3 touchdowns through 4-plus games and earn mid-season Freshman All-America honors from The Athletic.
"We certainly have targeted plays for him," Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said Monday before describing situations that kept him from having a catch in last week's win over UAB. "One thing or another. It might be an errant throw, protection ... he might get covered.
"But we understand the value of him. We're certainly trying to get him the ball. We tried to get Var'keyes Gumms the ball as well and it just didn't work out."
Hasz's only catch in regulation in Week 2 at Oklahoma State was a tying 43-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. He also had a 3-yard reception in overtime.
Quarterback Taylen Green targeted Hasz once in last week's 37-27 win over UAB, an incomplete throw in the second quarter.
Pittman said offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has plans for Hasz.
"We understand what we have in him, and Bobby and his staff are certainly targeting him the ball," Pittman said. "It just didn't work out last week. ... We know what we have. We're trying to get him the ball."
Hasz suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the fifth game against Texas A&M last season.
Brown prep
Arkansas defenders have one full game of scout on Auburn freshman quarterback Hank Brown, plus snippets from a few other games over the last couple of years. Brown was installed as the quarterback starter before last week's 45-19 win over New Mexico, supplanting senior Payton Thorne.
"I think he's a great player," Arkansas linebacker Xavian Sorey said. "He's a young player, but he's a great player. ... He earned that spot. I respect all opponents and I'm excited to go out there and play against them.
Arkansas safety Jayden Johnson also said Brown's a great player.
"He's on the field for a reason," Johnson said. "So we're going to prepare for him just like we'd prepare for anybody else that's had any type of career starts in the past. So we're ready."
Killer instinct
Auburn edge player Keyron Crawford, a transfer from Arkansas State who played his high school football at Memphis Briarcrest Christian, was asked about his mindset heading into the SEC opener.
"For me, it's kill or be killed," he said Tuesday. "So I feel like as a former Sun Belt player coming to the SEC, with a big role and facing my first SEC opponent, I feel like it's kill or be killed. Either we're going to lay down or step up to challenge. And I feel like we will."
Crawford, a 6-4, 245-pounder, racked up 45 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 7 hurries and a blocked field goal while starting all 13 games for the Red Wolves in 2023.
Crawford told reporters in Auburn he will be "tuned in" to the first Arkansas vs. Arkansas State next year.
Asked if he cared more to be playing Arkansas on Saturday, Crawford replied, "Nah, whoever's next. Whoever chooses to be on that platform and get killed. We're always up for it."
Kicking conclusion
Auburn has been sporting one of the better special teams units in college football in recent history, evidenced by touchdowns in three of the last six games against the Razorbacks, including Keionte Scott's 74-yard punt return touchdown in last year's 48-10 Tigers' win in Fayetteville.
Noah Igbinoghene returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown in Auburn's 34-3 win on the Plains in 2019 and Barton Lester recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for the first score in the 2020 game, won 30-28 by Auburn in a controversial finish.
Auburn's second-year off-field special teams coordinator is Tanner Burns, who spent five years with the Razorbacks (2014-18) before joining Coach Hugh Freeze at Liberty in 2019.
"(Auburn has) one of the best special teams coaches in Tanner Burns," Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said. "Obviously you guys know he was here. But, he's a great coach, great person. And they're punting, kicking it well."
Auburn punter Oscar Chapman has a 45.8-yard average that would 18th in the FBS if he had enough kicks to qualify. Arkansas punter Devin Bale, who has three punts for a 45.7-yard average, would rank 19th if he qualified.
Series update
Auburn has won seven of the last eight games against Arkansas to improve its lead in the series to 20-12-1.
Arkansas has never led in the series, but its 24-7 win under interim Coach John L. Smith at Auburn on Oct. 6, 2012, pulled the Hogs within one game at 10-11-1.
The first meeting between the schools resulted in a 21-15 Auburn win at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis on Dec. 27, 1984. The teams tied 24-24 in Auburn, Ala., in their first SEC meeting in 1992. Auburn won in back-to-back years, 31-21 and 31-14, to hold a 3-0-1 lead before Arkansas broke through with a 30-28 upset of the No. 11 Tigers on Oct. 28, 1995, in Little Rock en route to its first SEC West crown.
Auburn pulled away in the series under Coach Gus Malzahn, the former Arkansas offensive coordinator, with a 7-1 run between 2013-2020. The Hogs' lone win in that stretch was a 54-46 four-overtime thriller on Oct. 24, 2015 at Razorback Stadium.
Maddox mash
Ja'Quinden Jackson's 16-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, which gave Arkansas its first lead at 27-20 over UAB, was a well-schemed, well-blocked and well-run old school lead play.
The touchdown came out of an I-formation short toss to Jackson, who hit over the right side, where tackle Keyshawn Blackstock down blocked and guard Josh Braun pulled for a seal block. Tight ends Ty Washington and Andreas Paaske also blocked defenders on the right side and fullback Maddox Lassiter put a crunching hit on linebacker O.C. Brothers at the line.
The flawless blocking allowed Jackson to charge through a glancing touch by defensive tackle Demarcus Smith in the hole and a diving try by safety Ray Thornton near the goal line for the go-ahead score.
"They love getting into this I-formation," SEC Network analyst Aaron Murray said prior to the snap. "Man, I love to see it. Old-school football."
Lassiter, a 243-pound redshirt freshman from Warren, played nine snaps in the game and was in on productive plays like the touchdown.
"He's physical," Coach Sam Pittman said of Lassiter. "I mean, he's got one speed and it's [zoom]. But that's where he came from with Coach (Bo) Hembree. They have tough players down there.
"He's got a certain package that he comes in and he's done a really fine job when he's in the game."