Razorbacks Stun Tennessee Vols Despite Injured Starting QB
By Movieguide® Contributor
The Arkansas Razorbacks absolutely stunned the Tennessee Vols on Saturday night, securing the Razorbacks’ first win over a top-5 team since 2007.
“Our kids, our coaches did a wonderful job of preparing our guys and making them believe that we can go win tonight,” said head coach Sam Pittman. “These guys are happy. They’re not surprised. If we have the same amount of turnovers, we can play with anybody.”
“You get into coaching for moments like what just happened, and it’s to see the kids and the smiles on their face and the hard work that they do, because there’s a lot of teams that can’t get to that feeling. We did tonight,” he added.
Arkansas backup quarterback and redshirt freshman Malachi Singleton led the team to victory after starting QB Taylen Green left the game due to an injury.
“The Razorbacks’ star quarterback then went down after taking a big hit to the knees early in the fourth quarter, which forced Singleton into the lineup. Green attempted to return on the Razorbacks’ next series but was clearly limping, which meant Singleton had to finish the job,” CBS News reported.
With 1:17 left in the game, Singleton kept the ball and scored on an 11-yard run to put the Razorbacks on top 19-14.
“My emotions were definitely running high,” he said. “Just to get a quick screen to get me settled in, something quick just to get everybody calm, get a first down and move the sticks, I think it settled down everybody.”
“The last two drives, he was phenomenal,” Pittman said of Singleton. “He ran [the offense] very, very well and scored the touchdown to go ahead. He’s been here a long time and hasn’t gotten to play. To go in there and score the winning touchdown — with the help of 10 other guys — has to be really fulfilling for him.”
“It was just a read option,” Singleton said of the play that won the game. “One of my earlier possessions, I handed it off. I thought I could’ve pulled it, so the next time he called it, I pulled it. It was there. I went to go make a play.”
Green exited the game and made his way to the locker room after his injury, but he returned to the sidelines near the end of the game to cheer Singleton on.
“He helps me with everything,” Singleton said of Green. “Every time I came off the field, he was coaching me and just giving me pointers. Just telling me to settle down, ‘You got this, we have all the confidence in the world in you.’ I love that boy right there.”
Green’s faith inspires everything he does, as Movieguide® previously reported:
Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green discussed his faith and explained how he works to shine the light of Christ in everything he does.
“[God] is everything to me,” Green told Sports Spectrum’s podcast. “I start my day with Him. I’m just blessed to have a family that taught me to always keep Him first, even when I was just a little kid.”
“I’m blessed to have a dad that always keeps me in line and keeps always reminding me and always making sure, you know, that I’m prayed up…” Green continued. “Always just staying focused on keeping the main thing and keep[ing] my eyes on Jesus. So I’m definitely blessed.”
Along with his parents setting a good example, Green was also influenced by his older sister who is a strong believer and would share her faith with the world, even back in high school. Green was inspired to be like her, which caused him to take his faith seriously from a young age and intentionally dove into scripture so he could discuss the Bible’s teachings with his friends.