Can Notre Dame Contain Taylen Green? An Arkansas Offensive Breakdown
- Brenden Duffy
- Sep 23
- 7 min read
(Left) Photo via Arkansas Athletics; (Right) Photo via Notre Dame Athletics
Notre Dame travels down south this week to take on a 2-2 Arkansas squad with hot-seat rumors surrounding the Razorbacks program following brutal, back-to-back, late-game losses on the road. The Irish defense will need to be better than they were two weeks ago against Texas A&M’s dual-threat QB Marcel Reed, as Arkansas offers a potentially larger problem with its more experienced signal-caller, Taylen Green.
Arkansas Results (2-2):
52-7 vs Alabama A&M (W)
56-14 vs Arkansas State (W)
35-41 at Ole Miss (L)
31-32 at Memphis (L)
As told by the scores, the Razorbacks' offense has been humming for the most part, with late-game mistakes on both sides of the ball costing Arkansas a potential 4-0 start. I mentioned QB Taylen Green as one of the top players on the Irish schedule this preseason, and he has lived up to that expectation. Green has led an impressive Arkansas passing offense that is set up by great blocking, a staple of HC Sam Pittman. Former Arkansas HC Bobby Petrino returned to the program as Pittman’s Offensive Coordinator and play-caller last season, and his balanced attack has led to a fun offense to watch. While the run-blocking is not as prominent as the pass, the Razorbacks’ rushing attack is still dangerous with Green and RB Mike Washington Jr capable of busting big gains at any moment.
Here are some Arkansas offensive stats, with their respective national ranking:
43.5 points per game (tied-15th)
552 total yards per game (8th)
324.3 pass yards per game (15th)
54 completions of 10-plus yards and 10 completions of 30-plus yards (both tied-4th)
227.75 rush yards per game (20th)
QB Taylen Green and RB Mike Washington Jr are both top-50 in this stat
61.9% 3rd-down conversion rate (6th)
The largest issue facing this Razorbacks’ offense is their knack for turning the ball over. Green has tossed four interceptions this season, two of which came against Arkansas State. Additionally, Arkansas has two fumbles lost, but they both had massive repercussions that essentially cost the Razorbacks wins at Ole Miss and Memphis.
Quarterback:
Taylen Green - When you create a QB in Madden, odds are you want him to play and look like the Arkansas dual-threat weapon. Standing at 6-6 and 235 pounds, Green is as intriguing as it gets when it comes to the QB’s ceiling. Through four weeks, here is where the redshirt senior ranks nationally:
387.8 total yards per game (1st; by more than 30 yards)
297.8 pass yards per game (10th)
90 rush yards per game (3rd among FBS QBs)
Green has completed 64.3% of his pass attempts for 1,191 yards, 12 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He opened the season with a six-touchdown and no-turnover performance against Alabama A&M. However, across the last two weeks against Ole Miss and Memphis, he has thrown just two touchdowns and two interceptions during the Razorbacks' losses. Green did record a season-high 325 yards last week at Memphis with one score and two picks. In general, the future NFL Draft selection is a solid passer who is capable of opening up any offense thanks to his legs. The key for the Notre Dame defense is the same as it was against Texas A&M: PRESSURE THE QB! Under pressure this season, Green is just 8/26 with two interceptions. My final note on Green as a passer is that he does throw a pretty-looking deep ball.
On the ground, the dual-threat is averaging an impressive 8.2 yards per carry for 360 yards and two touchdowns on 44 attempts. He already has two games with at least 115 yards and a score, including at Ole Miss when he rushed for those numbers on 14 carries. Green, a physical presence, has forced 10 missed tackles and has 18 rushes of 10-plus yards. He likes to get outside, with most of his success going to the right.
Running Backs:
Mike Washington Jr. - As hinted at earlier, the Razorbacks’ lead back is the senior New Mexico State transfer. Washington enters this weekend averaging 7.2 yards per carry for 330 yards and four touchdowns across 46 carries. His 82.5 rushing yards per game rank 43rd in the country. The 6-2, 228-pound back rushed for a season-high 116 yards, including a 53-yard score, on just nine carries against Arkansas State. Against Ole Miss, the RB recorded a season-high two rushing touchdowns on 13 carries for 65 yards, including a 47-yard score. Washington is a good runner who is capable of beating defenses up the middle or to the outside.
Unfortunately for Washington, his first fumble of the year occurred last week and effectively cost the Razorbacks a chance to win. With 1:18 remaining in the game and Arkansas down one, the Razorbacks were setting up a game-winning red zone field goal when a Memphis defender punched the ball out of Washington’s hands at the seven-yard line, handing Arkansas an upset loss.
In the receiving game, the senior has hauled in six receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. Washington serves as a reliable, short-yard, yard-after-catch option for Green.
Others to watch: Braylen Russell
Receivers:
O’Mega Blake - The Razorbacks’ leading receiver and Green’s new favorite target is the transfer from Charlotte. Blake has 24 receptions for 326 yards and three touchdowns with no drops across 35 targets. His six catches per game are tied-25th in the country, while his 81.5 receiving yards per game rank 33rd. The 6-2 wideout has had at least five catches and 60 yards in each outing and a touchdown in each of his first three contests before being held scoreless last week. Blake set season-highs in week one when he finished with 121 yards on seven catches, including a score. The redshirt senior is a good receiver who does most of his work between the numbers. Notably, three of Green’s interceptions were targeted for Blake.
Jalen Brown - After transferring over from Florida State, the 6-1 receiver has somewhat underwhelmed this season, specifically at Ole Miss. The Razorbacks were driving down the field, trailing by six, when Brown had the ball stripped away at the Rebels’ 27-yard line with 1:52 remaining, ending any hope for a signature Arkansas win. Through four games, the redshirt sophomore has 11 receptions for 156 yards and two touchdowns with two drops across 21 targets. Brown has at least 30 yards in each game, taking the majority of his reps out wide while showing flashes as a potential deep-threat for Green.
CJ Brown - Pittman and Petrino have split their slot reps between Brown and Raylen Sharpe, but the 6-1 sophomore has shown himself to be the better option in my opinion. The Arkansas native has 11 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns with one drop across 16 targets. He has at least two receptions and 26 yards in each game, including a season-high performance of four catches for 49 yards and two scores against Alabama A&M. Brown is a solid slot-man and, like Blake, does most of his work between the numbers. Notre Dame’s defense has to force Green to throw outside, something they did not emphasize last week against Purdue.
Others to watch: Raylen Sharpe
Tight Ends:
Jaden Platt - The first of two tight ends to highlight is the redshirt sophomore and Texas A&M transfer. Platt, more of a blocking TE, has hauled in eight catches for 143 yards with one drop across 11 targets this season. He has at least one reception and 15 yards in each game, including a season-high three catches, 53-yard outing at Ole Miss. Standing at 6-5 and 265 pounds, Platt serves well as a reliable blocker who can be utilized in the short-yardage passing game.
Rohan Jones - Green’s receiving threat at the position is the senior Montana State transfer. Jones has five receptions on five targets for 197 yards and two long touchdowns. The 6-3, 242-pound weapon has 106 yards after the catch, good for an average of 21.2 per reception. Jones’ first touchdown of the season came on a 41-yard score against Arkansas State. Last week, the senior impressed with two catches for 102 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown. He also added a five-yard rushing score off a sweep play on his first carry of the year. Jones has also played well as a run-blocker so far.
Others to watch: Andreas Paaske
Offensive Line:
LT Corey Robinson II, LG Fernando Carmona, C Caden Kitler, RG Kobe Branham, RT E’Marion Harris - As mentioned earlier, a mainstay of Coach Pittman’s programs is elite offensive line play. This year is no different with these hogs. This group features two returning starters from a year ago, two impact transfers from power programs, and a 329-pound redshirt freshman at RG. This elite pass-blocking unit has allowed just three sacks this season, good for an average of 0.75 per game, which is tied-17th nationally. Every single starter on this line can hold their own in pass-block, with LT Robinson being the leader with just one pressure allowed on 141 pass-block snaps. Compared to the pass, the run-blocking has been fairly average, but the abilities of Green and Washington in the backfield cancel out this deficiency most of the time.
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