ARLINGTON, Texas - Less than six months ago, Broderick Green didn’t think he would play at Arkansas this season.
On Saturday, he was sure glad he did.
Green, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament in April, came up big in his season debut, scoring two touchdowns – including the game-winner with 1:41 remaining – as Arkansas beat Texas A&M 42-38 at Cowboys Stadium.
“I had flashbacks of what I did last year,” said Green, who had rushed for 807 yards and 14 touchdowns in his two years at the school prior to this season. “I kept practicing and kept telling myself, ‘Hey, you can do this.’
“I never saw this day coming, though. To be honest, I was expecting to come back next year.”
RELATED VIDEO: Broderick Green – Texas A&M Postgame
Green, a fifth-year senior, was originally deemed out for the season, but returned to Arkansas’ practices last month. He dressed out for Arkansas’ game at Alabama last week but didn’t play but factored into the preparation throughout the week for the Aggies.
“Him and (trainer) Matt Summers have done an unbelievable job,” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said.”Broderick, with his work ethic and desire, he had a huge desire to come back.
“He’s way ahead of schedule. I was skeptical of it, but this is the doctor’s decision…He wanted to do it and they got him ready to go.”
The Little Rock native’s return couldn’t have come at a better time for Arkansas. With injuries throughout the backfield, the Razorbacks have struggled to rush the ball all season, including a 17-yard performance last week at Alabama.
That rushing game struggled again for most of the game against the Aggies. Arkansas began to get things going on the ground in the fourth quarter, however, with Green and Dennis Johnson each getting more reps in the backfield.
Johnson, who missed the first three games of the year with a hamstring injury, finished Saturday with 54 yards on the ground, while Green had 25 yards and touchdown runs from 1 and 3 yards out.
Green’s 10-yard run on a third-and-8 with less than a minute left gave Arkansas a first down and allowed the Razorbacks to run out the clock.
“It’s great to have him back,” Petrino said. “He’s a big, strong, physical runner. He’ll just get better and better as the year goes on from here.”
You can follow Matt Jones on Twitter @NWAMatt.
Tyler Wilson and Jarius Wright proved they can be one of the most Deadly Combo,s in the Country,and i can,t tell you how happy i am with Dennis Johnson and B Green,they are going to make us Two Demisional on offense the rest of the year,that second half gave us alot of answers about this football team,yes yes i know we still have one Tough Road to Travel,but i am feeling a little bit better about it.
A win like this can go a long way in putting your season on the right path. This team has looked like it has been in a funk since the 2nd half of the Troy game, right up til the 2nd half of this game. Now lets play some football.
Great to have you back Broderick !!! Go Hogs !!
The defense, though riddled with injury related issues, may have grown up and come together today in the second half.
Otherwise, welcome back, numbers 29 and 33, respectively. Now lets get some “groundhog” going to mix with numbers 4 and 8′s heroics.
I agree dwp007. I’m tired of this “free Willy” talk. We aren’t Alabama / LSU yet. Our starters can beat anyone. But unlike those programs, our second stringers aren’t as good. Not and excuse, but we are a couple of more classes on defense away from having the quality of depth. Today was HUGE. We are still in this thing.
Someone once said the best defense is a great offense. That was the case today. The penalties, the bonehead penalties, have to go.
Arkansas was very fortunate to come out of Jerry’s Place with a w today.
Azhog…. Really… No free willie!!! Willie has to go!!!! 404 yards given up by half time… I have been saying it since his first year.. He is lost when it comes to calling a defensive game.. Why does it take till after half time to figure out what needs to be done to stop a team from running down your throat!! He is just not the guy!!! He needs to go!!! I want the hogs to win a national championship.. That will never happen with this clown.. Sorry, it’s the truth!! Defense wins championships!!!! Just ask florida, Lsu, and Alabama!!!
Let’s see here are the Willie excuses used for the last 4 years!! First year, the excuse was the kids are freshman.. Second year, the excuse was the are sophomores, but they are getting better…. the third year, defense is way better but the defense is complex and complicated!! What’s the excuse going to be this year.. At some point people better hold willie accountable for the defense!!! The Willie experiment needs to end after this year!! I want our hogs to win a NC!! And you need a defense to do it!! And we will never get there with this coordinator period!!!
Amen Brother Shaun, FREE WILLY!
On the drive late i the second when DJ started gashing the Aggies, I started to feel like I had last year, that when we were balanced we can be unstoppable. But something happened in the second half with our O-Line. I think it should be pretty clear given the 20 or so knock-out blows that Wilson has endured that our line was poor, and we didn’t open up anything for our rbs. And then it all changed. I have no idea what happened or why, but I’m sure proud of those guys for sticking with it and gelling.
On defense, I think it is obvious to say that it was embarrassing the way they just pounded away down our middle. Given that, I will say what made me scared: We had Flowers at DE, Smith at DE (a solid player but not bequette or wright for the moment) and then Tevin Mitchell, the freshman corner. We got put in a bind from our injuries and yet somehow they got it together and showed up.
It was a great way to end what started out as a heart-wrenching game in Dallas.
Well done, boys, and GO HOGS!
This team (and every team Willie has coached) cannot tackle worth a flip. Unless and until they are taught how to tackle, we will not reach TOP 10 caliber. You just cannot compete at that level if you don’t tackle. Great win for the O team today. Thank goodness we have an offense. Go Hogs, Beat Auburn.
Exactly right,throwing shoulder in to big Div.1 running backs will not bring them down, and D backs standing next to recievers waiting for the catch, will not stop 1st downs. We where lucky in the 2nd half they backed off the passing game and tried to burn clock. We need better techneighc.
I do applaud their effort though in the 2nd half to hold an explosive offense like A@M’s to 3 points. I never would have believed that could happen after the 1st half.
I still think the coaching staff and media are missing the obvious and that is Dennis Johnson is always the spark we need. He should have been starting for the Bama game. His style of running is very similar to Trent Richardson he just needs to get more snaps. Did you see his blocking and yards after contact against the aggies, very impressive. Hopefully he is #1 on depth chart moving forward and wingo #3 or 4. Wingo runs like a scared child and falls down with an arm tackle. Anyways, feed the studs and Dennis is a stud!
Well, I hate to say Shaun is correct on all accounts..I hate it because I like Willie and wished he would succeed. He was the defensive coordinator for a coach who was dismal..although won a national championship at a program Jimmie Johnson built..then got visions of granjure and left thinking he was all that for Seattle..and who was the defensive coordinator? Willie, and Seattle flopped big time..then Willie followed him to Oregon where they had some success but not for long before leaving for San Fransisco and we all know how that went..oh the 49ers were absolutely horid on defense..who was their coordinator? So, I am not at all surprised. Past performance is always a good indicator of future success. One time..OK got it..three times? Come on!
Hogster,
I am a 49ers fan and remember well the clustercluck that defense was. They couldn’t rush the passer and they couldn’t cover receivers. They also couldn’t tackle. Does any of this sound familiar? When I saw that we hired him four years ago, I literally screamed “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”
The time for excuses for this guy is over. Our talent, even with the injuries, should be MORE than capable of keeping a team from racking up 400+ yards and 35 points at halftime. People talk about their performance in the second, and while it was certainly better, there are two two things that aided greatly:
1) Great offensive play: We ate clock and put pressure on their offense to answer, and they still drove the ball.
2) Texas A&M’s coach is an idiot who played to protect a lead instead of playing to win. It’s no accident that this has happened to them two weeks straight.
All true! There is one guy who can end the wr failure and get a coach. I don’t see why he doesn’t.
you Guys Know at Halftime,CBP walked over to the Defensive Team in the Locker Room and Had a few words with them,im sure Willie could do nothing but Backup and Listen to,my guess would be in No Certain Terms,He told them to get up off their A and start playing Football,and they responded.
One thing for sure, We are all in the car now, with a long way to go, we have to put our faith in BP and Willy to get us there. Nothing wrong in commenting on the wrong turns here or there, but lets not ask anyone to get out and walk. Lets finish this trip together all the way to NEW ORLEANS! Sometimes you have a change of heart, when you get to where you’re going!
Bud foster – bumpas from TCU- Alabama LB coach, they are out there.
tracy rocker,
Dick Bumpas,Butch Davis,even old man Monte Kiffin,if you don,t think Kiffen can Coach Defense ask Dan Hampton,or watch the Hogs win over Oklahoma in that Orange Bowl.