It was a chilly November day in Fayetteville, AR, as the Arkansas Razorbacks took on Tennessee. Things were different for the Hogs back then. Bobby Petrino was the head coach of the Razorbacks, and he got the team ranked within the top ten. While Petrino’s high-powered offenses got most of the attention, the special teams weren’t shabby either.
During the 2011 season, Arkansas punt returner Joe Adams led the nation in punt return touchdowns with 4. Moreover, Adams ranked eighth nationally in punt return yardage, accumulating 321 yards over 19 tries. While Adams is remembered in Fayetteville for his all-purpose usage, he had one play that stood above the rest.
Joe Adams’ famous Punt Return:
First, the Arkansas defense forced Tennessee into a fourth down with 38 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Since Tennessee was on its own 29-yard line, head coach Derek Dooley decided to punt. Then, the Tennessee punter kicked the ball to Arkansas’ 40-yard line, where Adams received the ball.
Instead of going north toward the end zone, Adams started moving east. After making a man miss, Adams started backpedaling and then completely reversed his running direction. Then Adams, shook off two defenders, before once again going towards the sideline, where Adams shook off yet another tackle. After getting by nearly half the defense, Adams ran upfield through an open lane on the sideline. Following this, Adams wormed through several blockers and ran untouched into the endzone. Arkansas later won the game by a score of 49-7.
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The Punt Return’s Legacy
While the return itself is a jaw-dropping feat of athleticism, the play also brings nostalgia to many Arkansas fans. Under Bobby Petrino, the Hogs were winning double-digit games and competing in top bowl games. These include the Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl. Since Petrino’s firing, Arkansas went through a rough patch. Wisconsin coach Brett Bielema couldn’t take Arkansas back to the promised land. Then, the program tanked under head coach Chad Morris. But there’s reason for optimism in Fayetteville, as current head coach Sam Pittman led the team to a nine win season for the first time in 10 years. Pittman’s team will look to get Arkansas to its first ten win season since 2011. Pittman will have to do it against a daunting schedule, but hopes are the highest they’ve been in Fayetteville in a while.
