FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas' offense has scored touchdowns on the opening drive of the second half in consecutive games. Now, the challenge is for that success to carry over to the first drive of the game.

The Razorbacks mustered field goals on their opening drives against Utah and Tulsa but haven't scored an opening drive touchdown this season. In their other five games, UA's opening drive resulted in no points.

A major part of that success, offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey explained Tuesday, is limiting self-inflicted wounds, which the current coaching staff refers to as "SIWs."

Cramsey said that Arkansas' 31-21 victory over Vanderbilt on Oct. 17 featured "the lowest amount of drive kills all season" from the Hogs, with only four offensive penalties, three negative plays, and no sacks.

In order for Arkansas to have success on opening drives, following a similar pattern is key.

"Each game, we've hurt ourselves in certain situations," Cramsey said. "The opening drive of the past game was the backed up one. They got us inside the five. It's self-inflicted wounds at times."

Arkansas also must do a better job of finishing its opening drives when they do have some success. The Razorbacks got into the red zone against Utah but were forced to settle for a field goal and even got into Georgia territory on the first drive against the Bulldogs before failing to convert on fourth down. Against Tennessee, Arkansas was well into field goal range and on the verge of the red zone before QB KJ Jackson coughed up the football on a strip sack.

"We got to finish them," Cramsey said. "And we got to sustain drives. That's something we were able to do [against Vanderbilt]. I keep talking drive killers... obviously, anything that gets us off course. [A turnover] is the ultimate, negative plays, sacks and penalties. Those self-inflicted wounds that you heard me and Coach [Silverfield] talk about a lot are things that gotten us off course and did in the first half of the Vanderbilt game, too. Now we were able to overcome one in the second half of the Vanderbilt game, which is something we're preaching."

Center stage

Backup center Kash Courtney got his first start against Vanderbilt and played well in the absence of injured captain Caden Kitler, who was replaced by Courtney to start the second half against Tennessee. Despite Courtney earning SEC OL of the Week honors, Kitler was listed above him when the depth chart was released on Monday and head coach Ryan Silverfield did not confirm whether or not Kitler or Courtney will start against Missouri.

"Did a tremendous job," Cramsey said of Courtney's performance vs Vanderbilt. "He's doing a great job of not only the physical, handling guys up front, moving guys up front with his athletic ability, with his strength, he's doing a great job of calling the game. And to me, that's a big deal when you have a center that's calling the game like that, like Kitler could do as well when he's in there."

Was Chris Marshall a problem?

Cramsey was asked if not having Chris Marshall, who had only one catch against Vanderbilt and sat out for the second half with injury, helped Jackson progress through his reads more and find other receivers. Eleven total receivers, including WR Antonio Jordan (5 catches, 74 yards) caught passes against Vanderbilt.

"Maybe he was the problem," Cramsey joked of Marshall. "Who knows? [Antonio Jordan] stepped up, and that's what it was... when you have an opportunity to make a play and the ball comes your way, make that play."

Fearless KJ Jackson

On Arkansas' final drive, Jackson decided to do his best KJ Jefferson impression, putting his head down and bowling over a Vanderbilt defender. He had 11 carries for a team-high 58 yards and a touchdown in the win.

"It adds an extra gap to the defense," Cramsey said of Jackson's running ability. "You know, every quarterback I've coached... he's one of the very few that gets calmed down by getting tackled on that side of the line of scrimmage. So to me, I think that relaxes him a little bit. That gets him involved in the game. Just so we know, I'm not coaching the jump over guy technique. He's doing that on his own, but he likes that. He's not afraid to stick his face in there. He's not afraid to get those tough yards, and that's a pain to a defense when when you can do that and add the extra gap and add the extra man to the run game."