Arkansas Razorbacks football , 1980 – 89 1980 . Overview . A bright spot for the Hogs in 1980 was senior punter Steve Cox . He led college football with an average of 46 . 5 yards per punt . He would go on to win Super Bowl XXII with the Washington Redskins . Cox completed one of only six field goals of 60 + yards in NFL history . 1981 . Overview . The biggest win of the year was against a # 1 Texas team , which the Razorbacks were rivals with already . Although unranked , the Razorbacks came out on top by 31 points , removing Texas ' # 1 ranking . The Hogs received a Gator Bowl berth against a 10 – 2 – 0 North Carolina team ranked 11th , while the Hogs were unranked at the time . The SWC ' s champion , SMU , could not participate in a bowl game due to probation . Defensive lineman Billy Ray Smith was a consensus All - America n for Arkansas . Bruce Lahay , a kicker , also received first - team honors . Lahay was in a three - way tie for field goals per game in 1981 , hitting on 1 . 73 per game . This mark was also held by Kevin Butler of Georgia and Larry Roach of Oklahoma State . Game notes . Texas . 1982 . Overview . Arkansas had two consensus All - America ns in 1982 , Steve Korte , on the offensive line , and defensive lineman Billy Ray Smith . Smith anchored a defensive unit that was the number one scoring offense , giving up only 10 . 5 points per game , and ninth in the nation in terms of stopping the run , only giving up 96 . 7 yards per game . Billy Ray Smith was a consensus All American in 1981 as well , and would be picked fifth in the 1983 NFL Draft . 1983 . Overview . Ron Faurot received first - team All - American honors as a defensive lineman for the Hogs . The Hogs would hire Ken Hatfield , who shined for the Hogs as a defensive back on the 1964 National Championship team , as their new head football coach . He is still a large proponent of the triple option offense in college football . 1984 . Overview . Junior punt returner Bobby Edmonds of Arkansas ranked ninth in the nation in punt return average . He averaged 11 . 8 yards per return . Arkansas had the seventh - best scoring defense in 1984 , yielding only 12 . 5 points per game . Liberty Bowl . The Razorbacks met current SEC foe Auburn in the Liberty Bowl . The MVP of the game was Bo Jackson of Auburn , who had 88 yards on 18 carries with 2 touchdowns . Arkansas quarterback Brad Taylor completed 18 of 34 , for 201 yards passing , with one touchdown and two interceptions . The Auburn defense held the Hog ' s leading rusher Marshall Foreman to 62 yards on 15 carries . Arkansas lost the game 21 – 15 , despite outgaining the Tigers in total yards , 356 to 252 . 1985 . Overview . Arkansas was the eighth - best team in the nation in rushing yards per game , with 265 . 6 . On the defensive end , the Hogs gave up only 11 . 7 points per game , the 6th best mark in college football . Razorback punt returner B . J . Edmonds finished ninth in college football with 11 . 6 yards per return . 1989 . Overview . In Ken Hatfield ' s final year at UA , the Razorbacks went 10 – 2 , however lost their fourth - straight bowl game and second consecutive Cotton Bowl Classic . Jack Crowe would be promoted from offensive coordinator , and only remain two years . He was fired after a loss to FCS The Citadel . Offensive tackle Jim Mabry was a consensus All - America n for the Hogs . Freshman kicker Todd Wright hit on 20 of 23 field goals on the year . His average of 1 . 82 per game tied future NFL kicker Chris Gardocki from Clemson , among others . As a team , the Razorbacks were the seventh - best rushing offense in college football , with an average of 314 . 2 yards per game on the ground . Notes . Arkansas Razorbacks Sports Network Online 1980 – 1989 Football Schedule / Results