FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn had used the "swinging gate" play with success as a high school football coach, but Hogs coach Houston Nutt hadn't tried it since YMCA ball.

Arkansas worked the play for a 10-yard gain in the fourth quarter against Alabama on Saturday, but not before Nutt began to feel uneasy.

"I always tell the referee before the game if we have a couple of trick plays," Nutt said Sunday. "Then when we called timeout I nodded to him, like, 'Here it comes.' But the next thing I know, he goes and tells the umpire and another official, and I'm thinking, 'Everybody in the whole stadium knows.'"

Alabama defensive coordinator Joe Kines appeared to smell a rat. Toward the end of the long timeout, he walked up to the officials and asked them something.

"Joe knew something was about to happen," Nutt said. "This timeout seemed much longer than usual and I'm thinking, 'Let's go!' But I think after the Oklahoma-Oregon game, there's more awareness (by officials) and everyone is on their guard."

After the officials notified both sides that the game could resume, Hogs quarterback Mitch Mustain casually sidled over to the ball like a house detective, then picked it up and lateralled it to Felix Jones, who used "student-body" blocking to convert third-and-4 into a first down before the Alabama posse could arrive.

Touch-And-Go

Mustain later threw the game-winning touchdown pass in a 24-23, double-overtime decision, but Nutt had pondered replacing him earlier with second-team quarterback Casey Dick.

"I thought about it hard," Nutt said. "But then we had that 93-yard drive (in the third quarter), and it's hard to substitute when it gets later in the game. Casey had been standing all game. I knew Mitch was capable of making those plays. So I kept it to myself."

In other words, Nutt never told either quarterback he was thinking of making a change.

If arm soreness was an issue, Mustain "is never gonna complain," Nutt said.

About Mustain's improvised 11-yard pass to former Springdale High teammate Ben Cleveland, who changed the route, Nutt said all their experience in 7-on-7 games together probably helped, as did the fact that they ran Malzahn's offense in high school.

Playing For Overtime

Arkansas is 6-1 in overtime games, 5-1 under Nutt.

Some of the 74,687 fans booed when Nutt slowed things down on offense in Arkansas territory late in regulation, but he said Sunday, "I was ready to go to overtime. The way Mitch was throwing, I didn't want to take a chance right there (in regulation). You've got your fans and momentum. We've always had good experience in overtimes, from Murray State on."

Nutt added that Darren McFadden "almost popped the draw play" late in regulation.

"Darren's toe is better; he's closer to 100 percent," Nutt said. "He had been stumbling a lot, but this is the best his foot has been."

For overtime plays, Nutt said Arkansas goes to its red-zone script.

"We watch red-zone tape and we work on plays from the 25-yard line on in every week," he said.

After Alabama kicker Leigh Tiffin missed a 37-yard field goal that would have meant a UA defeat in the first overtime, Nutt said, "Our offensive line said, 'This is our game.'"

Nutt said Hogs center Jonathan Luigs played his best game.

McFadden started Arkansas' second overtime possession with a 12-yard run.

Harrison's Surgery

Hogs left tackle Marcus Harrison will have arthroscopic knee surgery today, but could return as soon as the Auburn game on Oct. 7.

"Chase Pressley had the same surgery and was back in 10 days," Nutt recalled. "We'll hope Marcus can come back that soon."

Ernest Mitchell, Harison's replacement, played 57 snaps and had three tackles Saturday.

Nutt commended Mitchell, Jamaal Anderson, Antwain Robinson, Sam Olajubutu, Matt Hewitt and Randy Kelly on defense. Kelly had 16 tackles in 68 snaps and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.

"Hewitt had no fear in his first game at linebacker," Nutt said. "He had 57 snaps and nine tackles."

Anthony Brown played eight snaps at linebacker.