HOG CALLS: 'Different game,' same result

Posted: August 26, 2009 at 5:52 a.m.

• Print item
• E-mail
• Share
• Tweet

FAYETTEVILLE — It's nice to see Bobby Petrino utilizing college athletics' master motivator.

Frank Broyles - whose football coaching, motivational abilities and especially athletics director vision is what has made the Razorbacks THE Razorbacks - is the best resource for the second-year football coach.

Sources have said, and freshman quarterback Tyler Wilson confirmed, that Broyles has been visited by the head coach recently and even had the legend impart his expertise to the entire Razorback squad.

Petrino had Broyles, retired to athletics director emeritus in 2008, address the team last Friday night before their Saturday scrimmage, Wilson said.

Age hasn't slowed an iota from Broyles, who spoke about the Razorbacks with a passion unmatched on the planet.

"I think everybody was pumped," Wilson said. "He mentioned a couple of times that before having a championship team, we've had losing seasons the year before that championship. That kind of gave us some inspiration that we're going to be able to do it this year."

Examples do abound of Arkansas following seasons like last year's 5-7 with big years.

Broyles was involved in several, most noticeably following his 1958 4-6 debut.

Broyles' 1959 Hogs won the Southwest Conference championship and went 9-2 that season, fueled by the 1958 upset against Texas Tech - much like last year's Hogs win against LSU.

His 1968 Hogs went 10-1 with a SWC co-championship and Sugar Bowl triumph after a 4-5-1 season in 1967.

If the offensive action during the two recent scrimmages is any indication, today's Hogs look ready to match those years recalled by Broyles. Defensively, though, Petrino frets.

"I didn't like what I saw," Petrino said. "I didn't think we were playing aggressive and I didn't think we were tackling well enough. I saw a few guys who ducked their head to tackle and missed tackles.

Defensively, we've got to get better. We all know it."

The defensive depth chart has been musical chairs throughout the preseason. Apparently that music will play on, even with just a final preseason week left before Sept. 5 season-opener against Missouri State in Little Rock.

"We've got to really take a good look at the competition and who wants to start and who doesn't," Petrino said.

So with a defense still to be sorted and an opening date before the Sept. 19 SEC-opener versus Georgia in Fayetteville, don't be surprised to hear about more hitting than usual in the closed practices at this late preseason stage.

Petrino isn't alone in fretting about the defense.

Because of the speed on the offensive side of the ball, coaches everywhere worry about defense now.

Broyles says it's the major change in the game today versus his 1958-76 Arkansas coaching tenure.

"It's a different game now," Broyles said, "with speed, speedand more speed. When I was coaching the pressure was on the offense trying to score. Now there is so much speed on the offensive side the pressure is on the defense."

Even when led by a Mackey Award semifinalist, it seems Petrino never has enough tight ends/H-backs for their varied uses in his offense. With Chris Gragg out for the season, Petrino first moved freshman defensive end Colton Nash and late last week moved redshirt freshman quarterback Jim Youngblood of Camden Fairview to tight. And that doesn't include the crew already in place: freshman AustinTate of Harrison behind Mackey semifinalist D.J. Williams, and fourth-year junior Ben Cleveland and fullback/Hback/tight ends Van Stumon and John Durmon.

That's a lot of bodies for Youngblood to fight through. But Youngblood is up to 6-2, 225. As a running quarterback, he displayed impressive athleticism but he's not a polished passer like top Arkansas quarterbacks Ryan Mallett and Tyler Wilson.

"Jim wants to get on the field," Petrino said. "It's a spot where playing that H-back he can move and get out there and help. He's got alot to learn and a long way to go. He's never done it before. But he's very eager. He's got a great attitude about it and he wants to get on the field as soon as he can."

Sports, Pages 8, 9 on 08/26/2009

Comments

To report abuse or misuse of this area please hit the "Suggest Removal" link in the comment to alert our online managers. Please read our comment policy.

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.