Mixing it up : Robinson shakes up defense, promotes backups

Posted: August 27, 2009 at 5:56 a.m.

Andy Shupe
Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson watches as members of his secondary prepare for Saturday's scrimmage at Razorback Stadium. Robinson demoted some starters on defense this week, and moved up true freshman Terrell Williams to a starting spot at weakside linebacker.

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FAYETTEVILLE — As a high school safety moving to inside linebacker at college, Terrell Williams seemed a good bet to redshirt in this University of Arkansas freshman class.

All bets are off now. Because if the Razorbacks opened their season today, Tulsa Union High grad Terrell Williams would be Arkansas' starting weakside Will linebacker.

After the Razorbacks practiced Wednesday in this final preseason week before their Sept. 5 opener against Missouri State in Little Rock, defensive coordinator WillyRobinson announced a reshuffled defensive depth chart. It included Williams starting at Will linebacker, recent first-team Will linebacker Jerry Franklin just ahead of seniorincumbent Mike linebacker Wendel Davis in the middle, and new secondary firstteamers Rudell Crim, a junior college transfer, at field cornerback ahead of Greg Gatson,and junior ex-cornerback Jerell Norton now ahead of fifth-year senior Matt Harris at free safety.

Robinson also said junior college transfer Andru Stewart hasadvanced to second-team boundary cornerback.

Of all the newly promoted, Williams no doubt raises the most eyebrows. Not only barging in as a true freshman, Williams at least temporarily displaces one of two of last year's best defenders. Third-year sophomore Franklin started every game last year and was named to the Sporting News' All-Freshmanteam.

Davis became the middle linebacker fixture at midseason once he fully recovered from major knee surgery.

However, Robinson looks past incumbency on a defense striving desperately to improve on last year's 5-7 season.

"Terrell Williams came in," Robinson said, "and he ran full speed and he tackled well. He's very productive."

All attributes Robinson wants from his starters and those behind them pushing to play.

"We're going to establish depth," Robinson said. "We're going to establish courage, we're going to have execution and running full speed to the ball."

Is Williams surprised to be among those establishing all that? Especially as a rookie once likely to redshirt?

Well, Williams hadn'tthought much of redshirting in the first place.

"I'm a competitive guy," Williams said. "Nothing wrong with a redshirt, but I knew as soon as I came here I was going to get a chance to play wherever I played. That was one of my key choices in coming here."

He arrived in Fayetteville a full two months ahead of official August preseason drills determined to grow into his new position.

"I've gained about 17 pounds," Williams, 6-3, said. "I came in weighing 215 and I'm 232 now."

Seems he had to eat like a hog to become a Hog.

"Man," Williams said, "they got us on all kinds of protein shakes and meal plans and all kinds of stuff. Since June 1 I've been up here working out and eating more."

However, it's not eating big but playing big that ultimately counts.

Williams has played big enough and hit big enough to be an instant big hit.

"I know that's something you've got to bring," Williams said, "because if you don't, somebody is going to bring it to you. So I definitely have been out here trying to become a better tackler and player in general."

Still, there's a lot more to college football than hitting. There is experience and savvy which Williams lacks being not only new to college ball, but new to linebacker.

But he's getting a lot of help from his friends, Franklin and Davis, the very players on whose playing time Williams now infringes.

"They help me out a lot," Williams said. "When I'm in the wrong place, they get me to the right place on the field. Those are two good guys who know what they are doing and have been in the system. They help me a lot."

Even with their help and linebackers coach Reggie Johnson's help, it still seems Williams' instant transformation is dazzling.

Not completely, though, to the man who recruited him.

Arkansas quarterbacks coach Garrick McGee, the former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback who recruits in Oklahoma for Bobby Petrino's Razorbacks, told the defensive staff in one package he was bringing them a big hitter and big thinker from a big-time prep program.

Linebacker coach Reggie Johnson started agreeing fast.

Back on Arkansas' Aug. 8 Media Day after just two practices, McGee remarked, "Terrell coming from Union, that's a bigtime program, the closest thing to college you are going to get. I talked to Reggie about him and Reggie said, 'He just doesn't have an idea how to do it yet at linebacker, but he was a high GPA student with a great ACT. The light is going to come on.'"

Just 18 days later the light shines on a starter.

Sports, Pages 7, 8 on 08/27/2009

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