FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas quarterback Brandon Mitchell said he remembers nothing but starring in a starting role.
The freshman said it didn’t matter whether it was football or basketball. The two-sport athlete was simply used to being on center stage throughout his high school career.
So it’s understandable that Mitchell called the 2009 season - in which he is redshirting - a humbling experience.
“I’ve been a starter since I’ve been old enough to walk and play sports really,” Mitchell said. “It taught me, you have to sit back and learn and see what you can get from people that are in front of you. Take what you’ve learned and just run with it and apply it to the game that you already have.”
Mitchell isn’t alone. He was one of nine Razorbacks who had to swallow their pride and work diligently behind the scenes all season. The rest of the group includes off ensive linemen Alvin Bailey, Colby Berna and Travis Swanson, receivers Neal Barlow and Lance Ray, tight end Austin Tate, linebacker Ryan Calendar and defensive back Jerry Mitchell.
They performed scout-team duties while other classmates like defensive tackle D.D. Jones and cornerback David Gordon shouldered important roles immediately. They lifted weights non-stop to add strength. They studied. They learned.
And they reminded each other that, no matter how frustrating sitting out became at times, their day will come.
“It’s a little aggravating sometimes,” Calendar said. “You want to be out there, think you can do better than this guy, then you look at the bigger picture.”
The good news for Arkansas’ newcomers is that they weren’t forgotten. And their work has been rewarded this month.
All nine were among the group of young players to receive extensive repetitions and scrimmage work during on-campus practices in preparation for the Liberty Bowl.
Their workload won’t be as abundant when the Razorbacks report to Memphis and begin practicing in preparation for East Carolina next week, but Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said the experience the group accumulated was valuable.
“The ability to get young guys work has been something where we’ve seen tremendous improvement,” Petrino said. “All the young guys are working together, staying after practice or getting reps with the ones or the twos, jumping in there.
“It’s been very good for them, very good for our football team. It will certainly help us when we get to spring ball.”
Petrino wants his young players to challenge for starting jobs when spring practice does roll around. Some of the redshirted freshmen may be capable of taking positions, too.
Take guard Alvin Bailey as an example. Bailey was battling for a spot at guard in the offensive line rotation early on before coaches eventually decided to put a redshirt on him.
Much like Mitchell, Bailey, who already is one of the team’s strongest players, said it took time to adjust to sitting.
“As the season went along, it kind of set in,” Bailey said. “But at first it was like, ‘Whoa.’ But it came to me that this is the best decision for me and my future.”
Sports, Pages 8 on 12/26/2009