MEMPHIS — The Arkansas Razorbacks rolled into the heart of the entertainment district of this Mississippi River city Sunday.
The Arkansas contingent checked into the historic Peabody Hotel, just a couple of blocks away from worldrenowned Beale Street, but the minds of the Razorbacks won’t be on the blues or barhopping while they are here.
They’re focused on coming away with a Liberty Bowl trophy Saturday, when they take on East Carolina.
“We’ve been practicing for a long time,” defensive end Jake Bequette said. “Bowl practices are a long, hard road of work, but we’re ready tocash in on Saturday and just kind of lay it out there.”
Offensive tackle Ray Dominguez said he’s eager to check out the Memphis Grizzlies game tonight at FedEx Forum, but he knows the underlying purpose of the trip.
“Not going to a bowl last year really put some fuel in that fire for the team,” Dominguez said.
The Razorbacks, who were in the midst of traveling Saturday and Sunday, were vaguely aware of the Urban Meyer story that broke overnight Saturday. Florida’s fifth-year coach was said to be stepping down late Saturday night, but Sunday he said he’d changed his mind and would be taking a leave of absence instead.
Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino’s name was thrown out Saturday night by ESPN’s Mark May and ESPN. com’s Chris Low as an attractive candidate for the Gators job, but by Sunday afternoon that wasn’t a concern for the Razorbacks.
“That’s just the media hype,” Dominguez said. “We weren’t too much worried about it. We never worry about the media. We focus on our team and coaches, and we’re all focused on East Carolina.”
Added Bequette: “We’re out here to play the game, not to answer questions about coaching changes.”
After a few off days to visit family for the Christmas break, the Hogs are ready to refocus.
“It felt pretty good to see the family, but now it’s time to put it back on, put this work in and beat East Carolina,” Dominguez said.
Tight end D.J. Williams spent time with his mom, Vicky, sister Vanessa and his dogs, Shadow and Precious, in Little Rock during the Christmas break, and chatted with his sister Valerie in Texas.
“I had a superb Christmas,” Wiliams said. “I was like, man, it’s so good to be home with family. That beats any gift you could get because we don’t get much time to see our families.
“I tried to get stuck athome somehow, turn my phone off maybe, lose my car keys so nobody can call and try to get me out of the house.”
Defensive end Adrian Davis did much the same, visiting with his family in Texas.
“I hadn’t been home for six months, so that was good,” Davis said.
Williams said he has filed paperwork with the NFL to find out what his draft status might be but that “I wouldn’t look too much into it.”
Underclassmen, like Williams and Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, have until Jan. 15 to declare for the NFL Draft.
The Razorbacks open bowl practices at 10 a.m. today at Rhodes College.
Sports, Pages 15 on 12/28/2009