Younger linemen impressing Robinson, teammates

Posted: October 8, 2009 at 6:20 a.m.

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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ other defensive tackles are coming along, says an Arkansasdefensive tackle and two coaches.

Malcolm Sheppard, by far the most heralded on the Razorbacks’ defense coming into this 2009 season as preseason, first-team All-SEC and adorning the watch lists of four national awards,was asked about young tackles Zach Stadther and DeQuinta “D.D.” Jones Wednesday.

The Razorbacks (2-2, 0-2) host the 17th-ranked Auburn Tigers (5-0, 2-0) for Saturday’s 11 a.m. SEC West game at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Sophomore Stadther of North Little Rock starts at nose as he did as a true freshman last year with Sheppard to his side, and then Sheppard moving to nose when touted truefreshman Jones of Bastrop, La., is outside him.

“To be so young they are doing a great job,” Sheppard said. “Especially D.D. coming in his firstyear and already showing signs of being great, using his hands great. He competes every time the spotlight is on. He doesn’t shy away from competition. Zach did it last year as a true freshman and D.D. is doing it this year even thoughhe’s so young.”

Jones just recently turned 18.

Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson, in his second year coordinating for Arkansas’ second-year head coach Bobby Petrino, said Stadther remains surprisingly solid. Stadther shocked the staff last year as a stocky 6-foot-1, 295 diamond in the rough become early-season starter.

Huge things are eventually expected of Jones (6-5, 307) and among the most heralded of this recruiting class.

“Zach’s just the Rock of Gibraltar,” Robinson said. “Nothing flashy about what he does, but he does his job. D.D.’s playing really well. He’s doing a nice job against the run and he’s doing a great job with the passing game as well.”

He’s also got a flair for the dramatic, Robinson implied.

“He’s got to stop laying on the ground when he gets twinged a little bit,” Robinson said, smiling. “I’m sure it scares his mom quite a bit. But he’s playing wonderfully.”

Defensive line coach Bobby Allen said the line comes off its best game in last Saturday’s 47-19 triumph over Texas A&M at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“I think right now,” Allen said, “D.D. and Zach and everybody else we’ve been playing has beenconsistently getting a little better each week.”

They’ll have to get a lot better this week.

Texas A&M’s young offensive line got overwhelmed by its first major competition of the season.

Auburn’s 5-0 record includes a 41-30 win over Big East power West Virginia and 49-42 and 26-22 SEC triumphs at home over Mississippi State and at Tennessee, respectively. The Auburn offense, coordinated by Gus Malzahn, the Fort Smith native and former Arkansas state championship coach at Shiloh Christian and Springdale and the Razorbacks’ offensive coordinator in 2006, averages a fifth-inthe-nation 512.8 yards per game. The Tigers average 253.8 rushing yards astounding for any offense, but especially the Spread offense so often stereotyped as nearly all pass.

Stadther said the Tigers’ key to running the ball ishow fast they run to the ball before they run it.

“They are averaging a play every eight seconds,” Stadther said of the nohuddle offense that Malzahn coordinated for Tulsa versus Arkansas in 2008. “I think that’s the key. They are catching defenses off guard. They are running up to the ball. The same offense Tulsa had last year. It’s tough to defend against that and get people off the field and stuff.”

Jones said veterans of last year’s 30-23 victory over Tulsa have indoctrinated that Auburn’s hurryup, no huddle offense dictates a hurry-up, nohuddle defense.

“They told me the Tulsa game was fast paced,” Jones said, “and that Auburn is the exact samesystem. We have been working hard all week running fast and running to the football to get in game tempo for Saturday.”

Whatever the tempo, Stadther and Jones know offenses scheme to neutralize Sheppard any way they can.

“That’s why,” Jones said, “me and Zach have got to come in and hold our ground and protect Malcolm and play as a whole D-line.”

As the lone holdover from former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt’s 2006 staff, Bobby Allen is the only Arkansas coach to have coached with Malzahn. He says that provides “no advantage.”

“He runs his offense and does a great job with it,” Allen said, “but there’s no real advantage to knowing a coach. Everybody has their schemes and draws their circles and all that stuff.”

And all coaches, Allen said, “tweak what they do year to year.”

Sports, Pages 10 on 10/08/2009

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