Hogs facing injuries after big victory

Adams to undergo more tests after mild stroke last week

Posted: October 13, 2009 at 6:30 a.m.

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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas strangely marked the best defensive game of the Bobby Petrino era by making no defensive players available for the Razorbacks’ weekly Monday press conference.

So no defensive detailing Monday about the Hogs, 44-23 victorsover 17th-ranked Auburn last Saturday in Fayetteville, facing No. 1 ranked and reigning national champion Florida in Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. game set for broadcast on CBS in Gainesville, Fla.

Just head coach/ offensive playcaller Petrino, sophomore kick returner Dennis Johnson, named Monday the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week by the SECOffice in Birmingham, Ala., and quarterback Ryan Mallett were available Monday to Arkansas media.

Petrino did update Monday on sophomore wide receiver Joe Adams, diagnosed last week as suffering a mild stroke and of course withheld from the Auburn game, senior running back Michael Smith (injured hamstring in the second half against Auburn) and sophomore wide receiver Jarius Wright (concussion during the first half against Auburn).

Adams, who attended Saturday’s game in Fayetteville after undergoing medical tests last Friday in Little Rock, reportedly is improving but not expected to play against the Gators.

“He feels good today,” Petrino said. “He feels better. He has more tests to take and there’s not a whole lot of information for me to give out on it because I don’t know a whole lot. I’m not sure how long he’ll be out. It’ll be up to the doctors. The main thing is he’s doing good, he feels good, he has no headaches. He feels like he wants to practice but obviously he can’t at this time.”

Adams, a Little Rock native and alum of Central Arkansas Christian, has caught 16 passes for 316 yards and 2 touchdowns in four games for the Hogs (3-2, 1-2).

Though the Razorbacks did not practice Monday, Wright, a sophomore from Warren with 16 catches for 328 yards and 2 touchdowns, was to exercise under trainers’ supervision and then be medically reevaluated before this afternoon’s practice.

“It’s really how he reacts to the exercise that will determine what the plan for the week is,” Petrino said. “If he has no ill effects from exercising [Monday], then he should be good to go for the week.”

Wright reported he had no headaches Monday, Petrino said.

As for Smith, Petrino said, “Michael did tweak his hamstring a little bit and he’ll be a day-to-day guy.”

Smith posted a season-best 145 yards rushing on 18 carries with a touchdown against Auburn.

Petrino played it coy regarding the what-if alternatives if Smith is out.

True freshmen Ronnie Wingo and Knile Davis and sophomore Broderick Green all have had key runningback rotation roles this season, including against Auburn.

Dennis Johnson, the sophomore from the Arkansas side of Texarkana, was Smith’s backup last year and an 18 carries for 127 yards starter in Smith’s injured absence when the Hogs closed 2008 upsetting LSU, 31-30.

However, Johnson is more kick returner than running back now. He’s a two-time SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honoree, having returned the season opening kickoff for a 91-yard touchdown against Missouri State and returning 70-yard and 50-yard kickoff returns against Auburn.

Playing running back “is not my primary concern,” Johnson said. “I am really concentrating on kick returning and making big plays on kick returning.”

Johnson never could have believed he would say that considering his running back mindsetfresh out of Texarkana last year to Fayetteville.

“I didn’t expect to be a kick returner when I got here,” Johnson said. “I expected to be a running back but they asked me last year to be a kick returner like the third game. I didn’t think I was going to do as well as I am doing.”

Asked the secret of his success, Johnson replied, “the blocking.”

It also doesn’t hurt that he’s a hard-to-see, sawedoff speedster at 5 feet, 9 inches with 205 pounds. He also has a 4.3 speed and a season of experience.

“He really understands what we’re doing,” Petrino said, “scheme wise, and then he’s fast enough and quick enough to make plays on his own.”

And make them faster.

“That’s really been the coaching point for him,” Petrino said. “Last year there were times where he cruised the first 15-20 yards until he saw the hole. This year he’s getting to his full speed in the first 15 or 20 yards, which is opening up bigger lanes for him.”

Sports, Pages 9 on 10/13/2009

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