Hog Calls : Lack of run game negates air show

— From warfare to football it seems results via air ultimately are determined on the ground.

Last Saturday night 74,210 fans at Reynolds Razorback Stadium plus an ESPN audience got grounded in that lesson at Arkansas' expense.

Despite a combined 773 passing yards and 10 touchdown passes,school records 408 passing yards and 5 touchdown passes by Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, and a Georgia school record 5 touchdown passes plus 375 passing yards by quarterback Joe Cox, Georgia's 52-41 victory hinged on the infantry.

Georgia outrushed Arkansas, 155-77 and logged the game's lone rushing touchdown, Richard Samuel's 80-yard romp.

The Bulldogs kept Arkansas' beleaguered defense longer on the field three quarters out of four, especially Georgia's 17-0 second quarter.

"Our inability to run the ball," second-year Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said, "and their ability to run the ball in the second quarter kept us on the sideline."

Despite Arkansas' air show, Petrino knew too well what ran the W to Georgia's column.

33166

http://focus.arkans…">

"Ryan played really well," Petrino said, "but we didn't run the ball. We didn't block. Guys were angling in. We've got to do a better job running the ball so we can use the clock. I'm very disappointed in our defense. We didn't stop the run well enough."

From recent history, chances are the Hogs will fix their ability to run the ball faster than their ability to stop the run.

Arkansas sports the SEC's best running back, Michael Smith, the SEC 2009 preseason firstteamer and 2008 1,072-yards rusher.

However for these 1-1 Hogs, Smith has logged only 12 total carries.

He had that many during some quarters last year in consecutive 35 times-per-carry games.

Circumstances dictated less load so far this year. In the season-opening 44-10 rout of Missouri State initiated by Dennis Johnson's 91-yard touchdown return of the opening kickoff, the Hogs didn't need to overwork Smith.

So he carried only four times, and still effectively with 43 yards.

Last Saturday night on the game's first play from scrimmage, Smith caught a Mallett pass for an 18 yard gain, then quietly exited nursing an injured shoulder. He didn't return until just before the second quarter.

Smith finished still averaging an impressive 7.4 per carry, eight totes for 59 yards including a 23-yarder, and three catches for 33 yards.

Unless the shoulder injury proves painfully lingering, look for Smith to be involved early and often in Saturday's 2:30 p.m.

CBS-televised visit to reigning SEC West champion Alabama.

And look for the line to runblock better. All the line's startersare from the run-blocking Houston Nutt regime.

Nor is it like Petrino and offensive line coach Mike Summers are pass happy. Their four Louisville teams were superbly run-pass balanced.

Under their tutelage, these Hogs obviously blocked well for the run much of last year.

Otherwise Smith couldn't have netted 1,072 yards in 10 games.

As for not stopping the run, nor stopping the pass, too, it was another painful night among painful nights dating before and through thisPetrino regime.

Arkansas has for the most part been defensively down since two years after the Houston Nutt regime outset of Danny Ford-inherited players.

That thought occurred before last Saturday's coin toss. One of those Ford-Nutt players, retired former NFL safety Kenoy Kennedy, was an honorary Arkansas captain.

Offensive-defensive balance shined in Arkansas' star galaxy back in 1998 and 1999.

Reflect on this Razorbacks' roster current and those of recent past and the star power shines decidedly offensive.

One current defender mentioned in the same breath with offensive stars, third-year sophomore linebacker Jerry Franklin, got ejected inthe second quarter from last Saturday's game.

Georgia's Samuel ran his 80-yard TD the first series minus Franklin.

Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson was observed talking to his linebacker.

I just told him," Robinson said, "this is a hard lesson learned how important it is that he be on that field."

In these days of college football offensively legislated so blockers can grapple as well as block, and offenses blessed with super speed and sophisticated schemes, every defense needs every hand on deck.

Especially this Arkansas defense, it seems.

◊◊ ◊

Nate Allen's Razorback column appears Mondays in The Daily Record. The opinions expressed are those of the author.

Sports, Pages 6, 7 on 09/21/2009

Upcoming Events