Hogs want to get in a rush

Arkansas out to establish running game earlier

Arkansas running back Michael Smith is dragged down by Georgia's Darryl Gamble (50) and Prince Miller (23) in the Bulldogs' 52-41 victory at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Saturday.
Arkansas running back Michael Smith is dragged down by Georgia's Darryl Gamble (50) and Prince Miller (23) in the Bulldogs' 52-41 victory at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Saturday.

— The results have been mostly good when Arkansas has called running plays this season - as long as you don't count the Razorbacks' goal-line tries.

Top tailback Michael Smith is averaging 8.5 yards per carry, while freshman Ronnie Wingo has run for an average of 6.2 yards on each attempt.

The problem is that there hasn't been enough emphasis on the run in the early going.

"We know we've got to run the ball better," Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett said. "That's obvious."

While Mallett and the passing game have rocketed to the top of the NCAA charts, ranking second among Football Bowl Subdivision teams in passing efficiency(184.1) and yards per game (428), the running game has trudged along.

Only 11 FBS teams average fewer than Arkansas' 27 rushing attempts per game. The Razorbacks, who have thrown an average of 40 passes per game, know they have to shoot for more balance.

"We have to because we don't want them to just sit back deep and wait on the deep pass or the crossing route," Smith said.

Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino acknowledges Smith needs more work.

"Michael's a big part of the offense, and we really haven't been able to establish him yet," Petrino said.

Smith learned patience during his first three years on campus when he was stuck behind Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, both of whom were taken in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

"I know that the time will come for me to start running the ball, and I know that it'll come soon," Smith said. "So I'm not going to sit back and cry about it. I'm not worried about it at all.

"I know that Coach wants to establish a running game,and he will do that very soon."

There are minor circumstances to explain Arkansas' lack of running.

Missouri State jammed up the line of scrimmage in the opener, when the Hogs called30 running plays - good for 144 yards - compared to 41 passing plays.

Smith hurt a shoulder on the first snap against Georgia, a game in which Arkansas called 41 passing plays and 22 runs, which netted 77 yards. The Razorbacks also were slicing up the Georgia secondary through the air.

"Some of the opportunities that we missed in running the ball were the fact we had two one-play touchdown drives," Petrino said. "That limits our total number of plays. We didn't have that many plays in the game."

When the Hogs devotedmore focus to the ground game in the third quarter,the results started to get better with eight carries for 26 yards.

"The third quarter, those drives, we felt like we were running it, throwing our quick game, throwing our deep play-action, being real balanced," offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said. "That's kind of how we want to be the whole game."

Smith broke a 23-yard run in the fourth quarter, good for one-fourth of the game's rushing total.

The Razorbacks' shortyardage problems are a different story. Big back Broderick Green is averaging just 2.0 yards per carry and has scored one touchdown on six carries from the 5-yard line or closer. Against Georgia, he had three consecutive carries from inside the 2 and didn't score, though the first attempt, on which he fumbled, was negated by a penalty on Georgia.

"We got knocked backwards," Petrino said. "It was the offensive line. We know, our offensive line knows, we put third-and-short on the Oline."

Offensive line coach Mike Summers projects improvement for the team's running game.

"If we execute the plays that are called, and we use our technique, and we finish, then I think our running game will get better," Summers said. "I know that it will as we go through the season."

Sports, Pages 21, 26 on 09/23/2009

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