Dominquez sharing duties with freshman

Hogs' starting spot open after many false starts

Posted: September 25, 2009 at 6:43 a.m.

• Print item
• E-mail
• Share
• Tweet

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas true freshman offensive tackle Anthony Oden may start or at least play considerably in Saturday's SEC West game at Alabama.

The Razorbacks (1-1 0-1) and the nationally third-ranked defending SEC West champion Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0 and hosting its SEC opener) collide at 2:30 p.m. on CBS television at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Arkansas junior, twoyear letterman and incumbent starting offensive tackle Ray Dominguez was penalized five times, including three false starts, in the Razorbacks' 52-41 SEC loss to Georgia last Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

So Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino and offensive line coach Mike Summers opened the weakside tackle spot between Dominguez and second-teamer Oden.

"We haven't really decided that yet," Petrino replied to Thursday'spost practice question on who will start. "They split the reps this week. Both have been working hard. Oden has done some really good things and so has Ray.

We'llmake the decision before game time."

Who starts may be irrelevant to who finishes.

"Probably for sure we will play them both," Petrino said. "Keep them both mentally fresh so we try and limit their mistakes."

Oden is not your typical true freshman lineman and not justbecause he stands 6-8 and weighs 328, .

Originally signed by the Razorbacks in February 2008 out of Lawrence North High in Indianapolis, Oden played prep school ball in 2008 at Hargrave ( Va.) Military Academy before resigning last February with Arkansas.

"The advantage is when you go there," Petrino said, "you learn a new offense, you learn a new technique. So when he comes here it's not like he's never been through this before.

It'snot like a guy who just came out of high school and this is their first experience with two-a-days and a new offense and new defenses. He's certainly more mature than a guy just coming out of high school."

How has he responded to a possible promotion?

"He's had a good week of practice," Petrino said. "He's a guy that has all kinds of talent. He did a nice job in that first game (playing considerably off the bench in the 44-10 rout of Missouri State). He's been taking reps all the time. He's going to be a great football player before it's over with. We've just got to make sure he's ready now."

Petrino was asked how the defense has responded in practice after Georgia's 52 points including five touchdown passes.

"Their stinger was hurt a little bit," Petrino said. "There's no question about that. What happens when you don't perform well, or you don't perform as well as you would like, is you just come back and work harder. Concentrate more, do a better job in the meeting rooms, come out and run to the ball full speed, work hard on your pass rush moves ... And I think they've responded and done that very well."

They may need to respond like Hogs in slop Saturday given the rainyforecast for Tuscaloosa.

"I know the forecast is for that but we have been in it, probably five or six times as we've been together this fall," said Petrino, noting the Hogs don't always utilize the Walker Pavilion in the rain. "Last week we practiced twice in the rain. We did it a couple times during camp when it was coming down fairly good. We wanted to make sure we went outside."

The 18-points favored Tide loom tough in any weather.

Alabama's defense features three Preseason All-Americans and its offense has a receiver, Julio Jones, comparable to Georgia great A.J. Green - seven catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns against Arkansas last Saturday.

"They're both ver y explosive," Petrino said when asked to compare Jones - coming off an injury - and Green. "Both have good size and long arms and can go up and get the ball, so I hope we do better against Julio and a more powerful running game."

Alabama has a more powerful running game which makes Tide quarterback Greg McElroy all the more dangerous throwing the play-action pass.

"When they put their offense together," Petrino said, "they are going to run the ball with power and try to throw it deep with their play action and they have done a nice job of that."

Sports, Pages 8, 9 on 09/25/2009

Comments

To report abuse or misuse of this area please hit the "Suggest Removal" link in the comment to alert our online managers. Please read our comment policy.

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.