FAYETTEVILLE — Defense improves its grasp
Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson is catching heat in some quarters, but Coach Bobby Petrino noted the Razorbacks made significant improvement on defense in a week.
Arkansas yielded 425 yards to Alabama in a 35-7 loss after giving up 530 yards in a 52-41 shootout loss to Georgia one week earlier.
Of that 425 yards, 185 yards came on three touchdown plays.
Petrino was particularly pleased with Arkansas' run defense, citing a statistic that on 40 running plays, Alabama managed just 2.05 yards per carry. However, Alabama freshman Trent Richardson took carry No. 11 of the Tide's 41 running plays for 52 yards and a four-tackle breaking touchdown.
"They're one of the best running teams in the country, and we did a nice job," Petrino said. "Our scheme was very good, our players understood it. They played hard.
"That game's about the offense keeping in there. And then us believing we can win the game. We're 14-7 ... early in the third quarter, with a chance to win the game and be in the game against the No. 3 team in the country and we didn't do it." Coordination
Bobby Petrino said a misunderstanding was the reason coordinators Paul Petrino and Willy Robinson did not meet with reporters following Arkansas' 35-7 loss at Alabama.
"After the game, I did get on the players and I guess the last thing I said was, 'Guys, let's get in the shower, get dressed and get on the bus.' The coaches did the same thing," Petrino said Monday.
Kevin Trainor and Zack Higbee of the Arkansas media relations staff typically escort Petrino, both coordinators and players to the interview room following games.
"By the time Zack came in to get the coordinators, I guess they were on the bus," Petrino said. "I mean, it wasn't something that, 'Hey, they're not talking to the assistant coaches' or anything like that."
Petrino then chuckled after adding, "We get our butts kicked, they need to face the music, just like I do. I'd have rather said, 'Hey, I'm on the bus and you talk to the coordinators.' We can do that - if it ever happens again." Tube talk
Arkansas' home game against Auburn on Oct. 10 will apparently not be a night game. CBS exercised its six-day option for selecting its 2:30 p.m. game on that date, though it has already secured the Florida at LSU game for the second half of its doubleheader at 7 p.m.
Arkansas' sports information office announced the Razorbacks' game that day would be televised by CBS at 2:30 p.m., ESPN at 11 a.m., ESPNU at 11:30 a.m. or the SEC Network at 11:21 a.m.
No. 24
Texas A&M "jack" linebacker Von Miller has posted an NCAA-best eight sacks wearing No. 40, but he'll be in No. 24 against Arkansas. So will starting tailback Cyrus Gray, who is normally wearing No. 32.
Miller and Gray, both products of DeSoto (Texas) High School, asked Coach Mike Sherman if they could change jersey numbers this week to honor DeSoto player Corey Borner, who was paralyzed on May 6, 2009, during spring football drills.
Trophy for Trent
For the second week in a row, an SEC player picked up hardware at Arkansas' expense. Alabama tailback Trent Richardson was selected as the SEC freshman of the week for his performance, which included a tackle-breaking 52-yard touchdown run to open the scoring, in the Crimson Tide's 35-7 victory over Arkansas.
Richardson finished with 65 yards on nine carries, meaning he gained 13 yards on his other eight runs against the Hogs.
Georgia quarterback Joe Cox won SEC offensive player of the week after his five-touchdown passing performance in a 52-41 victory over the Hogs.
Worth noting
Ryan Mallett's fourth quarter interception, on a pass tipped by Razorbacks receiver Jarius Wright and picked off by Justin Woodall, broke a streak of 95 consecutive passes without an interception to start Mallett's career at Arkansas. The streak almost ended in the third quarter, but cornerback Kareem Jackson's diving attempt, ruled an interception by the officiating crew, was overturned on review, as replays showed Wright knocking the ball away.
Arkansas has historically had better success against teams ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 as opposed to third ranked teams. No. 3 Alabama beat Arkansas 35-7 on Saturday, dropping the Hogs' record vs. No. 3 teams to 1-13. Arkansas is 4-11 against No.
1 teams and 5-6-1 against No.
2 teams.
Sports, Pages 15 on 09/29/2009