Arkansas coach looking at both sides

Razorbacks Coach John L. Smith has said the defensive line depth has been the best he has seen since he has been at Arkansas, and that it showed during Saturday’s scrimmage with sacks.

Razorbacks Coach John L. Smith has said the defensive line depth has been the best he has seen since he has been at Arkansas, and that it showed during Saturday’s scrimmage with sacks.

Monday, August 13, 2012

— Most every team’s plus is viewed with an accompanying minus during intrasquad scrimmages.

Especially by the head coach, the only coach truly viewing it from both sides.

So John L. Smith, who would have smiled ear to ear as an Arkansas defensive coach in 2009-2011 at the defensive dominance occurring during the Razorbacks scrimmage Saturday, half-smiled and half-frowned during his scrimmage review at Reynolds Razorback Stadium

From end to end, the defensive line that the Razorbacks’ new head coach predicted would be deeper than he’s seen at Arkansas indeed proved its depth. He saw it proven not only with the first and second units but even the third.

This fall, those third teamers, mostly redshirts and walk-ons, will be on the scout team prepping the varsity offense during game weeks by emulating the opposition.

“There is better depth on that defensive front than anytime I’ve been here,” Smith said. “Even those young guys. They’re going to be good. That’s going to make us good offensively. Our [varsity offensive] front and everybody over there is going to have to work. That [scout team defensive] front that we send down there, they’re good players. They get after it. Yeah, that’s a lot better depth than we’ve had on that side of the ball.”

From the offensive standpoint, Smith and offensive line coach Chris Klenakis know the offensive line’s depth doesn’t match the defensive line’s depth though they have been working on it.

Aside apparently from wanting to spark his intensity in practice and academics, another reason given for practicing two-year starter Preseason All-SEC guard Alvin Bailey on second team from spring drills into the August preseason was creating depth.

It gave others a first-team shot.

Bailey’s attention apparently has been captured. All his scrimmage snaps were with the first team where Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award candidates belong.

But collectively in the scrimmage, some on the second team with first-team offensive line experience couldn’t prevent the second defense from sacking second-team quarterback Brandon Allen like groceries.

“Yes, I am,” Smith replied when asked if he was offensively concerned with the scrimmage’s sacks by the dozen. “With the twos and particularly the threes, those guys really have to clean that up. The ones - we are going to be pretty good. We have to get a lot better with the other guys.”

It just always takes time with the offensive line, a football facet generally rivaling only quarterback for employing the fewest true freshmen.

Also, it’s the facet where recruiting hype means the least. And patience, especially with and among walk-ons, can mean the most.

Fourth-year junior tackle David Hurd and fifth-year senior guard Tyler Deacon, originally walk-ons, are Arkansas starters now.

That might alarm those into recruiting ratings stars like astronomers are into Mars, but it shouldn’t.

Here are a couple of examples why.

The late Brandon Burlsworth, an Arkansas All-American from Harrison, and Mitch Petrus, of the New York Giants reigning Super Bowl champions but originally unheralded from Carlisle, began their Razorbacks time walking on to the line.

Sports, Pages 16 on 08/13/2012