Position-by-position matchups

— OFFENSE

Quarterback

Gamecocks Coach Jack Crowe said he’ll play senior Marques Ivory, the starter in 2010, and Coty Blanchard, who took the job after Ivory broke his leg in last year’s opener. Ivory, the starter, accounted for 2,366 yards in 2010. He completed 181 of 309 passes for 2,248 yards and 18 touchdowns and threw 9 interceptions. He and Blanchard are on the College Football Performance Awards quarterback watch list. Blanchard completed 135 of 211 passes for 1,703 yards and 12 TDs and threw 5 interceptions, and rushed for 427 yards and 6 TDs last season. Tyler Wilson starts his senior year at Arkansas needing 3,115 passing yards to tie Ryan Mallett’s school career record of 7,493. Wilson threw for 3,638 yards and 24 TDs, threw 6 interceptions and completed 63.2 percent of his passes last year, along with a 148.35 efficiency rating. Redshirt freshman Brandon Allen is likely to make his debut tonight after a solid camp, and receiver Brandon Mitchell might take some snaps. Wilson would be well served to keep his scrambling to a minimum, unlike the first couple of games of 2011 when he took some hard hits.

Running backs

Washaun Ealey, a former Parade All-American who signed with Georgia, rushed for 1,082 yards and 8 touchdowns in just 10 games last season for the Gamecocks. Ealey, who ran for 87 yards and a touchdown in a 31-24 loss to Arkansas while at Georgia in 2010, averaged 6.1 yards per carry last season and had five 100-yard games. DaMarcus James, a 5-10, 220-pounder who ran for 59 yards last year, also should get carries, along with 5-9 freshman Troymaine Pope, while 6-3, 240-pound junior Jerry Slota is the fullback. Arkansas’ tailback rotation should be rejuvenated by the return of Knile Davis, who missed 2011 after rushing for 1,322 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2010. Davis’ workload tonight, after scant live tackling in camp, will be of great interest. Seniors Dennis Johnson (106 carries, 670 yards, 3 TDs) and Ronnie Wingo Jr. (104-458-3) have been through the wars and are superb pass catchers. Fullback Kiero Small is a strong lead blocker and team leader. Redshirt freshman Kody Walker and true freshmen Jonathan Williams and Nate Holmes also could play.

Receivers

Arkansas will not have to defend 6-5 senior Trey Smith, who will miss the game with an undisclosed injury. Senior Alan Bonner, a 5-11, 168-pounder with great speed, led Jacksonville State with 33 receptions for 582 yards (17.6 yards per catch) and 3 touchdowns last season. Kevyn Cooper (19-265-1) is also slated to start, and he’s the tallest regular at 6-1. Tight end Denzel Cheeks gives the Gamecocks a big target at 6-6, 215. Arkansas’ receiver lineup will look vastly different, with an emphasis on height vs. its breakaway speed from last year. Led by starters 6-3 Cobi Hamilton (34-542-4), 6-4 ex-quarterback Brandon Mitchell and 6-6 freshman Mekale McKay, Arkansas has one of the tallest wide receiver lineups in college football. McKay showed great ability on fade routes in camp. Veterans Julian Horton (9-85) and Javontee Herndon (8-137) give the Hogs solid depth, along with freshman Keon Hatcher. The tight end crew is led by top returning pass catcher Chris Gragg (41-518-2), Austin Tate (7-53) and freshman Alex Voelzke. Wilson is comfortable with the quick hitting passes, but the Hogs have guaranteed they’ll take their shots down the field.

Line

The Gamecocks will start two seniors and three sophomores, and only one player — 6-2, 310-pound guard Blake Burks — exceeds 300 pounds. Seniors Tori Mobley (6-3, 280) and Odie Rush (6-3, 292) play right guard and left tackle, respectively, and center Max Holcombe (6-3, 271) and right tackle Tarik Milner (6-3, 280) are the other starters. Arkansas will start two former walk-ons — 6-6, 300-pound tackle David Hurd and 6-4, 300-pound guard Tyler Deacon — side by side on the quick side. All-SEC Alvin Bailey (6-5, 312) and Brey Cook (6-7, 308) will man the strong side, flanking center Travis Swanson (6-5, 305), who is on the Rimington Trophy watch list given to the college football’s top center. The Hogs’ depth will likely come from Luke Charpentier, Mitch Smothers and Chris Stringer, with nine-game starter Jason Peacock expected to be serving a suspension.

DEFENSE

Line

The Gamecocks set up in a three-man front, with sophomore nose guard Caleb Lawrence (6-0, 270 pounds) flanked by fellow starters senior tackle DiMetrio Tyson (6-2, 275) and junior end Mikel Whittier (6-3, 212), who is ultralight for his position. Tyson is the veteran, with 30 games and 10 starts under his belt, and has 76 career tackles and 4 sacks. Jacksonville State does not list a 300-pounder on its two-deep chart. Lawrence and Whittier have 8 career tackles combined. The Razorbacks could use 12 or more linemen in this game, led by veteran tackles Byran Jones (47 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack), Robert Thomas (23, 2.5, 1), D.D. Jones (19, 2, 1) and Alfred Davis (14, 0.5). Senior Jared Green (5 tackles) is also positioned at tackle. The starting ends, Chris Smith (31, 6, 3.5 sacks) and Trey Flowers (28, 5.5, 1) got plenty of work last season, while reserves Colton Miles-Nash (5) and junior college transfer Austin Flynn are physically gifted. Freshmen Deatrich Wise, JaMichael Winston and Brandon Lewis might play.

Linebackers

Weakside starter Rashad Smith (77 tackles, 3.5 for loss) led the Gamecocks in tackles last season, but the junior is the only returning tackler from Jacksonville State’s top seven. Senior outside linebacker Brooks Robinson (6-2, 201), who shares a name with an Arkansas baseball icon, was a defensive back and team captain last season. Sophomore Ben Endress (17 tackles) plays the middle linebacker spot, while junior James Powell (14) is the other starter on the 3-4 front. There is only one junior — Brenton Tolson — in the Gamecocks’ next four, which includes two sophomores and a freshman. By contrast, Arkansas will probably start two seniors inside, Tenarius Wright (25, 5, 1.5 sacks) and Alonzo Highsmith (80, 12.5, 4.5) along with a junior Jarrett Lake (12) or senior Matt Marshall (11). Highsmith and Wright, both coming off camp injuries, might have a light night, paving the way for two-way player Kiero Small, senior Terrell Williams (16), sophomore Braylon Mitchell (7) and freshmen Otha Peters and A.J. Turner.

Secondary

Sophomore safety Pierre Warren (39 tackles, 3 interceptions), who made four starts in 2011, has the most experience in the Jacksonville State secondary. Warren led the team with 3 interceptions last year and also had 2 breakups and 2 fumble recoveries. Safety Robert Gray (15 tackles, 2 ints.) and cornerbacks Francis Duncan (33, 1 int.) and Rashod Byers (8 tackles) all played some last season. The depth is sketchy beyond that, however, with safety Keginald Harris (16) and corner Denzel Bynum (8) the experienced reserves. Safety Eric Bennett (74 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 ints.) and cornerback Tevin Mitchel (56, 1.5 TFL) were perhaps the two biggest surprise performers for Arkansas last season. Bennett is the only returning player in the secondary who had an interception last season. Cornerback Darius Winston (18) is a five-star recruit eager to post a big senior season. Ross Rasner (53, 2 TFL, 2 sacks) has been a solid reserve for two seasons, and now he’s a starting safety. Inexperience is in reserve with safeties Rohan Gaines, Alan Turner and Jerry Mitchell and corners Kaelon Kelleybrew, Davyon McKinney and Will Hines.

Special teams

Alan Bonner, a 5-11, 168-pounder, is the lead punt returner for Jacksonville State, after averaging 9.9 yards per return, and also averaged 17.5 yards per kickoff return last year. Bonner and Gabriel Chambers, who averaged 24.4 yards per kickoff return, should be the deep men again. Quarterback Coty Blanchard is also the punter, but the Gamecocks would like to see him improve on his 37-yard average from last year. Junior Griffin Thomas is slated to be the new placekicker and to resume his kickoff duties. The duo of kicker Zach Hocker (21 of 27 field goals, 55 of 57 extra points) and punter Dylan Breeding (an SEC-best 45.3-yard average) could be one of the nation’s best. Dennis Johnson, with 2,475 career kickoff return yards, is on pace to become the SEC’s all-time leader. He’ll be joined in that role by either Ronnie Wingo Jr. or Nate Holmes. Filling Joe Adams’ shoes as the punt returner is a mystery, but John L. Smith hinted it would be a freshman — possibly Holmes or Jonathan Williams — this week. Arkansas’ coverage units should be loaded with veterans capable of making the kicking game a big asset.

Intangibles

Everybody on the field and most in the stands know Jacksonville State pulled off a 49-48 shocker at Ole Miss in 2010, and that Gamecocks Coach Jack Crowe, as coach of the 1992 Razorbacks, fell victim to a Division I-AA foe — The Citadel — in the opener 20 years ago. The Gamecocks, with 20 fewer returning starters, has a strong crop of offensive starters, which could produce some scoring, but the Razorbacks appear to be too deep to be ripe for an upset. Plus the Hogs are at home and should be too tough on offense for Jacksonville State to consistently stop.

Sports, Pages 24 on 09/01/2012

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