Razorbacks report

LBs get shuffled by move

— Senior Alonzo Highsmith will be moving to middle linebacker from the weakside spot for Arkansas’ defense with Tenarius Wright’s move back to defensive end, starting with Saturday night’s game against Rutgers, Coach John L. Smith said after Thursday’s practice.

Wright has started the first three games at middle linebacker, where the fifthyear senior moved in the spring. The new position doesn’t appear to have been a good fit, though, and the Razorbacks also have missed Wright as a pass rusher. They have six sacks this season, including two by Chris Smith, the only end with a sack.

Smith said he expects Wright “to make a ton of plays” at end.

With Highsmith moving to the middle, senior Terrell Williams and freshman A.J. Turner will get snaps at outside linebacker, Smith said. Williams has two career starts, one each in 2009 and 2010. Turner has not played at linebacker the past two games, but has played on special teams. He got some work at linebacker in the opener, as did freshman Otha Peters.

Smith said Peters is “still developing” at linebacker after he and Williams got the majority of snaps with the first-team defense in preseason practice because of injuries to Highsmith and Wright.

‘You never know’

Arkansas faced thirdand-16 from its 33 with the score tied 0-0 against Alabama last Saturday when Brandon Allen completed a pass to Cobi Hamilton for a 10-yard gain. It’s debatable if Hamilton could have gotten the first down against Alabama’s defense, but he ran out of bounds after making the catch rather than turning up field.

On the next play, deep snapper Will Coleman sailed the ball over punter Dylan Breeding’s head to set up the Crimson Tide’s first touchdown in a 52-0 rout.

“You never know when it’s going to be the play that determines the game,” said Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson, who had to watch from the sideline because he wasn’t cleared to play after sustaining a concussion in the previous week’s loss to Louisiana-Monroe. “You never know when, if you don’t convert on third down, you don’t turn up the sideline and get the first down, that the next ball’s snapped over the head and a number of things.

“It’s a chain reaction in this game. So you’ve to approach practice as though every play is on the line.”

Wilson, who will be back in the starting lineup against Rutgers, said that was a part of his message when he spoke to his teammates Sunday night.

“That’s the way we’ve got to approach practice, is that every play in practice means a significant amount,” he said. “If we can do that, we’ll be back to where we were. It’s the attention to detail, it’s the attention in practice and preparation that we’ve got to get back to.”

Brasuell honored

Former Arkansas standout Jackie Brasuell, who died Sept. 5, has been selected as the A Club honorary captain for Saturday’s game against Rutgers. Brasuell’s son, Toney, will represent him in the ceremony.

Brasuell played running back and defensive back, and earned All-Southwest Conference honors in 1964 and 1965 for teams that went a combined 21-1. He was selected for the UA Sports Hall of Honor in 2007.

Brasuell worked as a high school teacher and coach after his playing career, and later became a financial consultant and business owner.

Must win?

John L. Smith was asked if Saturday night’s game is a must-win situation given the Razorbacks’ 1-2 start and their next two games being on the road against Texas A&M and Auburn.

“Well, they’re all mustwins,” Smith said. “So it fits right in there with the must-win we had last week and the must-win we had the week before.”

Sports, Pages 22 on 09/21/2012

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