FAYETTEVILLE -- Thanks to Ryan Pulley, it's only taken one Razorback to replace injured cornerbacks DJ Dean and Britto Tutt and just two to replace Kevin Richardson.
Losing Richardson might take every defensive back that Arkansas could muster. Against Spread offenses, and that's all that 17th-ranked Arkansas has faced and will face again in its SEC opener Saturday night against 10th-ranked Texas A&M , fourth-year junior Richardson was tabbed at starting nickel back. He also was on call as the top reserve behind Jared Collins and Henre Toliver at cornerback and ready to rotate at safety.
Unfortunately, torn pectoral muscles during the victory over Louisiana Tech sidelined Richardson for the season.
Tutt's season ended before it began. The junior college transfer tore an ACL during an August practice. Dean, a junior two-year starter but already behind missing spring ball with toe surgery, is regaining form after pulling a hamstring in August.
So sophomore reserve Pulley got pulled into Toliver's first-team corner slot while Toliver became Richardson's nickel replacement.
"I had to step up the way our secondary was falling apart with injuries," Pulley said. "It clicked in my head that I've got to do something to help this team."
It clicks with this team that Pulley has helped.
Against TCU, Pulley mostly was assigned receiver Taj Williams, who had caught 11 passes for 158 yards the previous week.
Pulley broke up three passes and wasn't on Williams for his one catch, a 13-yard touchdown.
Last Saturday, Pulley picked off a Texas State pass and romped for a 25-yard touchdown. The secondary's new lone starter is the only one with a pick this season. His five pass breakups leads the team as the new kid on the block that opposing quarterbacks have tried to exploit.
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said he's not surprised. Pulley was mostly a reserve and special-teamer as a true freshman last season, but Bielema said he saw progress comparing Pulley's lone and struggling start in an October 63-28 victory over Tennessee-Martin to capping the 45-23 Liberty Bowl victory by intercepting a Kansas State pass.
"I've said all along that I absolutely love the kid," Bielema said. "You can rough him up a little bit and he comes back swinging. He's got a great attitude and I think he's going to be a great player and you are beginning to see the signs more and more."
Bielema, defensive coordinator Robb Smith and new defensive backfield coach Paul Rhoads said Pulley's maturity has grown. In Bielema's words, the maturity has grown to fit Pulley's long arms and really good ball skills.
Rhoads has only been able to measure the progress since last spring, but deems it immense.
"I would state openly to him and to you that he was an immature football player when I arrived," Rhoads said. "He has really matured since and it's been a lot of fun to watch that growth take place."
Sports on 09/21/2016