FAYETTEVILLE -- It's never a snap moving from any position to center even if Ty Clary debuted making it appear that easy.
Well, let's amend that. It's all about the snap at center. And when the snap goes awry all eyes spy on the position that few fans follow upon the center's snap delivery to the quarterback.
So sophomore Clary -- nearly anonymous in his move from offensive guard to Arkansas center debut two games ago with all snaps efficiently delivered to quarterback Ty Storey in the 34-3 SEC loss at Auburn -- suddenly squirms in the spotlight.
The Razorbacks are preparing to host nationally No. 1 Alabama on Saturday.
In last Saturday's 24-17 SEC loss to Texas A&M, Clary's shotgun snaps often seemed more popgun misfired, dribbling back to Storey.
One exception, a missile that Clary launched skyward fortunately had 6-foot-7-inch Cole Kelley as a goal-line package recipient rather than Storey, 6-foot-2-inch.
Kelley juggled but corralled the misguided missile and tallied a 1-yard touchdown. Does Arkansas Coach Chad Morris think that snap sails over Storey's head?
"I do, I do" Morris replied. "We've got to continue to work that position. You know, as a quarterback, it's hard enough to play the game getting a regular snap. When the ball dribbles back to you, it's even a little bit more difficult because you have to take your eyes off your initial read."
It's also, Morris knows, a considerable task to ask of Clary or anyone switched to center these days.
The direct under center snap to the quarterback in formerly conventional offenses was tough enough. Now with the Spread offenses and their shotgun snap the convention, it's all the tougher.
Asked too much of during the Bret Bielema regime last fall starting Arkansas' first four games at right guard when the recent Fayetteville High grad should have redshirted like most rookie offensive linemen, Clary was tried at center for the first time ever last spring.
Third-year sophomore Dylan Hays won first-team center with senior left guard Hjalte Froholdt working some center, too.
Hays injured his back before the August preseason.
Froholdt became the center backed by converted tackle Shane Clenin.
The left side needed Froholdt at guard.
Clary moved back to center ahead of Clenin.
Arkansas' best line starts Clary at center and Froholdt at left guard, Morris asserts.
Storey believes it, too. He said post Auburn that Clary "handled it like a champ."
Post A&M, Storey indicated it's a poor snap judgment putting all the blame on Clary.
"I've got to switch up the snap counts, try to keep those guys off our centers," Storey said. "So, it's as much on me as anybody."
Offensive coordinator Joe Craddock said the two Tys increasingly knot connections in practice.
When Storey isn't available even Craddock becomes Clary's shotgun target.
"He got 40 snaps right there to me in pre-practice," Craddock said. "We are definitely going to make that a point of emphasis for him to have a perfect snap every time."
Sports on 10/03/2018