The Traveler

Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Xavier Emery Senior quarterback Casey Dick passed for a game-high 404 yards and two touchdowns in the Red team's Spring Game win.

While the Dick brothers probably never had 40,000 fans watching in a backyard football game growing up, Casey and Nathan were back at it again Saturday, quarterbacking opposite sides of the Red-White game.

Casey Dick got the best of his younger brother, completing 33-of-49 passes for 404 yards and two touchdowns for the Red squad in the Arkansas fans' first look at the offensive scheme of new head coach Bobby Petrino.

"In this offense, it's on your shoulders to get the team in a good situation. Change the protections, get the ball in the hands of your playmakers and let them make plays. We all play a part," Dick said.

The first-stringers beat the White team 45-15.

Dick said it was the first time he had ever thrown more than 30 passes in one half.

"It's a lot easier. You throw the ball a lot, you're in the game a lot so you get in there and feel comfortable and get in the rhythm and it comes naturally," Dick said.

Tailback Michael Smith said, "I think it'll be a very balanced offense, because now we're not 90 percent running any more."

Tight end D.J. Williams led the game with nine catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. Wideout London Crawford had eight receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown, and Carlton Salters added seven catches for 108 yards.

"We got our first win. It was a lot of fun," Petrino said. "We didn't do everything right but we had some good execution on offense at times."

"Coach told us to play like we're in peewee football again," Smith said. "We know everything, we've put in the work, we gelled as an offense throughout all the practices and we wanted to go out and put on a show for everybody."

Petrino said they certainly have a long way to go because there are a lot of new faces on the team and the staff, but it was a productive spring and players did a nice job working hard and learning the schemes.

"He's out there to push everybody no matter how we're doing," Dick said. "He always strives to get the best out of everybody."



Smith runs wild at Spring Game



On the same day two of his former running mates cashed in at the NFL Draft, Razorback running back Michael Smith reminded Arkansas fans that the Hogs can still run the football.

Continued...

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