The Traveler

Issue date: 8/25/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jonathan Gibson Senior quarterback Casey Dick is looking to have his best season as a Razorback thanks to the new offensive scheme installed by head coach Bobby Petrino.

For the first time in his collegiate career, Casey Dick is undisputed.

The Arkansas quarterback is just that - Arkansas' quarterback.

There are no more Robert Johnsons, Mitch Mustains or even Darren McFaddens to take his position from him.

It's all his and it will be all his when Arkansas opens its season Saturday against Western Illinois.

It will be quite the new experience for Dick, who has never been the clear-cut starting quarterback. At least, not until now.

During his freshman year, Dick was the backup to Johnson for the first half of the season before taking the starting spot for a game against Ole Miss.

In his sophomore campaign, an injured Dick was again passed over in favor of Johnson to start the season-opener against Southern California. After Johnson was moved to wide receiver, it was the highly-touted freshman Mustain, not Dick, who became the starter. Mustain eventually was shelved - and later transferred - allowing Dick to start the final four games, in which the Razorbacks went 1-3 after starting 9-1.

Last season, Dick started all 13 games for Arkansas, but often split time at quarterback with McFadden. Some critics even wondered if the Razorbacks would have been better off with McFadden taking snaps all the time.

Now, however, there is no quarterback controversy - Dick is the starter.

And after spending much of the past three seasons handing the ball off to the likes of McFadden and Felix Jones, Dick will finally get the chance to show off his arm in the new offensive system introduced by first-year head coach Bobby Petrino.

Installing a new offense isn't always easy on a quarterback, but Petrino said Dick's coachable nature has helped make the transition easy.

"What we do is just try to install our offense and try to really work hard on his technique," Petrino said. "I've been impressed with Casey on how much his technique has improved and how coachable he is. I think that's the greatest thing about him - he tries to listen to exactly what you say and then tries to do it the next time.

Continued...

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