The Traveler

Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jonathan Gibson Freshman Elton Ford fights through defenders on a kick return in the season opener against Western Illinois.

Fundamentals have been stressed by the new Arkansas Razorback coaching staff since spring practice. However, in the week leading into Saturday's game with the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, most players said coaches had recently put extra emphasis on fundamentals.

"I don't think so," said Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson. "I just think the players are finally starting to listen. We stress fundamentals every day, so for them to say that means that maybe now they've heard it for the first time."

The Hogs' awakening to the importance of fundamentals is the apparent result of a nail-biter in the season opener. Pass protection, run blocking, run stopping and third down control are all issues exposed by Western Illinois and in need of correction.

Robinson suggests, in order to fix these problems, players must learn to control their emotion during games. Otherwise, breakdowns will occur.

"If you don't have emotional control, then the other team does and their technique beats you all the time," Robinson said. "Not 90 percent of the time or 80 percent. They're going to whoop you 100 percent of the time if you abandon that."

Several Razorback players absent from week one should be returning for the Hogs' debut in Little Rock.

Perhaps the biggest returning playmaker will be junior tailback Michael Smith. Smith, following a one-game suspension, will play his first game in Petrino's new offense against Louisiana-Monroe.

The Arkansas rushing attack, fueled by two freshman tailbacks against Western Illinois, tallied 76 total yards. Coaches expect Smith to help boost this average, evening the balance between rushing and passing.

"There's no doubt [having Smith] will help," Petrino said. "He has experience and quickness through the hole."

The contest with Louisiana-Monroe will also serve as a gauge for coaches on how many touches per game Smith can handle. At five-foot-seven and 173 pounds, Smith will show how much work he can shoulder without wearing down or jeopardizing his health for future games.

"He did get nicked up in a couple of scrimmages that we had in the spring," Petrino said. "He's not the biggest guy in the world so that is something that we have to learn and find out."

Continued...

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