Hogs look toward 'Horns
Razorbacks have problems to address before trip to Austin
Bart Pohlman
Issue date: 9/10/08 Section: Sports
"We need to stiffen up," Petrino said. "We need to be able to make the play on third downs. A lot of times we've done a great job first down and second down then got to third down and they've converted, but it's something we're learning. We're getting better and getting some guys back so that'll help us too."
Petrino said there have also been problems with execution on special teams, partly due to the large number of freshmen seeing playing time.
"We just have to do a better job of coaching the guys we've got, doing our assignments, focusing and understanding that if I'm the starting position on offense or defense that when I'm on specials teams that that play is just as important as any play I play on offense or defense," Petrino said. "I don't know if we've gotten that across to them or not. Obviously it did get across [in the game against ULM]."
Texas two-step
The Razorbacks travel to Austin, Texas, Saturday for the first time since 2004, when Arkansas came away with a 38-28 win.
Senior quarterback Casey Dick will make his first and only start of his career against the Longhorns and said he is looking forward to the challenge.
"[DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium] is going to be a fun place to play at," Dick said. "It's obviously really big. It's going to be really loud and hot. Austin is going to be hot, no matter what they say. Coach Petrino said guys will have to start drinking fluids and taking care of their bodies because it will be hot and humid the way Texas is in September."
But the Hogs' game against the Longhorns is about more than just the hot Texas weather. It marks the revival of the old Southwest Conference rivalry, and the players know it.
"I knew the rivalry [between Arkansas and Texas] was pretty big from the get-go," Dick said. "Just the way the fans took it on each side. When you first come up here, [the rivalry] is one of the first things you learn and that Texas and Arkansas don't like each other, so it's something the fans take very seriously."
Defensive end Jake Bequette said he will have half his family rooting for Arkansas and half rooting for Texas, since most of his mom's family went to UT.
"I think back in the old Southwest Conference days it was an every year kind of rivalry and for people and it's just hard to let go," Bequette said. "There's just so much passion and so much history in that and people don't want to let go of that. To us as players, we love these kinds of big games on national TV. It's going to be a lot of fun."
Bequette said the game with Texas should be a special one for all Hog fans.
"People really understand once you come to the U of A and come to be around our fans, we know how much this game means to us," Bequette said. "You know that every time we get to play Texas we're going to play with a lot of passion and a lot of heart. It's going to be special to us."
Petrino said there have also been problems with execution on special teams, partly due to the large number of freshmen seeing playing time.
"We just have to do a better job of coaching the guys we've got, doing our assignments, focusing and understanding that if I'm the starting position on offense or defense that when I'm on specials teams that that play is just as important as any play I play on offense or defense," Petrino said. "I don't know if we've gotten that across to them or not. Obviously it did get across [in the game against ULM]."
Texas two-step
The Razorbacks travel to Austin, Texas, Saturday for the first time since 2004, when Arkansas came away with a 38-28 win.
Senior quarterback Casey Dick will make his first and only start of his career against the Longhorns and said he is looking forward to the challenge.
"[DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium] is going to be a fun place to play at," Dick said. "It's obviously really big. It's going to be really loud and hot. Austin is going to be hot, no matter what they say. Coach Petrino said guys will have to start drinking fluids and taking care of their bodies because it will be hot and humid the way Texas is in September."
But the Hogs' game against the Longhorns is about more than just the hot Texas weather. It marks the revival of the old Southwest Conference rivalry, and the players know it.
"I knew the rivalry [between Arkansas and Texas] was pretty big from the get-go," Dick said. "Just the way the fans took it on each side. When you first come up here, [the rivalry] is one of the first things you learn and that Texas and Arkansas don't like each other, so it's something the fans take very seriously."
Defensive end Jake Bequette said he will have half his family rooting for Arkansas and half rooting for Texas, since most of his mom's family went to UT.
"I think back in the old Southwest Conference days it was an every year kind of rivalry and for people and it's just hard to let go," Bequette said. "There's just so much passion and so much history in that and people don't want to let go of that. To us as players, we love these kinds of big games on national TV. It's going to be a lot of fun."
Bequette said the game with Texas should be a special one for all Hog fans.
"People really understand once you come to the U of A and come to be around our fans, we know how much this game means to us," Bequette said. "You know that every time we get to play Texas we're going to play with a lot of passion and a lot of heart. It's going to be special to us."
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