Hogs have hands full with Florida
Arkansas seeks first win against Gators in 26 years
Robert Beckmann
Issue date: 10/3/08 Section: Sports
Defense will be of paramount importance when the Arkansas Razorbacks (2-2, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) showdown with the No. 12 Florida Gators (3-1, 1-1 SEC) at 11:30 a.m. this Saturday in Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
The Gators will boast the six-foot-three, 242-pound junior quarterback Tim Tebow. Last season, as a sophomore, Tebow became the first underclassman in NCAA history to win the Heisman Trophy by edging former Razorback tailback Darren McFadden in the voting.
"He's a giant," said Arkansas defense coordinator Willy Robinson. "He can run the ball and really sees himself as a running back most of the time, and he has the ability to throw. He's more than willing to play reckless and dip his shoulder and run. He's really similar to [Texas quarterback Colt McCoy], except bigger."
Absent from the UA defensive effort to stop Tebow this Saturday will be starting senior defensive tackle Ernest Mitchell. On Wednesday afternoon, Mitchell underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on his left knee.
The knee was injured last weekend against the No. 5 Texas Longhorns, and Mitchell began rehabilitation on the knee immediately afterward. Mitchell will likely be sidelined for several weeks, and the timetable on his return in unknown.
"We are still hopeful that he could return at some point this season," head coach Bobby Petrino said. "I know that [Mitchell] will work hard to rehabilitate his injury with our training staff in an effort to get back on the field with his teammates."
In the 2008 season, Mitchell accrued 13 tackles and an assisted sack. He was one of seven defensive players to start every game of the year.
"We still don't know yet deal whether [the injury] is temporary or permanent," Robinson said. "We have stout backups who will step in for him. Not quite as athletic but very reliable. They do exactly as they are coached to do and to be honest they are playing pretty darn good."
Despite faltering the past two games to give up 101 points, the defense has been consistently churning out hard practices the past couple weeks, Robinson said. Now, the Hogs will need to translate their performances in practices to game situations in order to keep up with the Gators.
The Gators will boast the six-foot-three, 242-pound junior quarterback Tim Tebow. Last season, as a sophomore, Tebow became the first underclassman in NCAA history to win the Heisman Trophy by edging former Razorback tailback Darren McFadden in the voting.
"He's a giant," said Arkansas defense coordinator Willy Robinson. "He can run the ball and really sees himself as a running back most of the time, and he has the ability to throw. He's more than willing to play reckless and dip his shoulder and run. He's really similar to [Texas quarterback Colt McCoy], except bigger."
Absent from the UA defensive effort to stop Tebow this Saturday will be starting senior defensive tackle Ernest Mitchell. On Wednesday afternoon, Mitchell underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on his left knee.
The knee was injured last weekend against the No. 5 Texas Longhorns, and Mitchell began rehabilitation on the knee immediately afterward. Mitchell will likely be sidelined for several weeks, and the timetable on his return in unknown.
"We are still hopeful that he could return at some point this season," head coach Bobby Petrino said. "I know that [Mitchell] will work hard to rehabilitate his injury with our training staff in an effort to get back on the field with his teammates."
In the 2008 season, Mitchell accrued 13 tackles and an assisted sack. He was one of seven defensive players to start every game of the year.
"We still don't know yet deal whether [the injury] is temporary or permanent," Robinson said. "We have stout backups who will step in for him. Not quite as athletic but very reliable. They do exactly as they are coached to do and to be honest they are playing pretty darn good."
Despite faltering the past two games to give up 101 points, the defense has been consistently churning out hard practices the past couple weeks, Robinson said. Now, the Hogs will need to translate their performances in practices to game situations in order to keep up with the Gators.
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