Razorbacks prepare for 'showtime'
Matt Jones
Issue date: 4/17/09 Section: Sports
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That's the big question heading into Saturday's Red-White game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and an event Arkansas coaches prepare their team for each time out.
"I'd like to see us come out there and play with really great effort, have real good tempo in and out of the huddle, have no assignment mistakes and then just go make plays," Arkansas offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said. "We talk about showtime and making big plays, and that's what we want to see.
"When the lights come on and the stadium's full, that's what it's all about. That's when you've got to ring the bell and have your best performance."
Those undoubtedly looking for their best performances are the ones trying to sure up starting jobs, like quarterbacks Ryan Mallett and Tyler Wilson. The quarterback battle has been as competitive as any the school has seen in recent memory during spring drills with still no clear-cut starter heading into tomorrow's game.
Mallett, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Michigan, has worked with the first-team offense for most of the spring and has shown flashes of brilliance.
Wilson, a member of back-to-back-to-back state champions at Greenwood High School, has worked with the second-team during the spring but has put up big numbers in doing so. In Arkansas' last two scrimmages Wilson has completed 58 percent of his passes for 695 yards and 11 touchdowns.
So what makes both quarterbacks effective?
"They both like to stretch the field and make the defense defend the whole field," Petrino said. "They can both throw horizontally and vertically. It gives you more options on how to attack a defense."
Petrino noted that while Mallett has shown continued improvement throughout the spring, his short passing game needs to get better.
"He's made a lot of big plays for us, but he's got to get better with his accuracy, just consistently being accurate and get his percentage up higher," he said. "He's had a good spring - he and Tyler both have gotten better."
Running injuries
Arkansas will be without two running backs in Saturday's scrimmage after Brandon Barnett broke his right tibia in last Friday's scrimmage.
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