Don't read too much into Razorbacks' spring game
Razorback Road
Matt Jones
Issue date: 4/22/09 Section: Sports
There were plenty of positives to draw from Arkansas' Red-White Game Saturday night, but you can't take too much away.
That's because several pieces of the puzzle still aren't in place for next season's squad. Injuries decimated the Razorbacks' backfield in the spring. Last season's leading rusher Michael Smith missed all contact drills with a hamstring injury left over from last season.
True freshman Knile Davis broke his ankle in the second week of drills. Senior Brandon Barnett broke his tibia the next week.
Broderick Green, a promising big back who transferred in from Southern Cal over the Christmas break, showed flashes of good things to come but his status with the team in 2009 is still up in the air as he petitions the NCAA for immediate eligibility. Another highly touted back, St. Louis' Ronnie Wingo, won't make it on campus until the summer.
At receiver the Razorbacks' trio of Joe Adams, Jarius Wright and Greg Childs might be the most underrated in the SEC, but one has to wonder where Lucas Miller fits in after missing the spring. The Greenwood native was arguably the Hogs' most productive weapon at the end of last season, including a 10-reception, 201-yard receiving day at Mississippi State. A torn ACL a week later against LSU shelved him for the spring.
The secondary is where Arkansas fans will likely see the most improvement between April 18 and the Sept. 5, season-opener against Missouri State.
Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino praised the play of safety Tramain Thomas following the spring game and cornerbacks Isaac Madison and Ramon Broadway showed improvement, according to defensive coordinator Willy Robinson.
But those players will have to work hard in the offseason to stave off competition from highly recruited and anticipated newcomers.
Anthony Leon, a former Florida State lettermen and cousin of the late Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, was arguably the biggest defensive pick-up on National Signing Day in February. His 6-foot-3 frame, 42-inch vertical jump and 4.4-speed are certainly attributes missing from a secondary that ranked last in pass defense in the SEC last season and gave up 574 passing yards Saturday night.
If Leon wasn't the biggest pick-up on the defensive side of the ball, West Helena cornerback Darius Winston was.
Winston was Arkansas' only Scout.com 5-star commitment in the 2009 signing class that ranked among most services' top 20, nationally. With a 4.3, 40-yard dash and what his high school coach called, "coverage skills you can't teach," much will be expected from the blue-chipper from the minute he steps on campus this summer.
So with all the question marks, what can be taken from Saturday's game?
At quarterback, Ryan Mallett likely secured the starting job heading into the summer, though Tyler Wilson did everything he could to make the decision a difficult one by tossing 13 touchdown passes in Arkansas' final three scrimmages of the spring, including the Red-White game.
Mallett's short passing game improved over the spring, but is by no means where the coaching staff hopes it will be come September. His deep ball is also an advantage but what might set the Michigan-transfer apart more than anything else is an extra year learning the system, having set out last season.
The lines should also be strengths next season. The Hogs will start at least four upperclassmen on the offensive line and a talented crop of newcomers will help solidify a defensive front with numbers issues a year ago. Both squads did well Saturday night with the offensive line opening up holes for long touchdown runs from De'Anthony Curtis and Adrian Moore, while the defensive line held its own for plenty of 1-yard gains and runs for loss.
In the instances of all three positions, competition will make the team better. The 2009 spring will go down as one of the more competitive the program has seen, but there is certainly more on the way.
Matt Jones is a senior staff writer for The Arkansas Traveler.
That's because several pieces of the puzzle still aren't in place for next season's squad. Injuries decimated the Razorbacks' backfield in the spring. Last season's leading rusher Michael Smith missed all contact drills with a hamstring injury left over from last season.
True freshman Knile Davis broke his ankle in the second week of drills. Senior Brandon Barnett broke his tibia the next week.
Broderick Green, a promising big back who transferred in from Southern Cal over the Christmas break, showed flashes of good things to come but his status with the team in 2009 is still up in the air as he petitions the NCAA for immediate eligibility. Another highly touted back, St. Louis' Ronnie Wingo, won't make it on campus until the summer.
At receiver the Razorbacks' trio of Joe Adams, Jarius Wright and Greg Childs might be the most underrated in the SEC, but one has to wonder where Lucas Miller fits in after missing the spring. The Greenwood native was arguably the Hogs' most productive weapon at the end of last season, including a 10-reception, 201-yard receiving day at Mississippi State. A torn ACL a week later against LSU shelved him for the spring.
The secondary is where Arkansas fans will likely see the most improvement between April 18 and the Sept. 5, season-opener against Missouri State.
Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino praised the play of safety Tramain Thomas following the spring game and cornerbacks Isaac Madison and Ramon Broadway showed improvement, according to defensive coordinator Willy Robinson.
But those players will have to work hard in the offseason to stave off competition from highly recruited and anticipated newcomers.
Anthony Leon, a former Florida State lettermen and cousin of the late Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, was arguably the biggest defensive pick-up on National Signing Day in February. His 6-foot-3 frame, 42-inch vertical jump and 4.4-speed are certainly attributes missing from a secondary that ranked last in pass defense in the SEC last season and gave up 574 passing yards Saturday night.
If Leon wasn't the biggest pick-up on the defensive side of the ball, West Helena cornerback Darius Winston was.
Winston was Arkansas' only Scout.com 5-star commitment in the 2009 signing class that ranked among most services' top 20, nationally. With a 4.3, 40-yard dash and what his high school coach called, "coverage skills you can't teach," much will be expected from the blue-chipper from the minute he steps on campus this summer.
So with all the question marks, what can be taken from Saturday's game?
At quarterback, Ryan Mallett likely secured the starting job heading into the summer, though Tyler Wilson did everything he could to make the decision a difficult one by tossing 13 touchdown passes in Arkansas' final three scrimmages of the spring, including the Red-White game.
Mallett's short passing game improved over the spring, but is by no means where the coaching staff hopes it will be come September. His deep ball is also an advantage but what might set the Michigan-transfer apart more than anything else is an extra year learning the system, having set out last season.
The lines should also be strengths next season. The Hogs will start at least four upperclassmen on the offensive line and a talented crop of newcomers will help solidify a defensive front with numbers issues a year ago. Both squads did well Saturday night with the offensive line opening up holes for long touchdown runs from De'Anthony Curtis and Adrian Moore, while the defensive line held its own for plenty of 1-yard gains and runs for loss.
In the instances of all three positions, competition will make the team better. The 2009 spring will go down as one of the more competitive the program has seen, but there is certainly more on the way.
Matt Jones is a senior staff writer for The Arkansas Traveler.
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