DEFENSIVE LINE
There’s no denying Arkansas lost two of its most experienced and talented linemen after the 2009 season, when seniors Malcolm Sheppard and Adrian Davis played their final collegiate games. Together, the pair piled up 99 starts, 66 tackles for loss and 23.5 sacks in a league that is unforgiving in the trenches.
But is Arkansas concerned? It doesn’t sound like it. In fact, Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette said the Razorbacks have plenty of optimism even without the veteran duo as it prepares for the 2010 season.
“Even though we lost Adrian and Malcolm, we’ve got a lot of experience and a lot of young guys,” Bequette said. “Like Caleb Evans, Colton Nash, (Tenarius Wright), when he gets healthy. Across the board on defense we’ve got young talent that is really making a break.”
Bequette is now the veteran of the group, along with senior backup Damario Ambrose, and will be relied upon to anchor one end of the defensive line. Wright is expected to man the other when he returns from a foot injury later this summer. Arkansas also has confidence in sophomore D.D. Jones in the middle, although he opens the spring with the second-team defense behind senior Patrick Jones. More help could be on the way in the summer, too, when the incoming class arrives.
The line will have a new face coaching it, too. Bobby Allen remains Arkansas’ defensive tackles coach, but Petrino also hired former long-time Tennessee defensive line coach Steve Caldwell to coach the ends. The goal: Make sure Arkansas’ line becomes a consistent and dominant force.
“It’s very apparent from being around him in the film room and during our offseason stuff that he’s an expert on the defensive line,” Bequette said. “He has coached some great players. He has coached some first-round draft picks. I know he’s going to make me better as a player and he’s going to make our whole defensive line better.”
Key Returners
• DE Jake Bequette (39 tackles, 9 TFL, 5.5 sacks)
• DE Tenarius Wright (34 tackles, 7 TFL, 1.5 sacks)
• DT D.D. Jones (24 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks)
• DT Zach Stadther (42 tackles, 1 TFL, 0.5 sacks)
Key Departures
• DT Malcolm Sheppard (33 tackles, 11 TFL, 2.5 sacks)
• DE Adrian Davis (50 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks)
Spring Depth Chart
• DE — Jake Bequette, Damario Ambrose
• DT — Zach Stadther, Lavunce Askew, Alfred Davis
• DT — Patrick Jones, D.D. Jones, Jared Green
• DE — Tenarius Wright, Caleb Evans, Colton Nash
Watch Out For … DE Colton Nash
Colton Nash came to Arkansas as a defensive end. After Chris Gragg went down with a season-ending injury last summer, he was moved to tight end to help with the team’s depth at the position. Now, the 6-foot-6, 261-pound sophomore is back at defensive end in time for spring practice.
“We feel like he can add to our defensive end,” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. “He’s quick. He’s got good hands. He’s got to play with a little better pad level, but I think he’ll get to compete at that spot and really see where he was at. I think he’ll help us a lot there.”
Nash is listed as the third-team defensive end on the sprig depth chart behind Wright and Caleb Evans. But with Wright sidelined, the sophomore will get plenty of opportunities to impress Arkansas this spring.
Bobby Petrino On … Tank Wright’s Foot Injury
“It’s unfortunate because we were really looking for him to provide a lot of leadership for our team,” Petrino said. “He did a great job last year as a freshman, made a lot of plays in the backfield rushing the quarterback, made a lot of plays against the run.
“I think he has a chance to be a really good football player for us. Unfortunately he won’t be in spring ball, but the good part of it is he’ll be healed and ready to go in the summertime.”
Coming Wednesday: A look at Arkansas’ running backs
Make sure to follow me on Twitter (@NWARobbie) and here on the Hog Blog for all kinds of news and notes from spring football when practice begins on March 30. I’ll also have daily stories from spring practice that will appear on the Arkansas News Bureau Web site at ArkansasNews.com
