RUNNING BACKS
Remember the 2008 season, when Arkansas’ ground game relied on the talents of running back Michael Smith?
When Smith was healthy, the Razorbacks could run the ball. When he wasn’t, there weren’t any other options Arkansas could turn to.
It’s not the case anymore. When Arkansas opens spring practice it will also kick off an intriguing battle in a crowded backfield. Four backs — Ronnie Wingo Jr., Dennis Johnson, Broderick Green and Knile Davis — are all vying for playing time.
Wingo is listed as the starter heading into spring drills, but all four will get ample opportunities to state their case for carries. Green is Arkansas’ leading returning rusher (442 yards). Johnson and Wingo were above the 300-yard mark, too.
“I think it’s going to be a lot of fun in spring with the running backs,” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. “All four of them are very good. They’ve shown sparks of being dynamic at what they do.”
Arkansas also is hoping to spice up its ground game by running the ball out of “The Pistol” formation this spring. The Razorbacks had success throwing the ball out of “The Pistol” last season and Petrino believes the run game can be just as effective. It helps that new offensive line coach Chris Klenakis is well-versed in running out of “The Pistol” after experiencing plenty of success in his previous post at Nevada.
“I felt like if we can add the run game to it, it helps us a lot,” Petrino said. “So we will work hard on it. I think it allows you to run the ball downhill.”
Key Returners:
• Broderick Green (104 carries, 442 yards, 11 TDs)
• Dennis Johnson (57 carries, 342 yards)
• Ronnie Wingo Jr. (49 carries, 319 yards, 3 TDs)
• Knile Davis (33 carries, 163 yards, 4 TDs)
Key Departures:
• Michael Smith (71 carries, 396 yards, 2 TDs)
• Brandon Barnett (7 carries, 46 yards)
Spring Depth Chart
• RB — Ronnie Wingo Jr., Knile Davis, Broderick Green, Dennis Johnson
• FB — Van Stumon, Mitchell Bailey
Watch Out For … Ronnie Wingo Jr.
Ronnie Wingo showed glimpses of greatness during his freshman season, running for 319 yards with a combination of power and speed. The Razorbacks believe the sophomore is ready for a breakout season in 2010 and hope to find evidence of that in the spring when he competes for playing time in a crowded backfield.
As mentioned above, Wingo is listed as the starter on Arkansas’ spring depth chart but will have to earn the title over the next three weeks. If his performance late in the 2009 season and the offseason is any indication, Petrino believes Wingo will live up to the billing.
“I was really impressed with the way he ran the ball late in the season and particularly in the LSU game,” Petrino said. “He’s had a great offseason. He’s got the combination that you like between size and speed, being a home run hitter.”
Bobby Petrino On … Dennis Johnson
“We all know Dennis is capable of having big games,” Petrino said. “He’s got to be able to stay healthier, not get nicked up. That affects him.
“That’s the one thing about Dennis is when he is nicked up a little bit it affects him. It affects the way he practices. It affects the way he prepares for games. But he’s very capable of having a huge game.”
Coming Thursday: A look at Arkansas’ linebackers
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
