By Harry King
LITTLE ROCK — In the midst of the madness, football provided a welcome haven.
Whether it was the umpteenth showing of the commercial with the baggage handlers and the message on their chests or too much analysis of how Kansas State managed only a point a minute, there was a basketball overload.
Scrolling the ESPN offerings, a team in white was at the line of scrimmage against a team in purple. Viewers were told sophomore Russell Shepard would be a focal point of the offense, catching passes and taking direct snaps. On cue, Jordan Jefferson threw a pass to Shepard. Incomplete.
Another spring and LSU is still erratic at quarterback, significant because the Tigers, along with Auburn and Arkansas, are the teams most likely to push Alabama in the Western Division of the SEC. With Ryan Mallett, the Razorbacks are miles ahead of the other two at quarterback.
Come to find out that Jefferson was 8-of-23 for 94 yards and Jarrett Lee was 10-of-20 for 114 yards in LSU’s annual spring game. Each threw an interception.
On the LSU Web site, the rehash focused on the running game and the opener against North Carolina. Jefferson and Lee were not mentioned until the seventh paragraph.
In conjunction with a large group of proven receivers, Mallett is supposed to produce superb numbers. During spring practice, it is the Arkansas running game that will get extra attention.
The groundwork for improvement was put in place in mid-January when Bobby Petrino hired Chris Klenakis as offensive line coach. Klenakis is synonymous with the so-called “pistol” alignment that intrigues Petrino. In it, the running back is about as deep as an I formation tailback and squarely behind the quarterback, who is closer to the back than the center.
In the shotgun, the back’s alignment on a particular side of the quarterback restricts the offense and tips the defense. Klenakis says The Pistol — Arkansas’ version is called the Shot — enables a power running game that is almost impossible in the shotgun.
He told Hawgs Illustrated publisher Clay Henry that the depth of the back helps him set up his blocks and spot running alleys.
“In the perimeter game, it helps the back get a better relationship with his pullers, especially when we are able to pull our center in this offense,” Klenakis said.
The night he was hired, Petrino talked about being aggressive on offense. He said a team should be able to run and throw when it wants to and when it has to. When a team can do both, the offense can be the aggressor, he said.
In 2009, the Razorbacks threw more passes than any team in the SEC and ran the ball less, 180 times less than league-leading Mississippi State.
In turn, the offense was lopsided — 3,640 yards passing and 1,632 running. In the SEC, Florida, Auburn, and Alabama came closest to balanced production.
To meet 2010 expectations, the Razorbacks must run for 2,000 yards or more. The hiring of Klenakis is a step in that direction.
——
Harry King is sports columnist for Stephens Media’s Arkansas News Bureau. His e-mail address is hking@arkansasnews.com.
