FIRST DOWN: Arkansas Embraces Top 25 Ranking
Arkansas players have long believed the 2010 season could be a successful one in Fayetteville. The collection of coaches voting in the USA Today’s preseason coaches’ poll appear to believe it too.
Arkansas will open the season ranked 19th in the USA Today poll. But the news came as no surprise to the Razorbacks, who feel like they belong in the top 25 for the first time in coach Bobby Petrino’s tenure.
“That’s just expectations,” tight end D.J. Williams said. “We’re not going to shy away from it, scared to talk about it or anything. It’s just our expectations, we feel like we’re up there with the best of them.”
The last time Arkansas was ranked was to open the season was 2007, when the Razorbacks were No. 21 in both the USA Today coaches’ and Associated Press preseason polls. The Razorbacks are one of six Southeastern Conference teams in the preseason poll, joining Alabama (No. 1), Florida (No. 3), LSU (No. 16), Georgia (No. 21) and Auburn (No. 23).
“Preseason rankings are largely based on how many players you have returning and how a team finished the previous year,” Petrino said. “We have great leadership from within the team and we are aware of the excitement surrounding the program. We are focused on working hard to prepare for the upcoming season.”
Being ranked 19th is a good start. But offensive tackle DeMarcus Love said the Razorbacks are expecting to climb even higher throughout the year.
“We want to raise the stakes,” Love said. “We want to raise expectations and we want to be better than what people have us ranked to be.”
TWO-MINUTE DRILL
• Eliminating the big play is one of the defense’s primary goals this preseason. If Friday’s practice is any indication, the Razorbacks could be much improved in that area. Isaac Madison, Ramon Broadway and Elton Ford broke up deep passes during the two-hour workout. Cornerback Andru Stewart also collected an interception, helping the defense frustrate the offense: “It’s unbelievable how hard they’ve worked,” Williams said. “They’re going to be ready to roll.”
• Petrino wanted competition in the kicking game and is getting it. Alex Tejada and Eddie Camara went foot-to-foot on field goals for the second straight practice. Both kickers were 5-for-6 at the end of the workout with misses coming off the left upright: “It’s fun watching them go after it,” offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said. “There’s nothing like competition in the world.”
• Arkansas’ coaching staff has made at least one minor change in its special teams responsibilities. McGee is now working with the Razorbacks punt returners, a duty running backs coach Tim Horton held last year. McGee was coaching freshmen Eric Bennett and Marquel Wade through punt return drills during the early practice and again with the veterans later on Friday night.
• Linebacker Terrell Williams and punter Zach Hocker were elevated to the veterans practice Friday after working with the newcomers Thursday afternoon.
INJURY REPORT
Offensive tackle Anthony Oden was back on the practice field after leaving Thursday’s workout with what appeared to be a heat-related problem. He and fullback Van Stumon stayed after the practice for extra conditioning drills. Both players were arrested for alcohol-related offenses in the offseason. … Defensive tackle Zach Stadther practiced for the first time this preseason Friday after missing Thursday’s workout because of an illness.
MALLETT WATCH
Quarterback Ryan Mallett completed his second straight practice Friday, but McGee said Thursday’s work did take a toll on the junior.
“His body is more sore than his foot,” McGee said. “He hasn’t done much in a long time when it comes to running and conditioning and being active.
“When I saw him, he was the first guy in the building (Friday) morning, I said, ‘How are you feeling?’ He said, ‘Man, I’m sore. My body.’”
McGee credited Mallett for getting in the training room to prepare for Friday’s practice, though. Mallett continued to split work with quarterback Tyler Wilson.
UP NEXT
Arkansas will hold its annual media day this morning starting at 8:15. Then the Razorbacks will hold two more practices, although the order will be reversed. The veterans practice from 3 p.m. to 4:30, while the newcomers will be on the field from 6:30 to 8.
— Robbie Neiswanger • Arkansas News Bureau
