By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
This is the fourth in a nine-part, position-by-position series previewing the 2010 Razorbacks. Up next: Wide receivers.
FAYETTEVILLE — The outlook portion of Travis Swanson’s bio in the 2010 Arkansas football media guide provides a glimpse of his unexpected rise this month.
There, on page 73, the Texas native is described as “an excellent athlete” and someone who “gives the Razorbacks a solid backup to Seth Oxner.” It is an understandable assessment, especially considering Swanson has never played a down in a college game and Oxner is one of two returning Arkansas linemen to start all 13 games in 2009.
But as Arkansas’ opener against Tennessee Tech approaches, Swanson has a chance to become something other than Oxner’s backup. He may be Arkansas’ starting center.
“I kind of came into it hoping that they would give me an opportunity,” Swanson said last week. “I am trying to make the most of it that I can.”
The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Swanson has shared first-team repetitions with Oxner during preseason camp as Arkansas searches for its starting five up front. The Razorbacks have encouraged competition and tested several linemen with the first-team group the past two weeks, but the battle at center remains one of the most intriguing.
Swanson worked with the first-team unit during Arkansas’ scrimmage last Thursday. But so did Oxner. It’s a nip-and-tuck battle that could be decided as early as this week, when Arkansas begins to zero in on its opening game.
“That’s the beauty of camp,” Arkansas offensive line coach Chris Klenakis said. “You get a lot of reps and a lot of guys get a lot of looks and get a chance to compete. … Everybody is competing for a job right now,”
But how did Swanson, who opened the preseason by working with newcomers while Oxner and Wade Grayson snapped with the veterans, even get into the conversation?
He believes it was his experiences last fall.
Swanson opened the 2009 season working with the scout-team offense, which meant tangling with departed star Malcolm Sheppard in practice every day. He did well enough to earn a midseason promotion to the varsity, spending the rest of the season working with the second-team offense.
“When they brought me up, I didn’t know the offense,” Swanson said of his promotion. “So I made mistakes.
“But as it went on it just kind of started clicking. I think it helped me to get to where I am now.”
Swanson also used the offseason to get bigger after weighing 293 pounds in the spring. He worked on adding strength and size in the offseason and is now up to 304.
Arkansas knows Swanson is athletic, but Klenakis said he also has improved as tactician as well. He believes it will be vital to Swanson’s success if he starts in 2010.
“He’s gotten a lot better,” Klenakis said. “And he’s a great athlete. Where Travis has to get better is in his technique. He’s got to make up for his size and for his strength. He’s going to have to be a great technician.”
Swanson said there has been no bad blood with Oxner as the two compete for the starting job.
Fighting for a starting job is nothing new to Oxner. He was considered an “unknown” last summer before emerging in preseason camp to edge Grayson for the starting role.
“We had competition last year,” Oxner said last week. “Same thing this year. Just have to go out and work hard.”
Both centers have been through their share of ups-and-downs the past two weeks. For instance, there have been some botched snaps and each has experienced the frustration of doing so inside the five-yard line.
But Swanson said he’s trying to take the experiences — both good and bad — as lessons. He may not have played a down last season, but Swanson is hoping to make enough of an impression to grab the starting job for the opener.
“It’s definitely a lot faster on the first team,” Swanson said. “Something you just have to adjust to. You are not going to just wake up one day and automatically be able to go with those guys. But I think it’s going good.”
A Closer Look At … OFFENSIVE LINE
Best of the Bunch: Tackle DeMarcus Love — The senior was recently rated as the top lineman for the 2011 NFL Draft by The Sporting News earlier this summer. There’s no question Love is the anchor of Arkansas’ offensive line because of his size, quickness, agility and tenacity.
Watch Out For: Guard Alvin Bailey — He redshirted last season and Bailey said sitting out was difficult. But the big linemen has been working with the first-team offense all preseason and is on track to start his first game.
Biggest Strength: Arkansas has depth in the interior with Bailey, Grant Cook, Zhamal Thomas and Wade Grayson capable of stepping into the starting role. In addition, Travis Swanson, Seth Oxner and Grayson can all snap the ball, giving the Hogs plenty of options at center.
Biggest Question: Who can Arkansas count on at tackle? For now, there are three trusted players in Love, Ray Dominguez and Grant Freeman. Tyler Deacon is currently the fourth, but has no experience. Anthony Oden is the obvious option, but has struggled throughout the preseason.
Projected Starters: T DeMarcus Love, Sr.; G Alvin Bailey, Fr.; C Travis Swanson, Fr.; G Grant Cook, Jr.; T Ray Dominguez, Sr.
Other Contributors: G Wade Grayson, Sr.; C Seth Oxner, Jr.; T Grant Freeman, Jr.; G Zhamal Thomas, Sr.; T Tyler Deacon, So.; T Anthony Oden, So.
That Figures: 6-5, 318 — Average height and weight, according to Arkansas’ 2010 media guide, of the Razorbacks’ projected starting offensive line of Love, Bailey, Swanson, Cook and Dominguez
Quotable: “Chemistry is very important. Once you get settled in, those guys have got to get a lion’s share of the reps. … There’s only so many practice reps to get to all the looks and all the plays. If you look at all the multiples and variables there, one play, how many different looks, certain people, you’ve got to make sure you’ve got the right combination.” — Offensive line coach Chris Klenakis on selecting a starting five.
