By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said Monday he hasn’t decided on a starter at running back for Saturday’s opener against Tennessee Tech in Razorback Stadium.
But did junior Broderick Green take a leg up on the rest of the competition with his performance in last Friday’s mock game in Razorback Stadium?
Petrino — who addressed the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club at its first meeting Monday — said Green ran hard in the scrimmage, which was closed to the media and public. It apparently included a 99-yard touchdown run. Petrino said it came on the same play Green broke for a school-record 99 yards against Eastern Michigan.
“The difference was we didn’t block anybody,” Petrino said of Friday’s scrimmage. “They angled the front on us and both our guards missed. Broderick got hit at about the one, broke two tackles there, broke another one about the nine and took it 99 yards for a touchdown.
“It’s a play we like a lot now. We call it our coming-out offense.”
Green led the Razorbacks in rushing last season with 442 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is competing with Dennis Johnson, Ronnie Wingo Jr., and Knile Davis for the starting job, although Arkansas has said all four backs will play.
But Petrino said Green did a nice job of piling up yards after contact in the scrimmage.
In fact, Petrino said Arkansas holds a contest between backs and receivers to see who gains more yards after contact and catch. Green gained more yards after contact than Arkansas’ receivers combined to gain after the catch.
“He gets faster each week in practice because he understands more of what he’s doing and he works extremely hard,” Petrino said. “He had a really nice scrimmage the other night.”
Petrino still wasn’t ready to name a starter for the season opener, though. Arkansas is looking to find one player that wants to “take over and be the everyday starter,” he said.
Dominant Performance
Everyone knows how important the defensive performance will be to the Razorbacks’ hopes this season. Petrino said players are well aware of it and have a “chip” on their shoulders as the Razorbacks close in on the opener.
But Petrino believes the Razorbacks can begin meeting those expectations by turning in a “dominant” defensive performance early against a nonconference opponent like Tennessee Tech. To Petrino, that would mean forcing opponents into three-and-outs on a regular basis and having a success rate of 80 percent on third down.
“I think that’s the best thing that could ever happen to our defense,” Petrino said. “Then your confidence grows. Your belief in each other grows and we have a chance to be a much better football team on defense.”
Oxner Injured
It wasn’t all good news from Friday’s mock game. Petrino said center Seth Oxner suffered a sprained foot and didn’t finish the scrimmage.
Oxner — who started every game last season — has been competing with redshirt freshman Travis Swanson for the starting job in preseason camp. Petrino said Oxner should be OK, but the Razorbacks have confidence in Swanson, too.
“Travis is a guy that last year as a true freshman was our backup center,” Petrino said. “He took every rep in practice. He was ready to play each game and we went into each game saying let’s do everything we can to redshirt him.”
Heisman Polling
The popular website HeismanPundit.com revealed its preseason Heisman Trophy poll on Monday.
Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett was tied for fifth with Houston quarterback Case Keenum.
The HeismanPundit.com poll is voted on weekly by a panel of 13 Heisman Trophy voters, according to the website. Alabama running back Mark Ingram, the 2009 Heisman winner, topped the preseason poll. He is followed by Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor, Boise State’s Kellen Moore and Oregon State’s Jacquizz Rodgers.
Ticket Talk
Arkansas officials said approximately 4,500 tickets remain for the season opener.
Of that number, 3,500 were part of Tennessee Tech’s allotment that are now on sale to the general public. In addition, 800 bench seat season tickets and 180 indoor club seat season tickets are still available for Saturday.
