By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino, coordinator Willy Robinson and the rest of the Razorbacks’ defense believes there’s improvement.
Veterans are more comfortable and confident with Arkansas’ schemes and formations. There’s more depth, skill and talent. And a few calculated moves have improved the group’s overall speed.
Everything the Razorbacks have done on the practice field are signs a better performance is in store for 2010. So it’s understandable linebacker Jerico Nelson and the rest of the defense are getting a little antsy as they countdown to Saturday’s season opener.
“We have to come out and produce,” Nelson said.
Arkansas’ defense will get its first chance to prove it has improved when the 17th-ranked Razorbacks play Tennessee Tech on Saturday night. By no means is the Football Championship Subdivision school regarded as a high-powered offensive attack, but Petrino said he has an important goal in mind for a group that ranked 89th in the nation in total defense last season.
Go out and be “dominant” in the opener anyway.
“I think that’s the best thing that could ever happen to our defense in one of these early games,” Petrino said. “Then your confidence grows. Your belief in each other grows, and we have a chance to be a much better defense.”
Improvement has been the dominant topic since the end of the 2009 season, when Arkansas once again ranked near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference in most statistical categories.
Arkansas was successful in forcing turnovers and slowing opponents when they reached the redzone last season. But tackling, cover skills, pass rush and the elimination of big plays have all been points of emphasis this preseason.
Everyone knows the Razorbacks have the firepower on offense. But is there enough defensively?
“We know the pressure is on the defense,” Arkansas cornerback Ramon Broadway said about the challenge. “And I like pressure.”
The Razorbacks will face big tests when they travel to Georgia and then play Alabama at the end of the month, but Robinson said there are difficulties in facing Tennessee Tech’s offense.
For instance, Tennessee Tech coach Watson Brown will play two quarterbacks in Tre Lamb and Cass Barnes on Saturday. The Golden Eagles have variety in their offense, too. They could line up in the Wishbone one play, the Shotgun the next.
That’s why Robinson wouldn’t allow Saturday’s game to be described as a “tune-up” after Wednesday’s practice. And why the Razorbacks said there’s no problem getting motivated to play.
“It’s one of those games that you have to prepare a lot of stuff for them,” defensive end Jake Bequette said. “We feel confident, though.”
So is Robinson, whose two-deep defensive depth chart is loaded with players who have been in Arkansas’ system for two or three seasons.
“I feel a lot more comfortable, a lot more familiar with the faces I’m talking to,” he said.
Will it be enough for Arkansas to make a significant improvement on the field? And achieve Petrino’s goal of a “dominant” performance Saturday?
That remains to be seen.
But there’s no doubt Arkansas knows how important its defensive performance is this fall.
“Everybody here in this room, everybody in the state of Arkansas, every one of our defensive players know that if we play good defense, we have a chance to be a good team,” Petrino told the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club on Monday afternoon. “Believe me, our defensive players know that. We’ve got a chip on our shoulder.”
Saturday’s Ticket
Tennessee Tech at No. 17 Arkansas
When: 6 p.m.
Where: Reynolds Razorback Stadium
TV: Pay-Per-View
Radio: Razorback Sports Network
Satellite Radio: Sirius (Ch. 22); XM (Ch. 199)
Coaches: Arkansas — Bobby Petrino (13-12 in third season); Tennessee Tech — Watson Brown (13-21 in fourth season)
