All the interviews for the week have been completed. All of the quotes from players and coaches have been transcribed. And all of the stories previewing tonight’s Arkansas-Tennessee Tech game have been written.
So what do we do with the leftover stuff? You know, the little nuggets and tidbits that never made it into my copy that appeared in various newspapers around the state and here on the Arkansas News Bureau’s website.
The answer: We put it right here.
Each week (whether it’s Friday afternoon or Saturday morning), I’ll be putting together a blog post called “Cleaning out the Notebook.” It’s a chance to get all the leftover stuff off my computer and in front of your eyes before you sit down to watch Arkansas play.
Below is the first edition …
• Proud of the Backs — Remember how offensive coordinator Garrick McGee challenged Arkansas’ running backs last week, urging one or two of them to emerge from the rest of the pack? It left plenty of questions about the group during the final week of preseason practices. But Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said Thursday afternoon he likes what he has seen from them the past month, although he did not name a starter.
“I have been really impressed with the running backs,” Petrino said. “Their focus and concentration. They know they don’t get as many reps in practice as everybody else because there are four of them. So what they have to do is stand in the back and get mental reps and looks at it. They have done a nice job of that. They know every play. They stand back there. They get their read. The communication has been great.”
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• The Others (at Quarterback) — We all know QB Ryan Mallett is the unquestioned leader and clearcut starter. But has Petrino thought of his backup quarterbacks Tyler Wilson and Brandon Mitchell. Petrino said he has confidence in both, wouldn’t hesitate to play either, and is hoping they’ll get a chance to step on the field tonight.
“Tyler has really progressed in his ability to get the ball out of his hands and understanding coverages and his accuracy is a lot better right now than it was through spring ball,” Petrino said. “And Brandon is just a little bit different flavor, a guy that can make a lot of different plays with his legs. He has a strong, strong arm. Still a little bit wild. We’re still trying to get it to be accurate all the time. But can really make some plays with his legs.”
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• Watch Out Fayetteville High — Tennessee Tech may be winless against teams from Division I (now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision). But don’t tell Mallett and the Razorbacks. The junior said this week there’s no problem getting ready to play the Golden Eagles or anyone else for that matter. That included … nearby Fayetteville High.
“Whenever you can play another team it’s exciting,” Mallett said. “It doesn’t matter if we’re playing Fayetteville High School. We’ll be ready to play.”
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• Familiar Face at MLB — LB Jerico Nelson doesn’t really mind who is starting at middle linebacker today. Or does he? Nelson was asked about Jerry Franklin’s return to MLB this week and what it means to him. Nelson started next to Franklin as a freshman.
“My freshman year he was the Mike so I’m used to him being on the side of me somewhere inside the box,” Nelson said. “By playing with him the last two years, a lot of communication between me and him is very easy. I know where he’ll be at and I know how he’ll play. So I could fit off of him.”
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• More on Franklin — We’ve seen Franklin working with the second-team defense plenty during his career. So I asked CB Ramon Broadway, who said he is close to Franklin, if the constant push and pull on Franklin is a motivational ploy. And if it wears on Franklin.
“They’re trying to challenge him. They try to challenge me,” Broadway said. “That’s’s their job. If you have a great player, you want to push that player to his potential.” The senior did say it tests a player’s maturity and believes Franklin has handled it well: “He understands what’s going on,” Broadway said. “He understands his situation and he’s ready to get going.”
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• Freshman Experience — CB Eric Bennett has been lining up with the second-team defense the second half of preseason drills, which means he is likely one of the few freshmen expected to make their official debut tonight. Bennett said he has no idea what to expect when he steps on the field, but his teammates have done their best to prepare him for the experience.
“They said it’s going to be fun. They said it’s going to be easier than practice,” Bennett said. “There’s going to be 80,000 here for you and you’re going to have all the support. So it’s going to make you hype.”
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• Byran Jones: Simple and to the Point — Along those same lines, I asked freshman DT Byran Jones what he was expected from his first game. Let’s just say Jones has simplified his goals and has them in order: “I’m expecting to come out, know my calls and dominate,” Jones said.
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• What Jerico Remembers — Along those same lines, LB Jerico Nelson recalled his first game with the Razorbacks. Nelson actually started in his debut and, when asked if he messed up, provided this two-word answer: “A lot.”
It wasn’t the easiest thing being pushed into such an important role right away, but Nelson said it has prepared him for 2010. “It really helped me and made me grow up fast and adapt to the game faster,” he said.
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• Building Smarter Players — Much has been made of Arkansas’ transformation in the offseason, which was the result of another productive summer in the weight room. But receiver Jarius Wright said the physical traits aren’t everything responsible for Arkansas’ improvement.
“We’ve grown in many areas,” Wright said. “I think that’s what makes us the receivers we are today. As far as knowing the defensive coverages, watching film, knowing the defensive tendencies, knowing what the quarterbacks are going to check before he checks just by looking at the defense. It’s just gameplanning and studying and knowing everything about football. Football is more than just going out there and running routes.”
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• Add, Subtract, Perfect — Why does Arkansas feel much more confident about its defense? More talent, experience and depth are certainly all factors. But DE Jake Bequette helped explain something else that has helped the Hogs this preseason — working with the playbook.
“The coaches went over film from the last two years and evaluated the stuff that has been working and the stuff that hasn’t,” Bequette said. “We’ve kind of expounded on the stuff that has been working and thrown some new wrinkles in. And we just cut out the stuff that wasn’t working for us.”
