By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas spent the offseason determined to improve a rushing attack that struggled to produce in 2009.
So on the surface, a 196-yard effort during the 44-3 season-opening win against Tennessee Tech looked like a step in the right direction. But when the numbers were examined, dissected and studied closely, something else stood out: The Razorbacks managed 51 yards on 13 attempts in the first half.
It left Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino to use three words to describe the effort: “Not good enough.”
Improving the run game remains an ongoing goal for No. 14 Arkansas (1-0) as it prepares for Saturday’s game against Louisiana-Monroe (0-0) in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium. The Razorbacks may have had a handful of good moments — especially in the second half — but didn’t produce quite like they expected.
“How many yards did we have?” Arkansas offensive lineman DeMarcus Love asked.
After being told 196, Love said: “The thing was, everything wasn’t as clean as it could’ve been.”
Arkansas’ plan entering the opener was getting all four backs an opportunity to break through.
Petrino was more specific. He wanted each to have a chance to get in rhythm by carrying it two, three or four times on a drive. So Arkansas sent a back in for a series, instead of giving them the ball one play, then getting them off the field the next.
“We wanted them to run down the field, get hit and tackled,” Petrino said. “Run back to the huddle and carry the ball again and try to see what that would do in their performance.”
Davis started and finished with a team-high 67 yards on six carries. Johnson managed 60 yards on three attempts before his night ended with Petrino “mad” at him for carrying the ball in “one hand.” Wingo Jr. had five carries for 47 yards and Green added 23 on nine.
Davis — who was the only back without a touchdown in the opener — said it was challenging getting used to the rotation.
He also was one of two backs, joining Johnson, with a fumble. It was an obvious black mark for the group although neither fumble was lost.
“I feel like when you’re in and out of the game all the time it’s difficult to get in rhythm. But that’s life,” Davis said. “When you get in and it’s your opportunity, you’ve got to take advantage of it.
“We’ve got to get used to that. It’s going to be like that all season. That’s just how it is.”
It took a half for each of them to get going.
And a halftime lecture from Petrino, who Davis described as “mad” because of the poor production.
“We went into halftime and didn’t have the rushing yards,” Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said after the game Saturday night. “We weren’t running as efficient as we wanted and we made a big emphasis of it at halftime. That we wanted to come out, be physical and run the football.”
Wingo Jr. scored on a 10-yard touchdown run the first drive. Davis notched 21- and 11-yard gains on the next, which resulted in a touchdown pass. And Johnson broke free for a 49-yard run later.
Arkansas had six rushing plays of 10 yards or more in the opener. Four came in the second half.
“We still have to do a better job creating chunk plays with our running game,” Petrino said. “Our efficiency was pretty good as far as four yards a first down and the standards for our efficiency, but we need to get bigger plays in the run game.”
Some of the responsibility falls on the backs to identify the holes quicker, get through them and break tackles. But the line can improve as well.
Love said the offensive front must fire off the ball quicker than it did Saturday, when hesitation hurt plays. He said the backs put them in a “position to look good,” but the line struggled.
“That’s the main emphasis (this week) — get the running game going,” Love said.
At the very least, Arkansas did get a good look at what it can do on the ground with its performance in the second half. The Razorbacks gained 145 yards on 15 attempts, wearing down the Golden Eagles.
Now, they want to accomplish it an entire game.
“I just think we’re going to get better as the season goes,” Davis said. “It will get better.”
Saturday’s Ticket
Louisiana-Monroe (0-0) at No. 14 Arkansas (1-0)
When: 6 p.m.
Where: War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock
TV: Fox Sports Net
Radio: Razorback Sports Network
Satellite Radio: Sirius (Ch. 217), XM (Ch. 197)
Series Record: Arkansas leads 8-0
Last Meeting: Arkansas 28, ULM 27 in 2008
Coaches: Arkansas — Bobby Petrino (14-12 in third season); ULM — Todd Berry (0-0 in first season)
