Arkansas turned in its best rushing performance of the season in the 38-24 win against Ole Miss last Saturday.
The offensive linemen deserve plenty of praise for their play in helping Knile Davis run for 176 yards and three touchdowns. But the big men up front aren’t the only ones who played a role in the success. Fullback Van Stumon impressed as well, according to Davis and Arkansas’ coaches.
Stumon, a senior, levied a few knockdown blocks in the win. In fact, running backs coach Tim Horton said he counted three and added Stumon “splattered them good” in his time on the field. Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said Stumon — who he credited as being a “student of the game” — has been a much more physical blocker in the past two games.
The versatile Stumon has played a variety of positions in his career, but believes he has found the right spot at fullback as he enters the final stretch of his Arkansas career. He talked about the big blocks, the run game and how he’s convinced he can handle 20 carries a game in this weeks Q&A.
Q: I know some of the older players downplayed playing the former coach last week, but how much did the win mean?
A: “It means a lot to us. Our class, they came in and we respect (Houston) Nutt a whole lot. Just being able to get ‘W’ this past weekend motivated us a lot. These last couple of years they got the upper hand and we feel like we did need to get a ‘W’ against them.”
Arkansas fullback Van Stumon
Q: Do you take a lot of pride in your versatility? You played defense. Do you think you’ve finally found a home on offense?
A: “I do think I found a home. I do take a lot of pride in my versatility. When you ask what position I play, I like to say I’m a football player.”
Q: What does it feel like to flatten a guy like you did with the Ole Miss defensive lineman last Saturday?
A: “It felt good. I can say that it actually surprised me. I know I saw the O-Lineman miss a block so I know I had to pick it up. I knew he was a big guy so I had to come with it. I got him down. So I felt good about it.”
Q: This is your last year, what are the emotions going through your final year on campus?
A: There’s a whole lot of emotion. I feel like I’ve got to prove to the state, prove to the team, prove to my parents, family.”
Q: How hard was it to be struggling in the run game?
A: “We never looked at it as we were struggling with it. There was never an issue. We always just looked at it as, when it’s time to run the ball we’re going to be able to run the ball.”
Q: Knile Davis, your roommate, said he didn’t know what came over you last week. What was it?
A: “When the bullets are flying you just have to play. That’s all I was doing was reacting to the game.”
Q: Do you feel like the more big blocks you get the more you might get to touch the football?
A: “I think coach thinks if you’re able to block you may be able to get the ball. So I try to do my job and whenever I get to touch it I try to do something with it.”
Q: Bobby Petrino thinks you’re a runner at heart who sacrifices that to block. Could you handle 20 carries a game?
A: “I think I could handle it.”
Q: You have done well as a receiver. Does that give you confidence that if they want to do that you can be a weapon?
A: “I always feel like I could be a good weapon in the redzone. I feel like I’m able to show it once plays are called for me. I try to make the plays.”
The Thursday Q&A will appear on the Hog Blog every Thursday (unless, of course, I forget to do it and it shows up on Friday instead). The questions are all asked in a group setting at the conclusion of practice or during press conferences and by no means will I claim credit for asking all of them – especially the good ones!
