Razorbacks report

Compiled by Bob Holt

Posted on Thursday, January 10, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/213262/

No word on Jones, McFadden

FAYETTEVILLE — A lot of college juniors already have declared for the NFL Draft, but there’s been no announcement from Arkansas junior tailbacks Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.

Underclassmen eligible for the draft — juniors and other thirdyear players — have until next Tuesday to notify the NFL whether they’re jumping into the pool.

McFadden, winner of the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back and runner-up for the Heisman Trophy as the top college player the past two years, is considered a lock to bypass his senior season for the NFL and indications are that Jones will as well.

Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said Wednesday he talked with Jones earlier in the day.

“I think they will have some press conference set here pretty soon,” Petrino said when asked about McFadden and Jones.

Petrino didn’t want to comment on what he expects the players to do.

“I think I’ll just let them handle that,” he said.

Running backs coach Tim Horton said he’s stayed in contact with Jones, but didn’t want to divulge what he expects to happen.

“I think all that needs to go through Felix,” Horton said. “But I know what’s going on.”

A comment made by Arkansas defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, who was asked about defending McFadden and Jones because he coached against them the past three years while at Mississippi State, supported the theory they won’t be back in Fayetteville as seniors.

“Well, they’re great players. I wish they weren’t leaving,” Johnson said. “I think we overprepared for Darren [when Arkansas beat Mississippi State 45-31 this season ] and forgot about the fact he can do something besides run.”

McFadden rushed 28 times for 88 yards, but threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Robert Johnson and caught four passes for 50 yards. Jones had just one carry against the Bulldogs because of a thigh injury.

McFadden and Jones combined for 7, 546 yards the past three seasons.

“I think that’s going to be a very huge loss, but then you have to realize the philosophy of the offense is changing a little bit,” Ellis said. “I don’t think there’s any question this offense has been based on running the football. Coach Petrino’s probably going to be more balanced, so hopefully we won’t feel those losses as much.

“ Preparing to play against those guys was just a huge challenge, with the speed and the ability. And, of course, they did a great job — Xs and Oswise — with utilizing those guys, too.”

Staff meeting Jeff Long, who on Jan. 1 took over as athletic director of Arkansas’ newly merged men’s and women’s departments, held a meeting Wednesday with more than 200 coaches and staff members. “It was an historic day for us to bring everyone together in one room and talk about the future and talk about the direction we’re headed,” Long said. “We’ve got a quality group of people here who love the University of Arkansas and are committed to Razorbacks athletics, and I’m really excited about moving forward with them.”

Among the topics Long addressed was dealing with change.

“Change is coming at us all the time in different shapes or forms,” Long said. “This program has had a quite a bit of it all at once. We will work through that. “ It’s created a new dynamic, a new set of opportunities for us,” Long said. “I know we have a staff and coaches ready to put these new dynamics together and make us even stronger as we go forward.”

Hall of blame Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall was one of Bobby Petrino’s most outspoken critics when Petrino resigned as the Falcons’ coach with three games left in the season to take the Arkansas job. That created somewhat of an awkward situation for Lorenzo Ward, Petrino’s new defensive backs coach with the Razorbacks.

Ward was Hall’s position coach at Virginia Tech and considers Hall one of his favorite former players.

“DeAngelo and I developed a great relationship at Virginia Tech,” Ward said. “I talked to DeAngelo when the situation came down with Coach Petrino and [Hall’s ] never right in that situation [in criticizing Petrino ], and I’ll never tell him anything but what the truth is. “ The bottom line is Coach Petrino’s the coach and [Hall is ] the player, and he’s got to respect that. He knows better, and I think he felt bad about it at the end from me talking to him.”

Team meeting Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino will meet with the Razorbacks’ returning players Sunday night. It will be the first time he’s met with them as the definitive team leader because the Razorbacks were coached in the Cotton Bowl by predecessor Houston Nutt’s staff. “When we get started, the first thing to take care of is our academics,” Petrino said. “The message I will send is we are student-athletes and have to get a degree, and we need to do a good job there.

“ As an athlete, you have to do a good job getting better physically and mentally. They have a lot to learn as far as our schemes, and then we will start our weight drills and mat drills and then spring practice and start coming together as a team.”