FAYETTEVILLE — Carlton Salters figured he could have contributed to the Arkansas offense a lot more than he did during the 2007 season.

Then again, he was a redshirt freshman receiver on a team that attempted only 26 passes per game and had a couple of star tailbacks in its backfield named Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.

“It was frustrating, but at the same time, you understand the role,” Salters said. “You had two first-round picks, plus Peyton Hillis, a great fullback, here.... It was frustrating because you knew you could go help the team.”

So, Salters was an underutilized pass catcher on a pretty potent Arkansas offense last season.

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Stir in one new season and a new coaching staff to the Razorbacks’ offensive recipe and you’ve got not only a serendipitous role reversal for the receivers, but also one of life’s neat little ironies for Salters.

The Petrinos, Bobby and Paul, recruited Salters out of North Florida Christian in Tallahassee, Fla., when they were at the University of Louisville during the 2005 season.

Turns out Salters preferred the Arkansas campus and the SEC lifestyle over Louisville so he signed with the Hogs, but the 6-0, 191-pounder wound up playing in the Bobby and Paul Petrino system anyway.

“Like I’ve said before, the only way this offense can be defeated is if your defensive front beats our offensive front, or we beat ourselves,” Salters said.

“I don’t think you can line up and beat us. We have to make mistakes ourselves. If we execute everything right, it’s tough to stop us.”

Salters role in the “tough to stop” unit would appear to loom large. He’s held down a starting role as a slot receiver since the end of spring drills.

“Carlton is having a good camp,” Coach Bobby Petrino said earlier during two-a-days. “He’s been very reliable on his routes. I think he’s faster. I think he had a great summer and he looks a lot faster than he did in spring.”

Salters split some seams early in camp, got downfield and put the ball in the end zone with in sync passes from Casey Dick.

“Coach [Paul ] Petrino told me in the spring that one thing they wanted to work with me in camp to see if they could use me down the field a little bit more,” Salters said. “Whatever role he puts me in, I’m glad to help the team.”

Salters isn’t sure he’s faster now than in the spring, and in his slot position, he said sprinter’s speed isn’t the most important quality.

“I don’t know if it’s necessarily the speed part,” Salters said. “You have to be fast in a short area. It’s not about lining up and running a 4. 3 or a 4. 2. If you’re fast in that little 8-yard box, nobody’ll be able to tell the diference. Look at Jerry Rice.”

The Razorbacks have sprayed the ball around everywhere during the spring and in camp, and Salters has shown some of the most reliable hands on the team, plus an ability to seek out and exploit open areas of the field.

Salters led all receivers with 108 yards on seven catches in the Red-White spring game, and finished the scrimmage portion with 23 catches for 282 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Salters got off to a quick start in camp, working into a rhythm with Dick, and not just on the digs, curls and over-themiddle stuff, partly because of the work Salters put in during the offseason on the new offense.

“I think everyone, especially the guys that went through the spring, kind of understand what’s supposed to be going on now,” Salters said. “Once you learn it, it comes real fast.” Carlton Salters file POSITION Slot receiver CLASS Redshirt sophomore HEIGHT 6-0 WEIGHT 191 HOMETOWN Tallahassee, Fla. HIGH SCHOOL N. Florida Christian School BIRTHDATE Sept. 15, 1987 SCOOP Recruited by Bobby and Paul Petrino during their tenure at the University of Louisville, Salters elected to play SEC ball at Arkansas. After a redshirt season in 2006, Salters saw limited action in ’ 07, catching four passes for 38 yards, including a season-best 15-yarder against Kentucky. He’s been one of the most active UA receivers since the spring and is expected to start in the slot.