Tide QB is always in the mix FAYETTEVILLE — It’s been feast or famine — mostly feast — for Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson against Arkansas.

Wilson is 1-1 as a starter against the Razorbacks, and he’s completed 40 of 65 passes (61. 5 percent ) for 570 yards, with 7 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. His efficiency rating is a robust 165. 58 against the Hogs.

Wilson completed 16 of 20 passes for 243 yards and 3 touchdowns in the 2006 game at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, won 24-23 in double overtime by Arkansas.

“I remember it being a lot louder than I expected,” Wilson said. “That place gets loud. We played a good game, just didn’t finish the way we needed to.” In last year’s 41-38 victory, Wilson completed 24 of 45 passes for 327 yards and 4 scores, both career highs. He passed for 52 yards on the Tide’s gamewinning drive, which ended on his 4-yard touchdown throw to Matt Caddell with eight seconds remaining.

Despite those gaudy numbers, Wilson also has played a key role in Arkansas comebacks in both games.

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The Crimson Tide led 10-9 in the third quarter of the 2006 game when Wilson’s sack and fumble forced by Antwain Robinson turned into a touchdown return for Randy Kelly that reversed the momentum.

Alabama had a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter of last year’s game when a fumbled snap and Wilson’s interception to Jerell Norton on consecutive possessions helped the Razorbacks tie the game at 31. Arkansas eventually took a 38-31 lead before Wilson led the Tide on back-to-back scoring drives for the victory.

Wilson has completed 50 of 80 passes for 468 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception this season. He ranks eighth in the SEC with 156 passing yards per game and 163 total yards per game.

“He’s playing well,” Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said. “I’ve known and watched him a long time. He looks very comfortable, and he’s performing well.” Petrino positive Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino came off the field smiling after Thursday’s practice, saying his team is mentally ready for its SEC opener. “We understand the game plan,” he said. “Emotionally, I think we’ll be ready to go. I think our guys will be fired up — first SEC game, top-10 opponent — so it doesn’t take a whole lot to get fired up for that one. I do feel like we’re ready to play.” The Razorbacks worked inside the stadium after finishing up there in Wednesday’s practice. “We needed to come out for the kicker [Alex Tejada ],” Petrino said. “It’s important for him to come out and be on this surface.

“ And I like coming out on Thursday into the stadium. I think it changes up the week. You start doing more game tempo, on and off the field, a lot of situations. I always feel ike you’re a little sharper when you come into the stadium.” It appears Tejada will get the starting nod over Shay Haddock on Saturday. Tejada missed all three of his place-kicks in Week 2 — an extra point and field goals from 45 and 25 yards — and Haddock came on to kick the final two extra points, including the game-winner with 1: 22 remaining.

“Both of them had a good week,” Petrino said. “We’re going to take a good look at all the video [this ] morning, then make a decision. I imagine it would be Tejada.” Antwain vs. Andre Antwain Robinson was in on two of the most memorable plays in Arkansas’ 24-23 doubleovertime victory against Alabama in 2006.

The first play became an instant Internet video sensation in Alabama, and the second was probably the biggest play of the day for the Razorbacks.

Robinson was chasing an end around in the first half when supersized tackle Andre Smith, then a freshman, obliterated him with a blindside block.

Robinson claimed the collision wasn’t as devastating as it looked on video.

“It looks like a big hit, but it wasn’t that good,” he said. “He didn’t get me really that good, like it’s supposed to be.” Robinson used an excellent inside rush against Smith in the third quarter, when the Arkansas offense was ailing, to turn the momentum around with a sack and strip on Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson. Randy Kelly scooped up the fumble, the first Razorbacks takeaway of the season, and scored to overtake Alabama’s 10-9 lead.

“It was one of those big plays that changes games that we needed, and I guess I was the one that made it,” Robinson said.

Arkansas was the last Division I-A team to record a takeaway in 2006 and it’s now one of two teams in the country — Rutgers is the other — without a turnover.

Though Robinson is listed behind Jake Bequette at one defensive end spot, he’s likely to see plenty of action against Smith again Saturday.

“He outweighs me by a ton, but we’re still going to have fun against him, go hard every play I get in against him,” Robinson said. “It’s going to bring back memories. We’re going to talk on the field like we always do, me and Andre.” Smith honored Two-time All-American Billy Ray Smith Jr. will serve as Arkansas’ honorary captain for Saturday’s 11: 30 a.m. game against Alabama.

Smith will be honored on the field before the game. He’ll also appear in the Legends Tent approximately 90 minutes before the game.

The son of former All-Southwest Conference tackle Billy Ray Smith Sr., Smith posted 299 career tackles, and his 62 tackles for loss are a school record. A team captain in 1982, Smith was named to Arkansas’ all-century and all-decade teams and was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Razorback Hall of Honor and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Smith was the fifth pick of the 1983 draft by the San Diego Chargers and was the team MVP in 1987 and defensive player of the year in 1985 and 1986. Super Hornets swarm F / A 18 Super Hornets from Naval Air Station Oceana based in Virginia will perform the flyover following the national anthem at Saturday’s Alabama-Arkansas game at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

The F / A 18 Super Hornets are part of the Strike Fighter VFA 32 “Fighting Swordsmen.” The flight will be led by Lts. Mycel Scott and Andrew Wyrick, and the wing jet will be flown by Lts. Mark Kennedy and Tim Walsh.

VFA 32 returned in June from a seven-month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During their deployment, the Fighting Swordsmen logged more than 4, 000 combat hours.