If underdog Missouri State surprises Arkansas in tonight's season-opener in Little Rock like underdogs Western Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe surprised Arkansas last year, don't expect the Razorbacks' running back depth to appear so deep.
The other Razorbacks' running backs mostly would be sitting instead of rotating while Michael Smith would go full tilt for four quarters.
That was the scenario last year when Smith's 22 carries for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns and 4 catches for 23 yards helped Arkansas escape Louisiana-Monroe, 28-27, in Little Rock.
It also would have been the scenario had Smith been available instead of sitting out a NCAA one-game suspension when the Hogs opened 2008 escaping Western Illinois, 28-24, in Fayetteville.
In two straight SEC games, a 25-22 win at Auburn and a 21-20 loss at Kentucky, Smith's 5-7, 170-something pound frame ran the ball 70 times. Thirty-five totes each game.
Those memories rushed back with a sigh, Michael Smith's sigh of a reply to a media member's question if Smith would prefer last year's inordinately heavy workload to to fewer touches like this season.
"This season hasn't even begun yet," came Smith's wry reply with a sigh, "so I am not sure. You always want to touch the ball as the ballcarrier. So I am looking forward to that. But then, I also am excited about not being exhausted in the fourth quarter or having to get an IV at halftime. If I don't have to do that and am not exhausted in the fourth quarter, I will be more productive."
If conditions are right, Smith will get more relief from all those "Or's" paddling in the water behind him.
Sophomores Dennis Johnson, the sawed-off speedster netting 127 yards rushing on LSU during Smith's injury-induced final game absence last year, and big Broderick Green (6-2, 240) and rangy freshman Ronnie Wingo (6-3, 215) are also designated as co-second team "Or's" on the Razorbacks' depth chart this week. Freshman Knile Davis ranks right behind them, and talented De'Anthony Curtis, the sophomore from Camden Fairview, is always available to move back to tailback from fullback.
"Everybody brings something different to the table," Smith said. "That's why there are so many Or's."
They all do bring something different, but none come to the table with senior Smith's first-team Preseason All-SEC/Doak Walker Award Watch list menu of last year's 1,072 yards on 207 carries plus last year's 32 catches for 298 yards.
So while talking depth, head coach Bobby Petrino warns Smith not to think too deeply about the breaks some media and fans assume he will get.
"What he has expressed is I need to be ready at all times," Smith said. "Don't look to come out of the game. If I come out of the game, it's when he will take me out. But don't think I'll carry it once or twice and then come out. And that's fine. I don't have a problem with that at all."
The comfort zone most helping Smith feel less burden isn't necessarily the depth of the running backs, but the depth in the offensive line.
Even with 2007 Rimington Award-winning center Jonathan Luigs graduated to the NFL, this does appear a deeper line than last year. Even at center.
Luigs was a one-man center of attention from 2006-2008.
Now third-year sophomore Seth Oxner of Monticello has established himself as a starter pressed by junior Wade Grayson of Harrison.
Grayson is experienced as a 12-game starting guard last year and still expected to provide guard depth along with JC transfer Zhamal Thomas and precocious freshman Alvin Bailey behind starting guards Mitch Petrus and Grant Cook.
A 2007 starting guard, Petrus' return from his 2008 ineligibility freed 2008 starting guard DeMarcus Love to move to tackle adjoining Petrus while maturing sophomore letterman Grant Freeman and huge freshmen Matt Hall, a redshirt, and true freshman Anthony Oden, provide tackle depth.
Like Smith, expect the starters to be on the line at crunch time, but at least there should be a cushion of relief when starting linemen are tired or injured.
That's a mental edge last year's line didn't have, Smith said.
"I feel like they are more excited and less exhausted," Smith said. "More physical. You can see the guards move a little faster this year than last year. The tackles don't let so many guys off the edge. Our center is doing a real good job as well. I think they have more confidence coming into this season. Everyone is pretty much ready to go play right now."