FAYETTEVILLE — Apologies to Dale White.
In this space Saturday, incoming University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor inductee Jimmy Walker was referred to as a nose tackle for Lou Holtz’s 1977 11-1 Orange Bowl champion Razorbacks.
Oops. Walker was built like the stocky nose men of the period, but he played conventional tackle.
White was the solid glue in the middle between All-America tackles Dan Hampton and Walker.
Thanks, Red Henderson, a letterman lineman for Frank Broyles from 1958-60, for the reminder that Walker at nose was out of joint.
Incidentally, Henderson said for playing technique, Walker, appearing so physically unimposing that he wasn’t offered a scholarship until after the high school allstar game then played in August, was as good as it gets.
That threesome and linebackers William Hampton and the late Larry Jackson were the inner core of a Monte Kiffin-coordinated defense that even today teaches while it’s great for Arkansas to recruit nationally as it is doing under Bobby Petrino, Arkansas isn’t Arkansas without native sons.
The aforementioned five of Walker (Little Rock Central), Dan Hampton (Jacksonville), White (Benton), Jackson (Hot Springs) and William Hampton (Forrest City) stuffed mighty Oklahoma 31-6 in the Orange Bowl. They also carried the 1978 Razorbacks to a 9-2-1 Fiesta Bowl season.
While Petrino’s staff combs coast to coast, the Arkansas Razorbacks remain decidedly Arkansas.
It’s not a pretty sight envisioning the Razorbacks taking the field in 2011 minus end Jake Bequette (Little Rock Catholic), linebacker Jerry Franklin (Marion), defensive tackle Byran Jones (Junction City) and cornerback Darius Winston (Helena-West Helena) on defense.
That’s not yet mentioning one of the most touted receiving contingents in the country with wideouts Greg Childs and Jarius Wright (Warren), Joe Adams (Little Rock) and Cobi Hamilton, who is from just across the state line in Texarkana. Then there is tight end Chris Gragg (Warren), quarterback Tyler Wilson (Greenwood), offensive guard Grant Cook (Jonesboro), kick-returner/running back Dennis Johnson (Texarkana) and kicker Zach Hocker (Russellville).
Other Arkansans abound contending at starting and top backup spots, including offensive linemen Brey Cook (Springdale Har-Ber), Mitch Smothers (Springdale) andMarcus Danenhauer (Bentonville), who may - in Cook’s case will - have to contribute as true freshmen.
That’s never an easy task for an offensive lineman.
SPRINTING AGAIN
The Razorbacks track team’s resurgence has a sprint in its step.
The 4x400 relay of Ben Skidmore, SEC Outdoor 200-meter champion/NCAA Outdoor runner-up Marek Niit, Travis Southard and Neil Braddy that won the SEC Indoor and placed fifth at the NCAA Outdoors returns. So do all the 4x100 relay and short dash sprinters except for graduated 200-meter dash All-American LaShawn Butler.
“I feel real good about the sprint crew,” men’s sprints coach Doug Case said. “Guys that did a great job this year but I know are going to be better next year, and we have added some individuals I think are going to help us even more.”
Sports, Pages 16 on 06/20/2011