LITTLE ROCK — Wingo making a move
Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said he was “hard” on tailback Ronnie Wingo coming out of his seasonopening performance against Missouri State.
“I thought he was cruising around, waiting on something to happen, instead of going out there, attack the field and making something happen,” McGee said.
Wingo had 43 yards on 11 carries, a 3.9-yard average that paled in comparison to his 6.2-yard average last season, and admitted that McGee’s critique had merit.
“He was saying, ‘Make a one-on-one move,’ ” Wingo said. “That’s what I’m focusing on this week is winning those one-on-one situations.
“You just have to practice it. Usually in practice I’ll just run straight, but like today, I’d see a safety and try to make a move or just stiff-arm him here or there. So it really just comes with reps, practicing one-on-one moves.”
Poll watch
Arkansas moved up a notch in both major polls Tuesday, advancing to No. 14 in The Associated Press poll and No. 13 in the USA Today coaches poll.
The Razorbacks, who were ranked in every poll last season, were one place ahead of Oregon, which tumbled 11 spots after its 40-27 loss to LSU, in the coaches poll.
Rookie help
Arkansas played 10 true freshmen in its opener, including defensive lineman Lonnie Gosha and receiver Keante Minor, who were not on the two-deep.
Bobby Petrino said the coaching staff made the decision late last week to add those two to their rotations, including Minor’s role in special teams as a deep man on kickoffs along with fellow freshman Marquel Wade.
“He’s a big, physical, tough kid ... [and] has great hands, probably the best set of hands on our team, just as far as catching the ball,” Petrino said of Minor.
Gosha missed a series of practices in camp with an ankle injury but rebounded and earned snaps at defensive tackle.
“He made great strides last week in practice, and we feel as the year goes on we’re going to need him to play,” Petrino said.
One freshman who didn’t play was cornerback/ tailback Kelvin Fisher, who had a quick start in camp. Petrino said Fisher would redshirt if everything goes right.
Back in play
Greg Childs’ two catches Saturday were his first since he suffered a patella tendon injury in a 49-14 rout of Vanderbilt last Oct. 30.
“It meant a lot,” Childs said. “I talked to my mom right after the game and she said she didn’t know if she wanted to cry or clap when I came through the tunnel and when I made my first catch. It was a real big deal to me.”
Childs is Arkansas’ active leader in career receptions with 114, followed by Joe Adams with 111 and Jarius Wright with 108.
First timer
Mitch Smothers wasn’t sure what to expect from his first college game.
“I’ve always been watching it,” he said. “Actually getting out there and playing was pretty surreal. I had a lot of fun.”
Smothers, of Springdale, became the first true freshman offensive lineman in Arkansas history to start a season opener.
“Of course, it’s a great honor,” said Smothers, who started at quick tackle. “There have been a lot of great offensive linemen come through Arkansas, so I’m just honored to be even be mentioned with them.”
Offensive line coach Chris Klenakis said the best thing Smothers did in the Razorbacks’ 51-7 victory over Missouri State was steadily improve,
“He was playing better in the third quarter than he was in the first quarter,” Klenakis said.
Palm prediction
CBSSports.com’s Jerry Palm picked Arkansas to face Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl in projections made Tuesday.
Palm also picked Alabama vs. Oklahoma in the BCS title game, and LSU vs. Boise State in the Sugar Bowl to give the SEC two representatives again in the BCS mix.
Tom Murphy’s AP poll
Boise State 2. Alabama 3. LSU 4. Oklahoma 5. Virginia Tech 6. Nebraska 7. Florida State 8. Texas A&M
Arkansas
Oregon 11. Stanford 12. Wisconsin 13. Mississippi State 14. South Carolina 15. Ohio State 16. Oklahoma State 17. West Virginia 18. Penn State 19. Michigan State 20. Baylor 21. South Florida 22. Florida 23. Central Florida 24. Missouri 25. Georgia Tech
Sports, Pages 24 on 09/07/2011