Razorbacks report

Sack mark new goal for Hogs

— Colorado State sacked New Mexico quarterback Austin Tarean a national-high nine times last week. The Arkansas Razorbacks, who play New Mexico on Saturday, noticed. “When we first heard it when we came back to meetings,” linebacker Jerico Nelson said, “everybody just kind of looked Jerico Nelson around at each other and were like, ‘OK, let’s go. We’re going to try to outdo what the other team did last week.”

The Razorbacks had two sacks in last week’s 51-7 victory over Missouri State, one by end Jake Bequette and a half-sack each for defensive end Chris Smith and linebacker Jerry Franklin.

“All the defensive ends talked about it, we want a piece of those sacks,” Smith said. “But we still have got to play our responsibilities and let the game come to us.”

Bequette said the Lobos looked better on film than giving up nine sacks suggests.

“We know they’re going to make some adjustments, and we’ve got to be ready for any kind of different looks we’re going to see,” Bequette said.

Gosha ready

Freshman defensive tackle Lonnie Gosha looked headed for a redshirt season when he injured his left ankle the first week of preseason practice, but he played against Missouri State.

“Lonnie is really a guy that’s an up-and-rising kid,” defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. “It was unfortunate that he got hurt during camp, because if he hadn’t he’d probably be within the rotation even sooner, just because he’s such a talented young guy.

“He’s very, very strong. He might not have those standards in the weight room, but on the playing field he has great playing strength. He’s a little behind on the X’s and O’s, but he makes up with talent.”

Mr. Right

New Mexico Coach Mike Locksley was complimentary of the Razorbacks under Bobby Petrino on the Mountain West coaches teleconference on Tuesday.

“I think Coach Petrino and his staff do a great job of getting their players prepared to play,” Locksley said. “You look at his track record, he’s always taken each program he has been associated with and they’re always well-coached, and they’re always in the right places, and they play with great effort.”

By Bob Holt and Tom Murphy

Impressive D

Offensive line coach Chris Klenakis said he’s impressed watching New Mexico’s 4-2-5 defense on film after the Lobos held Colorado State to 270 yards of total offense.

“They have a new scheme in, and you can tell they’ve bought into it and enjoy playing it,” Klenakis said. “They’re a lot more aggressive watching them on film now than maybe what they were last year.

“The way they run to the football is what really impressed me.”

Pads down

Freshman Kody Walker, who scored a pair of one-yard touchdowns against Missouri State, has a shot at being the Hogs’ short-yardage back, but the 6-2, 240-pounder is still learning about pad level.

“Kody is a big man,” Coach Bobby Petrino said. “He’s going to be hard to tackle when he learns how to get his pads down.

“He’s working on it and getting better, but you did see him get hit a couple of times where he didn’t go forward because of it.”

You don’t say?

Defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said he doesn’t know any of the New Mexico coaches. “I’m not a big Internet guy,” Robinson said. “I know that shocks a lot of you.”

Win up front

Willy Robinson said Arkansas’ defensive linemen did a good job of freeing up the linebackers to make plays against Missouri State.

“It seemed like the defensive front did a great job of winning the line of scrimmage, and they’ve got to continue to do it,” Robinson said. “Some of it was just by overpowering your opponent.

“It wasn’t necessarily technique, and that’s what they have to realize. When all of a sudden you’re matched equally with a guy as talented as you are, it’s going to be technique that wins.”

Step up

New Mexico is 2-23 since 2009, but Willy Robinson said the Mountain West Conference member Lobos will be a step up from playing Missouri State, a Football Championship Subdivision opponent.

“Very much so, just because of their quarterback [Austin Tarean] and their skill guys,” Robinson said. “Their quarterback is a guy that can create.”

Sports, Pages 16 on 09/08/2011