FAYETTEVILLE — Petrino: Bequette ruled out
No. 14 Arkansas will be without All-SEC defensive end Jake Bequette for Saturday’s SEC opener at No. 3 Alabama, Coach Bobby Petrino announced Thursday.
Bequette sustained a hamstring injury in the first quarter of Arkansas’ 52-3 victory over New Mexico on Sept. 10 and has been unable to practice despite an energetic rehabilitation program.
“It’s hard for him,” Petrino said. “He hasn’t missed games. He’s a guy that works out year-round.
He’s in great physical shape, but the hamstring needs to heal before he can get back out there.
“He’s working hard at it.
He’s in the training room all the time working at it.”
Bequette’s absence means the Razorbacks will again be without a number of team captains. Bequette and receiver Jarius Wright were on the sideline with fellow captain Knile Davis last week, meaning the Razorbacks had only half their captains in action.
Sophomore Chris Smith, who is sixth on the team with 10 tackles and leads the Hogs with 1 1/2 sacks, will make his second start.
“His athleticism really showed up, his ability to change directions and run down the line, not always making the play, but not allowing a cutback or a place for the running back to run,” Petrino said of Smith’s play last week.
Zero by land
Arkansas’ streak of not allowing a rushing touchdown will be in jeopardy against Alabama, which has scored 12 rushing touchdowns in three games.
Arkansas is one of six teams in the country that has not allowed a rushing touchdown 2011. The others are Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio, Kentucky and Miami.
Arkansas last allowed a running touchdown on Dan Herron’s 9-yard score for Ohio State in the first quarter of the Sugar Bowl, giving the Razorbacks 15 consecutive quarters without a rushing touchdown allowed.
Extra juice
Bobby Petrino consented when asked if the week of preparation for a team like Alabama is energizing.
“I think it does everybody,” he said. “You know from the start on Sunday, when we came back to breaking down the video, going through all the game planning, there’s a different sense of urgency, a different sense of excitement and focus.
“You see that in the meetings. You see guys get to the meetings a little earlier, a little happier and more focused.”
Coaches for MD
The coaching staffs at Arkansas and Alabama will be among the 109 in the FBS ranks to wear patches on their sleeves Saturday in support of Coach to Cure MD, a partnership between the American Football Coaches Association and Parent Project MD for muscular dystrophy.
This is the fourth year of the program. Fans are encouraged to donate $5 by texting the word CURE to 90999.
Forfeit factor
Alabama leads the series 14-7 in on-the-field decisions, but NCAA indiscretions have been costly to the Crimson Tide over the years, with three victories against the Razorbacks having to be wiped out.
Alabama was forced by the NCAA to forfeit a 43-3 victory in 1993 and a 41-38 victory in 2007, and it had to vacate a 24-13 victory in 2005.
Six for 20
Both Alabama and Arkansas have six touchdown plays of 20 yards or longer this season.
The Razorbacks have scored four through the air, two by Jarius Wright (33, 29) and one each by Cobi Hamilton (54) and Joe Adams (56), and two on the ground, both last week by Ronnie Wingo (22, 21 yards).
Alabama tailbacks Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy each had a pair of touchdown runs of 43-plus yards in last week’s 41-0 victory against North Texas.
Marquis Maze’s 24-yard touchdown catch from AJ McCarron in the first quarter of Alabama’s opener against Kent State is the only Tide scoring play of 20-plus yards through the air.
Worth noting
Alabama has an 18-2 record in September under Nick Saban and a 15-0 September slate since 2008.
The Crimson Tide have a 15-5 record against Associated Press Top 25 teams the past three seasons, including a 24-20 victory at No. 10 Arkansas last year.
‘Average’ crowd
Alabama has played in front of three crowds that have averaged 103,829 this season, including a school record 107,846 at Penn State on Sept. 10. The Razorbacks’ average attendance has been 64,358 in its three games.
Sports, Pages 24 on 09/23/2011