FAYETTEVILLE — Finally, a look back at the Arkansas spring game.
If the intent was to entertain and encourage the fans, to show that the team had not been affected by the head coaching derailment and would still be exciting on offense, it worked.
Tyler Wilson completed 31 of 41 passes for 467 yards and 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. That’s a lot to cheer about.
Cobi Hamilton caught 11 passes and Chris Gragg nine as eight guys caught passes for the Red team and seven more for the White team.
There was no drop-off from running backs Ronnie Wingo and Dennis Johnson.
Knile Davis, who missed last season with an injury, looked great when he ran deep for a pass. He started, but that was his lone play. No way anyone was interested in getting him injured.
The 65-0 score may have left some concern about depth, especially on the second- and third-team defenses.
It was obvious from start to finish that it was the No. 1s vs. the others.
Just how much more loaded the Red team was than the White team was obvious in Brandon Allen’s performance.
For the White team, he was 5 of 12 passing for 28 yards.
When he put on the red jersey, he was 4 of 6 for 38 yards and 1 touchdown.
The No. 1 defense held the White team to 126 yards of total offense. It had five sacks and three more tackles for loss.
The Red defense looked better than expected, but again, it wasn’t against the best offense.
All of that means exactly what everyone hoped before Bobby Petrino’s motorcycle crash. The players did not let the distraction that created headlines from coast to coast get in the way of their focus, and they have a chance to be pretty good.
This reporter wasn’t buying the hype about a national championship that started after the Cotton Bowl. Too much senior leadership has to be replaced. That doesn’t mean it can’t happen, but when you play in the SEC you have to be the absolute best to survive a brutal schedule, home and away.
However, there was one major thing that became obvious in the past few weeks. Wilson and Tank Wright are ready to step up and be the type of vocal leaders a team has to have.
Leading by example is good, but to win tough games — home and away — a team has to have vocal leaders, and those two have represented the offense, the defense and team in general very well in the wake of all that has happened.
Overall, last Saturday was a spirited outing. The players took it seriously, and there were a few things worth noting.
The defensive backs played the ball on passes. They read the receivers and turned around mostly at the right time.
Defensive line play seemed sharper and the linemen were more intent to make tackles, not just take out blockers so the linebackers could make tackles.
A few of the receivers are ready to step up and make their own mark.
Wilson appeared to be more poised and confident.
The Red team’s offensive line gave Wilson great protection.
Even considering it was a spring game, there were very few penalties.
When Zach Hocker missed the first extra point, he still had a face.
Someone wisely thought to have a number of former players on hand and on the field to further illustrate that the unity and togetherness of the past and future is still strongly in place.
All in all, it was a spectacular Saturday. A record crowd was on hand and was mostly entertained, although at times it was a bit like watching the Harlem Globetrotters play the Washington Generals.
A handful of recruits had a lot to be impressed with, both on and off the field.
It was probably just what the Razorbacks Nation needed after three weeks of turmoil, an afternoon of Razorbacks celebrating football.
Sports, Pages 17 on 04/26/2012