FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks finally got rolling the past two games, meshing their high-powered offense with an opportunistic defense, just in time to take a break this week.
Arkansas’ open date is convenient in that it comes during the middle portion of the season with seven games down and five remaining, but that momentum the Hogs gained in defeating Auburn and Kentucky by a combined 73-14?
It’ll just have to be cranked back up when the Razorbacks resume against Ole Miss on Oct. 27.
“We’ve finally got some momentum going on our side for the first time this season, but now we’ve just got to get better through this bye week,” Razorbacks offensive tackle David Hurd said.
“You know, I’ve always said if you’re hot, keep shooting,” quarterback Tyler Wilson said.
“Sometimes after you play real well, you want to play again right away,” offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said. “But our goal is to get better. Our goal is to go out every single day and build on how well we’ve played recently and improve both our fundamentals and our schemes and keep improving.”
The open week will allow some injured players to heal, such as tight end Chris Gragg (bone bruise), safety Eric Bennett (leg) and cornerback Tevin Mitchel (gall bladder surgery).
“I think it fits good,” receiver Cobi Hamilton said. “It’s the middle of the season and everybody’s kind of halfway beat up. So it’s good to freshen our legs up.”
While the open date creates two relatively even halves the season, the truth is there could not have been a perfect time for an injury break for the Razorbacks, who have been battling that unpredictable nemesis all season.
Still, a weekend without a game can only help the various bruises and strains.
“I think it hit us right in a good spot,” guard Alvin Bailey said. “We’re at the point in the season where it’s a long season. We’re halfway through and we can get healthy and things like that. We can also use it to get better. I feel like it came at the right time.”
Said Hurd, “It’s going to be nice to get a little rest and actually watch a couple games Saturday. That will be fun.”
Petrino said self-scouting is an event that takes place early in the week every week, but the longer break between games can allow further tweaking to schemes.
“Sometimes it does,” he said. “Sometimes you just get back to the fundamentals of practice and try to get really good at all the little things.”
Wilson said the team has done a good job staying directed toward goals the past few weeks.
“If we take care of the goals each and every week at this point, we’re going to be in a good situation at the end of it,” he said. “We understand how to approach our bye week.
“We’ve got to do a good job at practice [today]. And then we approach Ole Miss and we approach Tulsa week by week and try to rack those wins up. That’s how you get it. Once you start getting in a zone, getting in a rhythm of how to win, you can pile those things up.”
Sports, Pages 25 on 10/17/2012