FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas linebackers coach Randy Shannon has had four different starters in two games.
The one constant at linebacker in the Razorbacks’ victories over Louisiana-Lafayette and Samford has been senior Austin Jones in the middle.
Senior Jarrett Lake started in the opener at weakside linebacker, but didn’t play against Samford because of a one-game disciplinary suspension.
Junior Braylon Mitchell, listed as the starter at strongside linebacker, moved to the weakside to replace Lake and junior Martrell Spaight started at the strongside spot.
Mitchell didn’t start against Louisiana-Lafayette because the Razorbacks opened with five defensive backs.
“I’ve been saying since the spring we’ve got to build depth at that position, because you never know what can happen,” Shannon said Sunday. “Just keep going on, keep coaching and keep doing the things you’re doing.
“Guys are responding to it, so it feels good for me and good for the team that we’ve been able to adjust with guys playing different positions.”
Mitchell, Spaight and redshirt freshman defensive end Brandon Lewis all made their first career starts against Samford.
Lewis started in place of junior Trey Flowers, who was sidelined by a knee injury.
“I thought they did an outstanding job to be honest with you,” defensive coordinator Chris Ash said.
“It’s going to bode well for us in the future, because I think we’re building some pretty good depth.
“You know more about what the backups can and can’t do.”
Mitchell had a team-high 11 tackles.
“I thought he played a lot of pretty good plays,” Ash said. “He wasn’t perfect, but gave great effort and was around the ball.”
Spaight, a junior-college transfer, didn’t start practicing with the Razorbacks until August. He had seven tackles.
“His effort was tremendous,” Ash said. “He ran to the ball all night long. He was physical on his tackles.”
Shannon said he was pleased with Spaight, who only got a few snaps at linebacker in the opener.
“He’s a quiet guy, but when he gets on the field he really, really excels and brings a lot of energy and excitement,” Shannon said. “Guys tend to feed off him.”
Lewis had two tackles.
“He just didn’t make many mistakes,” Ash said. “He contained the ball well a couple of times.
“He’s got to get better with his pass rush and be more explosive with his get off on the ball and things like that, but first time starting and getting that many reps, I thought he did a pretty decent job.”
Sophomore strong safety Rohan Gaines, who started at nickel back against Louisiana-Monroe, was projected to start at strong safety with the Razorbacks going with a 4-3-4 alignment, but he was sidelined by a knee injury.
Junior safety Alan Turner’s father died Friday night after a bout with cancer, but Turner told the coaches he wanted to play.
He started in Gaines’ place and had six tackles.
“I can’t say I’ve ever been in that situation before as a coach, to have a player lose somebody like that the night before the game - let alone go out and play,” Ash said. “But it was his [Turner’s] choice, and he wanted to do it.
“He said that’s what [his father] would have wanted him to do, so my hat’s off to him. He went out and played hard.”
Shannon said it wasn’t a big deal that Mitchell moved from strongside to weakside linebacker for his first start.
“Don’t get caught up so much in the sams and the wills or the wills and the sams, just get caught up in outside linebackers,” Shannon said.
“The way I teach, it prepares guys to play both positions when crucial times come.”Arkansas 2-0 DATE OPPONENT (TV) TIME/RESULT Aug. 31 La.-Lafayette (FSN) W, 34-14 Sept. 7 Samford (PPV)+ W, 31-21 Sept. 14 So. Miss. (SECN) 11:21 a.m.
Sept. 21 at Rutgers TBA Sept. 28 Texas A&M* TBA Oct. 5 at Florida TBA Oct. 12 South Carolina TBA Oct. 19 at Alabama TBA Nov. 2 Auburn TBA Nov. 9 at Mississippi TBA Nov. 23 Mississippi State+ TBA Nov. 29 at LSU TBA SEC game +At War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock
Sports, Pages 15 on 09/09/2013