Hog Calls

UA wouldn't mind help from Mizzou

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema instructs a player prior to a game against Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014 at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks may get a preview today of how physical the Missouri defense might be when they meet later this season in Columbia, Mo.

Of course, Missouri isn't on Arkansas' mind today. Not with the 10th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs invading War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock for a battle between the SEC East's leading team and the only team in the SEC West that is still winless in conference play.

A big part of the reason Georgia (5-1, 3-1) is only a three-point favorite over unranked Arkansas (3-3, 0-3) can be attributed to the fact that Georgia running back Todd Gurley didn't make the trip with the team Friday and will out his second consecutive game while the school investigates allegations that Gurley may have violated NCAA rules regarding receiving compensation for signing autographs.

Freshman running back Nick Chubb, who had 31 total carries in five games as a backup running back, replaced Gurley in the starting lineup last week and carried 38 times for 143 yards and 1 touchdown in a 34-0 victory over Missouri in Columbia, Mo.

Many a freshman running back has performed spectacularly in his workhorse debut and then paid dearly the next game.

Cedric Cobbs' freshman year at Arkansas in 1999 is a classic example. Breaking into college football sharing time with upperclassman Chrys Chukwuma, Cobbs didn't start until the season's 10th game, a brutal battle against Mississippi State. Cobbs earned every one of his 77 yards on a then career-high 22 carries, including the touchdown that won it 14-9.

The next week, a stove-up Cobbs was all but worthless, netting only 29 yards on nine carries in a 35-10 loss at LSU.

Refreshed, Cobbs was named MVP in Arkansas' victory over Texas in the Cotton Bowl later that season.

Look out for Chubb in a January bowl game, but how much will 38 carries against Mizzou take out of the 5-10, 228-pound freshman going into today's game against Arkansas?

Not much, as far as Georgia Coach Mark Richt is concerned.

Richt said Tuesday that Georgia running backs coach Bryan McClendon said Chubb "felt good Sunday" after running, lifting and "a little bit of yoga" and that he didn't look sore Monday.

The Razorbacks aren't banking on Mizzou having done their work for them.

"Obviously, Chubb is an SEC back," Arkansas senior defensive end Trey Flowers said. "Even though he's a freshman, he is very powerful. He is one of those stocky guys with a low center of gravity."

A low center of gravity and a high potential for production, Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema asserts.

"Very explosive," Bielema said. "He breaks tackles and he reads things very well. He understands what they are asking him to do. That was fitting Gurley very, very well and it fits him [Chubb] very, very well as well. He seems to get a little bit stronger as the game goes on."

Still the question persists if Chubb's 38 carries that wore down Mizzou will wear on him against Arkansas.

Sports on 10/18/2014