FAYETTEVILLE — Despite rushing for 1,026 yards - a freshman school record - last season, Arkansas running back Alex Collins was left feeling he could have done more.
Collins said he left too many yards on the field because of an inability to break a tackle or make a cut at the opportune time. After rushing for 100 yards in four of the team's first five games, he only surpassed 80 yards one time once the defenses began to improve.
In the last off-season, Collins spent much of his time focusing on his strength. He emerged this preseason as a 218-pound speed back who can also be a workhorse.
Collins showed off his new-found explosiveness in the season-opener, rushing for 21 yards on his first carry and 20 yards the next play at Auburn. He had a 32-yard touchdown run on his first carry against an overmatched Nicholls team and is averaging 8.2 yards per carry after a career effort at Texas Tech.
With 411 yards, he is nearly halfway to his season total from a year ago and his five touchdowns this season have already surpassed the four he scored as a freshman.
While the defenses faced have been far from great, they're better than the ones the Razorbacks had played at this time last year. Arkansas offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said Collins' early success comes with the territory of being a second-year back. Not only are they quicker, the game becomes slower and the plays become more routine.
"They understand the familiarity of the schemes," Chaney said. "They anticipate the movement of the defense a little better."
Collins' quick start is making an impression on college football. This is the player the Razorbacks hoped they would one day see when the Miami prep star signed his national letter of intent last February.
At Texas Tech last week Collins rushed for a career-high 212 yards on 27 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns, earning national recognition as the Walter Camp Award player of the week. His second touchdown was a thing of football beauty, patiently awaiting his blockers, stiff-arming a defender and racing 84 yards for a score.
"That's something I've been working on - just being more powerful coming out of my steps and being more explosive," Collins said. "Coach (Joel) Thomas is doing really good working on all the running backs, getting us to get out of that cut quicker - make a one-step cut and getting to the hole quicker."
But it was the power Collins displayed against the Red Raiders that sets him apart from a year ago. Of Collins' 212 yards at Texas Tech, an astounding 156 yards came after contact, including about 80 yards on the long touchdown run.
"I'm still able to run away from defenders and break arm tackles," Collins said. "I think it's really working out for me."
Collins and junior Jonathan Williams are powering a powerful Arkansas rushing attack through three games. The Razorbacks are ranked third nationally in rushing yards per game, and second in yards per carry (7.93) and rushing touchdowns (14).
The duo has the football marketing machine already dubbing Arkansas "Running Back U."
"I think they are working well with each other," Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said, "and I think that is very evident."