Hog Calls

UA secondary wants to step up this year

Arkansas defensive backs Henre' Toliver (5) and Kevin Richardson II (30) run drills during practice Thursday, April 21, 2016, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Taking it personally seems the first step.

To a man it seems those returning from last year's Arkansas secondary take it personally when they are being strafed in the passing game even as the defense mostly stopped the run.

The 2015 Razorbacks held both Alabama Heisman Trophy-winning running back Derrick Henry and returning LSU Heisman hopeful Leonard Fournette to less than 100 yards rushing.

However, Arkansas yielded 308 passing yards and four touchdown passes versus UTEP and allowed Tennessee-Martin completing 15 of 20 for 300 yards with three TDs.

The Hogs allowed 442 yards passing in victory over Ole Miss. In defeats, they yielded 412 Toledo passing yards and 406 passing yards and seven touchdowns to Mississippi State while Texas Tech completed 16 of 21 and Texas A&M completed 20 of 25.

"We took it personally as a secondary unit," Arkansas junior cornerback/nickel back Kevin Richardson of Jacksonville said. "We are going to stop big plays, We don't want plays over 25 yards and that comes primarily from passing the ball. We took that to heart."

Junior free safety Josh Liddell of Pine Bluff Dollarway stressed both burying and learning from their recent past.

"Last year was last year and what happened, happened," Liddell said. "We know what happened. We know what didn't go well and what we did wrong. We are a new team. We are a new defense."

They also have a new defensive backfield coach. Former Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads recognizes they desire to take the next step from admitting their problem to doing something about it.

"I thought it was a group that was very eager to be coached when I arrived and upgrade what's been thought of their play here recently," Rhoads said. "I think they have all the capabilities to do exactly that."

Rhoads sees their physical and mental capabilities and inspired by last season's adversity.

"We have great depth at corner and with that depth at corner it gives you some flexibility with nickel and dime packages," Rhoads said. "The safeties are a smart group and they are certainly coming along. There is good experience overall. The whole room is a very intelligent group and they really want to play well and they are showing that in how they are practicing and how they are learning."

Apparently, the students are learning with their eyes, too.

"The first thing with Coach Rhoads is our eyes," Liddell said. "If our eyes are in the right spot, we can make the right play."

This veteran secondary has the knowledge to know that while their run support is often uncredited, but essential to the reputation against the run, the line's pass rush and linebackers' intermediate coverage is essential to the secondary's pass defense.

To defensive coordinator Robb Smith, it's a job for 11 players.

Smith said that the increased depth he sees in every defensive phase makes this a better defensive proposition than this time last year.

Sports on 08/10/2016