FAYETTEVILLE — Just because you ask for your chance doesn't mean you'll get it. Some might have wondered about that Saturday night when Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said Johnny Gibson got his first start after asking for it after the Auburn game.
Gibson came to Bielema's office on Sunday as the Hogs tried to find some answers in the offensive line following a 56-3 loss at Auburn.
“I've had a lot of players ask for their chance to play – especially those who can't play,” Bielema said Monday during his review of a 31-10 victory over Florida.
The key this time was that Bielema was also hearing about Gibson's development from Kurt Gibson, the offensive line coach.
It wasn't as if Gibson was going to be inserted into the starting lineup immediately. First, it was a matter of finding out who would work with the first team at right guard with starter Jake Raulerson struggling with an ankle injury for multiple weeks. Raulerson wasn't going to be able to practice during the open week.
“We came into the (coaches' meeting room) and we were asking who would give us the most success,” Bielema said. “Kurt said this is Johnny Gibson's game. He was the only one in the (coaches') room saying that.”
There was also talk of trying either Jalen Merrick or Paul Ramirez while Raulerson mended.
“Kurt was the only one saying Johnny,” Bielema said.
Offensive coordinator Dan Enos was one of those taking a wait and see attitude on what Gibson could do with the ones in practice.
“Kurt mentioned (Gibson's name) the last couple of weeks,” Enos said. “He brought it up again and I said, 'Man, I don't know.' Kurt said Johnny's care factor in individual pass drills was off the charts.
“I just said I'd watch him in practice Sunday and by Tuesday, I was on board.”
Gibson had worked most of the year as the backup to Hjalte Froholdt at left guard, but quickly picked up right guard to take Raulerson's place. When Froholdt rolled his ankle, Gibson flipped sides and Raulerson finished the game at right guard.
“Johnny had not taken a snap at left guard in two weeks,” Enos said. “When Hjalte went down, he switched and was great against that front. Are you kidding me? Jake had been benched and he showed maturity. He had a great week of practice and that was his best (game) at right guard).”
Gibson is a walk-on from Dumas. He's in school on an academic scholarship. At 6-4, 344, he's got the physical size to play in the style that the Hogs have been missing.
That much was clear on the first play of scrimmage for the Hogs, a 9-yard run off tackle by Rawleigh Williams. The play followed a pancake block from Gibson.
“He's 340 and he brought power and gave us movement,” Enos said. “The key, we didn't have penetration and we got movement.
“That first play, the ball could have hit any of those gaps. But he knocked his man back. He told Austin Allen in the huddle that he pancaked his man, so he was pretty proud of it. That's how I knew he did it.”
Gibson is a redshirt sophomore, meaning it's his third year on the UA campus. He did not come to football camps as a prep standout at Dumas, instead playing summer basketball. Arkansas coaches spotted him on the basketball court during his senior season. Bielema said it's been a slow process getting Gibson ready, a sometimes “bumpy” ride.
“It's been a roller coaster,” he said. “He was under recruited overall, but highly recruited by us.
“Just things got bumpy when he got here. He's had some significant personal battles. He's had two or three buddies shot at home. It wasn't easy. There have been some trials and tribulations.
“The thing I can say about him, he's well liked by our team. We did have to change some of the ways he was doing things in the weight room. I had to remove him (from the team) during the summer.”
Bielema has always maintained that he's careful as to when to plug in a new player for a big role.
“One of the things I pride myself in, don't put a player in a position to fail,” he said. “Things may not be on everyone's same time table. You do it early, it might set you back two years.”
That may have referenced others who got their chance against Florida. McTelvin “Sosa” Agim got his first start, stepping up as Jeremiah Ledbetter slid from tackle to end.
“Sosa had to gain some maturity,” Bielema said. “He made one play where he hit two men and split the double team and then made the tackle.”
Later, Bielema said Agim's rap was that he'd spent too much time trying to beat the first guy and the double team would prove too tough.
“Sosa needed to learn to be coached,” Bielema said. “He had gotten blown off the ball by that double team, now he knows how to split it.”
The Hogs moved Deatrich Wise to the second team, except in pass rush situations. He played a lot of defensive tackle in third down calls against the Gators.
“Until he's full (healthy), we thought we'd settle him in to that role,” Bielema said. “At the end of the game, he made some huge plays. We saw the old No. 48.”
Defensive coordinator Robb Smith said, “I thought Deatrich embraced his role. We are still trying to get him 100 percent. But what we got was 100 percent for the snaps he played.”
Smith had the Hogs in a perfect call on the game's opening play, getting both Dwayne Eugene and Josh Liddell converging on the wideout on a slant. The ball popped free and Santos Ramirez returned it 24 yards for a touchdown.
“They were in two tights,” Smith said. “Our guys saw the motion, made a great adjustment,” Smith said. “Dwayne and Josh both got their hands on the ball and Santos had his eyes in the right place.”
Smith's plan produced another pass interception late in the first half when Liddell was playing the post when the Gators took a vertical shot.
“We knew they would take a shot, especially when they got on the plus side of the field,” Smith said. “Josh had an unbelievable awareness that it was going to happen.”
The good news is that this is a week that the Hogs will see some of the same offensive tendencies against LSU.
“Those are some things that will carry over this week,” Smith said.
Bielema was reminded that there are several solid players on the Arkansas team that hail from Louisiana. That he'd spend so much time recruiting that area might be one of his biggest surprises since coming to Arkansas.
“I had a background (at Kansas State) with Michael Smith and I knew he had some relationships there,” Bielema said. “But what we've seen is that there are a high number of players we've gotten from there and a lot of them are playing big roles.”
And, none are causing trouble, on or off the field. One of the newest has shown a great desire to perform well in the class room. Defensive tackle Briston Guidry, on the redshirt list, was one of the developmental players Bielema mentioned last week. He picked him out for praise, this time for academics.
“His sister was here awhile back,” Bielema said. “I showed her his grades. She said, 'That's my brother?' He had mostly As and a B. He was our scout team MVP this past week. Maybe he hadn't been the greatest student-athlete combo in the past, but he's doing it now.”
No one suggests Guidry is coming off the redshirt list with three games to go, but you never know what might happen if someone asks Bret Bielema for a chance to play. Johnny Gibson knows.