FAYETTEVILLE — Last season was a year of firsts for Dre Greenlaw as he adjusted to playing college football on the fly as a true freshman thrust into a starting role for Arkansas.
Saturday was also a day of firsts for the now-sophomore linebacker. In a good way.
Greenlaw came down with his first collegiate interception in the 21-20 win over Louisiana Tech, a second-quarter pick he was in perfect position for.
He played well enough to earn the first “A” grade of his college career, a 92.
“Usually it’s like a C,” Greenlaw said, referencing grades from his true freshman season last fall.
That score was good enough for him to grade out higher than senior four-year starting middle linebacker Brooks Ellis for the first time in his career.
“Usually he beats me, so it felt good,” Greenlaw said.
Greenlaw finished with a team high-tying seven tackles to go with his interception, the start of a what could be a triple-digit tackle season for the Fayetteville native. Now entrenched in defensive coordinator Robb Smith’s scheme, he knows where to be, evidenced by the interception.
“I felt more accountable, just knowing what I was doing,” Greenlaw said. “It felt good to not have to go run around and not know what you’re doing and just be lost.”
Him knowing the scheme and his role in it was also apparent in him grading out to a 92 and beating a seasoned veteran like Ellis, who graded out with a B.
Greenlaw and Ellis each played all 54 snaps against Louisiana Tech, the only linebackers Arkansas put on the field while using their nickel and dime looks against the Bulldogs. Dwayne Eugene is the backup to Greenlaw in those packages, while junior Khalia Hackett, not true freshman De’Jon Harris, is the backup to Ellis in the same looks.
“Fortunately enough, they got a little over 50 snaps, which is an average game (for a starter),” linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves said. “Backups practiced better today and that’s what tells the tale. Like I tell those guys, if you practice good, I feel pretty good about getting you in the game.”
Faced with the likelihood that TCU will run more than 54 plays at a fast tempo, Eugene and Hackett may need to be ready to provide occasional breathers for Greenlaw and Ellis.
Harris is in a different situation. Hargreaves compared him to Greenlaw in that he might not play a ton the first few games, but could crack the rotation at some point. In Greenlaw’s case, he never looked back once earning his way on the field.
Saturday, the result was a pick, an “A” and some bragging rights over Ellis.