FAYETTEVILLE — Bret Bielema wouldn't give any hints who starts this week at right tackle, Colton Jackson or Brian Wallace. They split time last week and are listed as co-starters for this week's game against No. 10 Texas A&M.
Bielema, the Arkansas head football coach, calls it a “toss up” with practice results deciding the outcome. Wallace seems to be making big progress to take snaps away from Jackson.
The winner gets Daeshon Hall, the Texas A&M scorpion of a defensive end. It's just as bad for left tackle Dan Skipper. He gets Myles Garrett, perhaps the top pick in next year's NFL Draft.
Maybe winner is the wrong word.
Either way, the Arkansas tackles have their hands full. Hall and Garrett are a load for the Arkansas offensive tackles.
Offensive coordinator Dan Enos said there are times that the focus on a game plan is a defensive end. Seldom does it include accounting for both ends in special blocking schemes.
“It's hard enough to game plan for one, really hard for two,” Enos said. “That's what makes this week a conundrum. I am overstating the obvious: we have a hard job this week.”
The good news is that the Hogs do see solid defensive ends in practice. Enos can count on some work against the likes of Deatrich Wise and Tevin Beanum in practice this week as preparation for Garrett and Hall.
“We do play against good people every day,” Enos said. “I will say that Garrett is phenomenal and (Hall) is very close. They are strong, physical. Some pass rushers don't like to mix it up (in the run game), but you can't say that about these two. They can disrupt a game at any moment, change the game in a moment's notice.
“They have three or four defensive tackles who are very good. They have really developed their defensive line. How we play against that defensive front is a huge key to the game.”
Robb Smith, the UA defensive coordinator, said Bielema believes in building “good on good” segments into practice every day. Smith said last week he gave up backup middle linebacker De'Jon Harris for some scout duty to simulate Texas State personnel.
Smith did say that it might be difficult to find someone to simulate the vast array of speed and quickness in the Texas A&M wide receiver group. The Aggies have unusual size, speed and quickness in their two-deep.
“We do have a good group of wide receivers to practice against,” Smith said. “And we did face a good group against TCU. But A&M's group is pretty special. We do remember what happened to us the last two years.”
The best thing going for the Hogs might be the continued development of quarterback Austin Allen. He's completing 67.1 percent of his passes, just ahead of the school record clip set by Kevin Scanlon in 1979. Enos said Allen's percentage is partly due to some easy throws in the UA scheme.
“Austin has done a nice job taking some bubble screens (on checks) and then we have some boots for some quick and easy throws,” Enos said. “Those throws really help your percentage and we have to take those.”
Allen was given some checks last week for some Texas State blitzes that helped the run game, too.
“We have (checks) from week to week for him,” Enos said. “There were a couple last week that he did a good job, some over load blitzes from the field side we didn't want to run plays into. He did a nice job with those.”
Enos was pleased with the “feisty” nature Allen displayed on the sideline. He continues to like the demeanor of his new quarterback, but he's concerned that Allen may want to take hits in typical quarterback bravado. That tendency needs to go away.
“We don't need to take unnecessary hits,” Enos said. “Austin does a good job of extending the play, but we don't wear pads to protect him like some of the players.
“We are going to call some runs for him, like the third-and-3 in the last game. Our job is not to put six or seven (run plays) on him.”
Enos said quarterbacks like to show their teammates they can take a hit. There is a need to prove something after wearing a green no-contact jersey in practice.
“Quarterbacks like to play with a chip on their shoulder,” Enos said. “They have something to prove. It's like they want to show everyone with their play.
“Austin does have some ability and you saw it in the way he turned up that boot and tiptoed down the sideline. He almost scored. He has a knack.
“I've told him I don't know why people fall for his little fakes. He has some hip (action). But we do want him to slide and not take hits.”
Enos recalls feeling the same need to prove himself as a tough runner as a player at Michigan State.
“It's silly, but you do,” he said. “I had a conversation with my quarterback coach (about not taking hits). I got concussed as a sophomore against Florida State and I started going more to the slide.”
Bielema gave Allen credit on his TV show for “a jump cut” on a run after the Texas State game. He mentioned it again Monday.
“I still don't think it's quite the same as the jump cuts our running backs are going to make,” Bielema said. “But Austin does have some ability.
“Austin has done very, very well. Dan has been around him for the last two years and knows his strengths and weaknesses. Austin can throw on the move, right and left. He is learning to lean on certain guys and understands what routes they do best.”
As far as the offensive line moves, Bielema was asked if it might be game to game based on defensive fronts when the Hogs face an even or an odd front?
“Not so much that,” he said. “We are still just trying to get our best five out there. We may try to use two to make one. We might split 80 plays at 50/30 to make one.
“It's strictly getting the best five. Frank Ragnow could play right tackle. But then we would have two guys playing next to each other who haven't played. I like having him next to the center and next to the tackle who haven't played as much. He can help both of them.
“Sometimes you want a guard who can really protect because teams do the same as we do, put their best pass rusher opposite a guard. Frank is probably our best pass protection guy.”
The other aspect comes in their scheme of blocking. Bielema has always favored a pulling guard.
“Frank is probably our best puller,” he said. “You saw some of that in our last game.”
It doesn't sound like Ragnow is going to move outside to match up with the best Aggies pass rusher. It probably was at least thought about. There will be some schemes adjusted for Garrett and Hall.
“Those guys are very well-coached,” Bielema said. “The part that jumps out at you, they are very sound. They use their players strength. They are fast twitch guys, guys who remind you of a spider, you touch them, they move away from you.”
The way to battle that might be to go right at them. Bielema didn't say that was the plan, but he did say that he's already talked to his tackles about their play this week.
“I did pull them aside already,” he said. “I talked to guys like Dan and the rest (of the tackles) about this week. The guys on the edge have to play well. I told them this is the kind of week that they will be measured as far as what they can do on the next level. These are the kind of weeks that define who you are. They have to ratchet it up.”
That could be a message for Brian Wallace. It could be for Colton Jackson. Someone is waiting for them.