FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas redshirt freshman quarterback Cole Kelley is excited about the role he got to play last Saturday against Texas A&M.
But Kelley (6-7, 270 pounds) has a message for those ready for him to supplant senior Austin Allen as the Razorbacks’ starting quarterback: Tap the brakes on the calls for him to take over.
“The backup quarterback is always the most popular and people like to create a quarterback controversy when there is really none,” Kelley said. “Austin is the first quarterback on this team and everyone knows it, including me.
“I will be there to support him in any way I possibly can to support whether it is on the sideline trying to tell him of a tendency the defense is doing because I have a different view than he does from the sideline, or just going in on third-and-1 and pushing the chains so he can come back out there on first-and-10.
“Austin is a warrior and he is a great quarterback and I am very lucky to have him to look up to. He is the first-team quarterback and there is really no controversy no matter what anybody off the field says.”
Kelley went to Arkansas coach Bret Bielema and asked to help in any way he could after the loss to TCU. The result was a package called Steamboat - a short-yardage, heavy personnel grouping that led to Kelley converting four third-and-shorts for first downs against the Aggies.
Kelley carried the ball four times for 21 yards in the 50-43 overtime loss to Texas A&M. He completed 1 of 2 passes - a short touchdown to David Williams.
Kelley, who led the offense to a score on his first career drive against Florida A&M, enthusiastically signaled first down after each of his four runs against the Aggies.
“It just adds to the multiplicity of our offense and kind of puts the defense in a bind where they don’t really know what’s coming,” Kelley said. “Do you anticipate run or throw? You don’t really know what to do.
“Also I think it brings a little energy to us, which sometimes I think we need. We just kind of get in the mix of things and start focusing too much on our jobs and not having fun. And you’ve got to be able to do both,have fun and do your job. You do your job better when you are out there having fun and having more success.”
Kelley, who chose Arkansas over Kentucky and Oklahoma State among others, thought his role this season might be in those short-yardage situations. The Razorbacks have struggled in second- and third-and-short runs the past two seasons, primarily along the goal line.
“I figured it might be a short-yardage package because it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that we haven’t had the best success on short yardage in the past,” Kelley said. “I feel like QB runs help with that because you get an extra blocker in.
“I’m a big body so it just might help and we don’t want to do that with Austin because we don’t want to get anymore hits on him. I will gladly take some hits to get a few more yards.”
Running the ball is not something foreign to Kelley. While starring for St. Teurlings Catholic High in Lafayette, La., he had 287 yards and 8 touchdowns on 118 carries as a senior.
“I did it actually a lot in high school,” Kelley said. “…That was one of my points to Coach B: This isn’t new to me because I did it in high school. I weighed more than the linebackers when I was in high school and I weighed more than the D-line.
“It really just creates matchup problems in the box. It gives us five-on-five and six-on-six blockers in the box instead of them having more people. So you have to have good vision, but running behind our offensive line the way they run block hasn’t been very difficult.”
Kelley, who beat out Ty Storey for the back-up spot in camp, is working as hard as he can in practice to stay ready to play, be it for more plays in the Steamboat or an expanded role if there is an injury to Allen.
“I am very comfortable,” Kelley said. “I am in all the quarterback meetings with (Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan) Enos and we do it every day. We practice it. I mean the (second-team players) get the all the plays, too. I am very comfortable. I know I could go out there and do it if I needed to.”
Kelley was not really that hyped up about his package of plays being dubbed Steamboat.
“To have my own package was cool so I didn’t really care about the name to be honest,” Kelly said.