Three of his players are coming off reconstructive knee surgery. Two more left early for the NFL. And not a single one was deemed worthy of being named to any of the three preseason all-Southeastern Conference teams by the media.

No one would blame Arkansas defensive coordinator Reggie Herring for expressing some doubt about the 11 men who will be charged with stopping the offenses the Razorbacks will face this fall. But he's isn't.

In fact, Herring is optimistic that his defense can get the job done when the team reconvenes this Thursday for practice. Pointing to the number of players who attended offseason workouts this summer, Herring said the Razorbacks seem focused on the task at hand.

" We have a sense of calm about us as far as what we are and what we are trying to do, " Herring said at the Houston Nutt Media / Car Dealers golf tournament on Monday at Stonebridge Meadows. " So that's a good thing. "

Among the other positive signs is the rapid recovery of senior defensive tackle Marcus Harrison, who tore his ACL in the spring and could be ready for the team's season opener against Troy on Sept. 1. This past offseason, Harrison, linebacker Freddie Fairchild and free safety Michael Grant have spent time rehabilitating their knees after suffering ligament damage within the past year.

All three players are major cogs in a defense that improved as the season progressed last year. After losing to Southern California 50-14 in the season opener, Arkansas held its next 10 opponents to an average of 12 points per game. By the end of the year, the Razorbacks, who finished with a 10-4 record, were ranked 26 th nationally in total defense and two of their juniors - cornerback Chris Houston and end Jamaal Anderson - had performed so well that they entered the NFL Draft early.

For Herring and Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt, it was a bittersweet turn of events.

" When you lose Chris Houston and Jamaal Anderson, that's the first thing that pops in your mind, " Nutt said. " We feel we could put another one like that out there. But it still worries you. "

The losses of Anderson and Houston, coupled with the departures of senior linebacker Sam Olajubutu and defensive tackle Keith Jackson, have left big holes. But when it comes to finding replacements, Herring has been successful plugging the gaps when they have opened in the past. Last season, when his linebacking corps was virtually decimated, Herring managed to patch it together as the Razorbacks reeled off 10 consecutive victories. Herring doesn't want to have to do that again, and he's hoping to already have drafted some contingency plans by the time the season begins in case a player is befallen by injury.

" We've got a lot of new faces. That's always a concern, " Herring said. " Who is going to be our second team is just as important as who is going to be our first team. And that's unknown right now. "

Historically, however, Herring's defenses have resembled fine wines. They have aged well as the season has progressed. But right now, there are some burning questions, according to Arkansas defensive line coach Tracy Rocker.

" Who is going to be our leader ? " Rocker said. " Who is going to be the guy when it's third and short and going to say something ? Who is it going to be when it's third and long who is going to make sure we get off the field ?"

Herring doesn't know yet. But he remains that the answers will come sooner than later this year.

" Right now, they're working hard, " he said. " But you wait and see where their minds are at when they get back. We have to get our first 11, start building chemistry and find out who is going to be our second team... It's a wait-and-see kind of thing. "