Intercept course

BY NATE ALLEN Northwest Arkansas Times

Posted on Thursday, August 30, 2007

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/56639/

For Jerell Norton, Saturday’s pressure is Omar Haugabook present, not Chris Houston past.

In Saturday’s Arkansas-Troy University season opener at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, sophomore Norton of Cedar City, Texas debuts as the Razorback starting cornerback replacing Houston, the All-SEC corner gone a year early to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

“ To be honest, there is no pressure, ” Norton said of replacing Houston. “ Coach [Bobby ] Allen taught us all the same. Chris took full advantage of his opportunities on and off the field. Great attitude.

“ Somebody I want to be like one day. But I don’t think there is any pressure because I think my coaches and my teammates respect me for who I am and think I will go out there and get the job done. ”

Norton must get it done against Omar Haugabook, the senior Troy quarterback and 2006 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.

Haugabook led the Trojans to the 2006 Sun Belt title and a 41-17 rout of Rice in the New Orleans Bowl. He makes the Trojans more dangerous than your typical 24-point underdog.

“ The film we watched, he has great accuracy, great patience and poise, ” Norton said. “ We have to bring our A-game. ”

Especially the new guy Haugabook is apt to go after first.

“ For Jerell and that whole group to face this kind of offense in the opener, it’s going to be a matter of us being disciplined with our eyes and facing the challenge ahead of us, ” cornerbacks coach Allen said.

Norton seems healed and moving well since spraining his ankle last week, Allen said after practices Tuesday and Wednesday.

Now he feels pressed to be the man — the man in press coverage.

Press man was Arkansas’ trade- mark pass coverage in 2006 and the one Norton most wants to play. “ Of course ! Of course, ” he said. However, it’s expected defensive coordinator Reggie Herring will mix in more zone with 2006 senior cornerback Darius Vinnett and 2006 senior strong safety Randy Kelly both graduated to NFL camps and Houston gone pro a year early. “ Zone, we love it because of the fact it gives you a little freedom, ” Norton said. “ But man, that’s the best thing you can ask for as a corner. Because it’s you and him and it’s whoever wants it the most. ”

• • • Senior starting strong safety Matt Hewitt returned to drills Tuesday after missing a few practices with a virus. Brandon Barnett, the sophomore junior college transfer and former Texarkana Razorback, is a running back again after being tried at cornerback and showing early promise there until a lack of experience showed up. Barnett last played corner in high school and was then primarily a running back. “ He’s just a natural running back, ” defensive coordinator Reggie Herring said. “ We gave him a shot, but, he’s just a natural over there and he’ll help on special teams. ”

Barnett can’t redshirt since he’s already done that in junior college.

So special teams seem his quickest route to playing time with the Hogs stocked at tailback with All-Americans Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, cat-quick Michael Smith and big fullback Peyton Hillis, who also can run tailback out of a one-back set.

McFadden, the reigning Doak Walker Award winner and preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, said the gameweek urgency isn’t yet what it should be for a season opener.

“ People aren’t realizing it’s game week yet, ” McFadden said after Wednesday’s practice. “ We came out here today and it was a lot better. We had a hard practice yesterday, but there’s still a lot of talking and not a lot of focus going on. ”

On the plus side, starting junior quarterback Casey Dick was reported to have had one of his best workouts of preseason at Wednesday’s closed practice in shoulder pads and shorts.

Head coach Houston Nutt will put the Hogs through a light polish practice today to cap game-week preparation and end a preseason that began with the Hogs reporting Aug. 3.

“ I know we’re tired of talking about it, ” Nutt said. “ You’re tired of writing about it. It’s time to play. That’s the bottom line. ”