WholeHogSports
KNOCK ON WOOD : Early open date could be a gift in disguise for Razorbacks
Posted on Wednesday, September 5, 2007
URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/56835/
A season opener followed by an open date isn't anyone's idea of ideal scheduling. Had Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt had his druthers, the Razorbacks would be gearing up for another opponent, not settling into two weeks of practice.
But, maybe, the scheduling oddity could work out well for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Nutt allowed as much earlier in the week.
While college football doesn't allow exhibition games, the Troy game can now serve that purpose for the Hogs.
The Razorbacks couldn't afford to carry that outlook into the game, or they might have followed down the same lonely path Michigan has traversed since the Wolverines' upset loss to Appalachian State. The Wolverines weren't prepared and had their heads handed to them.
But that was not the case for the Hogs. They were ready to play and executed many things well, but the Hogs also showed their inexperience, particularly in the secondary, defensive line and the offensive line.
Arkansas' passing game also left much to be desired, too. Casey Dick admitted to a jittery first half and his final stat line of 11 for 20 for 108 yards isn't about to scare anyone.
Special teams were up and down. Alex Tejada became a household name, booting four field goals, and Felix Jones made the Sporting News look like a prophetic publication for naming him the nation's top kick-off returner with a 90-yarder for a touchdown. But the Hogs' kick-off coverage left something to be desired and Michael Smith had problems fielding punts.
But, all in all, the Hogs took just what they needed from the Troy game: A victory and a road map for improvement.
The Razorbacks took no false sense of pride from the victory. Of course, they were happy to win, but every Hog knew they could play better and do more to help their team, including standouts like Darren McFadden and Jones.
Both backs chewed up yards against Troy like Juicy Fruit, but when asked about their performance, they both said the best is yet to come from them and their teammates.
With two weeks to prepare for their Sept. 15 meeting with Alabama at Tuscaloosa, the Razorbacks will have the benefit of correcting mistakes, focusing on fundamentals and making adjustments while implementing the gameplan for the Crimson Tide.
After this Saturday, the Razorbacks will have the added advantage of dissecting a second Alabama game film, following the Tide's tilt at Vanderbilt.
Conversely, the Tide have the advantage of playing an extra opponent, an SEC opponent, in preparation for the Razorbacks. Sometimes playing a game is the best remedy for a team's ailments.
Even still, we should see a better performance from the Razorbacks against Alabama than we saw against Troy. The question remains will it be enough to top Alabama?
With the $4 million man Nick Saban at coach and Terry Grant at tailback, Alabama found a running game again in their season-opening 52-6 defeat of Western Carolina. Grant raced for 134 yards, which was the biggest opening day for a Bama back since Sherman Williams gained 153 against Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1994. Alabama always has the athletes to play defense, which is Saban's specialty.
If the Razorbacks expect to return home from Tuscaloosa with a victory, a more effective passing game is a must. More physical play on both sides of the ball wouldn't hurt and the aforementioned issues in the kicking game must be shorn up.
That's more than enough to keep the Razorbacks busy for the next two weeks of practice. Maybe, we shouldn't be that harsh on the Hogs' schedule maker after all. Additional practice time seems to be just what the Razorbacks' need at this juncture.
Terry J. Wood is the sports editor of the Northwest Arkansas Times.