Can you tell the difference between a Racehorse and a WildHog ?

In most circumstances, that’s a question for a 2-yearold, but with the addition of a new formation to Arkansas’ offense, it’s become a question for Razorback fans, too.

Hog fans became accustomed to Darren McFadden lining up at quarterback last season, but just because the All-American runner is at quarterback this year doesn’t mean the Razorbacks are in the WildHog formation.

The Razorbacks, who moved up to No. 16 in both the Associated Press and ESPN / USA Today polls, debuted a new formation in their 46-26 victory over Troy

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It’s an offense the Razorbacks are planning to run the option out of this season. However, the Hogs ’ execution of the option left something to be desired against Troy. There was a fumble of one handoff and a bobble of another which McFadden caught in the air. The miscommunication on the handoffs stems from an additional responsibility asked of McFadden in reading the option.

In the WildHog, the playcall designates whether McFadden hands off, keeps or passes the ball. In the Racehorse, McFadden is actually reading the defense and deciding whether to leave the ball with Jones or Peyton Hillis or to keep it.

“ Well, I think Darren got a little anxious on a couple of them, ” Nutt said. “ The ball was on the ground. Actually it wasn’t in the WildHog when he did that. But he was in the shotgun formation as the quarterback. It’s called the Racehorse. He was reading. He just ran through the mesh point a little quick, trying to pull it. You get into that halfway of giving it, pulling it and that’s when the ball gets on the ground. So, he’s a good ballhandler and we’ll get that corrected. We’ll slow him down a little bit. ”

Wishbone and other option teams work extensively in practice on the mesh point, but Nutt said Arkansas has only spent about 5 minutes a day. Nutt, though, added that the ballhandling misjudgment will be corrected. McFadden agreed.

“ We’ve been working on it in practice, but when I got to the game I felt like I got too tight and I wasn’t putting the ball out like I probably should have, ” McFadden said. “ I was trying to rush it. We’ll get it worked out in practice. ”

In the Racehorse, the personnel is more similar to the Hogs’ regular offense than the WildHog, and it allows the Razorbacks to also deploy as many as three receivers.

“ The perception is that we have the same personnel in the huddle as three wide, two backs, then all of a sudden you go into a different deal, ” Nutt said. “ Don’t let it go unnoticed that he gave the ball to Peyton a couple of times and he gashed them. So there were some good things out of it. You just can’t put the ball on the ground. ”

Nutt said the formation’s merit is that enables the Hogs to put their prime playmakers on the field.

“ You’re getting your best guys on the field and then you’re creating who’s got what for the defense. Who’s got Darren ? Who’s got Peyton ? Who’s got Felix ? That’s why that formation is pretty good. ”

But the Racehorse hasn’t replaced the WildHog. McFadden’s 42-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Crosby Tuck in the third quarter came out of the Wildcat.

“ There were some good things in the WildHog, ” Nutt said. “ You go back and look at where we handed it to Felix, then we fake it to Felix and run the power. All of a sudden you fake it to Felix, fake like you’re going to run the power, and now you throw it to a true freshman Crosby Tuck, and that was set up beautifully. Darren actually threw off his back foot on that one. You see how strong his arm is. He’s very accurate. ”