Running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones and coach Houston Nutt have moved on from Arkansas, but the Razorbacks still have backs and a coach loving to run the ball and a line loving blocking on the run.

Coach Bobby Petrino comes to Arkansas with a passing reputation to please fans’ passing fancy, but the secret to his past success as the University of Louisville head coach has been establishing a successfully balanced run-pass blend.

Ideally, in the fourth quarter if you’ve got the lead and the defense is tired, that balance tips decidedly towards the run.

That’s how Petrino weighted the balance to close Sunday morning’s 82-play first scrimmage in the fourth of the 15 spring practices allowed by the NCAA.

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“ The sun was out and we got tired, ” Petrino said. “ That’s why at the end we were trying to see who can do what they are coached to do when they are tired against the run and who can run block. [The offensive line ] is really doing a good job of run-blocking. ”

These linemen are used to leading the SEC in rushing. And even with mighty mites Michael Smith (5-7, 173 ) and Texarkana’s Brandon Barnett (a liberally listed 5-10, 206 ) running the ball instead of bigger backs D-Mac and Felix, none came up short running the ball Sunday.

“ That’s something we are known for here, ” Arkansas senior left offensive tackle Jose Valdez said proudly. “ We are going to run the ball no matter what. Coach Petrino says in the fourth quarter you’ve got to be able to pound the ball on a defense and your defense has to be able to stop the ball. So usually we will end the scrimmage with a drive of straight runs. ”

Fourth-year junior Smith (15 carries for 63 yards ) “ caught my eye with his quickness, ” Petrino said, and second-year junior Barnett (10 carries for 57 yards and two touchdowns and 4 catches for 29 yards ) also helped himself, Petrino said.

“ I thought he ran physical, ” Petrino said. “ He’s a compact little guy that can run hard. That helps. He just needs to come on in the passing game in his protections where he doesn’t get the quarterback hit. I thought he did that a couple of times today. ”

Barnett wasn’t the Lone Ranger in not yet grasping all Petrino throws at these Hogs in protecting the passer.

Trying to learn all the new nuances and protections on one hand and staving off fleet defensive ends like Razorbacks Adrian Davis, Damario Ambrose and Antwain Robinson on the other can make for a trying day.

“ It’s a lot different and it’s hard and I am struggling a little bit right now, ” left tackle Valdez said. “ I got beat a couple of times today and Coach [offensive line coach Mike Summers ] took me out and I had to get my head together. I think the more reps I get, the better I will get at it. ”

Defensively, Petrino complimented Arkansas’ “ speed on the edge, ” and complimented the tackling by safeties Dallas Washington of Atlanta (Texas ) High and Matt Harris.

Sacks were hard to credit with quick whistles on the quarterback. But it was unofficially surmised that Adrian Davis, Antwain Robinson and redshirt freshman Brandon Lampkin had sacks.

Cornerback Jamar Love, picking off a Casey Dick pass, secured the scrimmage’s lone turnover.

That pick and one near pick that linebacker Ryan Powers broke up, is about all that Dick, the senior starting quarterback, did wrong against the first defense completing 13 of 17 for 102 yards, including a 3-yard TD pass to London Crawford.

Senior Alex Mortensen took a turn with the first offense against the first defense and piloted a 10-play, 55-yard touchdown drive completing 2 of 2 passes before Barnett scored from the one on first and goal.

Ryan Mallett, the former Texas High quarterback from Texarkana and transfer from the University of Michigan, completed 7 of 13 for 60 yards, quarterbacking the second offense versus the second defense.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Nathan Dick, quarterbacking the second offense against the second defense, was 3 of 5 for 50 yards, including a 29-yard TD strike to receiver John Aaron Rees.

“ I thought Casey operated pretty well, ” Petrino said. “ We threw some different pressure at him and he handled it for the most part pretty well and took care of the ball. Mortensen took us to a touchdown and had some good plays in there for us. Ryan in his first series executed pretty well. But there was a lot of newness and his second series he wasn’t as effective. And Nathan did a pretty good job at the end. ”

Junior receiver London Crawford, his performance noticeably up since the Razorbacks first donned pads Saturday after the NCAA mandated two days of workouts in shorts, led all receivers with 5 catches for 45 yards.

“ London Crawford did a nice job for us, ” Petrino said. “ He made a couple of big first downs running the ball. ”

Sophomore tight end D. J. Williams logged 35 yards on 5 catches. Williams took a host of tacklers for four yards beyond where it seemed they had him stopped.

Sophomore tailback Chip Gregory was withheld Sunday because of an ankle injury Saturday. Arkansas has its first day off today.