UA ends hoping to put the squeeze on opposing QBs

BY BRANDON MARCELLO Northwest Arkansas Times

Posted on Thursday, May 1, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/64715/

One returned home, another has always been an Arkansan.

Kirk Botkin, the former UA tight end that now serves as defensive ends coach, came home Jan. 3. UA defensive end Jake Bequette has a legacy to follow that made his decision to become a Razorback an easy one last fall.

Both, to put it simply, still have a lot to prove as coach and player, they contend.

Botkin has to help shape a unit as defensive ends coach that he considers, at this point, the strongest facet of the Arkansas defense. Bequette, who has moved up into the first- and second-team rotation, has to break through and solidify himself and his own legacy after three family members, including his father, lettered at Arkansas.

Botkin knows what the attention and scrutiny is like, as he was Arkansas’ first All-SEC selection in history.

“ He puts enough pressure on himself, ” Botkin said of Bequette. “ He has some big shoes to fill, but he brings his lunch pail and he comes to work. ”

Bequette redshirted last year and was considered to be too small and too slow to play in his first year with the Razorbacks. But in the offseason, strength coach Jason Veltkamp helped the Little Rock native add some needed muscle and speed. Bequette added 20 pounds and Botkin said he’s faster. He’s also maxing other ends out in the weight room.

“ My expectations are through the roof, ” Bequette said. “ I kind of get the feeling that some guys thought, since I redshirted, I wasn’t ready to play this year. Now I’m going out there to prove every day that I’m ready to commit to this team next year. ”

In a unit that has the team’s sack-leader returning in Adrian Davis and Antwain Robinson at end, competition has been interesting throughout the spring. All three have shown strides.

But then there are off-days when no one shows much improvement, Botkin said.

“ It’s been an ongoing rotation, ” he said. “ I don’t know if we have a first and second team. Every week it’s been a little something different. I keep waiting for a leader to emerge. ”

Practice has shown at least some promise, though. Going against a first-team offensive line that has learned to pass protect more often than not has helped the defensive line gain some experience mentally and physically.

“ It’s a totally new tempo, ” Bequette said. “... That’s what every defensive end lives for. Now I’m getting the chance for a quarterback sack. ”

Davis is also working to take his game to the next level.

“ To play against an offensive tackle in the SEC, you

, stronger, ” Davis said. “ I’ve got a little bit more work to do to be a complete player. I have to use practice to get to that. I need to get there. ” The defense will work mostly out of the 4-3 alignment in the scheme of defensive coordinator Willy Robinson. At times, the ends will pass rush, sit back in coverage, help with zone alignments and even convert into what Botkin called a “ hybrid” outside linebacker. “ There’s a lot of things they have to do, ” Botkin said. “ I think they need to step it up a bit more. But, it’s a new system. They’re learning new stuff, new things about me and new things about the defense. It’ll take some time, but we’ll get it right. ”