WholeHogSports
Charting a course : Petrino releases Hogs’ post-spring depth chart
Posted on Thursday, May 8, 2008
URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/64944/
Redshirt freshman defensive end Bequette of Little Rock Catholic and Glasper, a former LSU walk-on transferred to Arkansas as a walk-on, came farthest off the charts to earn their respective first- and second-team slots for the summer.
Bequette is a first-team surprise because, other than perhaps tight end, defensive end seems the team’s deepest position on either side of the ball. The redshirt
If you look for Cinderella stories on this Razorback football depth chart, fit glass slippers on Jake Bequette and Darrell Glasper.
At his spring football wrapup press conference Wednesday, new Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino published the depth chart that will be the Razorbacks’ worksheet going into the August preseason practices. freshman ranks ahead of sophomore letterman Damario Ambrose at left end while junior two-year letterman Adrian Davis and senior Antwain Robinson, a SEC honorable mention two years ago, are one-two at right defensive end.
Quite a surprise with Bequette the lone end of the four without college game experience.
No shock to a new staff evaluating players all new to them.
“ You know, it wasn’t a surprise because he earned it, ” Petrino said. “ He actually started down at the second or third position and he just kept getting better as spring went on. ”
How did he do it ?
“ He’s a young man that plays with a great motor, ” Petrino said. “ He goes as hard as he can as long as he can and he’s starting to learn and understand the position better. He has the chance someday to be real, real good at it because of the combination of strength and speed and the fact he has a real good heart and wants to be real good. He earned the move up there. ”
Cornerback Glasper kept playing so much bigger than his 5-8, 180 frame that Petrino lists him right behind first-team right cornerback Isaac Madison.
“ The next guy that stands out probably more than anyone would be Glasper, ” Petrino said. “ He started down low and each time he goes out there he makes plays on the ball. He moved forward probably as much as anyone else, I guess. ”
On defense, nose tackle Ernest Mitchell is the lone first-teamer who didn’t earn his stripes in the spring.
Mitchell rehabbed from surgery all spring but he’s a 305-pound senior incumbent anchor for an interior line so thin that Petrino said at least one incoming freshman must step in immediately for depth.
Obviously Petrino expects Mitchell will be fit come August.
Senior Cord Gray of Wynne ran first-team nose in the spring and backs up Mitchell.
Solid junior starter Malcolm Sheppard, a starting end last year, starts at the other tackle backed by sophomore Patrick Jones.
Linebacker is so thin that senior outside man Elston Forte is listed twice, as the first-team Sam ‘ backer and the backup Will ‘ backer.
Where Forte plays most likely depends on Sam ‘ backer Freddy Burton, who hits the hardest, or Will ‘ backer Ryan Powers, the smallest at 6-1, 207, but the fastest.
Redshirt freshman Jerry Franklin and sophomore letterman Jermaine Love run one-two in the middle.
Freshmen stepping up for linebacking are required, Petrino said.
Petrino said the status of suspended linebacker Freddie Fairchild, with a court case pending, remains unchanged.
The defensive backfield twodeep omits junior Jerell Norton, recovering from recent hamstring surgery, Petrino said.
Seniors Jamar Love and Shedrick Johnson are one-two at left corner with Madison and Glasper on the right corner.
Former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt used to be teased for issuing depth charts like Viking ships with so many “ or’s, ” but free safety is this chart’s lone either-or position with juniors Matt Harris and Rashaad Johnson.
Senior Dallas Washington, an alum of Atlanta, Texas High, Bret Harris and Walner Leandre, rehabbing from injuries last spring, are 1-2-3 at strong safety.
The offense has no surprises other than listing 12 positions, including three receivers, a fullback and a tight end.
Look for the top two tight ends, D. J. Williams and Andrew Davie, also to play a lot of fullback or Hback and some wideout, too. Williams is the team’s go-to receiver.
For wide receivers, Petrino grouped London Crawford and Reggie Fish; Carlton Salters and Lucas Miller; and Marques Wade and Camden’s Rod Coleman.
Crawford and Salters are the top two.
The first-team line ended the spring the way it began with center Jonathan Luigs, guards DeMarcus Love and Mitch Petrus and tackles Jose Valdez and Ray Dominguez.
Senior quarterback Casey Dick and junior tailback Michael Smith are obvious first-teamers. Redshirt freshman Nathan Dick ranks second to his brother at quarterback. Texarkana’s Brandon Barnett backs Smith at tailback.