Jerry Franklin has put himself in the middle of righting this Razorback defense.

It's no secret, new Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino and new defensive coordinator Willy Robinson have asserted, that the defense hasn't measured up to the offense in preseason drills.

And it's no secret, the same coaches say, that middle linebacker Franklin of Marion has stepped up trying to lead the defense from its bumpy road.

That's a lot to ask of a red-shirt freshman. However on this young defense, promoting two true freshmen to first-team last week, redshirt freshman is commencing to equate with grizzled veteran.

Especially when the other inside'backer, weakside linebacker Khiry Battle, is one of those true freshmen. Battle currently subs for injured senior captain Elston Forte and his backup sophomore Ryan Powers.

So Franklin, only recently having to battle to keep his first-team ahead of promising (but currently injured ) true freshman middle linebacker Tenarius Wright, becomes the old hand calling signals though he still hasn't played a college game.

The middle linebacker customarily makes the defensive calls, but Robinson and linebackers coach Reggie Johnson shifted that from Franklin to Forte last spring.

Franklin was " overwhelmed, " last spring, Robinson said, with all he was doing adjusting from redshirt to first-teamer as returning veteran middle linebacker Wendel Davis still rehabs from major knee surgery.

" Franklin wasn't having to do all that, " Robinson said of the defensive calls bequeathed to Forte, " and all of a sudden he started connecting the dots and seeing things and being physical and running downhill. Now he's gained his confidence in what he's doing and he's earned that right to go into the front of the huddle and sit down and say, ' OK, over the river and through the ridge, red swarm ! ' That's a dang leader for us on that football field. "

Franklin played well in last Saturday's scrimmage, Petrino said of the 135-play session that was closed to the media and public.

" Jerry Franklin is doing a nice job, " Petrino said. " He's improved a lot from last spring. "

Apparently calling signals didn't slow him down. " I feelI am picking things up pretty fast, " Franklin said. " It's going pretty smooth right now. " His teammates notice. " He's definitely going to be big this season, " junior defensive tackle Malcolm Sheppard said. " I'm expecting big things out of Jerry Franklin this season. "

MORE ON HIS PLATE As for Sheppard on his own play, he believes he'll be a bigger man for what's ahead now that Petrino promises to pull the Hogs off their punishing practice pace. The Hogs went nonstop Aug. 4 through Aug. 16 before their day off Sunday. Even during this final week without UA classes, Petrino says he's backing off so the Hogs can " freshen up and get their legs back" for the Aug. 30 season opener against Western Illinois.

For Sheppard, that not only means getting his legs back but his weight

up. At 6-3, 275, he weighs like the defensive end he played last year instead of the tackle he plays now.

" My goal is 290 by the end of the season, " Sheppard said. " Before the season takes off, I want to be at least 280. "

Seems lucky he hasn't sweated down to 250 considering the practice pace.

" I think they are going to slow it down a little bit over the next two weeks, " Sheppard said. " Hopefully I can put on a few pounds. "

No matter what he weighs, Sheppard says he can't be the standup guy at tackle he was at end.

Otherwise, as Willy Robinson said, he becomes a linebacker blocked backwards by those weightier offensive linemen with leverage under his pads.

" Coming off the edge, you can stand up a little bit, " Sheppard said. " But inside you can't do it. So I've got to work on fundamentals and staying low. " BLOCKING IS CATCHING

While fans wax excited Petrino's offense passes prolifically, don't mistake it for a finesse attack ignoring the run.

Just ask the receivers learning that more passes coming their way doesn't excuse their responsibilities to block.

Or don't ask them. They'll tell you anyway like junior wideout London Crawford did after two TD catches last Saturday.

" I blocked pretty well for the running backs, " Crawford said first of his scrimmage performance. " I'm more proud of that than the touchdown

catches I had. "

Nate Allen covers the Razorbacks for the Northwest Arkansas Times.