“ Off the charts” has taken on a whole new meaning to Razorback true freshmen Jelani Smith and Zach Stadther.

As a 6-0, 205-pound linebacker, Smith of Abbeville, La., admitted, “ I didn’t even think I was going to play the first year. I thought I was going to redshirt I was so small. ”

Now Smith, with a performance in last Friday’s scrimmage deemed “ off the charts” by head coach Bobby Petrino, starts for Arkansas in the 6 p. m. season opener Saturday against Western Illinois at Frank Broyles Field at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

As for Stadther, a 6-1, 280 nose guard when he played last year at North Little Rock, he said, “ I thought I was going to get redshirted. The strength coaches thought I was going to get redshirted. But I worked my butt off and I’m going to get some snaps Saturday. Maybe more than some snaps. ”

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Stadther is listed secondteam nose tackle on the depth chart behind senior Ernest Mitchell while precocious true freshman Lavunce Askew of Camden Fairview backs up starting junior defensive tackle Malcolm Sheppard.

Smith, recruited by assistant coach Bobby Allen of former coach Houston Nutt’s staff, and like Allen, sticking with the program when Nutt resigned and Petrino came aboard, was dogged by a lingering hamstring injury the first two weeks of preseason drills.

He got well and came on like gangbusters while the top two Will linebackers, senior captain Elston Forte and third-year sophomore Ryan Powers, exited with injuries that will keep them out of Saturday’s game, defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. “ I saw, ” Smith said, “ the chance to show them what I got. ” What Smith has got is enough for Robinson to add him

to a

defensive lineup already starting true freshman Elton Ford at free safety and redshirt freshman Jerry Franklin of Marion at middle linebacker. “ You are willing to fight through the (growing ) pains with this young man because he is going to be an exceptional football player, ” Robinson said. “ This game is going to be an accelerated rate for him. ”

Apparently the concern weighs more on Smith knowing what to do rather than appearing maybe too small to do it.

“ My size, ” Smith said, “ that’s why a lot of people didn’t recruit me. I am a player and that’s all that matters. I’m just proud to be starting and happy. ”

Stadther, not recruited by the Nutt regime and former defensive coordinator Reggie Herring, had committed to Kansas but instantly stayed in his home state when Petrino came calling.

Apparently he figured if he had sufficiently impressed the Petrino staff to recruit him, he could impress them that he’s ready to play right away even if all indicators pointed to him redshirting.

“ They told me they were redshirting but I came out here in two-a-days and did my thing, ” Stadther said.

Your thing ?

“ The way I come off the ball, ” Stadther said. “ I need to work with my hands and my first step, but I play hard and I think that’s one reason I am up where I am right now. ”

Robinson concurs and actually gives Stadther higher marks for using his hands than the freshman does.

“ There’s not a lot of glitz to Zach, but he’s a steady guy with his hands, ” Robinson said. “ He can hold his point. He just has to learn to play with a little different pad level. ”

The young defense — only nose tackle senior Ernest Mitchell, junior tackle Malcolm Sheppard, junior end Adrian Robinson and senior end Antwain Robinson are starters with lots of experience — get a major opening game test versus WIU senior running back Herb Donaldson.

Donaldson netted 1, 491 yards rushing last season for the Leathernecks.

“ You would draft that kid off one (film ) clip, ” Willy Robinson said. “ The guy is an outstanding football player. He runs with his pads down and a forward lean. Very few times can the first guy tackle him. And he doesn’t fumble the football. ”

A middle linebacker inevitably is a key against a great running back.

The experience factor isn’t in redshirt freshman Jerry Franklin’s favor in his debut start, but he’s coming off his best scrimmage of the preseason.

“ I thought Jerry Franklin had an exceptional day tackling, ” Robinson said, reviewing last Friday’s scrimmage.

Now that it’s game week, the preseason scrimmages are over but the Hogs did work in full pads Tuesday and Wednesday.

They’ll conclude preparations with a light practice today.