With 314 pounds on a 6-foot-4 All-American frame, Rimington Award winning Razorback center Jonathan Luigs is used to weighing heavily on opposing nose guards.

He won’t this Saturday against Alabama, though.

Oh, the fifth-year senior still weighs heavily on Alabama’s defensive mindset. But he won’t weigh heavier than the Alabama nose guard when Arkansas and Alabama’s Crimson Tide weigh in for their SEC opener at 11: 30 a. m. Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Alabama junior nose guard Terrence Cody is listed 6-5, 365, generally described as 370 and last summer was listed 380 in the Crimson Tide media guide.

ADVERTISEMENT

“ Their defense has got a strong powerful front four, ” Luigs said, adding with understatement. “ They’ve got a big nose guard especially. ”

If Cody was just big, the big problem Alabama poses in the middle would be just big in size, not scope.

However, Cody apparently moves on the defensive line like Camden native and former two-time All-American offensive tackle Shawn Andrews did during his 330-pound Razorback prime.

“ He’s good, ” Luigs said. “ He doesn’t move like a 370-pounder. He’s pretty agile for his size. I’m going to have my hands full. ”

Luigs ’ hands won’t be the only ones full, others believe.

“ There are two or sometimes three guys blocking him, ” Alabama safety Rashad Johnson said. “ And he’s still trying to get to the ball. ”

Not to be confused with Arkansas safety Rashaad Johnson, Alabama’s Rashad Johnson said he marveled during the summer when Cody, a junior transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, first worked out with the Tide.

“ I was watching him and I thought, ‘ Man, that guy is big, but he can actually move with that weight on him, ’” Johnson said. “ He’s been doing a tremendous job for us. ”

Western Kentucky coach Dave Elson, whose Hilltoppers were leveled 41-7 by Alabama last week, qualifies as an expert while the Tide leads the nation in rushing defense (42. 7 yards per game ).

“ It all starts with big, old Terrence Cody in the middle, ” Elson said. “ You’re not supposed to be able to move like he can at that weight. But he does. He just demands a double-team, and that’s not even easy to do. ”

Of course after annually getting knocked around by Luigs, Alabama respects the Arkansas All-American.

“ Their center is recognized as the best center in college football and rightfully so, ” Alabama coach Nick Saban said.

Arkansas’ Paul Petrino, the offensive coordinator / receiver coach for Razorback head coach Bobby Petrino, acknowledged the massive matchup in the middle.

“ That is a big factor, ” Paul Petrino said. “ That is a good matchup and that will be one we hopefully come out on top on. But a lot of times you’ve got different people helping and coming down and hitting him, also. That will definitely be something in the middle that we need to have an advantage right there. ”

It’s a big focus bound to be blurred by beef from both sides.

“ There’s very little oneon-one, all day long for 60 plays, this guy against this guy, ” Arkansas offensive line coach Mike Summers said. “ We’re going to have a number of different combinations working to control inside defensive schemes. Certainly Jonathan (Luigs ) will be matched up a lot and we expect him to perform at a high level and lead us like he has, but he won’t be the only one matched up on their defensive nose guard. ”

The Luigs-Cody battle is the biggest, but big battles abound with Arkansas’ big O-line against Alabama’s big defense.

All that size, Arkansas 6-5, 302-pound DeMarcus Love said, could have Arkansas running back Michael Smith (5-7 ) standing surprisingly tall.

“ His quickness and his size helps him get through seams because guys don’t see him and he shoots right by them, ” Love said.

The impromptu bye week benefits (Arkansas ’ game at Texas last Saturday in Austin was moved to Sept. 27 because of Hurricane Ike ) of extra practices last Thursday and Sunday for this Alabama game showed up in Tuesday’s hard practice, Paul Petrino said.

“ They understood the game plan a little bit better, ” Paul Petrino said. “ It was good to get those extra practices in and the guys flew around pretty good today. ”