WholeHogSports
Smith holds own against nation's best run D
Posted on Sunday, September 21, 2008
URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/69351/
Michael Smith didn’t want to talk about his 158 all-purpose yards or the fact that he rushed for 81 yards in the first half against the nation’s top defense. All Smith could think about were the holes he missed and the scoring opportunities Arkansas wasted in a 49-14 loss to No. 9 Alabama at Reynolds Razorbacks Stadium Saturday.
“ You see all the positives and that I had a good day, ” Smith said. “ But what I see is a hole I missed in the first half or stumbling when I could have broke one that had I stayed up would have probably been touchdown.
“ Maybe when I look at the film, I’ll see that, yes, it was a positive seeing that I can run against some of the tougher teams. But right now, I’m just dealing with the loss. We just missed so many chances to score and shot ourselves in the foot so many times. ”
Alabama’s defense entered the game as the nation’s best run defense, allowing an average of 42. 7 yards per game and a scant 1. 88 yards per carry. Smith flirted with 100 yards rushing after netting 81 in the first half. He averaged 4. 8 yards per tote Saturday against the Crim- son Tide.
“ When you’re on the field, you’re not thinking about whether or not they’re the No. 1-ranked defense, ” Smith said. “ You just want to execute, make that first man miss then the next man miss and continue to get yards after contact. ”
Smith finished with 91 yards on 19 carries and hauled in a team- and careerhigh 6 catches for a team-best and career-best 67 yards.
“ I was really impressed with Michael and I thought he showed a lot of competitiveness and a tremendous amount of courage, ” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. “ He came out there fighting for every yard, which concerns me a little because of his size. He’s got to know when to take care of himself, too. But he competed, did a nice job of running the ball and did a good job in the passing game. ”
Smith snared a 10-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Tyler Wilson on fourth down with 10: 59 left in regulation.
“[UA offensive coordinator ] Paul Petrino said he was going to get me more involved in the passing game, ” Smith said. “ I don’t know when it’s going to come again and I was just trying to make the best of it. ”
Smith, a 5-7, 175-pound senior, isn’t built for bruising but was Arkansas’ workhorse and went without much of a breather for the duration of the contest.
“ We need to get De’Anthony Curtis, Dennis Johnson, maybe Brandon Barnett, going, to give Michael a break so he doesn’t have to take that many snaps in the first half, ” Petrino said. “ That really wore him down [in the second half ]. We’ve just got to develop someone behind him to give him a break earlier in the game. ”
Smith didn’t argue.
“ If I could get a breather every now and then, I think I could be more productive, ” Smith said. “ But right now, I don’t have that and the coaches aren’t doing that. I just go with whatever the coaches call. ”
Smith heard his number called early and often to aid the Hogs’ offensive effort, which was countered by three Casey Dick interceptions, two returned by Alabama for touchdowns.
Smith scurried for his longest run of the game, a 30-yarder on third-and-2 to push the ball to the Crimson Tide 24. But the Hogs stalled at the 1 after two unsuccessful runs by Barnett and then Smith was subsequently stuffed on fourth-and-goal from the Alabama 1 in the waning seconds of the second quarter.
“ They fill the gaps extremely quick, ” Smith said. “ I think next time I need to bounce it to the outside. That’s just one thing. There’s a lot of things we’re going to have to improve on as a team.
“ I guess the only comfort is that we do keep shooting ourselves in the foot. We can move the ball and if we stop making those kinds of mistakes, I think we can be a real good football team. ”