WholeHogSports
Interceptions continue to plague Hogs
Posted on Wednesday, October 1, 2008
URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/69669/
It all sounds so simple. Just some easy steps the Razorbacks can take to answer their offensive questions heading into Saturday’s 11: 30 a. m. Raycom-televised SEC game with 12 th-ranked Florida at Frank Broyles Field at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Like how do you cut down on throwing interceptions that Alabama twice and Texas once returned for touchdowns these last two games ?
“ Yeah, ” Arkansas offensive coordinator Paul Petrino replied after Tuesday’s practice. “ Just don’t throw it to the other team. Run the right routes, have good protec- tion and the quarterback throw it to the right team. ”
Senior quarterback Casey Dick, who threw three to the wrong team against Alabama with two returned for touchdowns, concurred.
“ Make better decisions, ” Dick said. “ That’s a pretty easy one. Make better decisions before we throw. Make sure what we see is what we see and don’t hesitate. ”
Of course it sounds easy — unless you are being swarmed by pass-rushers and blitzers as Dick and freshman backup quarterback Tyler Wilson, who threw a pick for a wrong-way TD last week, were in the 49-14 and 52-10 losses to now nationally No. 2 Alabama and No. 5 Texas.
“ That’s just part of the game, ” Dick said. “ That’s the way it goes some times. You have got to be able to learn on the run and make plays. We’ll get some things corrected and keep pressing forward and keep getting better. ”
There’s no pressure letup with the Gator defense led by 6-3, 245-pound middle linebacker Brandon Spikes.
“ They are real fast and like to pressure, ” Paul Petrino said. “ They have a great linebacker. They play the way it’s supposed to be played. ”
Dick and Wilson might not have to learn so much on the run if the running game could be established.
It wasn’t just seven quarterback sacks that reduced the Razorback running game to just 11 positive yards against Texas.
Falling behind so fast, the could estab lish a running game against Texas though junior tailback Michael Smith had netted 91 yards rushing on Alabama the previous week.
“ We have to work on it a lot in practice, ” Dick said. “ Before practice, after practice. Just good practices will get the running game going. ”
And not trail by 28 at half like the last two games so even the hot dog vendor is yelling “ Pass !”
“ Yeah, we’ve got to start faster, ” Dick said. “ No matter what we are doing. We can’t drive down there and not get any points. We’ve got to put some points on the board. ”
Head coach Bobby Petrino, Paul Petrino and the offensive staff are working hard designing ways to spring Smith, whom Bobby Petrino said Monday played just as hard against Texas as he did against Alabama.
“ We tried to get a little package that we definitely think we can execute in this game, ” Paul Petrino said after Tuesday’s practice. “ We worked hard on that. That’s something we need to improve. We’ve just got to keep grinding and keep working hard. That’s the biggest thing. ”
How did they respond Tuesday ?
“ They responded, ” Paul Petrino said, “ and did a good job. ”
One media member asked about what Ole Miss, a 31-30 upset winner over the Gators last Saturday at the Gators ’ “ Swamp” in Gainesville, did to expose Florida’s defense so badly last week.
Florida coach Urban Meyer couldn’t have leaped faster to Florida’s defense.
“ I don’t think they exposed them badly, ” Paul Petrino rebutted. “ They got a couple of great turnovers with great field position. They hit a go route down the sideline on a blown coverage and they had a nice screen play and hit a run opposite the blitz. Their defense must have really played well because they had good field position. They didn’t put up a whole lot of yards but they put up points when they had to. But it wasn’t like they exposed a whole lot of stuff. ”
Reserve defensive end Damar io Ambrose and reserve tight end / special teamer Lance Thompson were among those not in full gear Tuesday because of injuries.
Freshman linebacker Jelani Smith, who started one game then has been sidelined by a hand injury, may, if his hand doesn’t heal soon, go the hardship route to restore his freshman eligibility for 2009.
Bobby Petrino said promising freshman middle linebacker Tenarius Wright, out since suffering a severe high ankle sprain in preseason, will redshirt.
Wide receiver Lucas Miller, out of the Texas game because of a concussion against Alabama, should play against Florida.