After running into trouble with only 50 net rushing yards despite topping Tulsa last Saturday, the Razorbacks are trying to rev up their running game for Saturday’s SEC game at South Carolina.

Kickoff is noon (CST ) on ESPN GamePlan pay-per-view TV from Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S. C.

“ Definitely need to work on that, ” Paul Petrino, Arkansas offensive coordinator and receivers coach, said of the running game after Tuesday’s practice. “ Some of it was they (Tulsa ) were putting so many guys down on the line to stop the running game that it’s what opened up the passing game. But we need to do a better job of run- ning and blocking because it’s going to be important for us to run the ball this week and that’s something we put a big emphasis on. ”

Bobby Petrino said Monday the Razorbacks missed injured offensive linemen Ray Dominguez and Grant Cook in the running game against Tulsa.

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Weakside tackle Dominguez participated in at least some limited drills Tuesday.

Still idled by injuries suffered either two games before against Ole Miss or the Tulsa game are strongside offensive guard Cook, defensive end Adrian Davis, safety Jerico Nelson and freshman reserve quarterback Tyler Wilson (mononucleosis ).

Cornerback / punt returner Jerell Norton seems to be closer to recovery from a recurring hamstring problem.

Petrino was asked if defensively South Carolina, bowl eligible at 6-3 and 3-3 in the SEC East, played with a style comparable to a previous Arkansas SEC foe.

“ I would say they are similar to going into the game against Auburn and what we thought of them, ” Petrino said.

Beaten by the Razorbacks, 4-5, 1-4 in the SEC West, Auburn is struggling now but once ranked eighth in the nation primarily because of its defense.

“ Nobody had scored much on them (Auburn ), ” Paul Petrino said, “ and they (South Carolina ) are similar to that. Schematically they are their own defense. They are different than most people. ”

Ellis Johnson, head coach Bobby Petrino’s Arkansas defensive coordinator for about two weeks in January before the South Carolina native came home to fill the defensive coordinator opening on Steve Spurrier’s Gamecock staff, runs one of the most multiple defenses anywhere, Paul Petrino said.

The Petrinos never coached with Spurrier, but have studied “ the old ball coach” from his days at Florida and before.

“ I know I’ve studied Spurrier all my life, ” Paul Petrino said. “ All the way back, from wherever we’ve been, we have always gotten tapes from where he’s been and studied the stuff that he does. It’s kind of neat to play against him now. ”

A dozen tackles later from helping to beat Tulsa, Arkansas fourth-year junior safety Matt Harris was aching to get back in the SEC and play South Carolina.

Literally aching. Asked Monday what body parts still felt sore post-Tulsa, Harris said, “ Neck, traps, shoulders, back. Basically anything from the neck down. I’m a little sore, but it was worth it. ”

Harris epitomizes the ups and downs this Razorback defense has weathered. Thrilled as an early-season starter after three years languishing on the team, Harris has been demoted since he was promoted but came back to star against Tulsa in the absences of several players. Players like freshman strong safety Jerico Nelson, knee injury against Tulsa, and freshman free safety Elton Ford, out for the season with a neck injury during the 23-21 loss to Ole Miss.

“ I’m starting the first two games, ” Harris said, “ then getting pulled back. You can’t cry in the game of football. You just got to put your helmet on and play as many times. Whenever you get an opportunity, you have to take advantage of it. ”

That’s what this defense has done as a whole despite some early-season steamrollings by Alabama and Texas and closely contested losses to Kentucky and Ole Miss.

“ We’re a resilient little bunch, ” Harris said. “ We’re a young group but we’re ready to fight anybody that comes in our yard. ”

Suggestions for changes bristled from Razorback fans when the Arkansas defense struggled early in the season, but head coach Bobby Petrino and defensive coordinator Willy Robinson stuck to their knitting and just kept trying to improve through repetition.

“ We stayed with our beliefs as a staff, ” Bobby Petrino said. “ Beliefs in the core of what we do. ”

That’s not always easy do in tough times.

“ When we went through that span, ” Petrino said, “ where you get your butt kicked a little bit, you always start thinking, secondguessing yourself, wondering where you go, where you turn to, but we have a very experienced staff. So you deepen your beliefs in what you want to do, then you have to have enough courage to stick to it and keep working to get better and not pushing the panic button. ”