FAYETTEVILLE - Eric Bennett played most of last season on two sprained ankles. Rohan Gaines was forced into a starting role as a redshirt freshman, and TQ Coleman was at Georgia Military College.
Now Bennett is healthy, Gaines is experienced and Coleman is at Arkansas, giving the Razorbacks three safeties to lean on as they try to bounce back from last season’s defensive struggles.
Arkansas ranked 73rd nationally in total defense (409.9 yards per game) and 113th in pass defense (285.8 yards) as the Razorbacks finished 4-8.
With fall camp in its third week, defensive coordinator Chris Ash said Bennett is set to start at free safety with Gaines at strong safety. Coleman also has gotten a lot of first-team work at strong safety because Gaines missed several practices recovering from a bruised knee.
“I think we can be way better than we were last year,” Bennett said. “With Coach Ash and the new defensive scheme, I think we’re going to be one of the top defenses in the nation.
“Coach Ash is a perfectionist, so he wants the safeties and the whole secondary to be perfectionists, too. That’s what we’re trying our best to do.”
Coleman said the safeties know Ash is going to put them in the right spots.
“You just have to listen to what he’s going to tell you,” Coleman said. “You’ve got the athletic ability and speed to get over there and make a play on the ball, so it’s just all about your eyes and what you’re looking at. That’s just controlling your eyes as a defensive back. We’re getting there.”
Bennett, a senior, made eight starts last season, but was never full speed after suffering his first of what became a series of ankle injuries in the second game against Louisiana-Monroe.
“It feels good to be healthy,” said Bennett, who has 129 career tackles. “I can go out there and run full speed, plant, break on routes, come downhill and make tackles.”
Gaines had 75 tackles last season while starting 11 games and making the SEC All-Freshman team, but he still was learning about playing safety in the SEC on the go.
“Rohan’s making more plays on the ball now,” Bennett said. “Last year he was more of a tackler, but now he’s being a true safety.”
Gaines returned to practice earlier this week and is working to regain his timing.
“Rohan’s knocking off some rust right now,” Ash said after Tuesday’s practice. “He’s a smart kid. He took good notes during the time he was out, but it’s different when you get out on the field.
“You’ve got to be able to read your keys, react and communicate out there quickly and efficiently. He’s struggling with that right now getting back out there, but he’ll be fine. He’s only been back out there for a couple of days.”
Gaines said he was held out of Saturday’s scrimmage as a precaution but that he’s now “full-go” at practice.
“I’m just real anxious to get out there and make plays like I’ve been doing,” he said.
Coleman worked at first team strong safety in the first two fall scrimmages while Gaines was sidelined.
“TQ has provided us with a lot of depth,” Ash said. “I’ve been pleased with his progress and improvement throughout the course of camp.”
On the opening play of the first scrimmage, Coleman tackled tailback Alex Collins, who had broken into the secondary after an 11-yard gain.
“One of my question marks on TQ was his ability to tackle in the open field,” Ash said after the scrimmage. “He did a nice job.”
Coleman said opening the scrimmage with a big hit helped him stay focused.
“I treated it like a game, so that when you get in there on Saturdays you’re used to that competition level,” he said. “I didn’t look at it like, ‘Oh, I’m with the ones now.’ It was like, ‘I’m out here with my teammates.’ ”
Bennett said Coleman brings a physical style to safety that will help the defense, especially in run support.
“TQ isn’t scared to put his nose in there,” Bennett said. “We call him the human bowling ball, because he’s going full speed to knock something down.”
Coleman went through spring practice after transferring to Arkansas in January, so he’s been around the Razorbacks for several months. He said it feels like he’s been at Arkansas a lot longer.
“I feel like we have real good chemistry, especially with me just being here from January to now,” Coleman said. “You wouldn’t think it would be like that.
“It feels like we’ve been playing together for a long time, even though we really haven’t.”
Coleman said there’s added confidence playing with experienced safeties like Bennett and Gaines, especially with Bennett having played 36 games for the Razorbacks with 21 starts.
“I have tremendous trust in Eric that he’s going to do his job over there, so I’m going to do mine,” Coleman said. “If I mess up on something, he’s able to help correct me because of his knowledge of the game.
“It’s real comfortable out there when you’ve got Eric Bennett on the other side of you.”
Coleman said Gaines has provided a lot of energy in practice, even when he was sidelined, because of how he cheered on the other players. Junior Alan Turner, the backup at free safety, had a good scrimmage last Saturday, Ash said, further helping the depth.
“I feel like we’ve got a real good core unit,” Coleman said. “It’s not quite there yet, but it’s coming together in camp. We’ve just got to keep strengthening it.”
Position glance
SAFETIES RETURNING STARTERS Eric Bennett, Rohan Gaines KEY LOSS Ross Rasner WHO’S BACK Alan Turner, Kelvin Fisher Jr., Jerry Mitchell, Davyon McKinney WHO’S NEW TQ Coleman, Alex Brignoni, De’Andre Coley, Korliss Marshall
ANALYSIS Arkansas is hoping to show significant improvement at the back end of its defense after being scorched much of last season. Bennett, who has 21 career starts in 36 games, looks ready to have a big senior season at free safety after being slowed by ankle injuries last year. Gaines, the projected starter at strong safety, made the SEC All-Freshman team last season when he started 11 games and made 75 tackles.
Coleman, a junior college transfer who went through spring practice, is a big hitter at strong safety. He’s received a lot of first-team reps in fall camp because Gaines was sidelined for several practices by a knee injury.
Turner, a junior who started two games last season, had a strong scrimmage Saturday, defensive coordinator Chris Ash said. Mitchell, a senior, figures to get playing time on special teams.
Fisher and McKinney are continuing to make the transition to safety after moving from cornerback in the spring.
True freshmen Brignoni, Coley and Marshall likely will redshirt.
Sports, Pages 17 on 08/21/2013