Senior wide receiver London Crawford (broken collarbone) practiced without a yellow, no-contact jersey today in practice. So what does that mean for the hero of the LSU game last season who has been out of action since the Sept. 5 opener?

“It means we keep an eye on him all week and see how he’s going,” wide receivers coach Paul Petrino said. “But he was able to practice today and not in yellow. That was good to see and we’ll just judge him each day and see how he comes along and make our decision at the end of the week.”

Arkansas' London Crawford pushes thorugh Missouri State's (31) Andre Anderson during the second quarter Sept. 5 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Crawford broke his collarbone in the game. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STEPHEN B. THORTON/Democrat-Gazette)

Other notes from today:

THIS ISN’T YOUR ‘08 OFFENSE
The days of Casey Dick going to his safety valve in the passing game are seemingly over. With Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright leading the passing game, rarely are we seeing passes to tight end D.J. Williams.

The junior set a school record for catches by a tight end last season, but is currently fifth on the team in yards and receptions.

The offense, under quarterback Ryan Mallett, is more dangerous with his cannon arm and precise passes. The Hogs’ three leading receivers are very close in production, with the lowest just 56 yards away from being the leading receiver on the team.

The Hogs even got the screen game going against Texas A&M last week. Even if tailback Michael Smith hasn’t had a breakout game on the ground this season, he is helping the Hogs move the ball. On a 70-yard touchdown drive last week he accounted for 62 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown catch out of the backfield.

“Last year’s offense was one that was two-dimensional,” Smith said. “This one, you never know where it’s going to go. We have different weapons spread everywhere on the field, and that makes play-calling easy for the coach — just to know that whatever he’s going to call, somebody is going to get it done.”

And he’s right. Ryan Mallett’s four touchdown passes last week went to four different receivers.

RECEIVING       GP-GS  No.  Yds   Avg  TDLong Avg/G
—————————————————-
Joe Adams        4-3    16  316  19.8   2   67  79.0
Greg Childs      4-4    16  260  16.2   3   40  65.0
Jarius Wright    4-4    13  297  22.8   2   58  74.2
Michael Smith    4-4    10  117  11.7   1   29  29.2
D.J. Williams    4-2     8  104  13.0   1   40  26.0

DOWNRIGHT OFFENSIVE
What was the difference offensively between the Alabama and Texas A&M games? Well, the Crimson Tide’s defense for one. But Paul Petrino puts a lot of the lack of execution on his own unit.

The Hogs scored 7 points against the Tide two weeks ago on the road.

“Hopefully  we don’t have any more Alabama games and we keep putting points on the board,” Petrino said.

A BUNCH OF BULL
Joe Adams, who led the Hogs with 110 receiving yards against the Aggies, finished with 77 yards after the catch, Petrino said.

But his production wasn’t enough for the receivers to have more YAC than the running backs.

“He didn’t have much help from his buddies,” Petrino said.

Credit Ronnie Wingo for that. Petrino says he picked up 55 yards of his 62-yard touchdown after contact against the Aggies.

The receivers had won the bull yards (YAC) battle in the first three games.

The score stands 3-1 in favor of the receivers.

CHIZIK TALKS ARKANSAS
Auburn head coach Gene Chizik talked about Arkansas today during a press conference. You can read a transcript of his comments by clicking here.

Here are some highlights:

On Arkansas’ offense…
“They are really good. You can’t average almost 450 yards game and not be good at what you do. Their quarterback is very efficient, and if you follow coach Petrino that’s a trademark. It is reminiscent of the quarterbacks he had at Louisville. They have a great overall scheme. They are well coached and play hard, but it is very similar to the things he has done in the past.”

On Ryan Mallett and the pressure he puts on defenses…
“He is an extremely good quarterback. I was at Texas when he was in high school so I knew all about him. He is a big, strong kid with an efficient arm, but also a cannon of an arm. He can throw it across the field 50 yards. He is what makes their passing game go. They also have some great receivers for him to throw to. Many times he puts the ball exactly where the DB can’t get to it. Also, the receivers do a good job of holding on to the ball, and also they do a good job of getting yards after the catch, which is big for us. We have to work on our open-field tackling. He is very efficient and good at what he does.”

—–

For much more coverage, make sure to check out WholeHogSports.com and the Wednesday editions of the Northwest Arkansas Times and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

— Brandon Marcello

Bobby Petrino was on ESPN’s College Football Live for about 90 seconds today, and here is what he had to say from his interview inside ESPN’s “Drive to a Championship” bus inside Razorback Stadium.

Petrino on why the Hogs were successful in 47-19 win over Texas A&M:

“It really helped when we got the running game going. We were able to sustain some run game and that allows us to throw the ball down the field, and our offensive line really did a nice job in pass protection. Any time you give Ryan (Mallett) some room in the pocket, where he has space and he can step up into his throws, he’s going to be very good.”

How long did it take Mallett to pick up offense after transferring from Michigan?

“We were fortunate that he came here about a year-and-a-half ago and red-shirted so he’s been through two spring balls and fall. Ryan is a real student of the game. He loves football, he loves preparing so he’s actually picked it up really well.”

On looking ahead to next three games against nationally-ranked Auburn, Florida and Ole Miss:

“Yeah, we can’t look ahead. We just have to look at Auburn, otherwise I’ll never sleep at all. Auburn is a very good football team. We’re really looking forward to the game Saturday.”

On Auburn head coach Gene Chizik’s defense:

“We’re going to have to score points because they’re very good on offense. They have a very balanced running game and passing game. It’ll give us a lot of problems to be able to defend their run because they can throw it also. Offensively, we’re going to have to go score points and be able to keep up and get ahead in the scoring.”

Keep it here for more updates from Arkansas’ practice this afternoon, and for full coverage on WholeHogSports.com and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Northwest Arkansas Times.

— Brandon Marcello

Bobby Petrino and a few players just wrapped up their Monday press conference, and here are some notes to share and prime you for our full coverage on WholeHogSports.com and in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Northwest Arkansas Times on Tuesday.

— Freshman RB Ronnie Wingo led the Razorbacks in rushing yards (4 carries for 86 yards, 1 TD) against A&M and proved himself with a 62-yard touchdown run late against Texas A&M.

Petrino was impressed with Wingo, especially on yards after contact. On one of his runs, the St. Louis native picked up an extra 11 yards after a hit. And it wasn’t on that 62-yard run. Great blocks by D.J. Williams (after getting cut on first block attempt) and Reggie Fish helped spring him open on that impressive TD, Petrino says.

On a funny note, Wingo says he’s a huge Dallas Cowboys fan and it obviously was great scoring his first touchdown as a collegian in Cowboys Stadium.

Five yards from the end zone he said he started smiling and described it as an “unbelievable feeling.”

The St. Louis native isn’t a Rams fan, explained and grew up watching the Cowboys instead.

He only was a Rams fan in 2000, he said. The Rams won the Super Bowl in 2000. Wingo’s response drew laughter from the media members in the room.

Wingo was also a bit nervous in his first game and part of the second game this season, he admitted. He’s obviously calmed down and has even corrected some mistakes, like swinging the ball wide on runs.

What made him realize he could calm down?

“They bleed just like I bleed,” Wingo said of defenders.

— De’Anthony Curtis has been very impressive to Petrino this season, especially with his blocking out of the backfield and his tackling on kickoff coverage. He was the team’s special teams player of the week last week, Petrino said.

On a funny note, Petrino calls the running back-turned-fullback a “flyback,” because true running backs don’t like being called fullbacks.

Curtis certainly looked fly on that 5-yard touchdown reception against Texas A&M.

— A little more on the running backs, Petrino says he’s been impressed by Knile Davis. He did get in after a couple of Broderick Green runs didn’t get in the end zone early against A&M. He didn’t get a carry on that play, but he was used as a play-action threat.

Davis is another one of those big-back threats.

— Freshman CB Darius Winston hurt his ankle Thursday and was held out of the game Saturday Petrino was expecting to get him some more snaps against the Aggies.. Petrino is unsure if he’ll be ready for the Auburn game.

— Dennis Johnson (thigh bruise) was swollen this morning in treatment. Unknown if he’ll be ready to go and continue his duties as the Hogs’ go-to kickoff return man. If not, Joe Adams (two returns for 41 yards against A&M), will pick up the returns.

— WR London Crawford, who broke his collarbone in the season opener Sept. 5, dressed out and participated in warm-up drills Saturday. He didn’t play, obviously, but he could be cleared for contact this week at practice, Petrino says. The senior is expected to be X-rayed this week to see how he’s healing.

— Not many similarities between Texas A&M’s hurry-up offense and Auburn’s offense under coordinator Gus Malzahn, Petrino says.

There is a lot of carry over from last season, when the Hogs defeated Tulsa, 30-23. Malzahn was the offensive coordinator that season.

— Auburn head coach Gene Chizik and Petrino have a connection. Chizik was the defensive coordinator for the Tigers while Petrino coached there as the offensive coordinator in 2002.

Petrino says he knows Chizik real well.

We’ll see how that translates with the Hogs’ offensive attack against the Tigers’ defense come Saturday at 11 a.m.

— Brandon Marcello

Plenty of stories from Arkansas’ 47-19 win are up on WholeHogSports.com this morning, and here’s a new video to check out complete with post-game reaction.

With that in mind, and after you read and hear what the coaches and players had to say, tell us what you think.

As for my thoughts? The difference in the game was the adjustments by the defensive and offensive coaching staffs after the first two possessions. All of a sudden the defensive line started getting pressure, forcing Jerrod Johnson into hurried throws, and Ryan Mallett started to look poised in the pocket. And how about Joe Adams‘ night? He had more yards after the catch, possibly, than he has all season. He’s a playmaker.

Next up is a difficult and undefeated Auburn team, led by Gus Malzahn’s offensive attack. I think the Hogs have a bit of an advantage there having seen Malzahn’s offense already against Tulsa last year. It also helps that the Razorbacks just played and beat a high-powered, hurry-up offense in Arlington, Texas.

So what are your thoughts? Grade the Hogs and let us know your thoughts. I’ll chime in again when we get off the road and arrive in Fayetteville.

— Brandon Marcello

I had the chance to take a two-hour tour of Cowboys Stadium today, and I have to say I am more than impressed with the $1.2 billion Taj Mahal of football.

Words can’t even do it justice. Everything you’ve seen of the stadium on TV won’t even prepare you for what you’re in store for Saturday if you’re heading down to Arlington, Texas to see Arkansas and Texas A&M in the Southwest Classic.

For now, check out this sneak peek video I put together which includes the unveiling of the Hogs’ end zone at Cowboys Stadium.

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

— Brandon Marcello

It’s time to make your picks on the blog, tell us how you see the game developing and then head on over to Hog Call and win some Arkansas vs. Auburn tickets by showing your picking prowess. Congrats to Phil Worthen for winning tickets last week for correctly picking all 18 games.

Make your picks and win some tix.

As you may have heard in our Game Day Edition of the WholeHogCast, I picked Arkansas over Texas A&M, 31-21. Why? The Hogs are tested and are out to prove that this season isn’t going to keep going down a road of failure. Texas A&M, on the other hand, is about to be shown for its weaknesses on the offensive front and in the running game.

I also think Ryan Mallett bounces back in this game with a good showing, throwing for about 250 yards while the running backs get about 150 yards in a rather easy win for the Hogs.

Even if it’s not a pretty game, it’ll at least look pretty on the high-definition screens hanging above the field at Cowboys Stadium.

Don’t forget to join our Slophouse group (group name: The Slophouse; password: slop) in our Hog Call U-Pick-Em contest to compete against me and other Slophouse fans for a chance at winning two tickets to the next Fayetteville game.

Share your picks below. By the way, who’s heading to Arlington?

— Brandon Marcello

Some, if not all of Arkansas’ players, are unaware of the history and tradition between Arkansas and Texas A&M. After all, it’s been 18 years since the two schools have played and Arkansas bolted for the Southwest Conference for the Southeastern Conference. Even the coaches are not making a big deal out of the former SWC rivalry.

At Arkansas, this Saturday is all about bouncing back from a two-game losing streak.

At Texas A&M, the Aggies are looking for some national respect after starting the season 3-0 against several weaker opponents.

With that in mind, and with the Southwest Classic drawing upon fans’ nostalgia, we contacted longtime Texas A&M beat reporter Robert Cessna of The Eagle in College Station, Texas to sort it all out and give us some history and perspective from the other side.

Slophouse: The big talk this week is that Texas A&M is untested, although seemingly dangerous on offense and defense. You’ve had a first-hand look at this team these first few weeks, and I know the easy out is to say, “Let’s wait until after the Arkansas game,” but just how good is this Aggies team in your opinion?

Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson, pictured here against Miami on Sept. 20, 2008, has been turning heads in recent games. (Wade Barker/Texas A&M Athletics)

Cessna: The team has the most overall team speed in several years. They’ve also simplified the offensive and defensive schemes, which has allowed the younger players to play faster. Speed translates into playmakers with players like DE-LB Von Miller, QB Jerrod Johnson and RB Christine Michael leading the way. A&M, though, hasn’t played a team with any foot speed, which you eluded to.

Slophouse: We’ve been hearing all week about QB Jerrod Johnson and LB Von Miller. Give us your brief take on those two playmakers on offense and defense, and maybe a couple of other players fans should keep an eye out for come Saturday in Cowboys Stadium.

Cessna: Johnson has hurt teams thus far with his legs as much as his arm. Several of his longest pass completions came after escaping pressure. He throws the deep ball best. He is only 5-7 as a starter and has yet to beat a team with a winning record.

Miller has a rare blend of speed and power. He’s flourished against three spread offenses which have tried to block him solo. I look for Arkansas to use a tight end or running back at times in conjunction with the tackle to cut down on Miller’s bull rush; either that or they run right at him when he’s in the game.

Freshman running back Christine Michael is supposed to be back this week. He runs low, hard and fast.

Freshman cornerback Dustin Harris is a potential gamebreaker as a punt returner. Freshman WR Uzoma Nwachukwu had four touches for four scores against Utah State, and he’s also playing back home.

Backup quarterback/wide receiver Ryan Tannehill has been on the field for less than 40 of A&M’s 257 plays, yet he’s the third leading receiver with 11 catches for a team-leading 201 yards with two scores. Our poll question this week is who is A&M’s best players and Tannehill has a 10-percent lead on Johnson.

Slophouse: How are the Texas A&M players approaching this game? Is this seen as their coming out party or just another non-conference test that just so happens to be at Cowboys Stadium?

Cessna: A few of the players at Monday’s pressure conference said they are approaching it as just another game, but admit that’s tough with national TV, Cowboys Stadium and a name SEC school. A&M has 20 players from the Metroplex, including 10 on the depth chart. They’ve told the others on the squad how important this game is to them. Four starters are from DeSoto High — LB Garrick Williams, RB Cyrus Gray, DT Tony Jerod, Eddie and Miller.

Slophouse: You’ve been working with the Eagle for more than 30 years, what are some of your favorite games between the Hogs and Aggies?

Cessna: A year after I got here, who could forget the meeting in 1975 in Little Rock? The Aggies under Emory Bellard were 10-0 and thinking national championship. The Razorbacks rolled to a 31-6 victory. A&M had allowed only 73 points before that. A&M settled for a SWC tri-championship, but never recovered falling to USC in the Liberty Bowl (20-0).

A&M earned a hard-fought 10-6 victory in 1985 en route to the first of there SWC titles under Jackie Sherrill. Of course the game that many still talk about in disgust is Arkansas’ 23-22 win at Kyle Field in 1989, which was the last year the Razorbacks won the SWC by a game over the Aggies. A fourth-down pass interference call kept alive Arkansas’ game-winning 70-yard drive. The call was by line judge Ron Underwood, who played for Arkansas in the 1950s and at the time lived in Little Rock. A&M also relished its 13-3 win in the league finale between the two in 1991, which was on ESPN.

Slophouse: How do you see the game developing Saturday?

Cessna: I think both teams gotta feel they need to score at least 40 to win — provided all these underclassmen on both teams aren’t in awe of Jerry’s World for the first quarter before they get rolling. I think Arkansas has a huge edge in that it has played two quality teams. The Razorbacks know their weaknesses and will game plan around them. There’s also a sense of urgency for them at 1-2.

I’ll take the Hogs by a field goal. Then again, there is a local official calling Big 12 games for the first time. And, if he’s working the game, this could get down to an official’s call.

Slophouse: Thanks for the time, Robert. We’ll see you in Arlington.

— Brandon Marcello

Arkansas’ safety situation is still up in the air, but Elton Ford and Tramain Thomas will both play Saturday against Texas A&M, Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said today.

OT DeMarcus Love sat out practice Tuesday, but is ready to play in Saturday’s game, Petrino said. Love’s knee swelled in the second half the ‘Bama game.

Here are some other notes:

Arkansas junior punter Briton Forester kicks during an August practice at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/WILLIAM MOORE)

— Punters Dylan Breeding and Briton Forester told me in August that they were pretty sure they could hit the large scoreboard hanging over the turf at Cowboys Stadium. They said they may even try to sky a few to the bottom of the board, which is 90 feet above the turf, during warmups.

But don’t expect Petrino to give them a chance tomorrow afternoon when the Hogs have a walk-through at the $1.2 billion stadium.

“I think they’re even going to turn on the jumbotron — super jumbotron, whatever it’s called [during the walkthrough],” Petrino said, cracking a smile before adding, “But we’re not going to punt the ball. We’re not going to try to hit it when we punt.”

– How does Arkansas handle late kickoffs on the road? Well, they shift things a bit with meetings and wake-up calls.

On Saturday, the agenda will look something like this:

• 9:15 – 9:30 a.m.: Wake-up call and breakfast

• Morning walk through at a local high school or maybe even the hotel parking lot

• A special teams meeting in the morning, instead of Friday night as usual.

Other than that, “we try to do some things to make the clock tic a little quicker,” Petrino said. “It still seems like it won’t go very fast.”

— Petrino says this has been the best week from a team leadership standpoint all season. Obviously, they want to bounce out of a 1-2 hole.

“The coaches haven’t had to do a lot of the encouraging,” Petrino explained. “… That’s been good. That shows pride and that shows they really want to get this thing right.”

— Brandon Marcello

There’s been quite a few interesting, insightful and upfront comments from players and coaches in the last week. It all started with Bobby Petrino’s opening comments after the 35-7 loss at Alabama and hasn’t really let up during preparation for Texas A&M.

Here are a few quotables this week which I enjoyed. You’ll be seeing a couple in one of my Razorback Game Day stories.

We didn’t play the way we were capable of playing, and that’s on me. That’s on me. I didn’t get them to believe that we could come in here and win the game.

— Coach Bobby Petrino after 35-7 loss at No. 3 Alabama

We know that nothing is going to happen if we just sit back and cry about it, so we come to work. We’re trying to see who’s going to be that first one to have that breakout game and breakout play. I’m working to be the first one. I should be; I should have been a long time ago.

— RB Michael Smith

I do see that. I can’t necessarily say this will be a good game for that to happen, but I know it’s going to come around. We have too many good ‘backs not to have more rushing yards. It’s not all on them. It’s on the tight ends and the offensive line to move the line of scrimmage. We need to take more pride in that and not just throw the ball on every down. That’s something the coaches told us and we’re going to take as a challenge to help our running backs out.

— TE D.J. Williams on whether he sees Hogs’ running backs having breakout game against Texas A&M

We’ve got to stop making mistakes that are costing the team. We’ve got to stop getting penalties. We have to stop accepting average. We have to improve the level of play.

The offensive line is costing this whole team right now. [Quarterback Ryan] Mallett’s standing back there and getting hit on every play. That’s a reflection on the whole team.

This crap happened last year and it’s got to stop. We have to make up our minds to put an end to it.

What I’m mad about is problems fixed with penalties, giving up sacks and missed assignments. It’s not about stats. It’s our fault. We have to put an extra focus on it.

— OG Mitch Petrus

It’s fun, it’s exciting, to play in a place like that. Other people don’t get to experience that, so we want to make the best out of it and make sure to give it our all, but at the same time take in everything and hopefully not get distracted by that JumboTron.

— TE D.J. Williams on playing in Cowboys Stadium

Lemme stop ‘ya right there, Hoss. We’re not trying to build up a rivalry, we’re just trying to go out and get a win.

— OG Mitch Petrus on playing A&M

We can’t wait. I’ve never been in the Taj Mahal before.

— Coach Bobby Petrino on Cowboys Stadium

This last one is pretty self explanatory.

It’s a must-win. You can’t lose three in a row and expect to be the team that we want to be, the team that the Arkansas fans expect us to be.

— RB Michael Smith

Stick around here on the Slophouse for much more, including a couple of videos this afternoon, our game predictions, more updates after practice and our weekly “Other Side” feature.

You can quote me on that.

— Brandon Marcello

Nolan Richardson was back in town this morning at a speaking engagement, and we had a chance to sit down with the former Razorbacks coach to talk about his recent jump into the WNBA.

Richardson, 67, was introduced as the coach and general manager of a proposed WNBA team in Tulsa, Okla., on Tuesday. Investors are hopeful they can start an expansion franchise or move a current team to the city by next season. Richardson says he expects to hear word one way or the other about the franchise by Oct. 15.

Nolan Richardson

Until then, it’s marketing the team and getting people to buy tickets to show the WNBA that Tulsa is a valuable market.

Richardson leaves for Tulsa tomorrow to start work with investors. Right now it’s all about drumming up support and selling tickets.

“I’m in the groundwork and that’s what maybe intrigued me more,” said Richardson. “… If it doesn’t happen, at least they gave their best shot and I’m going to try to give my best shot.”

In addition to general manager and head coaching duties, Richardson will also be vice president of the proposed franchise, he said.

On the court, Richardson is looking forward to getting back to his coaching roots. He’s still the only coach to ever win an NIT, junior college and NCAA national championship. The former Hogs coach won a national title at Arkansas in 1994 and coached the UA to three Final Fours.

After spending seven years away from coaching full time, he realizes his men’s coaching career is “over with.”

“I still love the game, and since I still love the game and they’re asking me if I can do some things on the women’s side, well, I’ve got the time,” Richardson said. “I feel I can do what I did in my career on the men’s side, on the women’s side.”

There are other positives for Richardson. Living so close to Tulsa was certainly a selling point. He has property in Tulsa as well and will live there, but isn’t looking to leave Fayetteville anytime soon.

“That’s a huge factor,” Richardson explained. “This is home. We’ve got a ranch here and it makes it a little bit easier if I can get back and forth.”

If Tulsa does get a WNBA franchise, don’t expect Richardson to change his coaching style. There will be plenty more 40 minutes of hell at the BOK Center once the season starts next May.

“I don’t want a game where we play half-court basketball and six girls play,” Richardson said. “I haven’t done that since my first two years as a coach in high school. After that, I changed. I have to have athletes who can run and trap, pitch the ball and hopefully you find some with [basketball] IQ.”

Last December, when Richardson took part in a press conference announcing that he and the 1994 national championship team would be honored in March at Bud Walton Arena, he faced plenty of questions. Most notably was whether the coach would attend more games at the arena after, it seemed, some wounds had been healed after his firing at the school in 2002.

Well, if Richardson and the Tulsa investors secure a WNBA franchise, you can expect the coach to be in the house he helped build on a regular basis.

Why?

He’ll be there to scout talent.

“I’ll probably be up there quite a bit now,” Richardson said. “All the teams in the Southeastern Conference, they’ve got players. I’m in the backyard of the players. It’ll eliminate a lot of traveling. I just go out my backyard and in 10 minutes I’m at the campus. That’s a plus for me.”

After seven years of avoiding Bud Walton Arena, Richardson joked last December that he almost parked his car in current Arkansas men’s basketball coach John Pelphrey’s parking spot prior to a press conference. If Tulsa secures a WNBA franchise, the UA may just have to set aside a parking spot for the former Hogs coach.

Video of Richardson explaining his decision, and his thoughts on the women’s game is below.

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

— Brandon Marcello

Bobby Petrino got a chance to clear the air after the ugly 35-7 loss to Alabama today, and also shared some insight into the Hogs’ psyche heading into the Texas A&M game on Saturday in Cowboys Stadium.

— When asked for some areas of the team that showed improvement during the Alabama game, Petrino only mentioned the defense, filling gaps on run defense and pursuing runners.

Petrino opened his press conference reflecting on Alabama today by saying, “You can’t take anything away from them. There’s a reason they’re No. 3 in the country, but I expected us to play better offensively. Defensively, we improved. We improved in the first half, we improved stopping the run. We still have to eliminate big plays.”

The Hogs gave up touchdown plays of 50, 52 and 80 yards.

— A lot of focus today on Ryan Mallett’s struggles against Alabama, obviously. Petrino backed off some criticism today and explained that every quarterback has a game like Ryan Mallett had against the Tide.

“It was a first, but I didn’t give myself a chance,” Mallett said of his 12-of-35 passing performance for 160 yards and 1 touchdown with 1 interception. “I wasn’t getting set in the pocket and setting my feet. I didn’t give my team a chance to win. I hurt my team with the way I played and I can’t do that anymore.”

— Arkansas is excited to play in Cowboys Stadium. Twenty players on the roster are from Texas, Petrino says. In fact, Mallett was a big fan of the Dallas Cowboys growing up.

“Always. Since I was born,” he said.

Mallett played in the old Texas Stadium three times during high school.

The new Cowboys Stadium is huge. Safety Matt Harris is so impressed and amazed by some amenities that he joked that the high-definition screen over the center of the field looks fake.

“We’re not going to let that distract us and what we do,” Mallett said of playing in Cowboys Stadium.

— Texas A&M was compared, at least offensively, to the Tulsa offense the Hogs faced last season. The comparisons came from safety Matt Harris and defensive end Tenarius Wright today.

The Aggies lead the nation in total offense, but haven’t been tested by any tough teams this season. Their head coach, Mike Sherman, even realizes it.

“You have to keep it in perspective,” the Aggies coach said today during a teleconference. “We haven’t played a team the likes of Arkansas yet, or any of the Big 12 opponents. So it’s a little bit skewed that way.

“It’s important, as I remind people here, that yhou have to keep things in perspective.”

— As for why the media didn’t get a chance to talk to the Arkansas assistant coaches after the ‘Bama game, Petrino drew a few chuckles with his explanation.

“It’s a misunderstanding,” Petrino said. “After the game, I did get on the players and the last thing I said, ‘Guys, let’s get in the shower, get dressed and get on the bus.’ The coaches did the same thing, so by the time [media relations director] Zack [Higbee] came in to get the coordinators I guess they were on the bus.

“It wasn’t something like, ‘Hey, they’re not talking to the assistant coaches or anything like that.’ We get our butts kicked, they need to face the music just like I do. I’d rather say, ‘Hey, I’m on the bus and you talk to the coordinators.’ We can do that if it ever happens again,” Petrino continued, prompting a few laughs.”

Much more throughout the week on WholeHogSports.com and in your editions of the Northwest Arkansas Times and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

— Brandon Marcello

Former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson will be named the head coach of a potential WNBA franchise in Tulsa on Tuesday, according to the Tulsa World.

A group of investors are attempting to secure a franchise in Tulsa. If they are successful, Richardson will be its coach.

A press conference is set for 5 p.m. Tuesday.

We’ll update if we hear more.

— Brandon Marcello

Wondering what Willy Robinson’s reaction was after his defensive unit gave up 35 points to Alabama? Well, so do we.

Arkansas’ coordinators did not speak with the media Saturday after their 35-7 loss. It’s the first time I can remember that happening. Maybe since the Hogs lost in Alabama they had to adhere to ‘Bama coach Nick Saban’s rules (he doesn’t allow coordinators to speak to the media).

Ryan Mallett was visibly upset after the Hogs' 35-7 loss at No. 3 Alabama. (Brandon Marcello)

Bobby Petrino did say on his show, “Inside Razorback Football,” last night that the defense made a “giant step” against Alabama. While the final score may not show it, the defense did show improvement. The Alabama running game was shut down and, as Petrino pointed out, if you take out a 52-yard run by Trent Richardson, the Hogs would have held the Tide for a 2.0 yards per carry.

That’s a big IF. I’m sure the Hogs would also love to take away the 50-, 52- and 80-yard touchdown plays as well. But that’s just not possible and that’s the Hogs’ defensive weakness right now — the big plays.

Well, that and poor tackling.

Whatever the case for not bringing out the assistants to address the media Saturday, we’ll have to wait until later this week to see and hear the assistants’ take on last week and this week’s preparations leading up to the Southwest Classic against Texas A&M at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Petrino and selected players are expected to speak with the media today starting at 1:30 p.m., so keep it on the Slophouse and Twitter (@wholehogsports) for updates. Until then, here are some morning links to enjoy with your morning coffee.

LATEST from WholeHogSports.com.
— Mallett: Execution, not confidence at root of problems
By Brandon Marcello — Monday Morning Scouting ReportBy Terry Wood — HOG CALLS : Hogs vs. Aggies to furnish gut checkBy Nate Allen — It’s woe-and-2 in SEC all over againBy Bob Holt— Razorbacks rewindBy Tom Murphy

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

— The invisible cloak will be removed from Mike Sherman’s Texas A&M team this week, writes Jimmy Burch of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The Aggies (3-0) have played nothing but cupcakes, but lead the nation in total offense and sacks.

“That’s a pretty impressive double, regardless of who you’ve been playing,” Burch opines.

— Texas A&M’s Von Miller is one to keep an eye on Saturday. He has 7 1/2 sacks in the first three games. Wow. Don’t forget about dual-threat quarterback Jerrod Johnson. He threw for 3 touchdowns and ran for 3 touchdowns against UAB on Saturday.

— Arkansas is the most disappointing team in the SEC so far this season, writes ESPN’s Chris Low. He has the Hogs slotted ninth in his SEC Power Rankings.

— And how about some laughter? John Morgan of The League blog on the Washington Post Web site shares what it would be like if Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis fired everyone from the organization.

Darren McFadden was nearby, sobbing openly and pressing his wrists to his brow.

“This is just such a happy day,” gushed McFadden. “You think you get drafted by the Raiders and that’s it, your NFL dream is over. But then you get fired and it’s like a second chance.”

— Brandon Marcello

2 p.m.: Arkansas is going to have problems hanging onto the ball today, as will Alabama. The Razorback receivers had a hard time catching balls in warmups, including Lucas Miller who dropped two by my count. Miller has been out of action since he broke his collarbone Aug. 20.

Some initial thoughts: Miller looks rusty … the field is already starting to show some wear and tear near the end zones where the Hogs and Tide have been running pre-game drills … the student section is rowdy … the sound system here is awfully loud … and expect a lot of running if the rain doesn’t let up.

Follow my updates on Twitter via @wholehogsports.

—–

1:45 p.m.: Made it to the stadium about two hours ago when it was muggy. Now it’s muggy and raining. It’s been pouring for the last half hour and it’s going to be very interesting to see how Arkansas comes out and attacks the weather and the Crimson Tide.

Bryant-Denny Stadium just before the rain clouds started to dump the wet stuff in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Brandon Marcello)

Wet weather usually suits a defensive battle, and with the Hogs’ defense being very suspect, one wonders how this could turn out in wet conditions. We’ll find out in about an hour.

While heading into the stadium I ran into a former Tide player, who will be honored on the field at halftime today with his teammates from the 1979 national championship team.

That ‘Bama team defeated Arkansas, 24-9, in the Sugar Bowl to garner recognition as the national champions.

The video is below with more from former Tide offensive guard Vince Cowell, who shares his thoughts on Bear Bryant and he also has some thoughts on today’s game between the Tide and the Razorbacks.

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

(Sorry for the hiccup in the middle of the video with the repeat. It’s being fixed.)

Keep it here and the comments section for updates and analysis from the game.

— Brandon Marcello

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It’s Game Day in Alabama, and  Bryant-Denny Stadium won’t be the only place you’ll hear loud clapping today. Thunder will be rolling through the clouds and side streets this afternoon.

Storms have already started to form around the city, and the National Weather Service is calling for a 90 percent chance of storms after 10 a.m. today. If you’re in town and coming to the game, make sure to wear your rain gear. But if you can’t make it, stick with me on the Slophouse and on Twitter (@wholehogsports) and (@bmarcello) for updates throughout the day.

If you are coming to the game, be aware that a large amount of parking may be unavailable because of the sloppy conditions. Click here for details.

Here are a few links to get you caught up and primed for today’s game.

— For those of you checking out games on TV, be on the lookout for Florida’s Tim Tebow. Reports are coming in that he may have swine flu. (Palm Beach Post)

— Alabama has a highlight video of last season’s 49-14 ‘Bama win. Most noticeable is a section showing the Hogs’ ineptness on the goal line. Will that be big again today? (RollTide.com)

— The mystique at Bryant-Denny Stadium is back, say the Crimson Tide. They haven’t lost here since a 21-14 disappointment to ULM in 2007. (Tuscaloosa News)

We have 10 stories revolving around the football Razorbacks today on WholeHogSports.com, not counting our special “Other Side” and “Picks and Pans” features. Check them out below and make sure to keep it here today for more updates.

— Hogs out when facing third down
— Position-by-position matchups
— Hogs hope to rise to challenge of Tide
— Super sophomores
— Childs manning up after slow spring
— Personnel, coach key to Alabama’s success with 3-4
— UA Game Day Matchups — Alabama
— Head to Head: LB Wendel Davis vs. RB Mark Ingram
— The Other Side: Q&A with an Alabama beat writer
— Picks and Pans: CBS’ Danielson misuses metaphors

— Brandon Marcello

It’s wild how things cycle around. With Houston Nutt, Arkansas’ head football coach from 1998-2007, not at the helm of Ole Miss, the Rebels are without a doubt the Razorbacks most natural rival.

That was also the case in the 1950s and early 1960s when Johnny Vaught’s Rebels were in their hey days. Arkansas not only measured itself by Texas but also Ole Miss.

But after the 1961 season, Arkansas dropped its series with the Rebels. Though the Hogs lost to Ole Miss and Archie Manning in the 1970 Sugar Bowl, Arkansas would not play the Rebels again in the regular season until Sept.26, 1981.

On that date, the Hogs and Rebs met for an early season undefeated showdown in Jackson, Miss. Around 25,000 rabid Arkies made the trip to help create an at-the-time record Ole Miss crowd of 63,552.

That gathering was treated to an excellent game that saw UA defensive end Billy Ray Smith Jr. chase Ole Miss quarterback John Forcade all over the field.

Late in the fourth quarter, the Lou Holtz-coached Razorbacks held a tenuous 20-13 lead that the Rebels were threatening. But under duress, Forcade launched a pass across his body from the left hash to the right boundary. Razorback cornerback Danny Walters jumped the route, intercepted the pass and raced 87 yards for the game-clenching touchdown and a 27-13 road victory. — Compiled by Terry J. Wood

It’s time to make your picks on the blog, tell us how you see the game developing and then head on over to Hog Call and win some Arkansas vs. Auburn tickets by showing your picking prowess. Congrats to Bryan Jernigan for winning tickets last week for correctly picking all the games.

Make your picks and win some tix.

As you may have heard in our Game Day Edition of the WholeHogCast, I picked Alabama over the Hogs, 34-21. Why? I think Alabama doesn’t score more than 40 points because Nick Saban and Co. will instead opt for the run, as the Razorbacks’ offense is slowed tremendously by the pressure of the Tide’s front four.

Ryan Mallett will be ineffective at times as he’ll be antsy on his feet. Get some screen passes going and make the Tide respect the run, and this could be a different ball game.

Don’t forget to join our Slophouse group (group name: The Slophouse; password: slop) in our Hog Call U-Pick-Em contest to compete against me and other Slophouse fans for a chance at winning two tickets to the next Fayetteville game.

Share your picks below.

— Brandon Marcello

In the course of promoting CBS’ coverage of the Southeastern Conference in general  and the network’s 2:30 p.m. Saturday broadcast of the Arkansas-Alabama game in particular, analyst Gary Danielson, the former Detriot Lions and Cleveland Browns quarterback, said he liked the cocky attitude of Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett.

“Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett who has transferred from Michigan, has gone from the Bluest of Blue to the Reddest of Red,” Danielson said in a CBS news release. “He is one of the cockiest people I have come around in my 15 years of doing this. And I love him for it. He is really going to be an interesting player for us to watch in the conference.”

Danielson added that the Razorbacks-Crimson Tide contest pits one of the best passing coaches against one of the best coaches at defending the pass in Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino and Alabama head coach Nick Saban.

“This game really crystallizes why this conference has exploded and gotten tougher and tougher every year that I have been covering the SEC,” Danielson said. “Now with the league has another coach, Bobby Petrino, who is a national expert in the passing game. If you talk to anyone in the country about who knows how to throw the ball, if you are going to name two guys, he’s one of the two. He is going to go against the No. 1 guy in defending the pass in Nick Saban. Again, this game crystallizes why this conference has become must see TV. It’s become almost a mini NFL. Arkansas is not as good, but they are so good at what they do.”

— Terry Wood

Linebacker Jerry Franklin — a quiet and shy sophomore — approached the podium inside Razorback Stadium after practice Wednesday and apologized for his actions described as “uncharacteristic” Saturday night against Georgia.

Franklin was ejected in the second quarter of Arkansas’ 52-41 loss to Georgia on Saturday night after he pushed two Georgia players and bumped into an official. He picked up two unsportsmanlike penalties.

“I’d like to apologize about what happened,” Franklin said today, just above a whisper. “I take full responsibility for both penatlies. Pushing the players wasn’t right and bumping into the referee wasn’t right. I apologize to the officiating crew.”

Franklin said he sent an apology letter to Arkansas Chancellor David Gearhart and the SEC officiating crew.

After Franklin left the game, the Bulldogs busted an 80-yard touchdown run, which sliced the area Franklin usually would have covered well on the field. His backup, Terrell Williams, was also picked on by the Bulldogs’ offense throughout the game.

“It was heartbreaking watching your team go out there and battle, and knowing you can’t be with them,” Franklin said.

It was an uncharacteristic move by the redshirt sophomore, defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. Franklin has been “humbled” after the incident and is “remorseful,” Robinson explained.

“Jerry is a quiet guy. For him to lose his control the other day was not his nature to do that,” Robinson said. “He’s a very quiet, humble guy. Vocally, off the field, he’s not going to say much. He’s where he’s supposed to be, doing the things he’s supposed to do. He’s been very disciplined.”

Franklin is expected to start against No. 3 Alabama on Saturday, Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino said Monday.

For more, make sure to check out WholeHogSports.com for comprehensive Razorbacks coverage from the writers of the Northwest Arkansas Times and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

— Brandon Marcello

Georgia coach Mark Richt was asked during a teleconference today to share his thoughts on Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, who Richt got to see first hand Saturday in Fayetteville during a 52-41 win for the Bulldogs.

Mallett threw for a school-record 408 yards and 5 touchdowns in the loss.

Richt said Mallett was deadly accurate and that his 6-foot-7 frame does nothing but help with his accuracy as he can stand in the pocket without having to roll out to see over his linemen. It also helps, Richt said, having three “very fast, talented” receivers at your disposal.

“When you have coach (Bobby) Petrino’s expertise at getting things done, I got a feeling they’re going to throw for a lot of yards against a lot of people and score a lot of points throughout the year,” Richt said.

As Richt concluded his answer, there was a pause on the phone line for the next question. But before the next question could be asked, Richt quipped:

“One more thing on him,” he said. “I think he’s eligible for the NFL after this year, so I would really think it’d be a good idea for him to check that out.”

Mallett will be three years removed from high school after his redshirt sophomore year and, technically, could enter the NFL draft. Surely Richt would like to see that since the Razorbacks travel to Georgia next season.

— Defensive end Damario Ambrose will face “in house” discipline from coach Bobby Petrino after an arrest Tuesday for a failure to appear.

Petrino addressed the situation on the weekly SEC teleconference.

The coach said he spoke with Ambrose about the arrest.

Here are the details of the arrest from Bob Holt of the Democrat-Gazette:

A bench warrant was issued for Ambrose after he failed to appear in Johnson City Court on a speeding ticket he received on Jan. 7, according to the clerk’s office. The bench warrant was issued in February.

Ambrose was arrested by Fayetteville police at 9:55 a.m. Tuesday and was released at 12:05 p.m. according to the Washington County Sherriff’s Office Web site.

Cornerback Ramon Broadway was arrested earlier this season for a failure to appear and did not miss any playing time.

Speaking of defense, Petrino was asked if he sensed some problems with his defense last week during practice before the Georgia game. The defense gave up 530 yards and allowed 52 points.

“There weren’t any signs in practice,” Petrino said. “We still are better on defense than we were a year ago.”

— Brandon Marcello

It’s still early in the season and little is for certain. But here’s how I see the SEC stacking up after last week’s games. If you disagree or even agree, let us know why.

1. Florida    (3-1, 1-0)    Gators looked human last week against Vols.
2. Alabama (3-0, 0-0)    How many points can the Tide roll to on Arkansas?
3. Auburn    (3-0, 1-0)    You have to say “War Eagle” when you get on the Gus Bus.
4. LSU    (3-0, 1-0)    How good a coach is Les Miles, anyway?
5. Ole Miss    (2-0, 0-0)    Have a hard time believing the Rebs are this good.
6. Kentucky    (2-0, 0-0)    Should the Gators be on upset alert at Lexington?
7. Georgia    (2-1, 2-0)    Bulldogs are searching for their defense.
8. South Carolina    (2-1, 0-1) Gamecocks look a little schizophrenic this season.
9. Mississippi State    (2-1, 1-1)    One conference win gives Bulldogs nod over Hogs and Vols
11. Arkansas    (1-1, 0-1)    Hogs play against two defenses each week — their opponent’s and their own.
11. Tennessee    (1-2, 0-1) Vols are  as anemic on offense as Arkansas is on defense.
12. Vanderbilt    (1-2, 0-2)    Bobby Johnson deserves a better job.

Arkansas, obviously, needs to get the running game cranked up to have a chance against No. 3 Alabama on the road, and it’s something the Hogs were working on Tuesday.

Here are a few notes after chatting with players this evening.

— RB Michael Smith tells us the Hogs worked “extra hard” on short-yardage situations on offense, and they’ll continue to do so Wednesday and Thursday.

– We’ve been hearing a lot about the emergence of sophomore receiver Greg Childs, who had 140 yards and 2 touchdowns against Georgia. At one point during the spring, Childs’ life was a bit of a whirlwind of negativity. He wasn’t doing too well in the class room and was struggling on the practice field. On top of all that, he had to battle pneumonia.

“[Childs' parents] came up here and took a bunch of time to really help him and met with our coaches,” head coach Bobby Petrino said Monday. “Greg found out how much we really care for him and love him and really want him on our team.”

What resulted is a fantastic start to the season. He gained weight, and put his mind and body totally into football. Fellow receiver Jarius Wright, who played alongside Childs at Warren (Ark.) High School, had Childs’ ear throughout the spring and summer.

“Since we are so close, I put it straight to him,” Wright recalls. “I bascially told him, ‘Quit being a baby, man, and just toughen up and come on.’ It’s hard for us all. We’ve just got to go out and do it everyday. It’s not going to get any easier. You’re going to do the same thing anywhere else and you might as well stay and work hard here. I think it paid off.”

Wide receiver Lucas Miller, shown here during an 87-yard touchdown during the Hogs' game against Mississippi State on Nov. 22, 2008 in Starkville, Miss., broke a collarbone last month but should play Saturday at Alabama. (FILE PHOTO/Democrat-Gazette)

— Lucas Miller shedded his yellow, no-contact jersey this afternoon and was full-tilt ready this afternoon in practice.

“We got that ugly thing off of me,” Miller said.

Miller broke a collarbone in three places during a practice Aug. 20, but surgery, a metal plate and nine screws on his collarbone have him ready to hit the field and finish out his senior season.

He said he got the official go-ahead from the coaching staff this morning. Petrino told the media Monday that Miller would be back on the field against the Crimson Tide.

Miller said he tried persuade the coaching staff to let him play against Georgia.

Realistically, just how much playing time does Miller expect Saturday?

“I hope a lot,” he said. “I’m excited and I think I can help. I’m there for whatever the team needs me to do.”

He could get a lot of playing time Saturday. Petrino said after the Hogs’ loss Saturday that they need to rotate more receivers in the game to keep stars like Wright, Childs and Joe Adams fresh.

The good news is that Miller perfectly fits the bill as an experienced receiver. He nearly set a school record for receiving yards with 201 on 10 catches last season on the road at Mississippi State.

“I think I’ve got a couple of those left in me,” he said.

Make sure to check out WholeHogSports.com for much more Razorbacks coverage, including the daily Razorbacks Report, features and more from the writers of the Northwest Arkansas Times and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

— Brandon Marcello

Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, who broke two passing records in a loss to Georgia on Saturday, is being tabbed by one NFL expert as the top quarterback prospect in the SEC.

That’s right. Better than Ole Miss’ Jevan Snead and Florida’s Tim Tebow.

Here’s more from Corey Chavous of DraftNasty.com:

ESPN’s Shaun King said it on TV, and now I’m starting to believe it. Mallett, at 6-foot-7 and 248 pounds, is the top NFL prospect in the SEC at QB.  He made every throw you want to see a premier QB make Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Mallett got some glowing praise from his former Michigan coach, Lloyd Carr, today during a speaking engagement in Athens, Ga.

Carr was fired at Michigan after the 2007 season, prompting the hiring of then-West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez. Seeing he wouldn’t get much playing time in the new offensive system, Mallett transferred to Arkansas in 2008.

After sitting out a year due to NCAA transfer rules, Mallett is one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, statistically. He’s averaging 358 passing yards through two games, and he set the single-game school record for passing yards (408) and touchdowns (5) in Saturday’s 52-41 loss to Georgia.

“Couldn’t have worked out any better for him,” Carr said, according to Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It’s the perfect situation. I don’t think Georgia is the only team Ryan’s going to do that against. He’s going to put up some big numbers.”

For more on Carr’s praise of Mallett, click here.

— Brandon Marcello

James L. Isch was named the interim president of the NCAA today, nearly a week after NCAA president Myles Brand died after a nine-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Isch was the vice chancellor for finance and administration at the University of Arkansas from 1994-1998 before joining the NCAA, where he most recently served as senior vice president for administration and chief financial officer.

The NCAA Executive Committee will soon start a national search for a permanent replacement. Chair Michael Adams said “there are good days ahead for the Association because of this appointment,” according to NCAA News.

A timetable to find a new president has not been released publicly and further information on such a search will not be shared until after an Oct. 29 meeting of the Executive Committee.

Here’s more from NCAA News:

Adams also declined comment on whether Brand’s successor would be a university president or someone outside of higher education.

“This will be a broad, open, national search for anyone who wishes to apply,” Adams said. “I don’t want to dwell on that today until I’ve had a chance to meet with the full Executive Committee. Our goal today is singular, and that is to introduce the interim president.”

— Brandon Marcello

Arkansas hasn’t found consistency yet with its running game, even though coaches have been trying to find an answer and know yards on the ground are needed if you want to win in the SEC.

With that in mind, I bring you the Question of the Day.

Will Arkansas rush for enough yards to beat Alabama and how many yards on the ground will they need to knock off the third-ranked Crimson Tide?

— Brandon Marcello

The latest edition of the WholeHogCast is now available for download. What do the Hogs have to do to bounce back and upset one of the top teams in the nation?

Where’s the D?: WholeHogSports.com editor Brandon Marcello and Terry Wood break down Arkansas’ 52-41 loss to Georgia and look ahead to the Hogs’ trip to No. 3 Alabama.

Subscribe or listen via iTunes or download the MP3 via our XML feed.

Also make sure to follow @WholeHogSports and @bmarcello on Twitter for the latest updates.

— Brandon Marcello

Here are a few notes from today’s press conference with Bobby Petrino and some of Arkansas’ players.

— Linebacker Jerry Franklin, recepient of two personal foul penalties for shoving a couple of Georgia players in the face and bumping into the back of a referee, will not be suspended and will start against Alabama on Saturday.

— Senior wide receiver Lucas Miller will be back on the field against Alabama. Miller broke his collarbone during a preseason practice on Aug. 20. That should really help Arkansas’ depth at wide receiver. While the receivers have been doing a great job, you could tell the Hogs’ offense was a bit tired near the end of the game when they needed big plays most. Petrino said after the game he’d like to rotate more players in to keep them fresh, especially if a game comes down to the offense needing to run a 2-minute offense.

— Arkansas had two, one-play touchdown drives against the Bulldogs on Saturday. Petrino said the 52-41 loss may have been the first in his career when his offense scored so quickly on two drives.

— As for the running game, put some blame on the offensive line for not helping Broderick Green get into the end zone, Petrino says.

— The Hogs face, obviously, a very dangerous Alabama team on the road Saturday. The No. 3 Crimson Tide will have wide receiver Julio Jones back in the lineup.

— Obviously the Arkansas defense was not stellar Saturday night. Giving up 530 yards is pretty bad. So what was the problem?

“It was definitely our execution,” defensive end Jake Bequette said. “We were in a position to make plays. The effort was there. Just on some of those big plays, we didn’t get the job done.”

Make sure to follow us on Twitter to get the latest updates from events, games and press conferences. For example, we had a lot of updates during today’s press conference. You can follow at @wholehogsports.

— Brandon Marcello

Arkansas’ offense is legit. The bad news? As good as the Razorbacks’ offense is this season, the defense seems to be as equally bad.

Don't break your calculators crunching these big numbers on offense and defense. It's easy to do.

Here’s how the Hogs stack up nationally in several offensive and defensive categories after Week 3. The biggest drops, of course, come from the defense. The Hogs allowed 530 yards of offense in their 52-41 loss to Georgia on Saturday.

We’ll start off with the good news for Arkansas fans — the offensive numbers. Well, the defense’s numbers are offensive but… well, you know what I’m saying.

ARKANSAS OFFENSE IN NATIONAL RANKINGS
Passing Offense: 2 (427.5 ypg)
Total Offense: 2 (538 ypg)
Scoring Offense: 8 (44.5 ppg)
Passing Efficiency: 2 (184.08)

ARKANSAS OFFENSE IN NATIONAL RANKINGS (INDIVIDUALS)
Passing Efficiency: Ryan Mallett, 1 (193.49)
Total Offense: Ryan Mallett, 5 (361.5 ypg)
Receiving ypg: Jarius Wright, 6 (123.5 ypg)
Greg Childs, 23 (95 ypg)
Joe Adams, 86 (62.5 ypg)

As I mentioned after the season opener, Bobby Petrino looks to be getting back on the path he cultivated as an offensive juggernaut at Louisville and Auburn. As an assistant coach or head coach, Petrino’s offenses have ranked in the top 10 nationally six times in total offense, including twice at No. 1.

ARKANSAS DEFENSE IN NATIONAL RANKINGS
Total Defense: 81 (367.5 ypg)
Scoring Defense: 99 (31 ppg)
Pass Defense: 90 (249 ypg)
Pass Efficiency: 116 (173.63)
Run Defense: 49 (118.5 ypg)

In just one game, the Hogs’ pass efficiency dropped a staggering 102 spots, total defense dropped 60 spots, scoring defense 66 spots and pass defense 67 spots. By the way, the majority of you in our “You Make the Grade” post believe the Hogs’ defense earned a grade of “F” against Georgia.

There is a sliver of good news for the Hogs’ defense. They are tied for 21st in the nation in tackles for loss. Also, defensive tackle Malcolm Sheppard is 23rd in the nation and first in the SEC with 1.75 tackles for loss per game.

On special teams, Dennis Johnson is 10th in the nation with an average of 35.6 yards per kickoff return. The team, propelled by Johnson and Cobi Hamilton’s nice reverse return against Georgia, is fifth nationally on kick returns (36.71 yards). Kicker Alex Tejada is tied for fifth nationally with an average of two field goals a game. He’s 14th nationally in scoring.

— Brandon Marcello

Arkansas’ offense is legit. The bad news? As good as the Razorbacks’ offense is this season, the defense seems to be as equally bad.

Don't break your calculators crunching these big numbers on offense and defense. It's easy to do.

Here’s how the Hogs stack up nationally in several offensive and defensive categories after Week 3. The biggest drops, of course, come from the defense. The Hogs allowed 530 yards of offense in their 52-41 loss to Georgia on Saturday.

We’ll start off with the good news for Arkansas fans — the offensive numbers. Well, the defense’s numbers are offensive but… well, you know what I’m saying.

ARKANSAS OFFENSE IN NATIONAL RANKINGS
Passing Offense: 2 (427.5 ypg)
Total Offense: 2 (538 ypg)
Scoring Offense: 8 (44.5 ppg)
Passing Efficiency: 2 (184.08)

ARKANSAS OFFENSE IN NATIONAL RANKINGS (INDIVIDUALS)
Passing Efficiency: Ryan Mallett, 1 (193.49)
Total Offense: Ryan Mallett, 5 (361.5 ypg)
Receiving ypg: Jarius Wright, 6 (123.5 ypg)
Greg Childs, 23 (95 ypg)
Joe Adams, 86 (62.5 ypg)

As I mentioned after the season opener, Bobby Petrino looks to be getting back on the path he cultivated as an offensive juggernaut at Louisville and Auburn. As an assistant coach or head coach, Petrino’s offenses have ranked in the top 10 nationally six times in total offense, including twice at No. 1.

ARKANSAS DEFENSE IN NATIONAL RANKINGS
Total Defense: 81 (367.5 ypg)
Scoring Defense: 99 (31 ppg)
Pass Defense: 90 (249 ypg)
Pass Efficiency: 116 (173.63)
Run Defense: 49 (118.5 ypg)

In just one game, the Hogs’ pass efficiency dropped a staggering 102 spots, total defense dropped 60 spots, scoring defense 66 spots and pass defense 67 spots. By the way, the majority of you in our “You Make the Grade” post believe the Hogs’ defense earned a grade of “F” against Georgia.

There is a sliver of good news for the Hogs’ defense. They are tied for 21st in the nation in tackles for loss. Also, defensive tackle Malcolm Sheppard is 23rd in the nation and first in the SEC with 1.75 tackles for loss per game.

On special teams, Dennis Johnson is 10th in the nation with an average of 35.6 yards per kickoff return. The team, propelled by Johnson and Cobi Hamilton’s nice reverse return against Georgia, is fifth nationally on kick returns (36.71 yards). Kicker Alex Tejada is tied for fifth nationally with an average of two field goals a game. He’s 14th nationally in scoring.

— Brandon Marcello

Is Ryan Mallett a similar topic of discussion in Michigan as Mitch Mustain is in Arkansas?

You’ve read all the stories, given instant feedback, watched the game and now it’s time to grade Arkansas’ performance in its 52-41 loss at home to Georgia.

Make your voice heard, place your votes and then leave your thoughts below in the comments section.

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino drew a personal foul for arguing with a referee, but his offense scored 41 points. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/MICHAEL WOODS)

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It’s an hour before kickoff and a few of the Hogs are out and about on the field tossing the ball around. So are the No. 23 Georgia Bulldogs. While you’ve got the time, make sure to check out all of our Game Day stories on WholeHogSports.com.

Keep it here for coverage and analysis from the game. It’s one you all have been looking forward to for months.

As for the weather, it’s still overcast but the rain and drizzle has stopped. In fact, the windows here in the press box are open. Hope it doesn’t start raining on my laptop.

As for the game blog tonight, we’re going to try something new. Instead of actually updating this post, I’ll be updating through the comments section here on the Game Blog. So make sure to post in the comments section during the game with your questions and your own thoughts on the game. I’ll interact as much as possible.

Also make sure to follow our updates on Twitter via @wholehogsports and @bmarcello.

The cheerleaders are riding into the stadium with Tusk, the Hogs’ live mascot. Game time is almost here, folks.

— Brandon Marcello

Arkansas play-by-play man Chuck Barrett was joined by ESPN color analyst Todd Blackledge in an opportunity to skydive with the U.S. Army Silver Wings on Friday afternoon over Drake Field in Fayetteville. Cloud cover, however, prevented the broadcasters from jumping.

ESPN cameras were there to shoot the action, but after flying around the area looking for a break in the clouds, the jump was called off. Members of the area media were scheduled to jump with the Silver Wings on Friday.

The Silver Wings are scheduled to parachute into Razorback Stadium on Saturday and deliver the game ball prior to kickoff of the Razorbacks’ game with No. 23 Georgia.

Below is some video I shot if you want a preview of just how it’ll look come Saturday prior to kickoff.

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

— Brandon Marcello

Going into the 1998 football season, the SMU Mustangs had owned the Arkansas Razorbacks the three previous seasons, tagging the Hogs with embarrassing early season losses. The Mustangs topped the Razorbacks 17-14 in 1995, 17-7 in 1996 and 31-9 in 1997.

From the time Houston Nutt accepted the job as Arkansas’ head coach in December of 1997, all fans wanted to know was if the Razorbacks could reverse the cycle against their old Southwest Conference foe.

Hog fans has nothing to worry about. On Sept. 19, 1998, the Razorbacks ran roughshod over the Mustangs, 44-17, in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium. Running back Chrys Chukwuma led the way with 142 yards on 17 carries and Clint Stoerner threw for 262 yards and 2 touchdowns to Eric Branch and Hubert Loudermilk.

Anthony Lucas returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown and caught 3 passes for 100 yards. Michael Williams also had 5 catches for 60 yards.

Arkansas’ defense held SMU to 97 yards rushing, forced 5 fumbles and recovered 2 of them and had an interception.

The Razorbacks went on to win their next six games and share the SEC Western Division title with Mississippi State with a 9-2 record. The Hogs faced Michigan in the Florida Citrus Bowl and lost 45-31 to Wolverines, who were quarterbacked by New England star Tom Brady.

Which Razorback will play the most pivotal role  in the Hogs’ game with Georgia?

Will it be cornerback  Rudell Crim playing lock-down defense on Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green?

How about running back Michael Smith toting the mail for the Hogs?

Could it be quarterback Ryan Mallett throwing for 300 yards?

Maybe defensive tackle Michael Sheppard bulling his way to a key sack of UGA quarterback Joe Cox?

Let everyone know what you think as we all get prepared for the Razorbacks’ Southeastern Conference opener.

Questions abound at the Arkansas and Georgia camps this week. For the Razorbacks, it’s whether they can adjust to the speed of the SEC after a laugher of an opener and a bye week. For the Bulldogs, it’s all about bouncing back physically after a nearly four-hour marathon, high-scoring win over South Carolina in Athens, Ga.

Plenty of questions will be answered at 6:45 p.m. in Razorback Stadium on Saturday. Until then, let’s get a fresh perspective on the Georgia Bulldogs. Marc Weiszer, the Georgia beat writer for the Athens Banner-Herald, took some time to answer a few questions about the team he covers. From big-time playmakers, to a struggling defense and “the next Champ Bailey,” Weiszer shares all the goods on the Bulldogs’ rollercoaster start to the season.

The Slophouse: A lot of us have a hard time figuring out this Georgia team. From scoring 10 points against a questionable Oklahoma State defense, to exploding on offense with a 41-37 win over what many thought was a very good South Carolina defense. So why the sudden jump in offensive production?

Marc Weiszer: It certainly helped that Georgia got some quick-strike touchdowns. Brandon Boykin returned a kickoff 100 yards and Branden Smith took a reverse 61 yards for another score. The coaching staff also decided to “let it rip,” in Mark Richt’s words, in treating more players on offense as playmakers. The biggest playmaker, of course, is sophomore wideout A.J. Green and he had six catches for 86 yards and a touchdown in the back of the end zone.

Georgia's Branden Smith out runs South Carolina defenders Darian Stewart (24), Antonio Allen (26) and Jarvis Giles (3) to score on a 61-yard reverse in the second quarter of the Bulldogs' 41-37 win Sept. 12 in Athens, Ga. (AP/John Bazemore)

Slophouse: What’s the mood like with the fans in Athens heading into this game?

Weiszer: I’d say relief and curiosity about what’s ahead. Georgia was staring at its first 0-2 start since 1996 until Rennie Curran knocked down a fourth-down pass near the end zone against South Carolina. The curiosity centers on what’s next for young playmakers like Smith, a freshman cornerback, who just might be the next Champ Bailey. He’s got great speed and Georgia is finding ways to get the ball in his hands on offense. Giving up 37 points to anybody doesn’t sit well with the fan base, but the Bulldogs clamped down in the red zone.

Slophouse: We all know about the big play ability of A.J. Green, but who else on the Georgia offense has a chance to have a big game against the Razorbacks? Why?

Weiszer: Unless Arkansas’ rushing defense has improved over last year, I would say Richard Samuel could be in for a big night. The sophomore enrolled at Georgia at only 16 years of age in January, 2008. He’s averaging 76 yards per game, but the power runner was tougher to bring down against the Gamecocks. Caleb King, who began preseason No. 1 on the depth chart, is expected back from a hamstring injury and is a wild card at tailback.

Slophouse: Bobby Petrino is impressed by Georgia’s run defense, but a look at the stats show the ‘Dogs 10th in the SEC in that category. Are the Bulldogs a threat there defensively and this is just a matter of numbers not translating into reality?

Weiszer: Those numbers might be a bit inflated considering Georgia limited Oklahoma State to 135 yards passing. South Carolina averaged 3.8 yards per carry, but was determined to chuck the ball around. The Gamecocks completed 31 of 53 passes for 313 yards. Geno Atkins, Jeff Owens and Kade Weston are formidable defensive tackles that probably will be playing in the NFL next year.

Slophouse: Describe Saturday’s game in one word.

Weiszer: Toss-up.

Slophouse: Give us your prediction and how you see the game developing.

Weiszer: Since straddling the fence isn’t envied in the prediction business, here’s how I picked the game for my newspaper.

Georgia has more pluses then minuses against the Razorbacks, but before the season started when I looked at the Bulldogs’ schedule, this is the one that screamed out at me as dangerous on the Bulldogs’ September slate. The oddsmakers favor Arkansas by 1 to 1.5 points. The Razorbacks already got a big win last November with an upset of LSU. The thinking here is that they get another against a Georgia team that already went toe-to-toe with Oklahoma State and South Carolina.

Richt said the nearly four-hour game against the Gamecocks “took about every ounce of physical and mental energy we could muster up.” Arkansas is fresh and looking for another signature victory under Petrino. I’d lean toward high-scoring, but I wouldn’t have expected the Oklahoma State game to be 24-10 and South Carolina to be a 41-37 shootout.

Slophouse: Thanks for the time, Marc. See you in Fayetteville.

Make sure to check out Weiszer’s blog, Hedge Clippings.

It’s time to make your picks on the blog, tell us how you see the game developing and then head on over to Hog Call and win some Arkansas vs. Auburn tickets by showing your picking prowess.

Before we get to my predictions, I’d like to welcome a celebrity guest picker this week — TipsterHog from the fan-favorite Web site, RazorBloggers. Also, keep your eyes peeled on the blog. We may have another celebrity guest soon.

Anyway. How does the Tipster see things developing this week at Razorback Stadium and across the SEC landscape?

—-

Go on. Make your picks.

TipsterHog: The Hogs’ offense is primetime-ready, but the defense and special teams are still experiencing technical difficulties. Like last week, the Dawgs make just enough stops to win in a shootout. Georgia 38, Arkansas 34.

SEC PICKS
W. Virginia over Auburn: “Gus Bus” hits first speed bump
Vandy over Miss. State: Vandy tougher early in season
Kentucky over Louisville: Brooks’ team looks better than expected
Florida over Tennessee: Meyer spanks Petulant Child
Alabama over N. Texas: Outmanned
S. Carolina over Fla. Atl.: Outmatched
LSU over ULL: Outgunned
Ole Miss over SE La: Outhouse

—-

Wow. So the Tipster doesn’t see a Razorback win, eh?

Well, I’ll have to agree. As you may have heard in our Game Day Edition of the WholeHogCast, I picked Georgia in a 31-21 win. Why? I see the Hogs scoring points and having a shot to take the game over in the third quarter, but believe their red zone offense will get the best of them as the Georgia defense holds them for two scoreless drives to the red zone.

But don’t let my pick or TipsterHog’s selection get you down. How do you see the game shaping up?

Don’t forget to join our Slophouse group (group name: The Slophouse; password: slop) in our Hog Call U-Pick-Em contest to compete against me, Tipster and other Slophouse fans for a chance at winning two tickets to the next Fayetteville game.

Share your picks below.

— Brandon Marcello

The Northwest Arkansas Times’ David Showers writes a weekly feature with his picks and pans of the network talent handling the announcing duties of the biggest games in college football. In the first edition of “Picks and Pans,” Showers shares his thoughts on the re-shuffled lineup on ESPN.

On-air talent for ESPN’s college football broadcasts has been re-shuffled this season.

Brad Nessler moved from ABC’s No. 1 Saturday afternoon play-by-play man to lead ESPN’s Saturday prime time coverage. He and color analyst Todd Blackledge will call games in the network’s 6:45 p.m. (CST) time slot. Last week they called Saturday afternoon’s Tennessee-UCLA game on ESPN2.

The two had good chemistry despite their short time together. Brent Musburger assumed the mantle as the voice of college football after Keith Jackson retired, but Nessler is just as capable and enjoyable to listen to as Musburger.

Unlike the solemn delivery of Musburger, Nessler has a knack for interjecting levity at opportune moments. He’s a good foil for Blackledge, who’s adept at conveying the complexities of the game in simplistic terms.

Blackledge’s former partner, veteran play-by-play man Mike Patrick, will team with Craig James this season as ESPN’s No. 2 announce team. Last week they called Saturday night’s South Carolina-Georgia game on ESPN2.

Patrick’s inflection is invariably pitch perfect, and I’ve always liked the juxtaposition of Patrick’s appearance with that of his color analyst. While his partner is well kempt, Patrick always has a disheveled look. His tie is pulled down and askew, and his sleeves are rolled up. It gives the appearance that he’s working hard and really into the game.

Deaf Valley?
LSU extended its winning streak in home night games to 31 last week, but the noise inside Tiger Stadium was hardly a din.
Tiger Stadium, commonly referred to as “Deaf Valley,” is the second loudest college football venue behind the University of Washington’s Husky Stadium in Seattle.

The crowd noise during a 2007 game against Florida was measured at an ear-splitting 130 decibels by CBS, but the Tiger supporters were barely audible during ESPNU’s broadcast of their 23-9 win over Vanderbilt last Saturday.

The rain clouds moored over Baton Rouge must have dampened the spirits of the usually boisterous crowd.

Saturday’s games (All Times CST)
Louisville at Kentucky — ESPNU, 11 a.m.
North Texas at Alabama — SEC Network (KHOG, KATV), 11:21 a.m.
Tennessee at Florida — CBS, 2:30 p.m.
La. Lafayette at LSU — ESPNU, 6 p.m.
Mississippi State at Vanderbilt — FSN, 6 p.m.
Florida Atlantic at South Carolina — PPV, 6 p.m.
Southeastern Louisiana at Ole Miss — CSS,  6:30 p.m.
Georgia at Arkansas — ESPN, 6:45 p.m.
West Virginia at Auburn — ESPN2, 6:45 p.m.

— David Showers

Two wins in a row for Kentucky against Louisville, coupled with two dismal seasons under Steve Kragthorpe as the Cardinals’ head coach, has prompted a serious question from a columnist covering the school.

Just who is to blame for the drop off since Bobby Petrino left the program in January of 2007? Well, Kragthorpe is a good place to start. But don’t limit the blame to him, writes Louisville Courier-Journal columnist Rick Bozich.

The program’s recent decline, Bozich writes, can also be pinpointed to the 2007 recruiting class, Petrino’s last at Louisville.

And what was Petrino doing with the good vibrations surrounding his program’s appearance in its first Gator Bowl? Here are the numbers on Mr. 41-9’s final 23-player recruiting class:

It produced four guys who failed to enroll and three others who have never played a snap. Only three guys from that 2006 class — defensive lineman L.T. Walker, linebacker Brandon Heath and defensive back Johnny Patrick — will start Saturday.

Meanwhile, Rich Brooks was bouncing back in the recruiting game at Kentucky and it has paid dividends for the Wildcats the last two seasons, Bozich writes.

This column sparked to mind a battle of words incited by Kragthorpe last year.

Kragthorpe, who took over Louisville after Petrino’s departure in 2007, told ESPN that he inherited a slew of discipline problems from Petrino’s old team. Kragthorpe released as many as 12 of Petrino’s players because of issues, according to an article on ESPN.com

“I was shocked,” Kragthorpe said in the March of 2008. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Petrino addressed the Louisville disciplinary problems during SEC Media Days in July of 2008.

“We didn’t have discipline problems when I was there,” Petrino said. “Knock on wood. You always knock on wood on that, but we had players that were real focused, did a great job, went 41-9, and I think they returned 21 starters off of that Orange Bowl team. So, you know, I felt good about the way we left the program and the shape that we left the University of Louisville in.”

Good points all around by everyone involved.

Also, when talking about recruiting classes, it might be unfair to say Petrino didn’t recruit well in his final year. Sure, several players never made it to campus but what about his previous classes that managed to forge a 41-9 record during his four-year tenure at Louisville?

Here are the national recruiting rankings, according to Rivals.com:

— 34th in 2006

— 45th in 2005

— 64th in 2004

— 35th in 2003

So, the recruiting class (2006) viewed as one of the reasons for the Cardinals’ downfall was also one of the school’s highest rated in its history. But with players from recruiting classes ranked as low as 64th, Petrino managed to win a BCS bowl game in 2006.

Sounds to me like Petrino is a good coach.

Sure, there’s plenty of blame to spread around for the Cardinals’ downfall. But, at some point, doesn’t all of the finger-pointing have to turn to the current head coach of the program? Especially in Year 3?

— Brandon Marcello

Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson doesn’t know anyone on the Georgia coaching staff, but he wants his team to be the first to make Georgia say “ouch” come Saturday.

“This is a game for men,” Robinson said. “I mean, we’ve got to go out there. If we get punched in the mouth, it’ll be interesting to see how we respond. Because we got punched in the mouth early last year and we didn’t respond very well.”

Robinson, who seemed short with answers today, drew a couple of chuckles after he was asked if he knew anyone on the Georgia coaching staff.

“I have no idea who they are. I only know coach Richt. I don’t know him. I just know him by name. I don’t know who any of those guys are. They don’t know who the hell I am.”

The big focus this week for Arkansas, and for any team in the SEC really, is stopping the run. Georgia will do it and so will the Hogs. The problem for the Hogs, though, is that they haven’t been tested on run defense yet.

“I think it’s early to tell. I think we fit our gaps a lot better. I still don’t think you can take that first game [a 48-10 win against Missouri State] as a barometer yet. I think this is a game that’s a benchmark for us, to find out if we can do that or not.”

Make sure to check out the Northwest Arkansas Times, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and WholeHogSports.com tomorrow for much more.

After doing some video previewing the game on WholeHogSports.com tomorrow, I managed to get a few shots of the ribbon boards being tested inside the stadium this evening. I know a lot of you are very interested in how they look. That video is below.

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

— Brandon Marcello

A lot of focus today after practice was on the running backs, offensive line and the Hogs’ running game against Georgia.

More on this in tomorrow’s editions of the Northwest Arkansas Times and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, of course, but here are a few interesting notes to prime you for our stories in the morning.

— Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino thinks the Hogs need to be the aggressor against Georgia on Saturday.

“We have got to go out there and get after it and be tough and be the more physical team,” Petrino said. “Usually whatever team is physical and hits harder, that’s who wins and that’s who we are going to try to be.”

— Bobby Petrino, the head coach, said Monday that the offensive line had improved quite a bit with their tempo and timing with the various running backs in the Hogs’ backfield.

There are a few things the Hogs have to improve on for Georgia in the run game, especially with their youngsters. Freshman Ronnie Wingo said today he was disappointed with a few runs in the season opener because he was flailing about with the ball in his hand. He admitted to being nervous before the Missouri State game Sept. 5, but said he feels a bit more comfortable with the opener behind him.

— With so much attention on Bobby Petrino’s comments concerning Georgia’s run defense, running backs coach Tim Horton certainly understands the importance of jump-starting the run game. It should help having a deeper backfield compared to a year ago. No more 35 carries a game for senior Michael Smith.

“He’s fresh and I think all of them are fresh,” Horton said of Smith and his backfield. “We need to have a great performance to beat Georgia.”

You may not see six to seven running backs out there this week. Horton says they’ll lean on their “old hands” Smith and sophomore Dennis Johnson against Georgia.

Make sure to check out the Times, Democrat-Gazette, WholeHogSports.com and the Slophouse blog for more coverage as we traverse game week.

— Brandon Marcello

It’s a simple question. Will the Hogs beat the Bulldogs on Saturday? What are your thoughts as the Hogs take the practice field this week?

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It’s Tuesday, which means one less day before the Hogs take on the Bulldogs in Fayetteville. Before we get there, though, let’s pass on a few interesting links from Georgia, share our latest WholeHogCast and restrain ourselves from shaking our collective heads at a shameless plug.

— As mentioned above, the latest edition of the WholeHogCast is available for download.

WholeHogSports.com editor Brandon Marcello and Terry Wood discuss the Hogs’ preparations for Georgia. It’s a game that could put the Arkansas football program back on the map, but the guys think the Hogs have a few questions to answer entering the game.

But so do the Georgia Bulldogs.

Subscribe or listen via iTunes or download the MP3 via our XML feed.

— Georgia has been giving up turnovers like it’s going out of style. The Bulldogs have given up 26 points in the the first two games off six turnovers. That’s 104th in the nation. Ouch. (Athens Banner-Herald)

— Mark Bradley has five reasons why Georgia may have turned the corner against South Carolina. … And five reasons why they may still be swimming up stream. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

— Who’s the fastest Georgia Bulldog on the field? (Athens Banner-Herald)

— The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a piece on Bobby Petrino Fever sweeping the state of Arkansas, with insight from UA graduate and ESPN analyst Jimmy Dykes. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

— Remember hearing about Georgia quarterback Joe Cox taking a late flight from Georgia to Oklahoma City for the Oklahoma State game because he was overcoming the flu? Well, it was one pricey flight to the tune of more than $6,000. Only in the SEC. (Athens Banner-Herald)

— The Arkansas basketball team is in the news nationally, but not for the recent on-campus rape investigation (which is closed) and athletic department’s internal review of the situation. FoxSports.com writer Josh Herwitt believes freshman forward Marshawn Powell will be one of the top difference makers in the nation among newcomers this season. (FoxSports.com)

— Last by not least, I’m the subject today of a Q&A with the popular fan blog, RazorBloggers. It’s an earth-shattering interview in the style of a Barbara Walters special. Do I cry? Do I howl? Do I hang up and listen? Do I chortle? See for yourself. (RazorBloggers)

— Brandon Marcello

Arkansas is looking for a reliable return man on punts, the job at kicker is still up for grabs and the Razorbacks weren’t surprised by Georgia’s offensive output against South Carolina. That’s the news from today’s weekly press conference with Bobby Petrino and a few of his players.

A lot of questions remain unanswered for the Hogs, who are coming off a bye week. Here are a few notes from today’s press conference. Make sure to also follow @wholehogsports and @bmarcello on Twitter for live updates from press conferences and games this season. Plenty of updates there today live from the presser.

Sophomore Joe Adams is fighting to keep his job at punt returner this week. (Northwest Arkansas Times/ANTHONY REYES)

— Joe Adams would love to keep his job as the main man at punt return, but the fumble against Missouri State has coaches re-thinking that idea. CB Jerell Norton and Michael Smith are competing with Adams to get the nod at punt return against Georgia.

Adams said he was anxious before his fumbled punt return after watching Dennis Johnson return the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the season opener.

Meanwhile, Alex Tejada may not be handling the kickoff duties after booting two kickoffs out of bounds in the season opener. That job is in the air as well, Petrino says. Special teams coach John L. Smith told us after the Missouri State game that they may hand the kickoff duties over to Cameron Bryan. Bryan, though, had a boot out-of-bounds as well against the Bears.

Special teams could prove huge against Georgia, Petrino says. And it’s time to rectify some special teams mistakes seen in Week 1.

— Again, Petrino admitted that the Hogs have been working a lot on the Georgia game in the pre-season. Now that game week is here, it’s time to show their capable of beating a nationally-ranked SEC team.

“For us to win a championship, we have to win all our home games,” Petrino said. “This is a game we’ve been looking forward to. We spent a lot of time in our preparation. We need to go out and play well and win the game.”

— Is Arkansas an underdog? Well, some may think so after the season the Hogs had last year. The odds-makers don’t question the Hogs this week, as the game is pretty much a “pick ‘em.”

There’s a lot of respect between the teams. Safety Matt Harris talked highly of Georgia’s potent offense, and Petrino thinks highly of the Bulldogs’ run defense. Just don’t count quarterback Ryan Mallett among those standing in the UnderHogs crowd.

“We don’t look at ourselves as an underdog,” Mallett said. “We go in every game the same way and that’s to try and win the football game. We don’t really pay attention to all that other stuff because we know what we can do as a team. If we go out and play how we are supposed to then we should win a lot of football games.”

— Even with two wide receivers out with broken collarbones (Lucas Miller and London Crawford), Mallett is confident in his receivers.

“We’ve got 30 [receivers] on the team or something like that,” Mallett joked.

By the way, the receivers had no drops in the 48-10 win over Missouri State in Week 1.

Willie Martinez

— Petrino has never coached against Georgia head coach Mark Richt, but he is “very familiar with their defensive staff.” Georgia defensive coordinator Willie Martinez visited the Atlanta Falcons camp when Petrino was there, and Martinez also spent a week at Louisville when Petrino was the Cardinals’ coach.

— The Hogs running game needs to show up against the Georgia defense, which Petrino believes has a very good run-stopping front. When I asked what he saw from the running backs last week during the bye week, Petrino reacted by giving a thumbs up to the offensive line for adjusting to the different running styles from their large running back stable.

“Last week in practice, our offensive line made great strides. We improved a lot. We improved on our technique, playing faster, coming off the ball and you could see our players with a sense of, ‘We need to get better running the football.’ The timing of our blocks, and where our backs are supposed to be on their tracks, is what we really concentrated on.

Any time you put that many backs in a game, the tracks are different. Everything wasn’t exactly where it needs to be and we worked hard on that last week in practice.”

Seven running backs had carries in the Hogs’ season opener against Missouri State.

— Will Petrino stick with QB Tyler Wilson replacing Ryan Mallett on the first series of the second quarter like he did in the season opener?

“I haven’t even thought about that yet. We’ll talk about that later.”

— Players watched the Georgia-South Carolina game with their position coaches and players, and not as a team.

— Two tough practices will face the Hogs on Tuesday and Wednesday, Petrino said.

Make sure to read the Northwest Arkansas Times, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and WholeHogSports.com on Tuesday morning for much more coverage and stories on the Razorbacks.

— Brandon Marcello

Game week is here in Fayetteville and the game many fans had circled on their calendars all summer is just a few days away. The Hogs have two game tapes to dissect of the Bulldogs, who have shown a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde look early this season.

From a one-touchdown performance in a 24-10 loss at Oklahoma State, to an 41-37 win over South Carolina in an offensive explosion. One thing is for certain: the Razorbacks have a lot to digest this week as they prep for the Bulldogs.

So what’s the latest?

— In addition to losing offensive tackle Trinton Sturdivant to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the first week of the season, defensive end Roderick Battle has also torn his ACL and is out for the season. The good news for the Bulldogs is that sophomore DE Justin Houston will return from a two-game suspension Saturday in Fayetteville.

— Quarterback Joe Cox, who battled the flu in Week 1 and a shoulder injury in Week 2, has come into his own after sitting in the shadow of Matthew Stafford. He completed 17 of 24 passes for 201 yards and 2 touchdowns with 1 interception in the win against South Carolina.  The only problem he’s facing now is the question: “What’s going to be wrong with you this week?”

There’s also another question, Sekou Smith writes, did the performance Saturday quiet the critics?

— The Georgia-Arkansas game is certainly one to watch, even if most eyes will be focused on the Tennessee-Florida game in Gainesville, as Lane Kiffin faces Urban Meyer and the Gators in a heated rivalry.

Even so, Terry Pellman has his eyes on the Hogs and Dogs, but he certainly won’t touch a prediction. Georgia is a team in flux and not much can be told about the Hogs after a Week 1 blowout of Missouri State, Pellman writes.

The game is currently listed as a pick ‘em by one service and another has the Hogs as a 1-point favorite.

—-

Don’t forget to also check out Northwest Arkansas Times sports editor Terry Wood’s Monday Morning Scouting Report of the ‘Dogs. He even has a pick.

Keep it here for more updates. Bobby Petrino and a few players will be meeting with the media at about 1:30 p.m.

— Brandon Marcello

For those of you wanting the specifics on the Arkansas athletic department’s social networking guidelines that were mentioned in the Northwest Arkansas Times and on WholeHogSports.com today, the text of the policy is below.

Arkansas Razorbacks sophomore guard Courtney Fortson could face disciplinary action up to the removal of his scholarship or dismissal from the team after he sent an insensitive comment on Twitter while teammates were being investigated by police following a rape allegation by an 18-year-old woman.

Fortson, who was not named in the 11-page incident report by university police, posted the message Monday while the investigation was still ongoing. The three Arkansas basketball players who were investigated were not charged after Washington County prosecutors deemed the sexual acts as consensual Wednesday.

As for Fortson’s Twitter message in question? Here’s what he wrote Monday: “Im gettin it at workouts like a dude who doesnt understand the word no from a drunk girl lol.”

The following is the UA athletic department’s social networking policies, which were enacted this fall:

Social Networking Web Sites

Student-athletes should be concerned with any behavior that might embarrass themselves, their families, their
teams, and/or the University of Arkansas. This includes any activities conducted online. As a student-athlete par-
ticipating in intercollegiate sports at the University of Arkansas, you are a representative of the university and are
always in the public eye. Potential employers, internship supervisors, graduate programs, and scholarship commit-
tees now search these sites to screen candidates and applications. Please keep the following guidelines in mind as
you participate on social networking web sites:

Before participating in any online community, understand that anything posted online is available to anyone in
the world. Any text or photo placed online is completely out of your control the moment it is placed online – even
if you limit access to your site.

You should not post information, photos, or other items online that could embarrass you, your family, your team,
the athletic department, or the University of Arkansas. This includes information about team activities and team-
mates.

You cannot post any information that is proprietary to the Athletic Department which is not public information such as tentative or future schedules, or information that is sensitive or personal in nature, such as travel plans and itineraries. You are responsible for knowing the department’s Confidential and Proprietary Information Policy.

You are personally liable for any copyright violations committed, such as posting photographs, audio, or video that is not your personal property. This includes the use of the trademarks of the University of Arkansas.

You are personally liable for any violations of other students or student-athletes’ privacy rights, especially those
that fall under federal privacy laws (FERPA or HIPPA) or that violate University of Arkansas student codes of con-
duct or codes of computing practices.

You should not post your home address, local address, social security number, phone numbers (s), birth date, or
other personal information such as your whereabouts or your plans. You could be opening up yourself to preda-
tors.

Coaches and athletic department administrators can and do monitor these web sites.

The malicious use of online social networks such as derogatory language about any member of the University of
Arkansas community, demeaning statements about or threats to any third party, and incriminating photos or state-ments depicting hazing, sexual harassment, vandalism, stalking, underage drinking, illegal drug use or other inap-propriate behavior will be subject to disciplinary action by the head coach and/or director of athletics if they gainknowledge of such violations. Sanctions may include written notification requiring the unacceptable content beremoved, temporary suspension from the team, dismissal from the team and loss of athletic aid, if applicable.

I understand and agree that I am required to know, understand and follow the standards in the University of Ar-
kansas Department of Athletics Social Networking Guidelines for Student-Athletes, and grant permission for the
monitoring the Department of Athletics.

— Brandon Marcello

The Twitter account apparently registered to Arkansas sophomore guard Courtney Fortson has caught the attention of University of Arkansas officials.

Fortson, who was not named in the 11-page incident report filed by university police concerning the allegation of rape of an 18-year-old female student by three UA basketball players, could face internal discipline within the athletic department after a message appeared on the social networking Web site, Twitter.

The three UA basketball players were not charged with rape Wednesday. Deputy prosecutor Dustin Roberts said the sexual acts conducted at the on-campus party Aug. 27 seemed consensual after an investigation.

Now a player not named in the report could face disciplinary action at the UA. On Sept. 7, the Twitter account associated with Fortson (Cfortson4), had this tweet appear:

“Cfortson4: Im gettin it at workouts like a dude who doesnt understand the word no from a drunk girl lol”

The post was deleted recently, but a search on Tweleted, a Twitter caching Web site, revealed the tweet. When reached for comment, Arkansas media relations director Kevin Trainor said the university was aware of the tweet, and referred to athletic director Jeff Long’s statement released to the media Wednesday.

“As Jeff Long referenced yesterday in his statement, student-athletes are responsible for their conduct under athletic department policies,” Arkansas media relations director Kevin Trainor said in an e-mail correspondence Thursday. “As Mr. Long also noted, the athletic department will take appropriate action when policies are violated.”

Long’s statement from yesterday is below:

“We have been advised that the appropriate authorities have reviewed the information and concluded the facts of the investigation did not warrant charges being filed against any students. As stated previously, the athletic department and our student-athletes cooperated with the investigation. These were very serious allegations and we treated them as such.”

“Now that the criminal legal process has been completed, we will review the available information to determine if any athletic department rules or policies have been violated. Following that review, we will take appropriate action.”

Fifth-year senior wide receiver Lucas Miller, who broke a collarbone during an Aug. 20 practice, was back on the practice fields today in limited action. He did some running and caught a few balls while working with the training staff.

Whether Miller is back in time for the Georgia game on Sept. 19 remains to be seen. Recovery from the injury should take four-to-six weeks and Miller will be in the midst of that time frame come the Hogs’ SEC opener.

Wide receiver Lucas Miller, shown here on his way to an 87-yard touchdown during the Hogs' game against Mississippi State on Nov. 22, 2008 in Starkville, Miss., broke a collarbone last month but was back on the field in limited duty Tuesday. (FILE PHOTO/Democrat-Gazette)

But it’s good for the Razorbacks to have another body out there, especially after the broken collarbone senior receiver London Crawford suffered Saturday in the Hogs’ 48-10 win over Missouri State.

“With London going down, that hurts,” head coach Bobby Petrino said. “That’s a big concern, particularly the leadership London has provided.”

The good news is that the Hogs do have some semblance of depth. Thirteen players had receptions in the season opener.

“We’re still all right, we’re just getting thin,” Petrino said. “We can’t afford to have another injury, that’s for sure.”

WR Marques Wade, who has been working in the area of the practice fields reserved for the injured all preseason, was working with the team a little bit today.

— Defensive end Damario Ambrose and offensive guard Grant Cook did not take part in practice today because of unspecified injuries.

— Yards after catch and yards after contact are big stats for this coaching staff. Or, as the players and coaching staff calls them, “bull yards.” And with the Hogs setting a school record for passing yards Saturday with 447 yards against Missouri State, there surely were a lot of bull yards, right?

Yes, as it turns out. Receivers had “around” 150 yards after the catch against Missouri State, Petrino said. The running backs did not reach the 100-yard mark after the catch, so that was a bit disappointing, Petrino said.

“We always have a contest each week and the receivers won,” Petrino said. “We need to get after the running backs for them to get more yards after contact.”

— It’s a big preparation week for the Hogs, tight end D.J. Williams says. With a bye week and their next opponent, Georgia, looking to rebound from a season-opening loss to Oklahoma State, Williams and the Hogs aren’t wasting any time.

Still, they were a bit sluggish in practice today.

“It was a little rough. I don’t think the players, or myself included, had our mindset where it needed to be,” Williams admitted. “We need to take every opportunity we can to get ready for Georgia. We slacked mentally today and we didn’t come out with enough enthusiasm and speed. This was a practice that we feel like we wasted a little bit, so we need to come back tomorrow with a whole lot better effort.

Make sure to read the Northwest Arkansas Times, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and WholeHogSports.com for much more Wednesday morning.

— Brandon Marcello