Calling the Hogs

The SEC honored Arkansas pitcher Drew Smyly as its Pitcher of the week on Monday for his 10-1 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday.

Smyly gave up just one run in going seven innings against the Wildcats with five strikeouts. His best moment may have been when he coaxed a grounder to work himself out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning.

Smyly is 3-0 this season with a SEC-leading 1.32 ERA. Opponents are hitting just .198 against him this season and he is set to start Friday in the Hogs’ opening contest of a three-game series at Mississippi State this Friday-Sunday.

The Razorbacks will play host to St. Louis at 6;35 p.m. Wednesday at Baum Stadium before heading over to Starkville, Miss. Thursday.

FAYETTEVILLE — If the Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team had a collective major, it would have to be drama. The Hogs have provided many thrills and even a few chills through the first half of the season.

Collin Kuhn’s grand slam Sunday that lifted the Hogs to a 17-16 victory over Kentucky was one of them. A big one. It is a moment no Hog fan in attendance will ever forget.

No matter how much baseball you watch, you just don’t see very many last-out, last-strike grand slams that lead to one-run victories.

It will be one of those plays young fans will think about from time to time throughout the rest of their lives, and it’s a reminder to older fans of why we still go out to the ballpark after watching scores of games during our lives. It’s for those great moments.

As much as one may follow the game, know the players and can reel off the stats, every play of every game is uncertain, and you never know when that play that you will remember for a lifetime is going to happen.

Kuhn and his colleagues who loaded the bases in the ninth inning served up a great finish for all onlookers on Sunday, and if the Hogs (22-6, 6-3 SEC) continue to bash the ball like they have thus far this season, another run to Omaha, Neb., is not far fetched.

Now, Sunday’s game was an aberration of sorts. The wind at Baum Stadium usually blows in more than out, but the Hogs do have power that even some of the best Razorback teams have not historically had with guys like Zack Cox, Andy Wilkins, who will be nursing a hamstring injury for at least the next two weeks, and Brett Eibner consistently able to go deep on any at-bat.

That is a luxury and has allowed the Razorbacks to make some crazy comebacks on several occasions this season.

Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn has said his lineup is built for the big inning, and these Hogs have supplied plenty of them so far. What’s amazing is the the Razorbacks have the confidence to stare a 5-0 or a 4-0 deficit in the face without any fear. That makes them incredibly resilient and is probably why they have won five of six one-run ballgames this season.

The Hogs are a tenacious baseball team that won’t allow themselves to be counted out even when the odds are stacked against them. That bodes well for the Razorbacks down the conference stretch. But for the sake of their fans’ blood pressure, it might be better if they stopped falling behind by multiple runs each and every game.

Razorbacks quarterbacks Tyler Wilson, Brandon Mitchell and Nick Petrino proved that Ryan Mallett isn’t the only Hog who can throw the long ball in last Saturday’s scrimmage. Each of them completed passes of at least 30 yards in the scrimmage.

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino said the deep ball was something they put an emphasis on improving going into the scrimmage.

“I thought they threw the deep ball well,” Petrino said. “And that’s an area we had been struggling. The first three practices I haven’t been happy with the deep ball at all. We came back and worked a little harder on it. It’s amazing when you really concentrate on something how much better you get at it. They threw the deep ball better and the receivers did a much better job of pressing on top and leaving themselves room on the sideline.”

Last season the Arkansas Razorbacks were tied with South Carolina as the third most penalized team in the SEC with 83 infractions for 654 yards or 54.5 yards in losses per game.

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino wants to improve that total in 2010, and he definitely does not want to have any penalties for fighting. He wants to send that message loud and clear to the Hogs, who have had a couple of dust-ups in two of their last three practices.

On Thursday defensive end Colton Nash and offensive tackle Anthony Oden had to be separated and on Saturday, running back Dennis Johnson and linebacker/safety Jerico Nelson went after each other following the whistle.

Petrino likes aggressive play, but he wants it to be confined to playing the game.

“The intensity, yeah,” Petrino said Saturday when asked about the fights, “but I don’t want us fighting out there. That’s something we are not going to have. You like to be intense, and you can be a little chippy, but you have to understand I am not going to cost my team 15 yards or cost my team being thrown out of the game.”

Petrino said his players have to dial things back a little bit in terms of attitude, referring to Ronnie Wingo Jr.’s spike of the football after scoring a four-yard touchdown run.

“And we have things to learn on offense, too. When we score a touchdown, we hand the ball to the official. We kind of let them have some fun when we scrimmaged in the bowl preparation. They didn’t quite understand that’s over with now. There was nobody else around so when we scrimmaged, we tried to have some fun and relax. But that will change now. No doubt about that.”

Razorbacks outfielder Collin Kuhn just hit a last-strike, last-out walk-off grand slam homer to lift the Hogs to a 17-16 victory over Kentucky. The Hogs take the series 2-1.

FAYETTEVILLE — Watching the Arkansas Razorbacks first scrimmage of spring football drills was kind of like asking your best friend what’s his/her favorite sports team.

You knew the answer before you asked — the jersey or cap they wear all the time was big hint — but you just needed a confirmation to be sure.

Well, the Hogs confirmed some things today in may mind, and it was stuff we already knew or a least suspected.

That’s good, and it’s bad.

The Hogs are loaded with outstanding receivers. Even with perhaps their two best receivers — Greg Childs and Joe Adams — nicked up, the Hogs have plenty of play-makers to catch the ball no matter if it Tyler Wilson, Brandon Mitchell, Nick Petrino or Ryan Mallett throwing them the football.

Today the star was Cobi Hamilton, who only gave us a glimpse of his ability last fall as a freshman. The kid has top-notch NCAA 200-meter dash speed, the most natural hands of any Hog receiver since Anthony Lucas and a little bit of nastiness when he goes up for the ball.

When asked if he got away with some contact when going up for the ball, he said, “Yeah, there was some. I’ll probably hear about it in the locker room. But it happens. You have to go get the football.”

In my book, if Cobi Hamilton were a grade of beef, he would be , well, Kobe.

De’Anthony Curtis also stood out today working with the third-team offense after moving from running back to receiver. On three or four different third-down situations, he made plays to move the chains. Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said he will have a role with the team this fall.

Along with the receivers, Arkansas’ quarterbacks played well. Tyler Wilson and Brandon Mitchell both looked good, and Nick Petrino, yes Bobby’s son, looked sharp, too. In terms of sheer execution of the plays, he may be the best of the bunch. In the last 20 years, Arkansas has started less polished — but perhaps more physically gifted — quarterbacks.

That’s the good, but the bad was that the Hogs’ defense still struggles. It struggles stopping the run and it struggles stopping the deep ball.

That’s a double-whammy folks that does not add up to the 10-win, BCS-bowl type season some fans are expecting, no matter how prolific Mallett ends up being.

The defense performed much better when it was allowed to blitz, but as Petrino said, the defense has got to perform better in its base set.

Now, the defense was without linebacker Jerry Franklin, defensive in Tenarius “Tank” Wright and cornerbacks Isaac Madison and David Gordon, who are all expected to start or at least be in heavy rotation once the fall rolls around.

Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson was rankled that the defense seemed to wilt right when things got toughest. The last third of the scrimmage was a pure smash-mouth session of down-hill running.

For a while the defense held its own, but ultimatly the offense wore them down with Knile Davis, Broderick Green and Dennis Johnson pounding away at the seams.

While the offense got the better of the defense in that run session, Arkansas’ running game is still suspect in my mind. Over the course of their SEC schedule last year, the Hogs were not able run the ball successfully when they had to nor when they wanted to. They did sometimes, but not consistently. As Petrino said, the Hogs’ running game must improve.

Now, just because there are issues on defense and with the running game four practices into spring drills, does not mean the Hogs can’t improve and that those weaknesses can’t be buffed up.

But it does mean there is a lot of work to be done and improvement to be accomplished between now and September, and it’s also a warning that expectations should be kept within the realm of reality.

Unofficial Stats from April 3 Scrimmage

Rushing:

Ronnie Wingo 6 for 4 yards

Broderick Green 11 for 47, 1 TD

Knile Davis 11 for 26, 1 TD

Dennis Johnson 8 for 76, 1 TD

Brandon Mitchell 2 for 11

De’Anthony Curtis 3 for 26

Jacoby Walker 2 for 11

Nick Petrino 1 for 4

Ronald Watkins 1 for 0

Passing:

Tyler Wilson 9 of 13 for 166 yards, 1 TD

Nick Petrino 8 of 9 85 for yards, 2 TDs

Brandon Mitchell 7 of 13 for 115 yards, 2 TDs

Jacoby Walker 3 of 5 for 38 yards

Receiving:

Cobi Hamilton 4 for 154 3, TDs

De’Anthony Curtis 5 for 65

Greg Childs 3 for 45, 1 TD

Joe Adams 2 for 66

Jarius Wright 2 for 40

D.J. Williams 2 for 11, 1 TD

Chris Gragg 3 for 23

Ronnie Wingo 2 for 10

Mitchell Bailey 2 for 6

Broderick Green 1 for 14

FAYETTEVILLE — O.K. today is the day all Razorbacks gridiron junkies have been waiting for since the list whistle of the Liberty Bowl — the Hogs strap on full pads for spring practice.

The workout begins at 4 p.m., and it is open to the public if the workout remains outdoors, but if the predicted thunderstorms arrive, expect the Hogs to work in the Walker Indoor Pavilion. If that is the case, then the practice unfortunately will be closed to the public. If you are in the area and have the time, it’s worth a drive by Razorback Stadium to check to see if the Hogs are outdoors.

Honestly, if you live outside of the general Northwest Arkansas area, I don’t know that I would risk an afternoon drive to Fayetteville just for the practice today. There will be other opportunities. But then again, there are some fine restaurants in town that would be happy to serve you if the outdoor practice is cut short.

Plus, Dave Van Horn’s Diamond Hogs are hosting Kentucky at 6:35 p.m. Baum Stadium has great drainage and the Hogs will try to play that game if at all possible.

Now, back to the hitting. I’m really interested to see the play of senior middle linebacker Jermaine Love in live drills. At the moment that spot is the biggest question mark on the team.

I’m also looking forward to seeing what type of damage a confident and assured Anthony Leon (6-4, 230) can do at safety. Linebacker/safety Jerico Nelson (5-10, 205) is one of my favorite Hogs because like TNT, he packs a lot of power in a small package.

On offense, I’ve been impressed with receivers Cobi Hamilton (6-3, 209) and Lance Ray (6-3, 207). Hamilton seem more sure-handed thus far in spring and Ray is a physical specimen. He’s the second fastest Razorback in their most recent testing to cornerback Ramon Broadway and he one of the strongest receivers as a red-shirt freshman. Ray will be in the picture as a return man, possibly for punts and kick-offs.

Speaking of kicking, Alex Tejada was 6-of-6 on his field-goal attempts in Wednesday’s workout.

FAYETTEVILLE — Injuries creates opportunities. It’s one of the ugly little truths of football on any level. One man goes down and another joins the fray.

With expected starter Tenarius “Tank” Wright (6-1, 241) out for the spring with a foot injury, senior junior college transfer Caleb Evans (6-4, 254) moved into the starting defensive end spot that graduating senior Adrian Davis vacated.

Evans said he hoped to learn working behind Wright this spring before the injury but the Memphis sophomore on the shelf, but now Evans is seeking to get the most out of his chance at additional reps this spring.

“Tank and I are friends,” Evans said. “I hate that he’s hurt. I was really hoping to learn from him, but I was going to be competing with him and trying to earn my way onto the field. It would be better for the team if he were on the field, but I’m going to make the most of the situation I have.”

Evans, a Custer, Mont. native, came to Arkansas by way of Palomar (Calif.) College. He joined the team in August and was thrown into the mix without the benefit of the voluntary summer workouts to help ease his transition.

“He’s a good athlete for the position,” Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. “He was a late arrival and got lost in the mix last year with A.D. [Davis] starting and Tank playing a lot. Tank wasn’t a fallback from A.D., when he needed a break ,and we still expect big things from him when he is healthy. But Caleb has the opportunity to get a lot of reps. This is a positive thing for him.”

Evans stayed confused most of last fall. He was even uncertain if his scholarship would be renewed prior to Arkansas’ practices before the Liberty Bowl, when he and other backups got extensive work.

“I really didn’t know what my situation would be,” Evans said. “You wonder about things, but things got a lot better in the bowl practices.”

Evans said the pieces have truly started to fall together for him under the guidance of Arkansas’ first-year defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell, a veteran of many of Phil Fulmer’s staffs at Tennessee.

“I’m really glad that Coach Caldwell is here,” Evans said. “He’s a new coach here, but the way he does things, the terminology and his coaching style are like the way I had been taught everywhere else that I’ve played. It’s really about the communication.

“He doesn’t just tell you the technique, he show it to you. Where to step. How to use your hands. He really gets the message across, and it makes things so much better for the players to learn.”

FAYETTEVILLE — The Razorbacks take this afternoon off before putting on full pads for Friday’s practice. Twelve of the final 13 practices can be in full gear, and no doubt the Razorbacks will take advantage of it. A portion of Saturday’s 10 a.m. practice will be devoted to a scrimmage.

You could tell Arkansas defensive coordinator was eager for the pads to start popping when he spoke to the media Wednesday evening, but it was also evident that he liked a lot of what he saw on the first two days of practice.

Robinson’s comment that it looks like we are going to have a fast defense is more telling than it may sound on first thought. Sure, these guys are fast or they wouldn’t be on an SEC roster. But when he said fast, he wasn’t talking about pure physical speed. Robinson was commenting on how quickly the players read and respond to what they see from the offense.

Last year Arkansas’ defense had a tough time recognizing what an offense put in front of them. In the time it took to think about what was there, they were beat.

While the true physical nature of the game has to be added to mixture for us to get a full picture of how much the defense has improved, you can see the Hogs’ recognition is much better.

That recognition has lead to more batted down passes in practice and a few more interceptions. That shows there is carry over from last season that Arkansas did not have the benefit of a year ago when all four spots were up for grabs in the secondary after cornerback Isaac Madison’s season-ending injury.

For the first time in the Bobby Petrino era, the secondary is not starting from scratch.That should make some difference in the Hogs’ early SEC matchups with Alabama and Georgia.

Speaking of Isaac Madison, he appears to be picking up right where he left off before his ACL injury last August. His ball skills are better than any other Razorback corner, and he hasn’t lost a bit of the speed that got him on the field as a full-time starer in 2008. His presence last fall would have helped the secondary great last fall.

But, it is too soon to say that Madison is all the way back. Even though, cornerback is not at a heavy-hitting position, he does have to show that there is no hesitancy with his knee once everything is live. All signs are that he get over that hump easily, but he has to do it before he be declared all the way back.

Safety Anthony Leon is a guy you can’t miss in the secondary. At 6-4, 230 pounds, he kind of looks like a defensive end lost in the secondary, and last fall he played like one while he was adjusting to SEC football. But he has shown his speed early in practice and the mental aspect of the game is coming together for him as well, according to Robinson.

Leon’s nickname is “Juice.” He has carried it since his days in pee-wee football. He played running back then, and friends and family members compared his running style to that of O.J. Simpson. And, no, Anthony does not drive or ride in a white Ford Bronco.

Leon said he is eager to strap on the pads because he is “all about making a big hit.”

It will be interesting to watch the competition between Arkansas’ offense and defense. While everyone has to remember that spring football is practice and that it is all about improving the players rather than giving the fans and media preview of next fall, you can see trends develop.

Last spring, Arkansas’ offense ran the defense ragged, particularly in the passing game. If the band had been at practice, it would have been playing a lot.

While Ryan Mallett won’t be throwing because of his toe injury, Arkansas’ receiving corps is deep and talented, and they will be a good test for the Hogs’ secondary. If the secondary can cover their offensive mates this spring, it should have a least a shot of doing a better job against SEC opponents in the fall.