The Good

• On a sun-splashed day in Fayetteville, Bobby Petrino got his wish.  Earlier in the week, Petrino had asked for 30,000 fans to fill up Razorback Stadium for the ESPN audience.  Hog fans delivered and then some with an estimated 42,000 filling the stands.  Count us as present and impressed.
• It was very good to see junior running back Dennis Johnson back out there toting the rock.  While DJ didn’t break any long ones during the scrimmage (14 carries, 56 yards), his change of pace running style is a welcome addition/return for this offense.
• With former All-American safety Ken Hamlin watching from the sidelines, senior safety Tramain Thomas showed out.  Thomas, who had an excellent spring overall, had a great day again on Saturday recording two interceptions.  The first thwarted a touchdown inside the 5-yard line, while the second INT came on a tipped pass in the second quarter.
• The post-spring depth chart at offensive tackle should be interesting.  Anthony Oden, Jason Peacock, Brey Cook and Grant Freeman all fared well this spring.  Oden and Peacock, in particular, were praised by Coach Petrino after the game for their efforts against defensive ends Jake Bequette and Colton Nash.
• Sophomore transfer defensive tackle Robert Thomas was unblockable at times.  Playing for the White team, Thomas recorded four total tackles, including a sack.  His quickness and ability to rush the passer from his inside spot will put him in the mix come fall.

The Bad

• The words that came to our mind when watching Brandon Mitchell on Saturday: rattled, shaken and nervous.  Definitely not the kind of outing we expected to see from the sophomore backup quarterback.  Mitchell’s performance for the Red team (11-for-29, 85 yards, 3 interceptions) was uncharacteristic given what we’ve seen from him this spring.  So while we’re sure Brandon is disappointed, we’re going to give him a ‘mulligan’ and say it’s not a trend just yet.

The Ugly

• One troublesome trend that carried over from the Sugar Bowl and into the Spring game were dropped passes.  The drops plagued the Hogs’ receivers — especially the Red team — and added to that squad’s frustration and inability to sustain any drives.  It was a big disappointment from a group that many expect to be the best receiving corps in the country next season.

Of course, we can’t possibly mention everything that was “Good, Bad and Ugly.”  What did we leave out?

The Arkansas football team held its annual Red-White Spring Game Saturday in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, with the White team defeating the Red team 45-14.

Also:

• ArkansasRazorbacks.com: Game Stats (PDF), Post-game Quotes (PDF), Post-game Press Conference (Video)
• AP: Tyler Wilson Leads White Team To Victory In Razorbacks’ Spring Game
• Matt Jones: Wilson, White Team Dominate Spring Game
• WholeHogSports.com (Video): Garrick McGee, Willy Robinson, Tyler Wilson, Jarius Wright
• Chris Bahn: The Wright Way – Razorback Receiver Displays Leadership Potential
• Robbie Neiswanger: Wilson Takes Step Toward Starting Job, Wright Sets Tone With Big Play
• Razorback Nation (Video): Jake Bequette

• In keeping with the trend this spring, the defense ruled the day again Saturday.  The highlight without question was the first defense stopping the first offense on SEVEN straight fourth-and-1 plays.  All the plays were running plays…and most ended in tackles for loss.
• The seven straight fourth-and-1 plays were a classic Petrino moment.  What started out as a “run it again” opportunity after the first failed attempt, turned into a test of wills between the two units.  The defense showed tremendous heart and togetherness as the second and third team reserves chanted “Red Swarm!  Red Swarm!” on the sideline.  Great moment.
• Smack dab in the middle of most of those plays was sophomore transfer defensive tackle Robert Thomas.  Thomas (6-3, 325) has got unbelievable size and quickness from his interior spot, and showed he’s a playmaker time and time again Saturday.
• Staying on the defensive side, safety Tramain Thomas turned in an ‘ESPN Top 10 Plays’ interception to thwart a Tyler Wilson touchdown pass.  Thomas leaped straight up at the goal line and snagged the pass one-handed, a play that drew wild applause from the 1,000 or so fans in attendance.
• The offense was not without their share of playmakers. One player that stood out above all others was sophomore wide receiver Julian Horton (9 catches, 94 yards).  Horton showed great hands making catches in traffic while working the middle of the field.
• True freshman offensive tackle Brey Cook continues to look better and better.  Working every day against the likes of Jake Bequette and Tenarius Wright will do that for you…if you can survive.  Cook (6-7, 317) appears quicker than junior college transfer Jason Peacock (6-4, 334), who is also vying for the starting tackle spot.
• Ronnie Wingo, Jr. got most of the first team reps on Saturday, with Knile Davis running mostly with the second team.  Both looked good running the ball and catching passes out of the backfield.  Wingo appears to be running with a new determination and perhaps is poised to be a bigger part of the offense next season.
• The overall consensus of the RazorBloggers in attendance on Saturday was that, unlike the past few years, this scrimmage didn’t look like Petrino was playing PlayStation out there.  The days of wide receivers and backs running uncovered in wide open spaces, making long runs and scoring at will are gone.  The defense is dictating the tempo this spring — and that’s a sign of good things to come in the fall.

Also:

• ArkansasRazorbacks.com: Second scrimmage in books for Razorbacks, Bobby Petrino Press Conference (Video)
• Chris Bahn: Adams Starts Razorback Offense Off Right, Defense Improves
• Robbie Neiswanger: Defense Stands Strong in Second Scrimmage, Four Downs: Notes From Saturday’s Scrimmage
• Matt Jones: Defense Holds Its Own Again
• Jimmy Carter: Defense Steps Up Early in Scrimmage

In what will be the most exciting spring camp in recent memory, the energy level was ratcheted up last week with the announcement of ESPN’s decision to televise the spring game on April 16.

As Razorback fans, we would be remiss if we did not thank Coach Petrino again for opening the practices.  It is a luxury not all schools enjoy, and we appreciate it and don’t take it for granted.

As we get a chance to wander over to watch our share of the 15 workouts, here’s a few storylines the RBN crew will be watching closely.

Can Tyler Wilson hold onto the Quarterback job?  It is, without a doubt, his to lose.  His performance, when given a shot in 2010, indicates he’s ready to take the reins.  Last spring Tyler led the first unit in Mallett’s absence, and showed he could command the huddle.  This time he’ll be trying to hold off challengers Brandon Mitchell and Jacoby Walker.  Is he ready?

In the “Post-Mallett Era”, will the Pistol (Shot) formation finally become a larger part of the offense?  Many surmise that this is a given.  Bringing in offensive line coach Chris Klenakis last year proved that Petrino was committed to expanding its use.  That, coupled with a more mobile set of quarterbacks, should see the Hogs in ‘The Shot’ a bit more.

How will the offensive line rebound/reload after losing three senior starters?  A bevy of question marks here.  Can tackle Anthony Oden (6-8, 328) regain the form that he enjoyed before his health and off-field problems last season?  Can “old-timers” Grant Cook (6-4, 322) and Grant Freeman (6-7, 305) hold off newcomers like Brey Cook (6-7, 317) and Jason Peacock (6-4, 334)?

What will Greg Childs look like coming off injury?  Childs was enjoying an unbelievable junior season (46 for 659, 6 TDs) before suffering a patella tendon injury.  Even though Greg will not participate in contact drills, we’ll get a chance to gauge where he’s at in his recovery.

Which one of the early enrollees will impress us the most?  While Brey Cook should be competing for early playing time, we’re sure it will be hard to ignore new franchise receiver Quinta Funderburk (6-3, 191, 4.4).  Big time freshman linebacker Tyler Gilbert (6-3, 241) has showed up ready to compete for playing time at a position where the Hogs dearly need to develop some depth.

Speedy wide receiver Marquel Wade (5-11, 185) returns to campus after ‘wow-ing’ us last fall for a few weeks, and defensive tackle Robert Thomas (6-3, 340) makes his long-awaited debut after spending a season at Coffeyville [Kan.] Community College.

If you can’t tell, after our season of discontent on the basketball court, we’re REALLY looking forward to some Spring Football.  Enjoy.

The Good

• Wow.  A big “welcome to the party” to young guns Brandon Mitchell and Jacoby Walker!  No surprise that Mitchell could zip the ball.  His 151 total yards on 11 plays (6 rushes, 5 passes) speaks to his big-play abilities.  But Walker, who should really still be in high school, flashed his great promise by posting 207 total yards and 2 TDs in leading the White to victory.
• In years past, it might have been impossible to split up the team and have two equal squads that could play a competitive game.  Not so now.  The depth seen at most all positions was impressive, and tells you how far Bobby Petrino has brought this program in a short amount of time.
• Like last year, the defense showed the propensity to wreck havoc while forcing turnovers.  The 11 sacks and three fumble recoveries tells us that this squad will be opportunistic once again in 2010.  Defensive ends Demario Ambrose (6-5, 270) and Ryan Calender (6-7, 241) both led the way with two sacks each.
• Defensively, middle linebacker Terrell Williams (6-3, 237) and defensive tackle Patrick Jones (6-1, 309) really stood out.  Williams had countless big hits (7 tackles), including one on the goal-line versus Ronnie Wingo, Jr.  Jones was hard to move up front and managed 6 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble to boot.

The Bad

• After having near perfect conditions for most of the spring practices, the weather didn’t cooperate much Saturday.  The intermittent showers that plagued the Razorfest activities during the afternoon carried over during the game, and likely kept the big crowd away.  The UofA attendance estimate of 30,000 was laughable to say the least.
• The kicking game seemed a little shaky Saturday night.  Despite the fact that the defense wasn’t allowed to rush, we saw a missed extra point, one that hit the upright and a punting game that was average at best (38.0 avg. on 8 attempts).  Look for incoming kickers Eduardo Camara (5-8, 160, Cedar Hill, TX) and Russellville’s own Zach Hocker (6-0, 170) to challenge in the fall.

The Ugly

• Improvement was evident on the defensive side of the ball.  But on Saturday, that didn’t translate to stopping the “chunk plays” as the coaches like to refer to them.  11 plays of 20-yards or more were surrendered by both sides combined, including plays of 88 (TD), 50, 69, 38, 31(TD), 47 and 44(TD).

ArkansasRazorbacks.com: Young guns highlight the 2010 scrimmage

Jacoby Walker went 6-of-11 for 183 yards passing with two touchdowns to help lead the White team to a 31-21 victory over the Red in the 2010 Razorback football spring game.

Also:

• ArkansasRazorbacks.com: Game Stats (PDF), Post-game Quotes, Post-game Comments (Video)
• Razorback Nation (Video): Young guns highlight the 2010 scrimmage
• Brandon Marcello: Petrinos clinch victory in Red-White scrimmage, Wilson’s Mallett-less spring ends with mixed results
• Terry Wood: Whites top Reds, 31-21, in spring scrimmage
• Chris Bahn: Two-Minute Drill
• Leland Barclay: White Beats Red In Competitive Spring Game

Sometimes they describe the offense as carrying the day, while other times they describe the defense as beating up on the offense.  It’s like they agree on the day’s theme and then all write about it.

I don’t envy those guy’s jobs.  They have deadlines to meet.  I couldn’t do that.  I was supposed to have this blog post done on Sunday afternoon and here I am writing it on Monday evening.

At any rate, what’s really going on at football practice?  Let me break it down real simple for you:  It’s year three of the Petrino era.  Everything is moving much faster.  Everyone, it seems, knows their job intuitively and no longer has to pause to think.  This is particularly true on defense.

Last Friday’s scrimmage was a good example.  The defense is quicker, faster — no, those are not the same things — and hitting harder.  The secondary play, both safeties and corners, appears much improved.  I like the look of the linebackers.

Most importantly, you can see that the defense doesn’t want to play the ‘drawback’ position on this team any longer.

What about all those big passing numbers the offense has been putting up?  Remember that the quarterbacks are mostly “hands-off” right now.  And, there’s a bit of a slow whistle.  In fairness, it’s hard to tell how good the protection or pass rush really is.  So those passing yards need to be taken with a grain of salt.

There’s been a lot of emphasis on the running game.  We are seeing various versions of the option that I can’t imagine Ryan Mallett actually running.  We have a great stable of running backs.  However, more times than not, the defense is getting the better of the offense in the running game.

Quarterbacks, however, seem to have lots of room to run out of the pocket.  Archie Manning would love the Petrino offense.

Tight end play is going to be solid.  The receivers are going to be good, just like last year.  De’Anthony Curtis adds a Bobby Jo Edmonds type flavor to the mix.  Not a receiver’s body, not a tight end body…but a real threat when matched up against a linebacker or safety.

The question is whether or not Ryan Mallett will use Curtis and the tight ends or prefer to look beyond wide open guys and throw way down the field like he did in the second half of the season last year.

Special teams?  Who knows.  I’m hopeful we’ll see improvement over last year.  I’ve learned that you can’t tell at the practices what the real on-the-field performance is going to be like.

If Petrino mixes up the ones and twos for the Red-White game we should see some interesting football.  RazorFest will be exciting for both young and old.  I recommend making the drive up to campus and checking things out Saturday.

“I think we are on track,” Petrino said.  “We had one day where we didn’t do things right on the practice field.  Usually that starts with your focus and your concentration in the meeting room.  We didn’t progress the way we needed to that day.  I am sure you all know what day that was.”

That day was last Tuesday (practice #5), as the coaches spent much of the day verbally roasting everybody within earshot for their lack of effort.  The display also included Petrino heaving a non-NCAA football up into the stands, and numerous player scuffles which were followed by wind sprints with the offending players being sent to the showers early.

You can almost set your watch by these ‘bad practices.’  They usually occur sometime during practices 3-6, both in the spring or fall.  Players start to get a little sore and maybe feeling a little sorry for themselves.  Position battles cause little flare-ups that draw the ire of coaches outwardly, while there must be a little part of them that likes to see that spirit.

These ‘bad days’ are always followed by days of progress where coaches tend to build them back up after tearing them down.  All in all, it makes for an entertaining 2+ hours of ‘theatre’ every practice.

Here are a few things that have caught our attention:

• After the knee injury to starting guard Wade Grayson, redshirt freshman Alvin Bailey (6-5, 323) has more than stepped into that starting spot and performed extremely well.  Bailey, who was set to challenge at one of the guard positions anyway, may be hard to unseat now.  Wally Pipp anyone?
• While Ronnie Wingo, Jr. was awarded the starting tailback spot before spring practice began, it appears that there is little separation between him, Knile Davis and Broderick Green.  In the two scrimmages to date, all three have posted similar numbers.  And unless something drastically changes in the next few weeks, a running back by committee approach seems likely.
• With starting quarterback Ryan Mallett on the sidelines, the tight ends appear to be seeing a few more passes thrown in their direction.  D.J. Williams (82 yards, 2 TDs), Chris Gragg (90 yards, TD) and Austin Tate (60 yards, TD) combined for 22 catches in Friday’s scrimmage.
• We’ll give the defense a few more days to work before rendering a final verdict, but Friday’s scrimmage was not good for the men in white.  164 plays equates to roughly two games of plays.  The 947 yards and 14 TDs were great for the offense, but would average out to 473.5 yards and 49 points per game on defense.  Yikes!

Petrino seems upbeat about the work the Hogs have put in thus far, but knows there is much to be gained over the next few weeks.

“We are pushing these guys hard.  It’s time to step up the intensity and step up making sure we are doing things right and playing with great effort.”

The Hogs’ spring game is set for April 24th at 6 pm.  The game follows RazorFest activities that, weather permitting, should make for a fun day in the Ozarks.

As usual, I noticed a few things in practice that the Razorback media guys — which, by the way, are doing a great job of covering spring practice — failed to either notice or mention that I thought were interesting.

Let’s start with new offensive line coach Chris Klenakis.  Think of the younger Lou Holtz in size and movement.  While Klenakis stands well above five feet and is as skinny as a long distance runner, the top of his head only reaches to the armpit of the average offensive lineman.

So Coach Klenakis is not going to be grabbing anyone by the face mask and lifting them off the ground.  But what he lacks in size he makes up for in intensity.  This guy is loud.  He’s so loud that it bears repeating — this guy is LOUD.  He’s more serious than even Mike Markuson used to be…without all the flop sweat going on.

Hands on, full body, demonstrating what he wants from technique.  I saw a huge emphasis on firing off the line and holding blocks.  Watching the offensive line practice quickly became a pastime of mine.

On the quarterbacks front, I couldn’t help but notice Brandon Mitchell:  size, quickness, impressive footwork, bullet arm.  He did a perfect Doug Williams imitation on a ‘flick of the wrist’ long throw to Joe Adams that zipped through the wind and was spot on.

Tyler Wilson looked very solid.  He throws the ball well, but not with the velocity of either Mitchell or Ryan Mallett.  Think more of a Joe Montana arm:  the appropriate touch for the type of pass and very accurate on short to mid-range throws.

Wilson missed a couple of wide open receivers on long throws in 11-on-11, but hit a couple in pass skeletons.  I like the demeanor and leadership that he is showing.

I saw some different looks and sets out of the pistol/shot formation.  It appears to be more incorporated on top of Petrino’s regular offense this year.  Obviously the coaches have been working on this.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out as spring practice continues.

I’ll save running backs and receivers to talk about later.  Other than to say: “They looked great.”  Things may change when they get the pads on.

Compared to past seasons, this year’s team is a spirited and boisterous group.  Lots of team noise in the 11-on-11 session.  It’s apparent this group has made the switch from learning on the job the past couple of years to now focusing on getting better at the job.

As far as the coaching attire goes, there doesn’t appear to be much more organization than in the past two years.  These guys obviously spend their time on coaching and not on coordinating clothing.

Everyone should note that the “Razorback Football” hat is apparently reserved for Coach Petrino.   When the Nike version comes out, we’ll be sure and feature it in the RazorBloggers Network Fan Shop, as we learned last year there was demand for this item.

Of course, the 2010 season really started for this team long before today’s first spring practice.  With regular weight room sessions and early morning workouts, there really is no such thing as an offseason anymore.

And, like the players and coaches, the media and HogBlogosphere have been preparing early for spring practice with some great preview articles.

We told you last week what we’d be eyeing closely when attending practice and that’s a theme that Brandon Marcello of WholeHogSports.com has been running with, as well.

In his “Three 2 Watch” series, Brandon has been previewing the potential impact players and “situations” to watch for this spring.  There’s good stuff here on running back Ronnie Wingo, tight end Chris Gragg and the Hogs’ wide receiving corps.  On defense, a profile of new assistant Steve Caldwell, an update on cornerback Isaac Madison’s return from injury and the search for impact linebackers are also thoroughly covered.

Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News Bureau has been running his position-by-position previews lately, including the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and offensive line.  On the other side of the ball, Robbie gives us updates on the defensive line, linebackers and defensive backs to complete the preview.

As for Chris Bahn of ArkansasSports360.com, he paired up with our friends at ArkansasExpats.com for a joint Q&A session yesterday.  And Chris also wrote up a helpful “primer” on “who and what will matter this spring.”

And finally, the folks on the mothership at ArkansasRazorbacks.com have produced what is basically a spring practice media guide with nearly 50 pages full of information, including links to video content.

Collectively, that’s just about as much information as any Hog junkie could possibly process.  And the best part?  Our sidebar News Stream linked to every single one of these articles over the past week.

And, as you may have noticed, we recently added Razorback Nation video and the new CallingtheHogs.com web site to make the Stream even better!

So keep it tuned right here to RBN for regular updates as well as links to all the latest spring practice coverage.  GO HOGS!

Arkansas head football coach Bobby Petrino released his post-spring practice depth chart on Wednesday.

First Team Offense
Marques Wade, Carlton Salters, London Crawford, WR; Ray Dominguez, LT; Mitch Petrus, LG; Jonathan Luigs, C; DeMarcus Love, RG; Jose Valdez, RT; D.J. Williams, TE; Casey Dick, QB; Michael Smith, RB, Lance Thompson, FB.

First Team Defense
Jake Bequette, DE; Ernest Mitchell, LT; Malcolm Sheppard, RT; Adrian Davis, DE; Elston Forte, SLB; Jerry Franklin, MLB; Ryan Powers, WLB; Jamar Love, CB; Dallas Washington, SS; Matt Harris or Rashaad Johnson, FS; Isaac Madison, CB.

First Team Special Teams
Jeremy Davis, P; Alex Tejada, PK; Matt Harris, Holder.

Also:

• Hogwired.com: Bobby Petrino Press Conference – Spring Practice Wrap-Up
• Alex Abrams: Petrino Unveils First Depth Chart
• Robbie Neiswanger: Norton Undergoes Surgery; Fairchild’s Status Remains Uncertain
• Tom Murphy: Charting the progress
• Nate Allen: Charting a course
• Brandon Marcello: Hogs’ new coach looking to fill voids on special teams in fall

Updated 5/8/08 10:45 a.m.

First and foremost…this is definitely the beginning of a new era for Arkansas football.  Without having to do a lot of talking, the coaching staff and players have let us know with their actions that things have changed.

Here are some of the things that I noticed this spring:

The new offense is not predictable, and can apparently be taught to the players.  The ‘package’ doesn’t predict the play.  In fact, it seldom changes between plays.

Passing?  Five receivers out on the same play…three progressions and then a swing pass to the flat.  Next up…two tight ends on the field at the same time — on the same side — with a split receiver and a slot guy on that side as well.

This offense literally throws the ball all over the field…and that includes the middle of the field, too.

Rushing?  Draw plays…reverses…counter plays…fullback dive…even the infamous Houston Dale stretch play.  And sometimes…passing the ball first to setup the run.  Imagine that?

This offense gives the defense a lot to think about and very few clues as to what’s coming next.

The whole negative notion of quarterbacks as ‘bus drivers’ — on the field not to make plays and not to make mistakes — is gone.  Casey Dick is pointing and barking instructions…changing blocking assignments, formations, and plays.  In other words, being the leader of the offense.

Not yet Peyton Manning…but definitely well beyond ‘bus driver.’

This football team is going to hit.  No more constant worrying about the number of bodies and the fear of getting someone hurt.  The ‘being afraid’ that we’ve had over the past several years is gone.

Short on linebackers?  Let’s tackle to the ground.  Running backs?  Tackle them and try to strip the ball, too.

Physical?  For years the Razorbacks have been thought of as one of the most physical teams in the SEC.  The new coach doesn’t think they’re physical enough yet.  Hit every day until it is second nature.  Find out who your best football players are and put them on the field.

Rather than a package of blitzes and cornerbacks on an ‘island,’ the focus now is on ‘team’ defense.  The offense will get the benefit of practicing against the type of defenses they will see in games.  The defense will get to practice against a ‘high end’ version of the type of offense they will see in games.

I’ll stop there for now.  I realize that’s a lot to digest…but that’s actually kind of my point.  I’ll try to summarize a few more things in a post later this week.  Until then, for those who saw any spring practice or scrimmages, what are your thoughts?

Hogwired.com: Dick, Smith Lead Red to 45-14 Spring Game Victory in Front of 40,000 Fans

Casey Dick passed for 404 yards and two touchdowns and Michael Smith ran for 157 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries as the Red posted a 45-14 victory over the White in Arkansas’ spring football game Saturday at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Also:

• Hogwired.com: Game Stats (PDF)
• AP: RB Smith shines in Arkansas spring game
• Chris Bahn: Razorbacks Show Off Offensive Options
• Robbie Neiswanger: Offense On Display
• Kurt Voigt: Smith Takes On No. 1 Role
• The Morning News: Williams Enjoys Breakout Performance
• Tom Murphy: Arkansas piles up numbers
• Rob Keys: Offense puts smile on QB’s face
• Marty Cook: Red-White game report
• Nate Allen: Smith leads Hogs in posting big numbers

Updated 4/28/08 8:15 a.m.

One noticeable change from practice in previous years is that there are drill periods followed by scrimmage periods…followed by drill periods followed by scrimmage periods.  No resting…no group water breaks…no sympathy if you tweak something.

If you’re an injured player, you were on an exercise bike over in a corner of the field.  No one was just ‘hanging around’ on the sidelines.

The first day in pads on Saturday looked better than any spring practice I’ve seen in a long time. The offensive line looked strong and, overall, the offense dominated the defense.

The move of Chip Gregory to running back is a serious one.  He’s a bit tall and lanky, but runs ‘big’ and is hard to bring down.

Michael Smith is still fast, but Brandon Barnett is just as fast, three inches taller and almost 30 pounds heavier.  I think we will see a lot of him this fall.

On defense, we are going to have to find our way.  Size and experience are both issues at the moment.  I expect to see this group improve quickly, though.  There are some good players out there.

People asked us to look at the corners.  But it was easier to notice the safeties, as they were making a lot of tackles.  The corners did a pretty nice job…but nothing amazing.  Linebackers are small and lacking experience.  I liked the scheme and the coaching of the defensive units.

The punt teams featured serious attention to the spacing on the line.  Punts were practiced with a full contact rush of 10 men.  There was a committee trying out at punt returner…all being coached by Tim Horton.

Alex Tejada still has a big leg.  He hit the goal post about five feet from the top from 47 yards out.  Distance will not be an issue.  And interestingly, it seems like he’s grown a couple of inches and filled out as well.

The crowds over the weekend were pretty good.  I heard someone yell, “We are passing the ball!  I love it!”  Well, we are passing the ball…but we are running the ball, too.  There’s a lot of very physical, hard-nosed football going on out there.

I would strongly encourage fans to get out and watch these guys practice at least once during the spring.  This is real football…it’s good stuff.

I suspect that thought will cross the mind of new Arkansas Head Coach Bobby Petrino a few times over the next three weeks.

After much anticipation, Petrino’s Razorbacks will kick off spring football practice later today.  And after holding 15 sessions over the next 23 days, the spring season will culminate with the EAS RazorFest Spring Game on Saturday, April 26.

During a media briefing on Monday, a couple of Petrino’s comments caught my attention.  First, it sounds like the Hogs are going to be a little more physical as they install new offensive and defensive schemes:

“We need to find out a lot about ourselves” Petrino said. “We need to hit.  I think that is the one thing that, from my understanding, will be different for our players.  They haven’t done a lot of live tackling, live hitting.

“I’ve always had the philosophy that hitting is like tying your shoe.  It’s just something you do everyday and you get used to it and you stay healthy because of it.  So you have to do some hitting every day.”

That’s certainly a stark contrast from past scrimmages, which were little more than a glorified game of touch football.  Oh yeah…the coach would make it sound good by telling his players to ‘thud them up,’ but then complain afterwards when they lacked intensity.

The other surprising change mentioned by Petrino was that sophomore linebacker Chip Gregory is moving to tailback.  Gregory (6-3, 225) played a little running back in high school, rushing for 503 yards on 35 carries and 7 TDs as a senior.  But wow…who saw this coming?

If you go back and look, though, Petrino has a history of having big backs in his ‘Power Spread’ offensive attack.  Former Louisville stars Eric Shelton (6-1, 246) and Michael Bush (6-1, 245) are making a nice living in the NFL now after toting the load for Petrino.  Who knows…Gregory might find a home there…we’ll see.

From a fan’s perspective, it’s great to see that all spring practices will remain open to the public.  As always, we’re planning to make as many as we can and then bring our ‘observational commentary’ back here to RBN.  (Keeping in mind, of course, that Coach Petrino is not a big fan of the ‘Internets.’)

In particular, we’re looking forward to seeing the new offense and how well the players are adapting to it.  But for those of you who can’t go, what else do you want us to keep an eye on?