Petrino increases practice tempo for Tulsa
Posted on Friday, October 31, 2008
Nolan Richardson used to enjoy hearing how opponents practiced 7 on 5, even 8 on 5 trying to simulate the presses of the basketball Razorbacks.
Tulsa head coach Todd Graham and Tulsa offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, Arkansas’ offensive coordinator in 2006, likely enjoying hearing how opposing defenses cast out conventional practice procedures trying to prepare for the Golden Hurricane’s hurry-up, nohuddle Spread offense.
His Razorbacks, Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said after they concluded preparations with Thursday’s practice in shorts, are doing some unconventional things to prep the defense for Tulsa’s tempo in Saturday’s 1 p. m. pay-per-view Arkansas homecoming game at Frank Broyles Field at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
“ The way we did it is we had the O-line go right down to the line and then we had two groups of quarterbacks and receivers and running backs so one group was getting the play when the other group was running it, ” Petrino said. “ Then they would run right up there and our defense would have to get aligned according to where the ball was on the field. ”
How did it go ?
“ Sometimes it looked a little chaotic, ” Petrino said. “ Sometimes you don’t get to coach as hard on the field as normal but we really worked hard on getting extra video time so we are coaching off the video. I think our guys really understand the game plan and understand what we want to do. Today I thought the defense was a lot better. ”
While it’s important that the Arkansas defense, unable to huddle because of Tulsa’s no-huddle, gets the signals quickly from the sideline and “ stays on the same page, ” Petrino said the Hogs can let Tulsa’s scheme distract them from the fundamentals of playing sound, hard-hitting defense.
“ What we have to do defensively, ” Petrino said, “ is play with great speed and also play very physical. ”
Defensively, the Razorbacks know they will be without starting freshman free safety Elton Ford, out for the year with a neck injury suffered during last Saturday’s 23-21 loss to Ole Miss, and it appears they will be without starting defensive end Adrian Davis, knee injury last week.
Damario Ambrose replaces Adrian Davis at end.
Free safety Matt Harris, also injured during the Ole Miss game, has practiced all week and “ is ready to play, ” and splitting reps with Rashaad Johnson, Petrino said.
Freshman Tramain Thomas, normally a reserve cornerback, also works at free safety.
On the offensive line, junior starting tackle Ray Dominguez, also injured against Ole Miss, might be replaced in weakside tackle tandem as Mike Aguirre and Grant Freeman have split reps.
DeMarcus Love, the earlyseason starting strongside guard until injured, is the healthy starting guard again as his early-season replacement, redshirt freshman Grant Cook, will miss the Tulsa game because of a knee injury against Ole Miss.
It was observed to Petrino that Tulsa, 8-0, ranked 19 th by AP and 18 th by the BCS, doesn’t fill the customary bill of doormat slug that so many schedule for homecoming.
“ We understand they are a very, very good football team, ” Petrino said. “ We certainly have a lot of pride in our football team and our players have a lot of personal pride. It’s the last time they [Arkansas’ seniors ] get to play in this stadium. So everyone is working as hard as they possibly can to make sure the seniors go out with a win. ”
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