It can be hard not to overlook an opponent from time to time, especially one that was ranked near the bottom of several offensive categories in the Football Championship Subdivision last season.
But Tennessee Tech, which ranked 94th offensively last season, has the full attention of the Razorbacks and, specifically, defensive coordinator Willy Robinson.
The third-year coach at Arkansas especially took offense Wednesday when asked by a television reporter if the season opener against the Golden Eagles was a “tune-up game” for the Hogs, who enter Southeastern Conference play in two weeks.
“You can call it what you want, but this is a game for us,” Robinson said. “We don’t look ahead to any other games. How could you even make that comment? This is not a tune-up game, it’s a game.”
From the sound of it, Robinson has legitimate concerns about Tennessee Tech. His abundance of film study and knowledge of the Golden Eagles was apparent, especially when discussing Tennessee Tech’s quarterback situation. Coach Watson Brown is expected to use at least two quarterbacks and utlilize multiple formations to keep the Razorbacks’ defense off balance.
Entering fall camp, four quarterbacks were vying for playing time at Tech. Tre Lamb will start and Cass Barnes, a dual-threat quarterback, figure to see the most of the playing time against Arkansas after the departure of Lee Sweeney last season.
But it’s the formations and movement before the snap that could provide fits for Arkansas, which gave up plenty of big plays last season.
For example, Robinson offered, the Golden Eagles may line up in the Wishbone one play, then present play-action out of the shotgun the very next down.
“They’re awfully efficient with what they do and it’s not like they have to throw the ball deep down field to be such,” said Robinson, who mentioned Tennesee Tech’s 300-pound offensive linemen as one worry when scheming a defensive attack. “They can sit down, throw the bubble screens, the speed screens, the smoke, the quick game and stuff, and get it into the hands and make people miss.”
Arkansas’ practices have been closed to the media this week. Defensive end Jake Bequette mentioned discipline and patience when playing against the Golden Eagles offense, which provides plenty of challenges.
“It’s one of those games you have to prepare a lot of stuff for,” Bequette said. “We feel confident, though. We’ve seen teams like this before. We’re just going to go out there and play our best.”
Focus, Bequette and Robinson said, shouldn’t be a problem. After all, this is the first game of the season. Arkansas is just ready to hit someone with a different uniform on their backs that doesn’t feature the cardinal and white colors.
“Everybody will be up,” Bequette said. “This is the first game of the year. Everybody is jacked up. I think the thing we have to be worried about is, maybe, being too over-hyped about it. We’re out there, kind of bouncing off the walls and ready to go.
“We’ll stay focused tomorrow and we’ll be ready to play Friday night. And then Saturday afternoon, it’s showtime. We’re ready to go.”
Make sure to check out WholeHogSports.com and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for more coverage. You can also follow us on Twitter for breaking news updates with @bmarcello and @wholehogsports.
Let’s go “D” !
I’m hesitant to say this but I hope that I’m proved right to some extent this year: “Offenses around the SEC, GET READY!” This will not be the defense of last year!
Fingers crossed!!
Aside from telling the reporter “How can you even make that comment?” which was pretty damn rude for a press conference and a pretty benign question, he also totally blew off another reporter asking about 3-4 defense by saying “I honestly don’t know what you are talking about?” and just looked away without even answering his question or ask for a clarification, just looked away. This guy is a total jerk, which is probably why he is a terrible recruiter, which in turn wouldn’t matter if his defenses were worth a damn.
how bad do you want it defense,if you want it bad enough you can shine.
Joe Garr…….one mans story……Brandon did not say anything about Willys comment and Im sure he has more knowledge of this than you sir…..and if Coach P says Willy is the man…..Willy is the man ! Did you know the lady with the gator hat ??
I think Lou Holtz said one time about a very young football team with a lot of speed coming in is that all that speed gets you in the wrong places that much faster. I don’t remember that exactly, but you get the jest. These Razorbacks played young and made some mistakes This will be a much better experienced squad. They have been slighted in every media outlet in the country. They will play better. GO HOGS!
Yep, Willie has been taking heat for 9+ months on this D (some maybe deserved) but he’s probably a little tired of it. Personally, I want a DC with a little fire and intensity.
LondonHawg,
Watch the video of the press conference. It’s like that was the last place he wanted to be and last job he wanted to do; WPSHG summed it up pretty good.
He told Chuck Barrett on Meet the Coach that he’s here “more because of a need on his part..” (i.e., without a job) and because he “always found South intriguing,” not because he was excited to be a DC at AR. He told Brandon Marcello (watch the video) that when his players (or “kids” as he calls them) get loud in the locker room he tells them to shut up and be quiet (because he hates noise). Wow, what a way to build intensity and energy, and what a great motivator this guy is! Probably most infuriating is for him to say that it was hard to make any defensive adjustments on spot last year, because players looked at him like he was talking Chinese when he tried to explain something. That says nothing about the players but says a lot about a coach that can’t put a cogent sentence together!
If we wind up being 11th or 12th defense this season again (and I hope we don’t), one good thing out of that will be that this guy will be history!
What’s the woman with FL hat have to do with any of this?? That’s a case of a moron reporter offending the program and Petrino putting her in her place, as he should. This here, on the other hand, is a case of an incompetent guy being a jerk… and just plain being irritated to be here!
I was the one who asked the “Tuneup Game” Question. And I don’t find his response rude. I’m glad the he takes his job seriously. In this reporter’s opinion, It was a stupid question to ask, but a great response from the coach.
Joe Garr,if the Hogs wind up on bottom in defense again,and special teams dont improve,remember those are Coachs freinds,i think Coach Petrino is a fantastic coach,but if we lack in those two areas again,time to say goodbye to the Buddies.
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