Johnson plays like a receiver
FAYETTEVILLE — Robert Johnson felt like a wide receiver Saturday against North Texas. He looked like one, too.
Johnson, a former Arkansas starting quarterback, posted single-game career highs in receptions (4 ) and yards (71 ) and caught his first touchdown as the Razorbacks easily beat the Mean Green 66-7.
“I’ve been out there trying, trying and trying to get catches,” said Johnson, a 6-2, 210-pound senior, who moved to wide receiver after starting the 2006 season opener at quarterback. “Finally getting into the end zone makes it 10 times better. It makes it feel like all the hard work paid off for something.”
Johnson caught the touchdown pass from Casey Dick with 14: 10 left in the second quarter. He hauled in a 37-yard pass, making an acrobatic grab despite being closely defended by cornerback Antoine Bush.
“Casey threw me a good ball and I used my height and strength to get it,” Johnson said. “That helps. It felt nice.”
Arkansas used Johnson sparingly in 2006 at receiver. He caught six passes for 96 yards, averaging less than 1 catch per game.
Johnson had only two catches for 18 yards this season going into Saturday’s game.
Moving to receiver was tough for Johnson, who came to Arkansas as a highly touted dual-threat quarterback from Waco, Texas. He started seven games in 2005 but was pulled in favor of Dick, then a freshman. Johnson started the 2006 season opener against Southern California but was pulled in that loss after going 12 of 25 for 110 yards with 2 interceptions, losing his starting position to freshman Mitch Mustain.
Johnson completed 111 of 204 passes for 1, 195 yards, 8 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
After struggling at quarterback and working to adjust to life as a receiver, Johnson was relieved by Saturday’s performance.
“It felt good,” Johnson said. “I had a nice game, got some confidence and, most important, we won.” Oops
There’s no good time to lose a fumble, but Razorbacks running back Brandon Barnett had one at an awful time.
Barnett, 5-10, 190, was about a yard shy of his first career touchdown when he turned the ball over on a fourth-quarter run. Barnett had shown a nice array of skills on the drive before the fumble and seemed to be taking advantage of the absence of All-America tailbacks Felix Jones and Darren McFadden.
Barnett, a sophomore juniorcollege transfer from Butler County (Kan. ) Community College, finished with 105 yards and 1 touchdown on 16 carries. He atoned for his mistake with a 5-yard scoring run late in the fourth quarter.
“I was so close to getting in and I just got ahead of myself, trying to get that one more yard,” Barnett said. “I tried not to dwell on it and came out and made up for it.” First miss
Guess it had to happen sometime.
Freshman kicker Alex Tejada missed a field-goal attempt for the first time for Arkansas. He failed to connect on a 44-yard attempt to end the first half.
Tejada, who is 8 of 9, was spotted hitting from beyond 50 yards in pregame. He was good from 39 yards to give Arkansas a 17-0 lead with 6: 12 remaining in the opening quarter. Turnover troubles
It’s not hard to pinpoint a reason the winless Mean Green has given up 220 points in four games this season.
North Texas entered the game ranked No. 113 nationally in turnover margin. It had 10 turnovers before facing the Razorbacks and lost the ball two more times in the 66-7 loss. Take that
Everyone knows Darren Mc-Fadden has a wicked stiff-arm, but his use of it on a 9-yard run in the first quarter was hard-core.
McFadden punched the helmet right off the head of North Texas cornerback Antoine Bush.
Too bad the game wasn’t televised. That play deserves to be in McFadden’s highlight reel. Hypothetical champs
Arkansas isn’t eligible for the Sun Belt Conference championship, but boy, if they were...
With Saturday’s victory against North Texas, the Razorbacks improved to 2-0 against Sun Belt opponents this season. They opened the year with a victory against Troy and have league member Florida International remaining as the Oct. 27 homecoming opponent.
Five weeks into the season, the Razorbacks have played more Sun Belt opponents than Sun Belt member Arkansas State has. Did you notice ?
Arkansas had its longest punt return of the season when Reggie Fish gained 11 yards on a first-half return. The Razorbacks entered the game averaging. 2 yards or 7. 2 inches per return.
North Texas is no fan of having its quarterback under center. Even when faced with a goalline situation late in the second half, Mean Green quarterback Giovanni Vizza was in the Shotgun.
Arkansas used 27 offensive plays in the first quarter on the way to a 28-0 lead. The Razorbacks were on pace for 108 plays when the quarter ended.
North Texas kicker Thomas Moreland tackled Felix Jones to end a 26-yard return on the opening kickoff. Moreland was all that stood between Jones and a touchdown. Jones had a nice day regardless. He returned two kickoffs for 36 yards, and added 132 rushing and 48 receiving.
Only once did the Razorbacks run a play out of the WildHog formation. Darren McFadden lined up at quarterback and handed off to Felix Jones for a 12-yard gain.
Versatile Arkansas senior fullback Peyton Hillis had more carries in a half against North Texas than he had total in the three previous games. Hillis lined up at tailback for stretches of the first and second quarters and entered halftime with seven carries for 46 yards. He’d previously carried six times for 26 yards. Thumbs up
To Razorbacks fans for bucking tradition and not booing the Mean Green when they re-entered the stadium at halftime. North Texas had suffered enough in giving up 507 yards and falling behind 45-7.
To a career-best moment by Razorbacks quarterback Casey Dick and receiver London Crawford. Dick and Crawford registered career highs when they hooked up for a 61-yard touchdown in the first quarter. It was the longest scoring pass of Dick’s career and Crawford’s longest catch.
To Arkansas All-America center Jonathan Luigs. He leveled a North Texas defender on Felix Jones’ 35-yard touchdown run with 13: 08 remaining in the first quarter. Thumbs down
To whomever the 12 th man on the field was for North Texas in the first quarter. That mistake allowed Arkansas to retain possession, setting up the 35-yard touchdown run from Felix Jones. That just got the Mean Green off to a bad start that only got worse.
To the Arkansas play call on fourth-and-2 from the North Texas 42. It wasn’t going for it that was bizarre, but attempting a pass that made no sense with the way Arkansas was running the ball.
To North Texas’ third-down conversion rate. The Mean Green converted only 4 of 17.
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