Matchup with Tide sets early tone for Hogs’ SEC schedule
Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Editor's Note: The Arkansas Razorbacks will face one of the toughest football schedules in the nation in 2008. The sports staff of the Northwest Arkansas Times ranked Arkansas'12 upcoming games from least important to most important based on fan fervor, storylines and the effect a win or loss would have on the Razorbacks'season. This is the Hogs'second most important game and part 11 of a 12-part series profiling the Razorbacks'2008 opponents.
Alabama's Nick Saban and Arkansas' Bobby Petrino took similar paths to their respective SEC powerhouses.
Both were successful college coaches who took on the challenge of the NFL. Both left their struggling pro teams after short stays. Both arrived at their new SEC jobs under harsh media scrutiny.
Both paths will cross Sept. 20 at Razorback Stadium when Saban's Tide meet Petrino's Hogs in what has become a huge early season SEC matchup for both teams. The 2007 season started well for the Crimson Tide, but losses in their last four regular-season games led to a 7-6 finish. Saban, the nation's highest paid coach, will be expected to squeeze at least another win or two out of this year's team. Both Saban and Petrino have been dealing with discipline problems this offseason, especially at the linebacker position. Both coaching staffs have player personnel and discipline issues to address before their league-opening matchup on Sept. 20. The good news for the Hogs is that this year's game is in Fayetteville. The home team has won four straight games of the series.
OFFENSE Like Arkansas' Casey Dick, Alabama signal-caller John Parker Wilson has become accustomed to change. Wilson is working with his third offensive coordinator in four years, but already has a school-record 16 200-yard passing games to his credit. Wilson will be able to count on solid protection on his left side, as junior tackle Andre Smith is one of the league's most decorated linemen. The cat-quick Smith, first-team All-SEC last season, shared the SEC's Jacobs Blocking Trophy with Arkansas center Jonathan Luigs. Smith is one of four returning starters to an offensive line that struggled after two starters (center Antoine Caldwell and guard Marlon Davis ) were suspended by the NCAA for four games last season. The senior Caldwell was second-team All-SEC in 2006, and looks to be one of the league's top centers in 2008. Running back Terry Grant had a productive freshman season in 2007, with 891 rushing yards and eight scores. The speedster was hampered by a hip injury late last season, but will have junior Glen Coffee (545 yards in 2007 ) there to help carry the load. The Tide's top three receivers yardage-wise are gone, putting a trio big question marks at the ends of Alabama's three-wide offense. The team's tight end, senior Nick Walker, returns off a 23-catch, twotouchdown season.
DEFENSE Speed is the name of the game for Alabama free safety Rashad Johnson, and he plays his game to perfection. The former walk-on running back was named first-team All-SEC on the strength of his team-leading 94 tackles and six interceptions last season. Strong safety Simeon Castille is gone, but starting corner Kareem Jackson rejoins Johnson in the secondary. As a true freshman last season, Jackson held Vanderbilt star receiver Earl Bennett to just four catches. Defensive end Wallace Gilberry was a dominant All-SEC performer, but his departure leaves a hole in the Tide's three-man front. Bama is stocked to take the hit, as five of the team's top six defensive linemen return to action. Alabama's 3-4 defense places a premium on linebackers, but the Tide is experiencing a Razorbacklike lack of depth at the position. Running back Jimmy Johns was supposed to move over to LB, but was kicked off the team last month after an arrest in connection with felony drug charges. Linebacker Prince Hall will also serve some sort of suspension to start this season due to an unspecified violation of team rules. Youngsters Rolando McClain and Jerrell Harris will be counted on at LB. Middle man McClain is a 255-pound roadblock who plays with great smarts for a sophomore.
* * * The difference-maker: This game is a battle of the untested receiving corps. Arkansas' Casey Dick and Alabama's John Parker Wilson might have combined for seven touchdown passes in last year's game, but the will the pass-catchers in this year's game be able to consistently beat coverage ?
Whichever team can squeeze the most production form its unsung receiving corps and can do the best to overcome its horrible losses at linebacker, will likely win the game. The deal-maker: You can't win'em all, if you don't win the first one. The simple fact of the matter is that no team wants to be behind the 8-ball after its first conference game. Any time Arkansas and Alabama open SEC play against each other, this game will be huge for both programs. The deal-breaker: Though Alabama won last year's matchup, Arkansas finished with a better overall record. The SEC season is a marathon, not a sprint, and the Arkansas-Alabama game takes place so early on in the season that the losing team has time to regroup. This extra time could be especially valuable for the 2008 Razorbacks, who will have to adjust to Petrino's new system as well as life without star running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.
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