Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

8/9/2010 at 3:09pm

FAYETTEVILLE — Figuring out the emphasis of Monday morning’s Arkansas football practice was easy enough. One phrase rang out throughout the session as the Razorbacks worked in full pads for the first time.

“Run to the football!” was heard repeatedly from assistant coaches and especially Coach Bobby Petrino. Even a defensive team captain drew Petrino’s ire when the coach said, “Everybody runs to the ball … you too captain.” Junior end Jake Bequette and senior defensive back Ramon Broadway, two of three defensive captains as voted on by the team, were nearest the play, but it was impossible to determine just whom Petrino was singling out.

Bequette later joked that he’d be hearing “run to the football” in his sleep. Combining veterans and newcomers into practice for the first time seemed to increase the amount that the four words were repeated Monday.

“We’ve got to get the rest of these guys breaking to the ball so it’s a habit. It’s not something that natural,” Bequette said. “You have to work at it.”

That mindset was crucial in the Razorbacks forcing so many turnovers last year. Opponents turned the ball over 30 times against Arkansas. Senior safety Rudell Crim credited the “run to the football” mentality for the defense increasing its turnover production by 14  — more than one per game — over the previous season.

“That’s what helped us have turnovers last year was flying around to the ball,” Crim said. “We’re making sure we’re getting to the ball again this year.”

“It’s just like repetition. The more you do it, the more regular it becomes for you to run to the ball and force turnovers.”

Hearing the message repeatedly on Monday will be good motivation for the future, said linebacker Jerry Franklin, the third defensive captain as voted on by the team. It’s not a good thing when coaches have to issue a reminder and, Franklin said, it’s really bad news for players when Petrino is the most vocal coach in practice.

“When coach [Petrino] starts telling you to do something, you realize you better pick it up,” Franklin said. “That’s when you’ve got to turn to your teammates and try to build them up and get them going too.”

HANDS UP
Arkansas cornerbacks — especially Andru Stewart and Darius Winston — continued to be active during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. When passes were broken up, those two were often in the vicinity, something defensive coordinator Willy Robinson was happy to see.

So far, Robinson sees an improved secondary. Actively getting hands on the football is a big part of the improvement.

“Kids are playing with a lot more confidence in what they’re trying to get done,” Robinson said. “It’s all about experience. They’re focused and playing a lot quicker.”

NOTABLE
* Offensive tackle Anthony Oden wasn’t around. He had a court date scheduled for Monday, following a summer DWI arrest.

* Freshman tight end Brad Hefley was working in the injury corner of practice. He was boxing with a member of the strength and conditioning staff.

* There appears to be a good battle shaping up between sophomore Dylan Breeding and freshman Zach Hocker at punter. Neither have been as consistent as coaches would like, but — as we’ve noted again and again — competition is typically going to make players better.

* Freshman running back Jatashun “Big Tex” Beachum was the last player off the field on Monday. He’s putting in extra conditioning work as he tries to slim down his 6-1, 285-pound frame. On Saturday, Bobby Petrino joked with the media that the staff hoped to turn "Big Tex" into "Small Tex."

QUOTABLE
 “If he can continue top pick up and grasp what we’ve done, he could be a dominant player for us … When he does put it together, he’s a man.”

— Defensive coordinator Willy Robinson on freshman defensive tackle Byran Jones.

UP NEXT
Arkansas has its first real “two-a-day” practice on Tuesday. Times are set for 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Last week, the two-a-day practices were divided into the veteran players in one session and the newcomers in another. They're together from this point on.

Tagged: Byran Jones, Rudell Crim, Jerry Franklin, Jake Bequette, Willy Robinson, Bobby Petrino, Arkansas Razorbacks