Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

8/31/2010 at 7:40pm

FAYETTEVILLE — Starting battles are ongoing throughout the Arkansas lineup, including two positions on the offensive line. Coaches have given no indication of which way the battle for guard and center are going and offensive line coach Chris Klenakis wasn't offering much in the way of insight.

“We’ll send five out there. If they would let us start eight that would be great but we would have too many ineligible players,” Klenakis said.

Players involved in the position battles expect it to be competing right up until kickoff against Tennessee Tech on Saturday. Seth Oxner and Travis Swanson are competing at center and Grant Cook and Wade Grayson are battling at guard.

Oxner, who was back on the field after missing Friday’s mock game with a sprained foot that bothered him throughout last week, said constantly being pitted against Swanson is ultimately good for the whole team. It’s bringing out the best in each player.

“They’ll take this all the way up to the game and that’s fine,” Oxner said. “That’s pushing us each and every day.”

Swanson echoed that sentiment. He began preseason camp working with the freshmen and other newcomers before being elevated to splitting first-team work after four practices.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be handed to anybody,” Swanson said.

Quarterback Ryan Mallett also shed little light on who should win the battle at center. He said both players are capable and was another voice offering the idea that unsettled positions simply mean the options are plentiful.

“They’re both battling their butts off,” Mallett said. “They’re both great players. I don’t know really what the coaches think about it. I don’t have a favorite because they both play the position well. And whatever the coaches decide that’s what we’ll go with.”

BACK TO WORK
Dennis Johnson returned to practice on Tuesday after having his wisdom teeth removed last week. Johnson, who missed a pair of practices and Friday’s mock game, actually returned to team activities on Monday.

“He looked good,” offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said. “He was back out there on Monday and had a great attitude on Monday and looked pretty fast. I think he’ll be ready to go.”

REUNITED
Tennessee Tech coach Watson Brown has a history with Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee. Brown was the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma when McGee played there.

“He is a very good detailed ball coach. He understands both sides of the ball,” McGee said. “He’s a players coach. They are going to really want to come out and play hard for him because that’s the type of a coach he is.”

QUOTABLE
"No. You’ve got to do more than that. Coach has been preaching about pass blocking and everything else. You have to do the little things right.”
—Tailback Broderick Green on if his 99-yard run in last week’s scrimmage clinched the starting job.

Tagged: Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles, Garrick McGee, Watson Brown, Bobby Petrino, Travis Swanson, Seth Oxner, Arkansas Razorbacks