Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

11/13/2010 at 10:08pm

Image by Mark Wagner

Arkansas tight end D.J. Williams was one of 21 seniors that played in Razorback Stadium for the final time on Saturday. Williams' night included five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown.

One senior left the field already thinking about the two biggest games just ahead that separate Arkansas from a 10-2 regular season. Another senior felt the sentimental pangs of a last game in Reynolds Razorback Stadium. No matter where you looked Saturday night in Arkansas' 58-21 win over Texas-El Paso, Razorback seniors were having a big hand in the win, the Hogs' fourth in a row.

Senior offensive tackle Demarcus Love, who along with two other starting seniors in the line has helped lead a resurgent Arkansas running game, said that there was too much of the season left to think too much about Senior Night, where 21 Razorback upperclassmen played their last games at Razorback Stadium.

"I guess was thinking a little bit about this being the last time I'd play in Razorback Stadium, but I know we've got a lot more ahead," said Love, noting next week's road game against Mississippi State and a game in Little Rock on Nov. 27 against LSU.

Behind Love and his opposite side tackle, Ray Dominguez, and guard Wade Grayson, all seniors, plus two more senior linemen in reserve, the Arkansas running game out-shined the passing game for once this season. Arkansas amassed 326 yards on the ground, paced by sophomore running back Knile Davis' 182 yards on 11 carries. Davis had a 70-yard sprint that led to Arkansas tying the game at 14 after UTEP had shocked the Hogs with two long plays for scores, a 51-yard run and a 101-yard kickoff return by Marlon McClure. Arkansas ran off 49-straight points after surrendering the kickoff return, with Davis starting the rout.

"Our offensive line has been getting better and better as the year goes on," Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. "I thought we did a real nice job with our running backs. When they took the lead we came back with that long run on the reverse, it did a lot for us. It really energized us and was a terrific run by Knile [Davis] and was very well blocked."

For at least Saturday night, Arkansas didn't rely on quarterback Ryan Mallett passing for 300-plus yards. Mallett, a junior who likely also was playing his last game in Razorback Stadium, still threw for five touchdowns and had 215 yards on 19 of 26 passes.

Mallett's highlight play may have been his bootleg run and dive into the end zone that completed an 11-yard scoring play.

Two of his touchdown passes went to senior tight end D.J Williams, who had five catches for 58 yards. Williams said he dinged his shoulder in the second half and left the field without his shoulder pads on, but he also said he should be ready for next week's preparations for Mississippi State.

It was Williams who was was maybe the most sentimental of the Hogs leaving the field after the big win.

"I started getting a little emotional when I looked over at the side and saw my mother and my sister," he said.

Williams was very likely Mallett's fourth option on a 32-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, when Mallett was given plenty of time by his pass blocking to look over his receivers. The key, as with the running game, is the improvement of the offensive line led by the seniors up front.

"We've been working very hard since Auburn on our run blocking," DeMarcus Love said. "We know we can pass the ball. But we've been more committed in practice with more reps devoted to the running game for the past month."

Petrino said, "You can see our line coming off and striking quickly and finishing the play. They take a lot of pride in the way they're playing now."

As for Williams, who always seems to be available for Mallett when all else breaks down, Petrino said, "D.J. is a guy we have a lot of confidence in."

Tagged: Ryan Mallett, Bobby Petrino, DeMarcus Love, D.J. Williams, Knile Davis