FAYETTEVILLE -- Bobby Petrino is set for his second season as offensive coordinator for the Razorbacks.
Petrino talked about where the install is at for the Razorbacks as they completed Day 10 of preseason practice.
"I mean, I feel good about it," Petrino said. "The first week is all install, so it's a little tough on the players because every day is something new at them. And then you're trying to see how you work that particular run, that particular passing play, that particular play action. And sometimes you come back the next day and you don't have time to repeat it. You just got to move on to the install. This is the week that you go back and refine everything and start to see what our identity is or what we think our identity is, and you should make strides. I feel good about where we're at. I feel like we're much better right now than we were a year ago at this time."
Petrino was asked why he feels they are ahead of last year at this time?
"It starts with the offensive line," Petrino said. "I feel, like, way more comfortable with the offensive line. Our size, our strength, our athletic ability. We had a couple centers that are– Well, we got three centers right now that are rotating in there, playing really well. One's a true freshman (Kash Courtney) that's extremely, extremely talented. So, I feel good about where we are at center position.
"The tackles are doing a really nice job. We do have competition at the right tackle, E. (E'Marion) Harris and Shaq (McRoy). And E. Harris has gained weight. He's much stronger and more physical than he was a year ago. A year ago, he really wasn't tackle size. he went from 285 to 310, I think, when he weighed in. And you're seeing that, you're seeing that strength on the field. Kobe (Branham) and (Keyshawn) Blackstock at the right guard are good competition. It'll be fun to watch and see how that plays out. And then I feel really steady about our left side with Junior (Carmona) and Corey (Robinson) over there. So, Corey's a really, really good football player, and Junior's at the right spot. Sometimes at tackle, his aggressive nature, his personality is more suited for a guard than out there on the edge, and it's been fun to watch.
"I feel like we have a really strong tight end group with our ability to run, block, and catch the football. Andreas(Paaske) has improved tremendously since a year ago. A year ago at this time, he didn't even know what. What a play was, you know, what the playbook was. And he responded well to competition. Instead of shying away from it, he's made himself better. And (Jaden) Platt's an extremely, extremely talented young man. The size and speed you want at a tight end in this conference. And then Rohan (Jones), he has the ability to block like we need him to, but he can really run. And the speed he has at that position changes things a little bit. His ability to get downfield and go. So, the front seven is way better than we were a year ago."
Among the wide receivers that Petrino likes and is familiar with after coaching him a year at Missouri State is Raylen Sharpe.
"You know, he’s a step ahead everybody because he's been in the offense and experienced it, you know, been able to call plays for him before," Petrino said. "He had a really, really good spring, and he's doing a good job. I'm just trying to push him harder, you know, this is a tough conference and tough league. He's going to go against a lot of really good players, and he just has to push his speed down the field more. He's got great feet and he’s got great hands, you know, and he's going to get open and he'll do a good job of running after the catch, but we've got to be able to use… He's fast. He's super fast, and sometimes I don't see it out there, but I've timed him in the 40 before, and I know how fast he is. I want to see that speed on the field."
Petrino also had praise for running back Braylen Russell thus far in preseason.
"He’s much more focused," Petrino said. "He’s working extremely hard at understanding the plays and then the blocking within the play and how to press blocks and then accelerate out of it. If he’ll do a good job of pressing blocks, he’ll set the linebackers and then his acceleration through the hole with his size, they’re going to bounce off of him. So I’ve been really happy with that. We want him to be the physical guy, the guy that takes a 2-yard play to a 5-yard gain. That’s a great run. A 5-yard hit on his hips and they bounce off and he goes the distance. He can go the distance now. He’s an unbelievable athlete.
"I mean, for how big he is, he can jump, turn, catch the ball. I recruited him out of high school to A&M, so I spent a lot of time studying him. He lined up at tight end, caught seems down the middle. I mean, unbelievable athlete. So we’re just trying to get him to get the mindset that he’s the hammer, not the nail, and he’s the one doing the explosion and the hitting. Throughout the summer I was sending him video of (Mike) Alstott and the dude from LSU (LEONARD FOURNETTE) and all the big backs that run people over. I should get him some of the Bus (JEROME BETTIS), man. The Bus. I need the Bus Driver (TIM LESTER, I THINK). I got to coach the Bus Driver at the Jaguars for a while. He was the fullback and he reminded me of Kolby (Smith) because he was a little guy, but he was really tough. But he’s going to be a really good player for us."
Arkansas will return to the practice fields on Wednesday at 9:15 a.m.
Photos: Craven Whitlow
