Razorback Preview: Winning the SEC title will require better defense

story by Gary Brown, president of College Sports Matchups (CSM is a content partner with The City Wire)
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When it comes to describing Bobby Petrino’s high powered offense at Arkansas there seems to be no end to the positive descriptions being employed to describe how potent the crew led by Ryan Mallett is. Explosive, dominating and quick-strike are just examples of what is being said.

Then there is the defense. Instead of high praise you hear things like “for Arkansas to have a chance the defense has to get better” or “well, it would hard to be any worse than last season.” The most optimistic view held by many is quarterback Ryan Mallett leading an offense that does not even worry about the defense, but just puts more points on the board than everyone else.

Will the Arkansas defense be better in 2010? Well, to steal a line from others, it can’t be any worse. Remember, Arkansas was dead last for the SEC in total defense last season. More to the point though, are there reasons to expect a better performance from the Razorback defense this fall? Yes there are.

Is there enough improvement ahead to claim a long awaited SEC championship? This might be a bit of a stretch at this point, when you consider the SEC champ can normally be found among the nation’s leaders on defense. That much improvement in just one season would be a real stretch for the Hogs.

Maybe it won’t take the conference’s best defense for Arkansas to capture a championship in Atlanta, but they will have to exit the cellar in order to make it happen. Here are some expectations for each unit coming into the fall.

DEFENSIVE LINE
The bad news for Petrino is Malcom Shepherd will no longer around to serve as a nucleus for the defense. Also missing from last year is Wendell Davis and his 79 tackles. These guys will be tough to replace, but “must” is an understatement if the Hogs are going to better upfront.

Looking at the current crop of linemen there may not be a single guy as good as either Shepherd or Davis, but playing time last year equates to experience this time around. This year’s rotation will feature eight guys who started at some point last season, and this is the most important place on the field to have players who can be rotated in to help keep everyone feeling fresh.

One of the players that must step up for the Hogs this year is Zach Stadther. His season will be considered a success if he shows that he is capable of making plays on a consistent basis and he has to occupy blockers long enough to allow Arkansas’s linebackers to make some plays at the line.

Other key players across the front will be defensive ends Tenarius Wright and Jake Bequette. Both have a quick first step at the line that has allowed them to show they can disrupt plays in the backfield, but neither has shown the consistency needed to be a big-time player up front. All good defenses have a guy up front who sets the tone emotionally. One of these two guys needs to fill that role.

While there is plenty of returning experience there are two freshmen with the potential to step in and contribute right away along the trenches on defense. Calvin Barnett is a load of a man at 6’3” and 330 pounds. Bryan Jones is just a little less of one being an inch shorter and ten pounds lighter. Both have solid credentials coming in and should be impact players for several seasons.

To win the SEC: Depth is good if there is competition for playing time based on merit. Most of the starting rotation changes last season came more as penalty than reward. This year it needs to become about players making positive contributions.

LINEBACKERS
Jerico Nelson, Jerry Franklin and Freddy Burton will provide the Razorbacks a solid group of starting linebackers. All have demonstrated an ability to find the football and make tackles.

Franklin led the Razorbacks in tackles last season with 94, and his three interceptions made him one of the team leaders for picks. Nelson is undersized for his position at just 5’10” and 205 pounds; however he plays with a passion that consistently puts him around the ball making a play.

When one of these guys steps off the field there are players who have potential, but have not quite shown the ability to create positive outcomes on a regular basis. Jermaine Love is strong as an ox, but needs to become more physical. Terrell Williams is a smart, physical player who will push for starting time before the season ends.

The signing class was light on linebackers, both in quality and numbers, so it will be up to the returning players to make this unit better in 2010.

To win the SEC: Arkansas will need their linebackers to be more disruptive at the line of scrimmage. Making plays at the point of impact instead of chasing plays down from behind will be a sign of progress.

SECONDARY
Arkansas has to get better in the secondary. Last year against Georgia the Razorbacks made struggling Joe Cox look like an All-American QB with his 375 yards passing. If you check the SEC leaders for passes defended you won’t find an Arkansas player in the top 20. Don’t even waste time with the interception leaders.

What is the key to improvement in the secondary? Shaking things up. Arkansas has to find a safety that is reliable. Expect Tramain Thomas and Rudell Crimm to be the early picks to man the free safety slot. At times tackling has been a problem for both of these players, as has consistency in pass coverage. They have the physical tools, but need to become more aggressive while mastering the mental part of the game.

One other guy who deserves a long look at the free safety slot is Jerry Mitchell. Mitchell combines a sprinter’s speed with a power forward’s height. Imagine how frustrating his 6’7” frame and closing speed could be for opposing quarterbacks and receivers. This unique combination of gifts should get him on the field this season.

At the corner positions expect improvement as sophomore Darius Winston begins to fulfill the promise that made him one of the nation’s most highly sought after recruits. Isaac Madison was lost for the year before the first game was even played last year, and his return should provide a big boost in coverage.

Daunte Carr is a newcomer who could make his way onto the field for Arkansas. He originally made a commitment to Stanford, but made a quick decision to become a Razorback after a weekend visit.

To win the SEC: Find a safety and hope the injury bug will stay away so the most productive players can stay on the field. Razorback defensive backs that have been described as having potential need to start being called capable.

THE OFFENSE
We know the offense is good, but they can help the defense by keeping drives alive. It is one thing to lead the league in scoring, but a conversion rate of 33% on third down does not help the defense at all. Mallett needs to check down to tight end D.J. Williams more often or find running backs in the flats to keep drives alive and the defense on the sideline resting.

Last year Alabama’s slow offense ran 113 plays more than Arkansas. That is an average of nine plays a game more rest Bama’s defense had on the sideline. It is more than two possessions a game where the Tide defenders did not have to make a stop. Take two possessions away from Georgia, LSU or Florida and consider what the outcomes might have been.

College Sports Matchups believes the Razorbacks can go 10-2 and win the SEC West in 2010. If it falls short it won’t be the fault of the guys scoring the points, but the ones who can’t stop anyone else. Does this mean Bobby Petrino is just a flashier version of Houston Nutt — able to score plenty of points, but unable to keep other teams out of the end zone? This season will answer the question.