Razorbacks Set to Focus on Offense in Saturday Scrimmage

FAYETTEVILLE--

The Hogs offense dominated it's defense through the air in Tuesday's first full contact preseason scrimmage to the tune of 480 yards passing and six touchdowns spread among three quarterbacks and a whopping 16 receivers.
 
If that added up to a domination, quarterback turned receiver Brandon Mitchell wants more of it in Saturday's second full scale scrimmage.

'I want the defense to get better but I want the offense to dominate," Mitchell said following Friday's workout.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Brandon Allen has an explanation for that domination. Big, tall receivers who can make great catches under pressure.
 
"A lot of the corners we're playing against aren't the tallest," Allen explained. "We have a bunch of tall receivers, especially now with Brandon at receiver a little bit.
 
Having those big bodies up there is going to be a mismatch for any team we play."

Linebackers coach Taver Johnson will likely be without two starters at that position since Tenarius Wright was still not getting full contact in Friday's practice.
 
Alonzo Highsmith was not dressed out.
 
The defense is so thin at that position that fullback Kiero Small could be pressed into action at linebacker in the scrimmage. 

"If (head) coach (John L.) Smith comes over and says, 'hey you got him' I'm jumping for joy," Johnson admitted.
 
"He's a tough guy now.

He's got a nose for the ball.

He's moving a lot better too.
 
In the spring his cover skills, you're going, 'Ahh, I just don't know' but he's done a much better job (this week) when it comes to that (pass coverage)."
 
Small has had just two days of extensive work at linebacker in the preseason and he admits his run-stop capabilities are still ahead of his ability to cover receivers.
 
"I've always had to work harder on my cover skills," Small explained.

"In the spring I was just coming over (to the defense) for a few plays here an there.

But now I'm practicing and seeing exactly when I should drop (into coverage)."
 
Small and the rest of the new linebackers will almost certainly get a baptism under fire courtesy of the Hogs' pass happy offense on Saturday.
 
Johnson said he's got a bunch of talented newcomers at that position which is good and bad.
 
"We like our freshman, we really do," Johnson said with a smile spreading across his face.

"The problem is they're freshmen.

Tomorrow's going to be a big test for us.
 
Tomorrow we have to let them play."
 
Johnson wants one thing above all else from those players.
 
"Just effort. We want our guys to run around and give tremendous effort.

You're going to make a mistake.

Make it full speed and you will make up for that mistake and along the way you'll make some plays."
 
If the defense knows it will be tested by what is expected to be one of the best passing games in college football this season, Arkansas offensive line figures to again be challenged by the strength of the defense; the guys up front.
 
"We've got to improve and get more yards (on the ground)," junior offensive tackle Jason Hurt admitted.

"It's one of those things where we just have to keep working hard, working on technique and trying to get better every day."
 
Hurd, a former walk on from West Monroe, Lousiana, will start at one of the tackle positions in the scrimmage.

He told reporters that his parents "freaked out" when they heard the news that he was working with the first unit.
 
"They were like, What ?

What?

Oh my God.
 
We're so proud of you.
 
You've worked so hard."
 
Hurd took time out to pay the guys on the other side of the line of  scrimmage a big compliment.

"They're (the defensive line) very good and they're very fast and they're all very strong.

In fact they know our offense just as well as we do so they're ending up in places we don't expect them to be in before we can react.
 
So for us it's a matter of looking at the video and see what they're doing and react faster."

 Saturday's scrimmage will be a battle of quick reactions on both sides of the ball.
 
The action began at 9 a.m. inside Razorback Stadium.