Monday, October 29, 2012

TAT: Rose Kicks Thorn into Razorbacks' Bowl Hopes


This article originally appeared online at uatrav.com on October 28, 2012.

     Arkansas lost to Ole Miss 30-27 this afternoon, falling to 3-5 on the season and 2-3 in Southeastern Conference play. The loss also dropped the Razorbacks to 0-2 in Little Rock this season, making it the first winless season in Little Rock since 1993.
     With just over two minutes remaining in the game senior running back Dennis Johnson capped off a four-play, 55-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 27-27.
     However, this didn’t prove to be enough. The Rebels promptly drove down the field and senior Bryson Rose kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired to win the game for Ole Miss.
     A 22-yard field goal by senior kicker Zach Hocker and a 42-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Tyler Wilson to senior tight end Chris Gragg gave the Hogs an early 10-0 lead.
     This lead quickly evaporated in the second quarter. The Rebels answered with a 58-yard touchdown drive and a 22-yard touchdown drive; the latter following a Wilson interception.
     The Razorbacks responded with a long touchdown drive of their own, ending with a six-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to redshirt freshman Alex Voelzke. It was Voelzke’s first career reception and put Arkansas ahead 17-14.
     Instead of going into the half with a three point lead, Arkansas allowed Ole Miss to score a touchdown with 20 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Junior running back Jeff Scott’s one-yard touchdown run gave the Rebels a 21-17 halftime lead.
     Ole Miss increased their lead in the third quarter with a 27-yard field goal by Rose. In the fourth quarter, Hocker made a 41-yard field goal, while Rose kicked 53-yard and 31-yard field goals, the last of which was the game winner.
     Arkansas seemingly had a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but an illegal formation penalty negated Wilson’s touchdown pass to senior tight end Austin Tate. They had to settle for Hocker’s 41-yard field goal instead.
     Johnson had the best game by an Arkansas running back this season, gaining 161 yards on 27 carries. This eclipsed his previous career high of 160 yards rushing, which he set against Ole Miss last year in Oxford, Miss.
     Senior wide receiver Cobi Hamilton had another big game, catching 12 passes for 146 yards. His 12 receptions are tied for fourth-most in a single game in school history.
     Arkansas had no answer for Ole Miss sophomore quarterback Bo Wallace, who they allowed to scramble and make plays. Wallace finished 29-for-37 for 278 yards and one touchdown, while only throwing one interception. He also added 38 yards rushing.
     Wilson had an uncharacteristically inaccurate day. He was only 24-for-43 (55.2%) for 297 yards and two touchdowns. This is just the second game this season in which he threw two interceptions in a game, the first time being against Rutgers.
     Arkansas returns to Fayetteville next week to play Tulsa, who is 7-1 overall and 5-0 in Conference USA play. They will be coming off a bye week, but defeated Rice 28-24 last week. The game will air on the SEC Network and kickoff is scheduled for 11:21 am.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

TAT: Five Keys vs. Ole Miss


This article originally appeared in the October 25, 2012 issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

1. Stop the Run
Along with quarterback Bo Wallace, the Rebels also have junior running back Jeff Scott. Scott ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference with 97.3 rushing yards per game, leading the country’s 26th best rushing offense. Although the Razorbacks are fifth in the SEC in run defense, only giving up 130 yards per game on the ground, they have allowed two players to rush for over 100 yards. Both players, Texas A&M’s Manziel and Rutgers’ Jawan Jamison, rank in the top 40 for rushing yards per game, as does Scott. Arkansas will have their hands full with not only containing Wallace, but also stopping Scott.
2. Contain Bo Wallace
Ole Miss sophomore quarterback Bo Wallace is yet another versatile quarterback the Razorbacks will face. ULM’s Kolten Browning and Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel racked up 481 total yards and 558 total yards, respectively, against Arkansas. However, they held Auburn’s Kiehl Frazier to just 93 total yards and sacked him four times in only one half of play. Wallace has a similar skill set as these quarterbacks, as he has thrown for 1,371 yards and rushed for 233 yards. Last week, he displayed his versatility by scoring two rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown and one receiving touchdown. Arkansas must contain him and not allow him to make plays like these for the Rebels.
3. Block Well
Arkansas’ young, inexperienced offensive line has improved steadily throughout the season. They are protecting senior quarterback Tyler Wilson and giving him plenty of time to find open receivers as well as opening holes in the run game. Against the Rebels this Saturday, they will need to step it up another notch. Ole Miss comes into the game fourth in the SEC in tackles for loss, with 7.9 per game, and sacks, with 2.7 per game, so Arkansas’ offensive linemen must be prepared for their stiff rush.
4. Win Third and Fourth Downs
The Razorbacks have struggled on third down all season, converting only 37 percent of their third-down opportunities. They have also allowed opponents to convert 47 out of 116 third and fourth down attempts, which is 41 percent. The Rebels have flourished in these situations, converting an impressive 51 percent of their third and fourth downs. In order to maintain long drives, Arkansas must convert on these later downs and keep their defense off the field. If they can’t convert, their defense won’t have as much time to rest, causing them to tire more quickly and leading to easier scoring for the Ole Miss offense.
5. Defend “the Rock”
Little Rock has been a second home for the Razorbacks since 1906 and it has proven to be a friendly one. In 1954, led by the famous “25 Little Pigs,” they beat No. 5 Ole Miss in Little Rock for one of the most monumental victories in school history. However, earlier this season, unranked ULM upset Arkansas 34-31 in overtime. That loss snapped a 20 game nonconference win streak in Little Rock. Such a poor showing in our state’s capital is highly unusual and the players must use it as inspiration to come out and redeem themselves.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

TAT: The Razorbacks Seek Redemption in the Rock


This article originally appeared in the October 23, 2012 issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

     Coming off their bye week, UA interim head coach John L. Smith believes the Razorbacks are prepared for this Saturday’s game.
     After a regular week of practice last week, the team met Sunday for another day of practice. Instead of only conditioning to work out soreness, like they would following a game, they had a full pads practice, Smith said.
     “It was a little different to come out and have a practice on Sunday night, but we came out with a lot of excitement,” senior defensive tackle Alfred Davis said. “It was a good way to start this week.”
     Arkansas is as “healthy as we can be,” Smith said, regarding injuries.
     Senior tight end Chris Gragg is back, although his knee gets a little sore from time to time. He has missed the previous three games because of an injury sustained during the Rutgers game.
     Smith also added that senior running back Ronnie Wingo, Jr.’s shoulder is “fine” and that senior defensive tackle DeQuinta Jones is “gradually getting a little better.”
     Confidence seems to be high for the Razorbacks, as they are coming off consecutive Southeastern Conference victories over Auburn and Kentucky.
     “We’re gaining confidence daily,” Smith said. “We got our swagger back a little bit and our energy has always been good.”
     Several players are eager to get back on the field after sitting at home and watching other games on TV last Saturday.
     “It was kind of frustrating just sitting around, not playing and watching all of the other games going on,” senior center Travis Swanson said. “We were happy to get back out there (Sunday).”
     The Razorbacks play the Ole Miss Rebels at 11:21 a.m. Saturday in Little Rock. The game will be aired on the SEC Network. Smith feels that the early start works in Arkansas’ favor.
     “We’ll be up Thursday early, we’ll be up Friday early, so getting up Saturday early and going to play the game is not going to be a bother to us or something we’re not used to,” Smith said.
     Offensively, Arkansas will have to control a Rebel defense that ranks fourth in the SEC in both tackles for loss, with 7.86 per game, and sacks, with 2.71 per game.
     “They’re not the biggest defense, but they’re very athletic,” Swanson said. “They move around a lot and rely on their scheme to mess up your blocking schemes.”
     On the defensive side of the ball, the Razorbacks will face yet another versatile quarterback. Sophomore Bo Wallace is averaging 231.6 total yards per game, and last week against Auburn he collected two rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown and one receiving touchdown.
     “Their quarterback does a great job of managing the game,” Smith said. “He’s not a Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M’s quarterback), but he’s very capable. He’s a good passer and a good runner.”
     This will be Arkansas’ first game at War Memorial Stadium since ULM pulled off the upset with a 34-31 defeat of the Razorbacks in overtime.
     “I’m excited to go back to Little Rock,” Davis said. “I feel like we need to go back and redeem ourselves, go back and defend the Rock like we always have in the past.”

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Olden Days Sports

     Over the years, my papa has told me many stories of “the olden days.” I’m sure everyone has heard similar stories from their grandparents or other elderly people. However, the ones that intrigue me the most are the ones about sports, particularly, stories about the different ways sports were played in the past.
     I got the idea to write this when my papa was talking to me about golf. He told me about a golf course in Mena, Arkansas (about 80 miles south of Fort Smith), where he used to live. I was only halfway listening until he said something about the greens at the course. Instead of grass, they were sand. At first I thought maybe he was confused or maybe making a sarcastic comment on the course’s sand traps. But he explained to me that the green was sand, and when you got on the green, you had to use a rake to smooth out a path to the hole.
     I started thinking about it, and the first thing I said was, “I guess to get a hole-in-one you have to hit the ball directly in the cup, because the ball won’t roll on sand. It’ll just stick where it lands.” He said I was exactly right, but now that course has regular grass greens. Sand green golf courses used to be more common, but as irrigation improved, golf courses everywhere were able to change to grass greens. I did a little research, though, and found out that these sand green golf courses do still exist. There are a couple in Missouri, one in Texas, and a couple in Kansas. If I’m ever near one, I will definitely play it, just to see what it’s like.
     Another sport that has evolved a lot since my papa’s time is football. Obviously the players are bigger, faster, and stronger, and there’s more passing now, but the rules have changed, as well. In the past, football teams played what was called a “one platoon” system. Players had to play both offense and defense. If you look at the early Heisman Trophy winners, you’ll see several with “E” listed as their position. Instead of having defensive ends and tight ends, teams simply had “ends.” These players had to be extremely fit and capable of playing an entire game without coming off the field. Today, two-way players are very uncommon in college and large high schools, with only the most athletic playing both ways. However, in small towns, it is not unusual to have two-way players because of their talent or low numbers of players.
     Finally, women’s basketball isn’t very popular today, but those who do watch it probably wouldn’t recognize the women’s basketball played just a couple decades ago. They played a form of 3 on 3, instead of the traditional 5 on 5 that men play and women now play. Six girls from each team would be on the court at the same time, but only three would be playing at a given time. Three “forwards” were specifically offensive players, while three “guards” were specifically defensive players. Each position could not cross the half court line. I’ve always been intrigued by this archaic form of basketball, but it is practically extinct. In 1995, Oklahoma was the last state to get rid of it in favor of the traditional 5 on 5 at the high school level. However, the Granny Basketball League formed in 2005 and 50+ year old women play 3 on 3 basketball under the 1920s rules.
     In baseball, games used to be broadcast over the radio and people everywhere listened intently. My great-grandmother told me, before she passed away, stories of when she was a little kid, skipping school to listen to the Cardinals play in the World Series. This has obviously changed with TV and games being played at night, so you wouldn't have to skip school or work to watch them. Also, in the past, there were "recreation" broadcasts. Because radio stations often didn't have the money or technology to broadcast live from ballparks, they relied on telegraph updates and would relay them to their listeners. The broadcaster would actually pretend they were at the game, calling it as if they were and playing sounds such as crowd noise, the crack of the bat, and the umpires on the field. If the telegraph updates were interrupted for some reason, there would be a magical "rain delay," even though rain wasn't in the forecast for that city. While this doesn't have anything to do with rule changes, I find this interesting and kind of funny.
     I’m sure there are other sports that have evolved into how we know them today, so feel free to tell me about them. Ask your great-grandparents and grandparents; they are full of stories of the “olden days.”

TAT: Scholarship to Honor Uekman


This article originally appeared in the October 18, 2012 issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

     The Garrett Uekman Foundation announced Monday an agreement with the UA to fund a $100,000 endowed memorial scholarship for Arkansas Razorback Athletics.
     UA Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long attended the signing ceremony in Little Rock, along with Uekman’s parents, Danny and Michelle, and sister, Meagan.
     One Razorback athlete will be honored with the scholarship each year when it is completely funded. Football players, specifically tight ends and former walk-ons, will receive extra consideration, but all UA student-athletes are eligible for the scholarship.
     “We are grateful to Danny, Michelle, Meagan and the Uekman Foundation for helping Razorback Athletics further meet its mission of developing student-athletes to their fullest potential through intercollegiate athletics,” Long said Monday.
     Before coming to Arkansas, Uekman attended Little Rock Catholic High School, where he excelled in baseball, basketball and football. In the spring of 2010, he signed to play football for the Razorbacks.
     With the Razorbacks, he redshirted during the 2010 season and played in nine games as a redshirt freshman in 2011.
     Last year on Nov. 20, a day after Arkansas defeated Mississippi State in his hometown of Little Rock, Uekman was found unconscious and unresponsive in his dorm room at 11:15 a.m. and pronounced dead an hour later.
     An autopsy revealed that he passed away due to complications from cardiomyopathy as a result of an enlarged heart. He was just 19 years old.
     “(Uekman) was a special young man who made an impact on the lives of his teammates and students around the University of Arkansas campus. He was an extraordinary person and a true Razorback,” Long said.
     “We are deeply honored that the Uekman family and the Uekman Foundation have chosen to make this commitment to celebrate Garrett’s legacy in this way.”
     Following his death, the Garrett Uekman Foundation was created to “continue his legacy by raising funds to support heart disease research and education and to provide scholarships to deserving student athletes,” according to the foundation’s website, gu88.org.