LITTLE ROCK — Hillis says big plays will come
FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas senior fullback Peyton Hillis is expecting some big plays against Florida International this Saturday.
The winless Golden Panthers (0-7) are allowing 38.9 points a game. FIU is a blitzheavy team, Arkansas offensive coordinator David Lee said, blitzing more than 70 percent of the time on third-down plays.
Lee said Arkansas struggles on third down, but Hillis is optimistic that the Razorbacks will take advantage of the Golden Panthers' aggression.
"It's going to be a game where either Darren [McFadden] and Felix [Jones] are going to have 200 yards rushing apiece, or Marcus Monk and the receivers are going to have 200 passing yards," Hillis said.
"The big plays are going to be there. I can tell you that right now. We just have to execute."
Hillis said the Razorbacks are planning to attack FIU's defensive blitzes. If Arkansas does that, there should be plenty of green space for the Razorbacks' talented tailbacks.
"Anyone who wants to make plays hopes for things like that," Hillis said. "We're going to be put in situations where we don't make big plays, but there will be others."
Hillis said he thinks it's easier to prepare against a team that blitzes like FIU. It's just matter of catching the defense out of position and then driving home the advantage.
"They're the most blitzing team we've seen all year," Hillis said. "It puts us in a lot of 1-on-1 matchups and, when they do that, if the backs break through the first line of defense, they're gone.
"We just have to make the block at the first line of defense and see what happens." Injury update
Senior receiver Marcus Monk practiced on back-to-back days for the first time since his arthroscopic knee surgeries in August, prompting speculation he might play on Saturday.
"I just tried to get through as much as I could," Monk said. "I've gone through two days ofpractice when I'm not really used to it. I just am taking it a day at a time and I just have to see how it's feeling Saturday."
Monk wants to help the Razorbacks to a bowl game and get a degree in the next couple of months, and he isn't looking at taking a medical redshirt.
"That's really not the plan right now," Monk said of a redshirt. "I haven't just 100 percent ruled it out. I want to be smart about the whole process.
"That's my plan: graduate and depending on how my knee is feeling, go and train somewhere and hopefully keep playing football."
Monk's showing had Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt optimistic the senior will see action against Florida International.
"He's sore, but he really pushed through it again [Wednesday], had another good practice," Nutt said. "So really for the first time I feel confident he'll at least get some plays. Don't know how many, but he'll get some."
Fellow receiver London Crawford dressed out Wednesday, but re-injured himself during practice. Crawford hurt his neck on a jarring hit last week.
Receiver Robert Johnson did not dress out, as planned, with continued pain from a high ankle sprain.
Davie does it
Arkansas' ability to find the tight end in red-zone situations has been a productive outgrowth of having one of the country's best running games.
Quarterback Casey Dick hit Andrew Davie with scoring passes from 1 and 14 yards last week, marking the pair's second and third touchdownhookups of the season.
"To me the most consistent offensive player probably could be Andrew Davie," Arkansas offensive coordinator David Lee said. "He blocks well. He grades well. He catches the football."
Davie, a 24-year-old sophomore after spending four years playing minor league baseball, appreciates the notice from the coaches.
"It's a grind," Davie said. "I consider myself a lineman who has pass-catching ability. It's one of those things where I'm probably not the most physically gifted person in the world, but I pride myself on working hard in practice every day."
Nutt attends service Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt attended a family visitation service Monday for Jim Johnson, the father of former Razorback James Johnson.
Jim Johnson, 49, was found murdered in his hotel room in Biloxi, Miss., on Oct. 18. He had gone to the Isle of Capri casino on a golfing trip with some friends, who became worried when he didn't show up for the golf outing.
His son James lettered at Arkansas in 2002 as a lineman from Lake Hamilton High School.
"He was one of the most wonderful parents we ever had come through," Nutt said of Jim Johnson. "Always supportive, very supportive of his son, James. Great father and husband. Just such a tragedy."OVERHEARD
"I can tell you that these are the hardest games to
coach, ever. For anybody to make a joke about our
opponent ... is either somewhat
in a daze or in another time zone." - Arkansas defensive coordinator Reggie Herring, on preparing to play 0-7 Florida International.
Sports, Pages 24 on 10/25/2007