FAYETTEVILLE — Last year was set design and show prep.
This year is when showtime really starts in the revival of the Arkansas Razorbacks under Coach Bobby Petrino.
So says the Razorbacks, who have set their minds and bodies to conform to Petrino's demanding work ethic in a quest to rebound from a 5-7 record in 2008 and contend, against steep odds, in the SEC.
"Our whole team is enthusiastic," said senior Malcolm Sheppard, a defensive team captain. "Last year really didn't go as we would have wanted it to, but I think we've definitely made the preparations to make things better this year."
Many football prognosticators - from hard-core statistical analysts to amateur bloggers and even conservative Hogs fans - see Arkansas as a team on the rise.
"Our goal is to win the conference championship, get to Atlanta, win the game in Atlanta and go play for a national championship," said Petrino, whose five-year record as a college head coach is 46-16. "I'm not afraid to say it. I've always been a guy that believed that the first thing you have to do to reach a goal is be able to verbalize it."
The Razorbacks have been picked to finish fourth in the SEC West by virtually every preseason publication, but there is a belief on campus they can contend this year.
"Nobody likes being talked down on," said junior tight end D.J. Williams, a preseason All-SEC pick. "But we're also not going to take the underdog role, either. We're focused on Arkansas."
The Razorbacks bring back 19 players with significant starting experience, including the entire front seven on defense and virtually every key receiver. One position with a new starter - quarterback - stands a chance to bevastly upgraded with the debut of Ryan Mallett. The sophomore from Texarkana also will have a large stable of running backs, led by 1,000-yard rusher Michael Smith, and the widest fleet of receivers in school history as his primary weapons.
"I think we're a lot closer and we know the offense a lot better than they did last year," said Mallett, who is 6-7 and possesses tremendous arm strength.
BIGGER, STRONGER, BETTER
Arkansas experienced significant growing pains in 2008, playing 16 true freshmen and running a thin, undersized defense onto the field against physical SEC offenses. All of those returning players have added strength and knowledge, and they are supported by a heralded class of newcomers, some of whom are expected to make an immediate impact.
"We're a much deeper team than we were a year ago," Petrino said.
Arkansas returns its top 10 tacklers from 2008, as well as its top seven receivers and its top five rushers.
Toward the end of fall camp, Petrino was asked how this team compared to the Razorbacks at that point of 2008.
"I try not to think back to a lot of last year," Petrino said smiling. "We're better. We're a lot better."
Redshirt freshman quarterback Tyler Wilson, who played briefly in losses to Alabama and Texas last year, said the Razorbacks have made "tremendous" strides.
"We watched a film last night, and it's amazing about the missed assignments and the errors that were going on on the field at some points last year during the season," Wilson said. "I think we're just tremendously ahead of where we were at that point."
Players have bulked up on both sides of the ball, but par-ticularly on the defensive front seven.
Arkansas' starting linebackers in last year's season opener -freshmen Jerry Franklin, Jelani Smith and Jerico Nelson - were part of a front seven that averaged 244 pounds per man.
Franklin is scheduled to start at weakside linebacker in the season opener against Missouri State, with senior Wendel Davis in the middle and junior Freddy Burton on the strong side. More imposing versions of Smith and Nelson will be waiting in the wings.
Franklin, Davis and Burton will be part of a front seven that averages 259 pounds per man, an increase of 15 pounds per position from last year.
"We're stronger, we're a whole lot better, and everybody's playing full speed," Burton said.
Those who don't play full speed face a quick demotion.
"We're starting to create a competitive situation at each position," Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. "And we're deep, a lot deeper than we were last year."
Arkansas' defense was turned inside-out by the SEC's top offenses a year ago, but the Hogssay that won't happen this time.
"We're going to play faster," senior end Adrian Davis said. "We're going to be stronger and more physical than we were last year.
"We played a lot of young guys last year, and they're going to have that experience. We should have a more complete defense."
Mallett is buying that argument.
"The defense is a lot better," he said. "Going to work every day against them, in two-a-days, it gets kind of old and you're ready to play an opposing team."
SHORING UP TRENCHES
Offensively, the Razorbacks will need improved play from the offensive line, which allowed 46 sacks - a figure that ranked 118th of 120 Division I teams. The Razorbacks ranked 97th nationally in rushing, averaging 113.5 yards per game, despite Michael Smith's 1,000-yard season.
The return of veteran guard Mitch Petrus should help, and a shuffling of positions, such as DeMarcus Love moving to strong-side tackle and Seth Oxner inching ahead of Wade Grayson at center, is expected to strengthen the front.
The Oxner-Grayson duel and a camp battle between returning starter Ray Dominguezand Grant Freeman at weakside tackle should give the Hogs the best depth they've had on the line in years.
Mallett's presence at quarterback, with his potential to stretch defenses and keep safeties farther from the line of scrimmage, could be another factor in giving the Razorbacks' skill talent more room to operate.
Two successive fruitful recruiting classes have stocked Arkansas' offense with major talent at tailback and receiver.
Smith, a savvy scatback with tremendous vision and the ability to run between the tackles, headlines a massive group of backs that includes Southern Cal transfer Broderick Green, sophomores Dennis Johnson and De'Anthony Curtis, and freshmen Ronnie Wingo and Knile Davis.
The receiving corps, led by Williams' 61 catches last season, has speed, height and depth with rising stars like Joe Adams, Greg Childs, Jarius Wright and Cobi Hamilton, along with veterans London Crawford, Carlton Salters and Lucas Miller, who is expected to miss the first couple of games while recovering from a broken collarbone.
Wright said trying to compare last year's Razorbacks to this year's edition isn't even close.
"There's more team unity," he said. "I just think this team caresabout football more."
The Razorbacks appear to be piling up talent to be a yearly contender, but their schedule this season, which includes four road games against top-15 teams, makes contention in 2009 seem like a long shot.
"We've probably got one of the toughest schedules in the country," cornerback Ramon Broadway said. "We've got a lot to prove. We're not backing down from anybody."
Petrino doesn't make predictions, but he seems convinced his team is on the right track.
"We're a much better football team in the field," Petrino said. "We're bigger, stronger, more physical. We just don't know if we're there yet, where we need to be.
"I like the way we work hard. I think our leadership within the team is a lot better than it was a year ago, and guys aren't afraid to tell other guys, hey, you need to step up. You need to jump on board and get going."
Sports, Pages 8, 9 on 08/30/2009