HOG CALLS: Coaches say Crim is better at safety

— They meant it when they told Rudell Crim to quit hanging around corners.

Would-have-been senior cornerback Jerell Norton’s decision to declare pro draft eligibility before spring practice began compounded by cornerback/track sprinter David Gordon’s post spring decision to transfer isn’t budging the Razorbacks’ latespring decision to keep 2009 starting cornerback Rudell Crim at strong safety.

Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino and defensive coordinator/secondary coach Willy Robinson saw too much to like from Crim at safety to move him back to corner just because a couple of corners have moved on.

Crim was one of six scholarship junior college transfers the Razorbacks signed for 2009. He was the only one of the six to start regularly. All 13 games Crim started at corner for the 8-5 Hogs.

Crim did fine. But Robinson saw Crim elevate from fine to fast lane upon moving from corner to safety.

“It added more speed and a playmaker,” Robinson said. “It gave us a guy with a better speed at that position who might not have the great speed at corner and gives him better than average speed at safety. A kid with range.”

Add Crim to junior free safety Tramain Thomas, named defensive player of the game in Arkansas’ 20-17 overtime Liberty Bowl victory over East Carolina, and knowing junior 2-year letterman Elton Ford has starting experience at both safeties and that wild card safety/linebacker Jerico Nelson can figure anywhere, and suddenly Arkansas looks its safest at safety since the Petrino arrived.

“We made the move the tail end of the third week of spring and I think we had him there forfive or six practices,” Robinson said. “He’s responded extremely well. And he’s excited.”

Even if some view cornerback as the more glamorous role.

“Future-wise he doesn’t see it as a setback for himself, but a move that will help us win,” Robinson said.

And a move that may help senior Crim’s 2011 bid to crack the NFL. Crim is not big (6-0, 209) by NFL safety standards, but versatility helps, particularly if Crim’s corner speed from safety does what Robinson envisions.

“When you look at in the long run,” Robinson said, “being the ballhawk that he is and the range that he has ... he does have that corner background that you can match him up on somebody’s third receiver and not have it be as a safety who feels uncomfortable.”

Good as Robinson feels about Crim at safety, he must feel good about corner not to keep Crim in the corner mix down two lettermen.

The return of incumbent corner Ramon Broadway and the back from the injured return of 2008 starting cornerback Isaac Madison eases concerns as does the progress of 2009 JC transfer Andru Stewart and especially the spring emergence of Helena-West Helena Central sophomore Darius Winston that actually began during the December practices for the Liberty Bowl.

“We feel very comfortable with our corners,” Robinson said.

Sports, Pages 14 on 07/24/2010

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