FAYETTEVILLE — Offensive linemen don’t have individual stats.
Yet they actually have more stats than anybody, because they figure in almost every positive offensive stat. If they don’t block, the overall statistics of an offense figure negatively.
So these Arkansas Razorbacks offensive linemen go peacock proud today against LSU in Little Rock that quarterback Ryan Mallett has passed for 3,272 yards while running back Knile Davis has rushed for 1,031.
They wax especially proud of Davis’ numbers. They knew Mallett, nationally acclaimed off a record-setting 2009, would get his and then some passing.
Nobody knew if Arkansas’ running game would get anything but criticism upon commencing the season running into trouble.
“We’ve got a 1,000-yard rusher now,” Arkansas senior offensive tackle DeMarcus Love said. “At thebeginning of the season, that looked like a long shot. We’ve got it going together.”
A real long shot given Davis, with six starts for the 9-2 Hogs, didn’t become the regular starter until midseason.
“Yeah, man,” Love said. “He did a good job coming in to have great games every time he got a chance to touch the ball. Every time he got the ball, he made the best of it.”
The persistently improving line of Love, this week’s SEC offensive lineman of the week, tackle Ray Dominguez, guards Wade Grayson and Alvin Bailey, center TravisSwanson and tight end D.J. Williams have done their best to open up running lanes for Davis. So have fullback Van Stumon plus assorted receivers springing big blocks downfield.
They collectively never blocked better than springing Davis on his 65-yard touchdown in last week’s 38-31 double-overtime victory at Mississippi State.
“Everybody executed,” Arkansas offensive line coach Chris Klenakis said. “We tell our guys that you have to have every man do his job, and every man did his job. Everybody - all 11 guys.”
It’s rare to see a defense so perfectly blocked, but it’s rarer to see a defense flee in retreat.
Mallett swears he saw the then SEC-leading rushing defense of the South Carolina Gamecocks take flight as Love blocked full bore.
“You go back and look at the South Carolina game,” Mallett said. “There are times when he is blocking people and they are turning their back running literally the other way. I am glad he is on my side.”
Certainly Mallett needs his 6-5, 315-pound senior tackle protecting him on the weak side against LSU.
Now also armed with a premier running game, the No. 12 Razorbacks (9-2) pit an offense doing everything well against the No. 5 Tigers (10-1) doing everything well on defense.
“They are as good as I have seen,” Klenakis said of LSU’s defense. “There are no holes in it.”
Love concurs.
“LSU has guys all up and down the front that are going to be playing on Sundays,” Love said. “You can’t worry about them individually. You just have to get after them and go out and play football.”
LSU does have a bunch of players likely to play Sundays in the NFL.
Arkansas does, too. Senior captain DeMarcus Love assuredly seems among them.
Sports, Pages 20 on 11/27/2010