Punter rooted as Hog

FAYETTEVILLE — Dylan Breeding used to be an Alabama fan. Now he’s Arkansas’ punter.

Growing up in Hoover, Ala., Breeding regularly attended Crimson Tide home games with hisparents, who are Alabama graduates.

“Getting to play my old team is something else,” Breeding said. “But Arkansas is my team now.

“I bleed Razorback red.”

Breeding, a sophomore, walked on at Arkansas last season and became the No. 1 punter, averaging 38.7 yards on 61 attempts. So, Arkansas signed freshman Zach Hocker to compete for the punting and place-kicking jobs.

“I knew I had to get better, or my job was going to be lost,” Breeding said. “That’s pretty good incentive for me to work hard and get stronger and faster and do all my drops.

“I wanted to try as hard as I could to keep my position, and it really paid off in the end.”

Breeding held onto the punting job - Hocker is now the No. 1 place-kicker - and he’s averaging 46.8 yards on nine attempts to rank second in the SEC. He’s also had three punts downed inside the opponents’ 20.

Breeding also showed good instincts in the Razorbacks’ 31-24 victory at Georgia last week.

On Breeding’s first punt attempt on fourth-and-5 from the Arkansas 30, he dropped a low snap, picked up the ball and ran 5 yards for a first down.

“I knew the pressure was coming up the middle, so I really no choice but to run,” Breeding said. “Had I tried to punt it, it might have been blocked.”

Breeding’s quick reaction impressed Arkansas special teams coordinator John L. Smith.

“He immediately picked up the ball, and he zeroed in on where the down marker was, and that’s where he went to,” Smith said. “And he wasn’t going to be denied.

“That was super as far as just saying, ‘OK, I know I have to get to that marker.’ He did not waver, regardless of who was coming, and they put a pretty good lick on him.”

Breeding averaged 47.3 yards on six punts, capped by a 57-yarder on fourth-and-21 from the Arkansas 9 with 2:20 left and the score tied 24-24.

Cornerback Ramon Broadway tackled Logan Gray for no gain on the return, forcing the Bulldogs to take possession at their 34.

Arkansas forced a punt, got the ball at its 27 with 47 seconds left and quarterback Ryan Mallett directed a game-winning touchdown drive.

“If he [Breeding] had shanked that punt for a 35-yarder instead of hitting a 57-yarder, then all of sudden we’re probably already in field goal range,” Georgia Coach Mark Richt said. “We can chew up the clock and try and kick with a couple of seconds left. ... But he changed the field position, and that was huge.”

Breeding punted out of Arkansas’ end zone on his 57-yarder, but said he didn’t feel pressure. He also didn’t feel the ball when he boomed it.

“You know it’s a good ball when you don’t even feel it come off your foot,” he said.

Smith said there’s a “night and day” difference in Breeding this season.

“Last year he was just a rookie, forced into duty,” Smith said. “He lacked a lot of self confidence, lacked a lot of technique.

“Now his technique has gotten better, and along with that, he’s gotten more flexible and his strength has gotten good, and so he’s got more confidence, too.

“We knew he had talent and was a good athlete. It was just a matter of time for him to put his physical skills together.”

Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said the biggest improvement for Breeding is that his drops are more consistent. That’s helped him hit more spirals.

“If it’s not spiraling and the wind’s blowing, the ball’s just not going to go anywhere,” Breeding said. “When it spirals it just flies a lot more.”

Breeding nearly quit football to concentrate baseball before he ever got to punt, frustrated with his status as a backup quarterback.

“I was picking up footballs after a spring practice and punting them towards the bag,” Breeding said. “A coach noticed I had a pretty good leg, and they tried me out, and I got the job.”

Breeding drew some recruiting interest from Alabama-Birmingham and Birmingham Southern, but no scholarship offers. He decided to come to Arkansas last year because the Razorbacks had lost punter Jeremy Davis.

“I saw Arkansas as an opportunity of a lifetime,” Breeding said. “I loved the tradition here. I loved the campus.

“I just loved everything, and I knew this was the place to be.”Breeding at a glance COLLEGE Arkansas POSITION Punter CLASS Sophomore HEIGHT 6-1 WEIGHT 211 pounds HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL Hoover, Ala.

AGE 20 (born Sept. 14, 1990) NOTEWORTHY Averaging 46.8 yards on nine punts this season to rank second in the SEC. ... Has had three punts downed inside the opponents’ 20. ... Ran for a first down at Georgia last week after a low snap. ... Won the punting job last season and averaged 38.7 yards on 61 attempts.