FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas Coach John L. Smith and his staff will spend part of the summer putting together tentative game plans for the teams on the first half of their 2012 schedule.
One team in particular will get extra focus.
“You have to look at the Alabama game,” Smith said. “It’s one we look at. It’s the opener of the SEC, early in the season. It’s crucial. It’s at home.
“We have a chance against these guys — a good chance. ... So that’s one we look at and focus on and say that’s a must game for us.”
Beating Alabama has turned into a hassle for the Hogs since Nick Saban took over as the Crimson Tide’s coach in 2007. Houston Nutt’s final Arkansas team fought back from a threetouchdown deficit to take a lead at Bryant-Denny Stadium before falling 41-38 after running back Darren McFadden sustained a late concussion.
Bobby Petrino went 0-4 against Alabama, with only one of the games being competitive — a 24-20 loss to the No. 1-ranked defending national champion Crimson Tide in 2010 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Alabama is again the defending BCS champion, and the Razorbacks again get them at home Sept. 15.
Wilson going back
Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson will serve as an instructor and counselor at the Manning Passing Academy for the second consecutive summer.
Wilson will return to Thibodaux, La., for the event July 12-15, which ends a few days before Arkansas’ appearance at SEC media days in Hoover, Ala. Archie Manning, the New Orleans-based patriarch of the football-playing family, started the camp with his NFL quarterback sons Peyton and Eli.
Wilson, the first-team All-SEC quarterback last season after passing for 3,638 yards and 24 touchdowns in his first year as a starter, indicated May 2 that he wanted to go back to the Manning camp.
“They bring in 700, 800 kids, and we work with them throughout the day, and then in the night we’re able to sit down and talk with Peyton and Eli and Archie and all the other guys that are there,” he said. “That’s a great honor and a great connection piece, and it was great for me last year. ... It’s an opportunity that you don’t miss.”
Wilson said he wanted to receive clearance from the coaching staff before committing to the camp.
What’s best?
Arkansas Coach John L. Smith said Wednesday he will evaluate the cases of receiver Maudrecus Humphrey, tight end Andrew Peterson and receiverMarquel Wade on an individual basis as the three work their way through the legal system.
Humphrey and Peterson are accused of nine counts of residential burglary and Wade with one count of residential burglary after University of Arkansas police said they entered rooms in the Northwest Quad and took laptops, textbooks and other items valued at $4,817.
“What we try to do is if it’s the best thing for this football team that they’re not here, they won’t be here,” Smith said. “But, at the same point, what you try to do is look at each individual and say, ‘OK, we still want to do what’s best for the individual if we can. Give him an opportunity. Give them an opportunity if a mistake has been made to correct the mistake.’
“If they can’t correct it, then you have to correct it for them. That’s the way it’s going to be. So we’re in the process right now. It’s in the legal channels, and we’re just going to have to wait and see if they can correct the issue.”
Standing O
Arkansas defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell, appearing at the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Club meeting Wednesday with Coach John L. Smith and defensive tackles coach Kevin Peoples, was asked about the players’ attitude right now.
“I think the best example,” Caldwell said, “when they brought Coach Smith into that meeting room for the first time, they gave him a standing ovation. So that tells you the respect that they have for him and how excited they were to get him back.”
Peoples said his recruiting areas, some of which were Smith’s, have been easy to navigate.
“It was nice to go back into the Dallas area where Coach Smith recruited and ... anybody that ever came across Coach Smith, the head coaches, the assistant coaches, I mean if there’s one person everyone says they love it’s Coach Smith,” Peoples said.
On the trail
Arkansas coaches are taking a positive approach to their current recruiting dilemma, which includes operating under the uncertainty of Coach John L. Smith’s 10-month contract.
“I think we’ve been very well-accepted,” Steve Caldwell said. “John L.’s known all over the country. Everybody thinks it was the greatest thing that could have happened for the University of Arkansas, for our coaching staff, for our football team.
“There are questions ... and my answer’s been, ‘Hey, I worked with a guy [Philip Fulmer] that just got [selected] to the [College Football] Hall of Fame, he gets a new six-year contract, we all get new contracts, and we get fired eight games into the season the next year. So in this conference, you’ve got to go win. That’s the bottom line.”
Jumbo-tronic
Arkansas’ new video board, which will nearly double the size of the previous board, is under construction, as is the football operations center connected to the Walker Pavilion. The video board work includes a crane, which is towering over the Broyles Athletic Center.
“It’s awesome,” Coach John L. Smith said. “You see the crane out there? They’ve got a legit crane.
“For a kid to come to campus right now ... you have to be fired up, saying ‘Wow, look at this place. Look at what they’re doing. Look what they have. Look at what they’re putting on top of that to even make it better.’
“It’s a great time for kids to come.”
Sports, Pages 25 on 05/27/2012