Hog Calls

Hogs' middle man finally gets his due

Arkansas offensive lineman Mitch Smothers goes through practice Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
Arkansas offensive lineman Mitch Smothers goes through practice Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Dan Skipper's height, Denver Kirkland's heft, Sebastian Tretola's hype and Frank Ragnow's youth set them apart on the Arkansas Razorbacks offensive line.

Mitch Smothers tends to be the forgotten one, the comfortable old work boot cast aside for the shiny shoes because company is coming.

The senior center doesn't stand 6-10 like the junior right tackle Skipper. He doesn't weigh 340 pounds like the junior left tackle Kirkland. He hasn't thrown a touchdown pass like the senior left guard Tretola did off a trick play last year. A fifth-year senior, Smothers obviously can't rival the right guard Ragnow as a Hog for the future.

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So with time growing short for Smothers to be recognized, it was gratifying to see the senior survivor from Springdale get his due Monday when he was named the SEC's lineman of the week for his part in the Razorbacks amassing 591 yards in a 63-28 victory last Saturday over Tennessee-Martin.

"I'm so happy for him." Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said. "He is playing really, really good football."

Smothers truly is a senior survivor of a bygone era. He is the lone remaining Razorbacks offensive starter to have started for Bobby Petrino. Straight out of Springdale High School and always built like a center or a guard, Smothers, 6-3, 322, opened the 2011 season miscast as a starting left tackle for Petrino's 11-2 Razorbacks.

The 11-2 record was more achieved in spite of Smothers than because of him after he was forced into action way too soon because of a lack of depth at offensive tackle.

Smothers soon faded from the 2011 lineup. He remained obscure, redshirting to rank among the few positive moves made by John L. Smith in the 2012 season, and labored in reserve in 2013 with Bielema inheriting senior All-SEC center Travis Swanson.

Smothers became Bielema's starting center last year with Ragnow sharing time. This year, with Ragnow moved to right guard, Smothers truly is the center of attention. He quarterbacks the offensive line much like senior Brandon Allen quarterbacks the entire team.

"He controls everything at the line of scrimmage," Bielema said. "From ID'ing the mike [middle linebacker] to calls at the line of scrimmage. I think him and B.A. working well together really got our offense going in the right direction."

Bielema said NFL scouts are expressing interest in Smothers.

Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos understands why.

For all they do, centers must be even football brighter than they are football brawny. That's plenty bright considering the brawn required to block nose guards and middle linebackers.

"UT-Martin presented a lot of challenges to our offense schematically," Enos said. "We had to have great identification and communication at the line of scrimmage each and every play. One of the reasons we were able to move the ball the way we did was what he did. He did a super job.

"He's a very smart player, and he gets better every week."

Sports on 11/04/2015

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