Oklahoma

The Lowdown 2007 Schedule
Coach: Bob Stoops (9th season, 86-19)
2006 record: 11-3 (Lost to Boise State in Fiesta Bowl)
Big 12 finish: 8-1 (1st South)
2006 I-A offensive rankings:
Rushing: 17th (177.1 ypg)
Passing: 70th (191.6 ypg)
2006 I-A defensive rankings:
Rushing: 16th (98.7 ypg)
Passing: 41st (188.4 ypg)
Date Opponent
Sept. 1 North Texas
Sept. 8 Miami
Sept. 15 Utah State
Sept. 21 at Tulsa
Sept. 29 at Colorado
Oct. 6 #Texas
Oct. 13 Missouri
Oct. 20 at Iowa State
Oct. 27 Oklahoma State
Nov. 3 Texas A&M
Nov. 10 Baylor
Nov. 17 at Texas Tech

Depth Chart: Offense
7 returning starters in red
Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr.
WR 4 Malcolm Kelly Jr. 80 Adron Tennell So.
WR 1 Manuel Johnson Jr. 8 Brandon Caleb So.
WR 9 Juaquin Iglesias Jr. 81 Fred Strong Jr.
LT 79 Phil Loadholt Jr. 70 Cory Brandon Fr.
LG 72 George Robinson Jr. 77 Sherrone Moore Sr.
C 50 Jon Cooper Jr. 75 Chase Beeler So.
RG 74 Brian Simmons So. 73 Brandon Walker Jr.
RT 76 Branndon Braxton Jr. 71 Trent Williams So.
TE 19 Joe Jon Finley Sr. 18 Jermaine Gresham So.
QB 15 Joey Halzle Jr. 14 Sam Bradford Fr.
RB 23 Allen Patrick Sr. 7 DeMarco Murray Fr.

Depth Chart: Defense
7 returning starters in red
Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr.
DE 91 Alonzo Dotson Sr. 33 Auston English So.
DT 96 DeMarcus Granger So. 93 Gerald McCoy Fr.
DT 97 Cory Bennett Jr. 90 Steven Coleman Sr.
DE 98 John Williams Sr. 44 Jeremy Beal Fr.
SLB 16 Lewis Baker Sr. 51 Demarrio Pleasant Sr.
MLB 10 Mike Reed Jr. 8 Ryan Reynolds So.
WLB 40 Curtis Lofton Jr. 48 Brandon Crow Fr.
CB 3 Reggie Smith Jr. 15 Dominique Franks Fr.
CB 24 Marcus Walker Sr. 11 Lendy Holmes Jr.
SS 25 D.J. Wolfe Sr. 22 Keenan Clayton So.
FS 5 Nic Harris Jr. 41 Darien Williams Sr.

Special Teams
Ps. No. Player Yr.
K 10 Garrett Hartley Sr.
P 31 Michael Cohen Sr.
KR 3 Reggie Smith Jr.
PR 3 Reggie Smith Jr.

Bob Stoops sounds as confident as ever, pointing out the overflow of returning talent on this, his ninth, Oklahoma squad. The Sooners return 16 starters who took the field for their Big 12 title game win over Nebraska. Indeed, the Sooners are built to win. And win big. And win now. Except at quarterback. Thank you, Rhett Bomar.

This time, there’s no veteran to ride to the rescue, as Paul Thompson did when Bomar was dismissed from the team last August for violating NCAA rules. The Sooners must count on a kid. Or maybe even a former junior college transfer recruited solely to be Bomar’s backup.

And still, Stoops is counting on the same factor — surrounding talent — that aided Thompson and kept pressure off the quarterback spot and on enemy defenses.

“That will be the case even more so,” Stoops says. “We’ll be much more experienced — line, backs, tight ends, receivers — around that position. No matter who it will be, there’s enough pieces that our future will be OK.”

OFFENSE
Oklahoma carries few question marks into the 2007 season. Yet one question — who’s capable at quarterback? — looms large.

The Sooners return nine offensive starters who took the field for their Big 12 title game win over Nebraska. Among them: four across the offensive line, every receiver and running back Allen Patrick, who subbed so superbly when Adrian Peterson was missing with a broken collarbone.

With even more talent on defense, the Sooners are built to win big and win now. Except at quarterback. Still recovering from the scandal that led to the dismissal of Bomar over NCAA violations, OU enters preseason with a three-man competition. None of the candidates — junior Joey Halzle, redshirt freshman Sam Bradford or true freshman Keith Nichol — made a convincing case to be the starter in the spring.

So all the surrounding talent is needed, allowing whoever emerges at quarterback to be asked simply not to lose games, rather than to win them. The quarterback should find comfort in a dominant offensive line and game-changing playmakers at every skill position.

Patrick proved himself with four 100-yard games while Peterson was on the shelf, yet may have to share the spotlight with elusive redshirt freshman DeMarco Murray, who was the star of the spring.

Wide receiver Malcolm Kelly is among the Big 12’s best. And sophomore tight end Jermaine Gresham can stretch the field in what could turn out to be a breakout season.

DEFENSE
Oklahoma’s defense is built from back to front, with the secondary the strength of a unit that returns seven starters.

Cornerbacks Reggie Smith and Marcus Walker and free safety Nic Harris are All-Big 12 types. Each is strong in coverage, and Harris is versatile in blitzes and as a run stopper. Smith warrants a spot on All-America watch lists, moving from strong safety to corner, where he can showcase his playmaking skills.

The Sooners exited spring unsettled at linebacker, mostly due to a knee injury to Ryan Reynolds, who underwent surgery. As the projected leader of the unit, Reynolds’ swift and strong return could be critical. Even with a healthy Reynolds, the Sooners need touted junior college transfer Mike Reed to advance his transition from freelancer to middle man in a structured defense.

The team is stacked at tackle, with youngsters DeMarcus Granger and Gerald McCoy upgrading a rotation that already includes starters Cory Bennett and Steven Coleman. But replacements are needed at defensive end, where the top three pass rushers from ’06 moved on. Alonzo Dotson and John Williams, both seniors with inconsistent careers, are capable, yet must finally produce.

SPECIALISTS
Garrett Hartley was one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award after hitting 19-of-20 field goal attempts a year ago. The Sooners have two quality punters in Michael Cohen and Mike Knall. OU employs them both, with Knall excelling on pooch punts.

FINAL ANALYSIS
The Sooners must be considered a contender for another conference crown and a BCS bowl. Still, much of Oklahoma’s 2007 success will hinge on finding a quarterback capable of making the transition from unknown to unquestioned leader. An early season home date with Miami will be a test for the young quarterback of choice. Otherwise, outside the annual clash with Texas in the Red River Shootout, the schedule is favorable.

Texas

The Lowdown 2007 Schedule
Coach: Mack Brown (10th season, 93-22)
2006 record: 10-3 (Beat Iowa in Alamo Bowl)
Big 12 finish: 6-2 (2nd South)
2006 I-A offensive rankings:
Rushing: 34th (162.6 ypg)
Passing: 33rd (228.9 ypg)
2006 I-A defensive rankings:
Rushing: 3rd (61.2 ypg)
Passing: 99th (236.2 ypg)
Date Opponent
Sept. 1 Arkansas State
Sept. 8 TCU
Sept. 15 at UCF
Sept. 22 Rice
Sept. 29 Kansas State
Oct. 6 #Oklahoma
Oct. 13 at Iowa State
Oct. 20 at Baylor
Oct. 27 Nebraska
Nov. 3 at Oklahoma State
Nov. 10 Texas Tech
Nov. 23 at Texas A&M

Depth Chart: Offense
7 returning starters in red
Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr.
WR 4 Limas Sweed Sr. 9 Nate Jones Sr.
WR 5 Billy Pittman Sr. 8 Jordan Shipley Jr.
WR 6 Quan Cosby Jr. 84 George Walker Jr.
LT 79 Tony Hills Sr. 73 J’Marcus Webb So.
LG 52 Charlie Tanner So. 63 Michael Huey Fr.
C 67 Dallas Griffin Sr. 65 Buck Burnette Fr.
RG 55 Cedric Dockery Jr. 71 Chris Hall So.
RT 74 Adam Ulatoski So. 78 Roy Watts Fr.
TE 16 Jermichael Finley So. 86 Peter Ullman Jr.
QB 12 Colt McCoy So. 7 John Chiles Fr.
RB 25 Jamaal Charles Jr. 3 Chris Ogbonnaya Jr.

Depth Chart: Defense
7 returning starters in red
Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr.
DE 95 Aaron Lewis Jr. 37 Henry Melton Jr.
DT 96 Derek Lokey Sr. 92 Ben Alexander So.
DT 97 Frank Okam Sr. 99 Roy Miller Jr.
DE 98 Brian Orakpo Jr. 36 Lamarr Houston So.
SLB 40 Robert Killebrew Sr. 2 Sergio Kindle So.
MLB 44 Rashad Bobino Jr. 11 Jared Norton So.
WLB 38 Rod Muckelroy So. 33 Scott Derry Sr.
CB 28 Brandon Foster Sr. 8 Chykie Brown Fr.
CB 13 Ryan Palmer Jr. 7 Deon Beasley So.
SS 21 Erick Jackson Sr. 12 Robert Joseph So.
FS 26 Marcus Griffin Sr. 4 Drew Kelson Sr.

Special Teams
Ps. No. Player Yr.
K 39 Ryan Bailey Jr.
P 39 Ryan Bailey Jr.
KR 6 Quan Cosby Jr.
PR 6 Quan Cosby Jr.


Texas caught Ohio State in Week 2 last year while trying to break in a new quarterback. This season, UT appears to have time — and the schedule — on its side to reclaim a Big 12 South title it fumbled away to Oklahoma after beating the Sooners.

The Longhorns are trying to find a running game to complement what should be a lethal passing attack. With serious holes to fill on the offensive line, that will be a challenge. There are also questions in the secondary. Texas will try to figure it all out against Arkansas State, TCU, UCF and Rice before diving into Big 12 play.

Mack Brown promoted long-time co-defensive coordinator Duane Akina to call plays on defense after Gene Chizik was named head coach at Iowa State. Akina figures to be more aggressive and take more chances with blitzes than Chizik, something that might have helped in last year’s 45–42 loss at Kansas State — a loss that helped crush UT’s BCS hopes after a 9–1 start.

OFFENSE
Texas didn’t know if it had a quarterback going into last season. Now, it may have one of the nation’s best thanks to a record-setting rookie campaign by Colt McCoy, who tied an NCAA mark for freshmen with 29 TD passes. McCoy will throw to the deepest group of receivers Brown has had in 10 years as coach. That group is led by Limas Sweed, who tied Roy Williams’ 2002 single-season record for TD receptions with 12 in 2006.

The passing game is the good news. The running game and the offensive line’s ability to protect McCoy are the question marks. Texas struggled to run the ball consistently last year, and that was with three of the best interior linemen in school history — All-American right guard Justin Blalock, center Lyle Sendlein and left guard Kasey Studdard. They have moved on. Three new faces on the line could make things tough for running back Jamaal Charles, who averaged 7.4 yards per carry as a freshman and 5.3 as a sophomore.

Freshman quarterback John Chiles, a gifted runner, could help the ground game by executing the team’s zone-read, shotgun offense in certain situations.

DEFENSE
Texas had the nation’s third-ranked run defense in 2006, setting a school record for rushing yards allowed per game (61.2). But UT also had the 99th-ranked pass defense (236.2 ypg), giving up a school-record 3,071 yards through the air.

Akina has developed the last two Thorpe Award winners (Aaron Ross in 2006 and Michael Huff in 2005) and shouldn’t be blamed for last season’s pass defense woes. Spotty play at linebacker forced defensive backs to over-commit to stopping the run, making the defensive backs susceptible to play-action fakes. Akina also figures to be more aggressive with blitzes than Chizik, who preferred to rush four in a base defense.

There is tons of proven experience on the defensive line, led by tackles Derek Lokey, Roy Miller and Frank Okam. There is good competition at linebacker, but the secondary must replace three starters, including Ross and All-Big 12 safety Michael Griffin, the team’s leading tackler the last two years.

Larry Mac Duff, who coached Arizona’s Desert Swarm with Akina in the early 1990s, was brought in to coach linebackers and serve as Akina’s co-defensive coordinator.

SPECIALISTS
Walk-on junior Ryan Bailey will handle field goals after being discovered last season on a game-winning, 22-yarder at Nebraska. Bailey got in because of an injury to then-senior starter Greg Johnson. After Bailey, Texas lacks proven experience throughout its special teams with new faces kicking off, punting, returning and even long-snapping.

FINAL ANALYSIS
Texas has a very manageable non-conference schedule, which should help the Longhorns get valuable experience on the offensive line and in the secondary before Big 12 play. Outside of Oklahoma, the two toughest games could be on the road at Oklahoma State and Texas A&M — both in November. If UT can win those, the Longhorns can win the Big 12 and get into the BCS mix. But if Texas can’t run the ball or stop the pass any better than last season, the Longhorns could lose three or more games for the second straight year.

Nebraska

The Lowdown 2007 Schedule
Coach: Bill Callahan (4th season, 22-15)
2006 record: 9-5 (Lost to Auburn in Cotton Bowl)
Big 12 finish: 6-3 (1st North)
2006 I-A offensive rankings:
Rushing: 23rd (170.5 ypg)
Passing: 23rd (244.1 ypg)
2006 I-A defensive rankings:
Rushing: 37th (116.6 ypg)
Passing: 79th (215.3 ypg)
Date Opponent
Sept. 1 Nevada
Sept. 8 at Wake Forest
Sept. 15 USC
Sept. 22 Ball State
Sept. 29 Iowa State
Oct. 6 at Missouri
Oct. 13 Oklahoma State
Oct. 20 Texas A&M
Oct. 27 at Texas
Nov. 3 at Kansas
Nov. 10 Kansas State
Nov. 23 at Colorado

Depth Chart: Offense
6 returning starters in red
Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr.
WR 83 Terrence Nunn Sr. 7 Frantz Hardy Sr.
WR 16 Maurice Purify Sr. 17 Todd Peterson Jr.
WR 87 Nate Swift Jr. 4 Menelik Holt So.
LT 77 Carl Nicks Sr. 97 Jacob Hickman So.
LG 62 Andy Christensen Jr. 68 Keith Williams Fr.
C 59 Brett Byford Sr. 75 Victory Haines Sr.
RG 70 Matt Slauson Jr. 61 Mike Huff Jr.
RT 76 Lydon Murtha Jr. 73 D.J. Jones Fr.
TE 85 J.B. Phillips Sr. 89 Hunter Teafatiller Jr.
QB 9 Sam Keller Sr. 12 Joe Ganz Jr.
IB 20 Marlon Lucky Jr. 34 Cody Glenn Jr.

Depth Chart: Defense
5 returning starters in red
Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr.
DE 98 Zach Potter Jr. 95 Pierre Allen Fr.
NT 93 Ndamukong Suh So. 56 Shukree Barfield Jr.
DT 43 Ty Steinkuhler Jr. - Kevin Dixon Jr.
DE 99 Barry Turner Jr. 88 Clayton Sievers Jr.
LB 51 Bo Ruud Sr. 38 Kyle Moore Fr.
LB 13 Corey McKeon Sr. 52 Phillip Dillard So.
LB 15 Steve Octavien Sr. 40 Lance Brandenburgh Sr.
CB 2 Cortney Grixby Sr. 5 Armando Murillo Jr.
CB 25 Andre Jones Sr. 14 Zack Bowman Sr.
S 30 Tierre Green Sr. 9 Bryan Wilson Sr.
S 4 Larry Asante So. 3 Rickey Thenarse So.

Special Teams
Ps. No. Player Yr.
K 37 Jake Wesch Jr.
P 97 Dan Titchener Jr.
KR 83 Terrence Nunn Sr.
PR 20 Marlon Lucky Jr.


What a difference one game can make. A victory over Auburn in the Cotton Bowl would have gone a long way toward certifying the progress Nebraska has made in Bill Callahan’s three seasons.

The Cornhuskers have improved each season, going 9–5 with a Big 12 North title in 2006. When he was hired, Callahan was charged with building a program that would consistently contend not only for the conference title but also for the national championship. Reaching the Big 12 title game for the first time since 1999 was a step in that direction. Losing to Oklahoma in the game was not, however, and then following with the Cotton Bowl loss further cooled the optimism of a 9–3 regular season.

“I think we’re on course,” Callahan says. “I would say that there are some vital factors that have validated what we’ve achieved and how we’ve improved and how we’re progressing.”

Statistically, Nebraska made dramatic strides both offensively and defensively. But the numbers still didn’t add up to a return to national prominence. They need to, and sooner rather than later. The Cornhuskers should return to the Big 12 Championship Game. But the program’s progress will be measured from that point on.

OFFENSE
Nebraska improved markedly in most areas last season, a reflection of growing comfort in Callahan’s system but also of quarterback Zac Taylor’s decision-making and leadership. Taylor is gone, and Callahan has maintained he won’t identify a successor until the week of the opener. Most likely it will be Sam Keller, a much-publicized transfer from Arizona State with one season of eligibility, though junior Joe Ganz has spent three years learning the system. And knowledge of the West Coast offense and its progressions can be power, as Taylor showed.

Maurice Purify and Terrence Nunn are expected to lead a solid group of receivers. But Purify, who caught 34 passes for 630 yards and seven touchdowns and fits Callahan’s profile — big-bodied and athletic -- is suspended indefinitely after being arrested twice in less than two months. Nunn could become the top pass catcher in school history, surpassing 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers. But someone has to get them the ball. Marlon Lucky, also a receiving threat, and Cody Glenn are complementary I-backs, but health is a concern, especially for Glenn, who was still bothered by a foot injury in the spring.

The line should be better and deeper. Callahan has placed a premium on size, and recruiting has accomplished that. The line will be big and physical.

DEFENSE
Linebacking is the strength of the defense, led by two-year starters Corey McKeon and Bo Ruud, who has been moved from weak side to strong side to utilize his pass rushing and coverage ability in redefined responsibilities at his new position. McKeon gets the job done in the middle with speed and quickness and is a vocal leader, not just for the defense.

The secondary will be better, even though the status of cornerback Zack Bowman is uncertain. Cortney Grixby and Andre Jones are proven corners, and junior college transfer Armando Murillo got an early start in the spring. More physical play on the back end is an emphasis, and there appear to be safeties who can provide it.

The concern on defense, and a significant one, is up front, where everyone must be replaced, including Big 12 D-Lineman of the Year Adam Carriker. Establishing a line from a group that includes tackles Ndamukong Suh and Ty Steinkuhler and end Barry Turner will be the key to duplicating last season’s success.

SPECIALISTS
The surprise departure of Jordan Congdon, a freshman All-American in 2005, has left the placekicking duties up for grabs during preseason practice. Walk-on Jake Wesch, Congdon’s backup who handled kickoffs, and redshirt freshman Alex Henery competed in the spring, but the competition will be open again when freshman Adi Kunalic arrives. Punter Dan Titchener returns.

FINAL ANALYSIS
Nebraska figures to repeat as Big 12 North champion, and with an indoor title game at the Alamodome it would have a better shot to win this time. North Division or not, the Cornhusker offense is built for controlled conditions, hardly the case last season in Kansas City. Though getting to San Antonio isn’t a lock, it’s certainly expected. And not just that. Nebraska hasn’t had a Top 10 ranking since mid-October 2003, and if it is to return to national prominence, Callahan needs a signature victory. The Cornhuskers played four teams ranked in the Top 10 at the time last season and lost all four. Considering this is Callahan’s fourth season in charge of the program, that has to change.

Arkansas

The Lowdown 2007 Schedule
Coach: Houston Nutt (10th season, 67-44)
2006 record: 10-4 (Lost to Wisconsin in Capital One Bowl)
SEC finish: 7-2 (1st West)
2006 I-A offensive rankings:
Rushing: 4th (228.5 ypg)
Passing: 108th (149.5 ypg)
2006 I-A defensive rankings:
Rushing: 33rd (114.6 ypg)
Passing: 36th (185.1 ypg)
Date Opponent
Sept. 1 Troy
Sept. 15 at Alabama
Sept. 22 Kentucky
Sept. 29 North Texas
Oct. 6 #Chattanooga
Oct. 13 Auburn
Oct. 20 at Ole Miss
Oct. 27 Florida International
Nov. 3 South Carolina
Nov. 10 at Tennessee
Nov. 17 #Mississippi State
Nov. 24 at LSU

Depth Chart: Offense
6 returning starters in red
Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr.
SE 85 Marcus Monk Sr. 2 London Crawford So.
FL 18 Robert Johnson Sr. 7 Reggie Fish Jr.
LT 78 Jose Valdez Jr. 73 Ray Dominguez Fr.
LG 66 Mitch Petrus Jr. 62 Michael Aguirre So.
C 63 Jonathan Luigs Jr. 58 Joey Crossland So.
RG 61 Robert Felton Sr. 65 DeMarcus Love Fr.
RT 75 Nate Garner Sr. 72 Cody Green Jr.
TE 82 Andrew Davie So. 83 Lance Thompson Jr.
QB 11 Casey Dick Jr. 17 Nathan Emert So.
FB 22 Peyton Hillis Sr. 86 Ben Cleveland So.
TB 5 Darren McFadden Jr. 25 Felix Jones Jr.

Depth Chart: Defense
6 returning starters in red
Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr.
DE 96 Malcolm Sheppard So. 94 Chris Wade Sr.
DT 87 Ernest Mitchell Jr. 98 Cord Gray Jr.
DT 55 Marcus Harrison Sr. 95 Fred Bledsoe Sr.
DE 97 Antwain Robinson Jr. 40 Adrian Davis So.
SLB 44 Freddie Fairchild So. 42 Chip Gregory Fr.
MLB 30 Weston Dacus Sr. 47 Wendel Davis So.
WLB 41 Ryan Powers Fr. 45 Desmond Williams Jr.
CB 9 Matterral Richardson Sr. 29 Jamar Love Jr.
CB 27 Jerell Norton So. 17 Shedrick Johnson Jr.
SS 31 Matt Hewitt Sr. 43 Dallas Washington Jr.
FS 8 Michael Grant Sr. 3 Kevin Woods Sr.

Special Teams
Ps. No. Player Yr.
K - Alex Tejada Fr.
P 50 Jeremy Davis Jr.
KR 25 Felix Jones Jr.
PR 25 Felix Jones Jr.

The Heisman Trophy runner-up and Doak Walker award winner, Darren McFadden, returns to a team that won the SEC West. So does Felix Jones, another 1,000-yard rusher. So, Arkansas should barely break a sweat in winning the SEC. “Hands-down, right?” coach Houston Nutt says, tongue in cheek.

As dynamic as those two backs are, Nutt knows they can’t carry the program to its first SEC overall title alone. Spruce up the passing game and make a few key defensive replacements, and the Hogs could work their way back to Atlanta, where they fell to eventual national champion Florida last year.

McFadden and Jones give the Razorbacks a two-headed threat that conjures up memories of Auburn’s Ronnie Brown and Carnell Williams, who went second and fifth, respectively, in the 2005 NFL Draft. McFadden might be better than both.

“He’s as a good as we’ve seen in our league in a while, maybe across the country,” Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville says. “He’s got the size, and he’s got the speed and the quicks. Go back and look at Ronnie Brown and Carnell. Neither one had the burst after five yards that this kid’s got. He’s got the total package.”

Georgia coach Mark Richt says, “There aren’t many guys since I’ve been in this league the last six years that really could dominate the way he can dominate, just flat out make people miss and then once he does can take it to the house.”

The sooner McFadden starts his Heisman run, the sooner the Razorbacks can forget about a turbulent and bizarre offseason.

A booster and close friend of the Nutt family sent a profanity-filled e-mail to quarterback Mitch Mustain urging him to leave. Nutt’s wife, Diana, forwarded a similar e-mail from the same person to an acquaintance and noted that derogatory things written in it about people from Springdale, Ark., (Mustain and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, among others) were “funny.” Fans then criticized Nutt and blamed him for the unpopular exit of Malzahn and the transfers of Mustain and receiver Damian Williams.

Nutt made a PR goof by calling a radio show to confront a newspaper columnist who had criticized him. UA chancellor John White issued a statement supporting Nutt despite there being no serious speculation about Nutt’s job being in jeopardy.

Then, two fans obtained Nutt’s cell phone records showing he had sent hundreds of text messages to a female reporter and circulated them widely. A lawyer representing Nutt sent an intimidating letter to at least one of the men.

Topping it all off, the landing gear collapsed on a private plane carrying Nutt while landing in Fayetteville. No one was injured.

“This is the first time in my 26 years of coaching there has been this much as far as distractions and things that involve me personally,” Nutt says. “But I feel good about our team, our players, how they feel, how the majority of our fans feel.”

They’ll feel better if Arkansas can replace its best pass rusher and best cornerback and also find steady play at quarterback. Do that and who knows how far the Hogs could go?

“You’ve got to stay healthy,” Nutt says. “If we do, it could be a special year.”

OFFENSE
Reclaiming its usual spot as the SEC’s top rushing team shouldn’t be a problem for Arkansas. But to win the big games and contend for a championship, the Razorbacks need to muster some semblance of a passing attack (see consecutive losses to LSU, Florida and Wisconsin to end last season).

McFadden and Jones can take the offense a long way. They’re big-play, multi-threats running, receiving, returning kickoffs and, in McFadden’s case, passing occasionally. He proved to be a capable quarterback in a package called “Wildcat” where he takes a direct snap and runs, hands off or throws (7-of-9 for 3 TDs). And don’t forget about fullback Peyton Hillis, who clears out linebackers and catches passes equally well.

Marcus Monk has proven to be a big-play receiver, and London Crawford could have a breakout year. But the pressure will be on quarterback Casey Dick to accelerate his game to take advantage of the receivers.

Nutt hired offensive coordinator David Lee from the Dallas Cowboys to install a pro passing scheme. Dick might take a few lumps as the line breaks in two new starting tackles, but if he improves his consistency from last year the offense could be a handful for defenses to stop.

DEFENSE
Replacing the top pass rusher, cover corner and run stopper won’t be easy. Still, the front seven should be solid against the run and in rushing the passer. The key for the defense will be how quickly the secondary is able to come along.

The defensive line took a hit when its most talented tackle, Marcus Harrison, tore a knee ligament in the spring. His status is iffy and he could end up redshirting. If Harrison can’t go, then hard-working Cord Gray most likely moves up. Defensive end Antwain Robinson, who made the coaches’ All-SEC second team, has turned into a force against the run and pass.

Freddie Fairchild has the physical tools to be one of the program’s best linebackers in years, and nobody questions his toughness after he blew out a knee against Utah State and kept playing. “One of the most courageous things I’ve ever seen,” coordinator Reggie Herring says. Fairchild is expected to be ready for preseason practice.

Free safety Michael Grant returns from knee surgery and should make a difference in cutting down big plays. Herring doesn’t have the men to play press coverage on every snap like he prefers after Chris Houston bolted early for the NFL. They’ll still play physical man-to-man often, but zone coverages will be mixed in to protect Matterral Richardson, Jerell Norton and Jamar Love.

SPECIALISTS
Years of kicking woes have made freshman Alex Tejada and his lively leg perhaps the most anticipated among the signees. Jeremy Davis takes over the punting job he held for half of the 2004 season. Jones and McFadden are two of the SEC’s most dangerous kickoff returners.

FINAL ANALYSIS
McFadden and Jones give Arkansas a chance to repeat as SEC West champion. Despite some key losses, the defense should be capable in Herring’s blitz-happy attack. The difference between a good season and a great one, barring significant injuries, will be the quarterback play and how well the offense adapts to the pro passing scheme.

whoops thought i put this in the sticky.....

wow too much time on ur hands

LIES! to much time on your hands is going into forums and making a comment on posts you think are to long!

your jut mad cause i didnt put anything about Indiana in there

GO MARYLAND!!

:)

As far as Nebraska goes, I think you guys will be surprised at our offense this year. Sam Keller is what we all think here is toing to be the real deal. We lost Brandon Jackson to the packers, but we should be good with Cody Glenn on the ground, that guy has been my favorite back for the last two years, although he was injured a lot of last season.

For our defense, I can't believe they said that Grixby is "proven". That guy is very athletic, but he is not a good or "proven" cornerback. He is about 5'7" and can't play bump and run coverage to save his ass. He is a bum.

UT and OU, I can't wait to see the Red River shootout this year. We will see one of you in the Big XII title.

Ar Kansas, I don't know about you guys Kold Killa, how are you going to bounce back this year?

Does Indiana and Maryland still have football programs? :)