SB Nation - Alex Tejada

SEC Power Poll, Week 7

cocknfire — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:15:13 -0000

1. ALABAMA (16), 236
2. FLORIDA (4), 224
3. LSU, 195
4. SOUTH CAROLINA, 168
5. ARKANSAS, 144
6. OLE MISS, 117
7. GEORGIA, 116
8. TENNESSEE, 111
9. KENTUCKY, 95
10. AUBURN, 90
11. MISSISSIPPI STATE, 43
12. VANDERBILT, 21

Alabama claims the No. 1 spot by a wide enough margin to proclaim the tie with Florida broken. As for the middle of the SEC, here's an idea of how murky it is: The difference between No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 10 Auburn is just as large as the gaps between No. 3 LSU and No. 4 South Carolina or between No. 5 Arkansas and No. 6 Ole Miss. And Vanderbilt manages to get one 11th-place vote, with the other last-place ballot going to Auburn.

The biggest move belongs to Auburn, which falls from No. 5 to No. 10 after losing to Kentucky. Georgia advances two places by obliterating the Commodores and Ole Miss does the same by waxing UAB. Other changes: Arkansas +1, Tennessee -1 and Kentucky +1.

Voters?

ALABAMA

The Tide finally found a quarterback, Mark Ingram. Put him in the Wildcat and let him run or hand off to Trent Richardson because the only thing that could stop the Bama offense was the forward pass.--Orange and Blue Hue

An efficient killer ready to crush all who dare stand in the way. And that's just Mark Ingram.--Alligator Army

The SEC's clearcut No. 1 team. Who happened to take 55 minutes to score an offensive touchdown at home. Not a vintage year for the league, I'm thinking.--War Blog Eagle

FLORIDA

For the first time in 16 games the Gators won a game by less than double digits. Obviously it's time to start shovelling dirt on their grave.--Orange and Blue Hue

As the Gator D bails out Meyer's sputtering Wundermachine yet again, it's time (again) to hail Charlie Strong as the best assistant coach in this conference.--War Blog Eagle

Blah blah blah, bad call. Quit whining about it. Florida is not an unstoppable juggernaut, but they are still real good.--And The Valley Shook

LSU

Is it a sign of LSU's lingering irrelevance to the national-title race that I had to go back and check just now to see whether they actually played last weekend?--Hey Jenny Slater

The good thing for LSU is that they still have Alabama left on the schedule against which they can prove themselves. Of course, the bad thing is that they still have Alabama left on the schedule.--Get the Picture

Tigers en route to one of those 2006 Auburn-style "We're not all that good, but somehow we ended up winning 11 games anyway" kind of seasons.--War Blog Eagle

SOUTH CAROLINA

The Gamecock offense actually won the game for the Tide with Garcia's pick six. The rest of the game's offensive ineptitude on both sides simply turned out to be window dressing.--Orange and Blue Hue

Never really out of it against Alabama, but they were never really in it, either.--Hey Jenny Slater

If this team could actually score touchdowns in the red zone, they'd be in the national championship hunt right now. For reals.--War Blog Eagle

ARKANSAS

Egad. They HAVE figured out how to play defense. Unfortunately, they haven't figured out the fine art of paying off refs.--Hey Jenny Slater

The only game Arky was out of was the 35-7 loss to Alabama. If Ryan Mallett was more accurate, we would be talking about a 3-1 SEC record, not 1-3.--Alligator Army

It's not like the Hogs didn't know Alex Tejada was shakier than a bobblehead at the San Andreas. If you don't replace him or get him closer than 35 yards, that's what you get.--War Blog Eagle

OLE MISS

The Arkansas game last year was where Ole Miss turned it on for the rest of the year and so far their 2009 performance has been about the same as 2008. Can Ole Miss kick it into high gear again?--The ACC & SEC Blog

Despite his best efforts, Snead was unable to throw any interceptions this week. Perhaps C-USA DBs just don't have the hands to hold on to his picks.--Save the Shield

The Ole Miss-Arkansas will set the tone for the rest of the season for both teams. Plus, don't both schools have some sort of shared history at this point? I forget.--Arkansas Expats

GEORGIA

Finally a solid and dominating performance against a quality ... errrr ... solid ... errr ... well against a football team. One with helmets and pads and everything else a real team would have.--Orange and Blue Hue

A win at Vandy does little to quiet the doubters of the Dawgs but next weekend's game against Florida is a chance for UGA to erase all the bad energy.--Over the Pylon

There are three teams in the SEC that have allowed more points than they have scored. Georgia is one of them. Not good times in Athens. Jacksonville should be fun for them.--Alligator Army

TENNESSEE

This past weekend, Monte Kiffin's defense not only pitched a shutout, it didn't give up so much as a single yard of total offense! Lane Kiffin is more awesome than all five Backstreet Boys combined. He's like Kung Fu Panda trapped in Daniel Tosh's body. (Kudos to ausdawg85 for noting the resemblance.)--Dawg Sports

The Vols had a week off to get ready for Alabama. But something tells me Nick Saban's defense is not going to make Jonathan Crompton look as good as UGA's did.--The ACC & SEC Blog

This is the hardest team to figure out right now. They can muster some more wins but also could lose the rest too.--Leftover Hot Dog

KENTUCKY

No Hartline? No problem. At 3-3 now, the Cats are looking very likely to make their 4th straight Bowl under Rich Brooks much to the surprise of UK fans and really the entire SEC.--Over the Pylon

These guys lose starters and play better. At the rate the 'Cats are going, it could be a helluva November.--Get the Picture

Beat Auburn but basketball has started.--Leftover Hot Dog

AUBURN

With Todd coming back to earth, it feels like the wheels are starting to come off the wagon.--Get the Picture

What a way to go down. Losing to Kentucky. I imagine that they'll start making offers to Petrino again this week.--Gate 21

The genius shine has come off of Malzahn a bit, and Chizik never had it.--And The Valley Shook

MISSISSIPPI STATE

In 6 of 7 games this season, the Bulldogs have scored 24 or more points. Dan Mullen should get Coach of The Year votes just for that.--Alligator Army

Congrats to Anthony Dixon who is probably the most forgotten elite player in the league thanks to MSU's struggles over the last few years.--Save the Shield

Handled MTSU at their place, but now must face a Gator team trying to prove something.--A Sea of Blue

VANDERBILT

The 'Dores only scored 10 against a defense that Jonathan Crompton lit up. Does payback await in Columbia this week?--Garnet And Black Attack

I am not sure if I see a conference win for Vandy this year. Just not getting the same breaks they did last year.--The ACC & SEC Blog

That's what I like about Vandy: They are consistent.--Gate 21

Q&A: Brandon Marcello

Arkansas Expats — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:14:43 -0000

More photos » by Beth Hall - AP

Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett smiles while being interviewed during college football Media Day, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Beth Hall)

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Only three days to go until the season opener against Missouri State. In other words, the perfect time to chat with Brandon Marcello, who provides outstanding Razorbacks coverage every day as the online editor of WholeHogSports.com and the primary contributor to the site's Slophouse blog. Brandon was able to see the Hogs throughout their fall camp, and we know you'll enjoy his first-hand perspective on this year's Piggies. The only question he left unanswered is, Will he be able to handle the sudden leap in fame that is sure to come his way after appearing on this site?

Many thanks for your time, Brandon! Now, on with the show ...

Expats: You got a chance to see Ryan Mallet in fall camp. What's your take on the Hogs' new starting quarterback? Is he going to live up to the hype?

Marcello: A lot of people are already putting him up there as the best quarterback since Joe Ferguson, and, frankly, I don't know how you can argue that without, well, getting into an argument. Mallett hasn't even taken a snap but his tools and stature provide plenty of promise for the Razorbacks' passing game. If Bobby Petrino can turn a quarterback like Casey Dick into a 2,500-yard-plus passer, he can do wonders with a guy whose arm, accuracy, touch and instincts are unmatched in the SEC-era of Arkansas football.

I believe he'll reach that hype and, yes, perhaps, pass it. The man has everything going for him to get there, and I believe he won't be a victim of a "circus" like atmosphere that surrounded a similar hometown QB who, understandably, decided to leave the Hills for the California shores.

Mallett seems to embrace the attention, his hometown roots and what it would mean to an entire state if he guides the Razorbacks to a championship. And while I won't go as far as to say Mallett will be the delivery man for an SEC Championship trophy during his time here, I will venture a guess and say he'll be atop many categories in the record books before he leaves.

As for this season, he'll break the season record for touchdown throws (26) and will throw for more than 3,000 yards, giving him the best season by a Razorback quarterback in school history.

The question is, can the defense back him up and make him look even better?

Expats: After Michael Smith, the Hogs have sophomore Dennis Johnson and a host of intriguing newcomers in the backfield. Who do you see emerging as the primary complement to Smith?

Marcello: I'd say Dennis Johnson, but I'm becoming more and more of a believer that Ronnie Wingo will be the player who jumps out at us by the middle of the season. If Wingo gets a few swing passes out of the backfield, lines up at slot receiver or, just somehow, gets to be isolated on the outside -- watch out!

I will say that I believe people are looking at the depth chart a little too hard right now. Listen, the running back rotation is just that - a rotation. Every player has something to bring to the table, so if Michael Smith has 25 carries one game or if Broderick Green has 20 the next, it's probably because the opponent's defense was slow to the line or, in Green's case, stacking the box or always finding themselves with their backs near the goal line.

Still, I'm a big believer that Wingo and wide receiver Joe Adams are going to prove something special this season. Both are home run hitters.

I just think people need to sit back, relax and enjoy the talents of the deep backfield they're about to watch on game days. Nearly every one of them will have a highlight by the end of the season.

Expats: The Hogs' special teams play has been pretty ugly for the last few years. How much of an impact is John L. Smith having, and do you expect the unit to be significantly improved this year?

Marcello: As good a coach as John L. Smith is, he can't control Alex Tejada's mind on the football field. That is totally up to Mr. Tejada of Springdale. Kickers are fickle and, in speaking with Tejada this pre-season, he absolutely understands that the Razorbacks' kicking game has been an unneeded struggle the last several years.

Brennan O'Donohoe, anyone?

But knowing that and BLOCKING THAT out of your mind when you're on the football field in a pressure situation are two different things. Tejada didn't do that last season, obviously. The problem this season is that, if he melts down with a delay of game, kick out-of-bounds, misses an extra point and a field goal, who is going to replace him?

... Anyone? Bueller?

I think the biggest change you're going to see in special teams is the yards-per-return average on punt returns. The Hogs averaged 5.3 yards per return last season, which was absolutely dreadful. Joe Adams is going to give the Hogs some speed and a home-run threat there this season.

On punt and kick blocks, it'll be interesting to see if the Anthony Leon's 6-foot-4 frame has a blocked field goal or extra point in the middle of the field.

Expats: Speaking of the weaknesses of last year's team, what kind of performance do you expect out of the offensive line and the defense?

Marcello:That will be very interesting because both lines are considered a strength right now. But we all know the Hogs gave up a 46 sacks last season for an average of nearly four a game, which was second-to-last in the FBS. Go figure. That number has to improve. Maybe you'll see that change. Maybe Casey Dick was holding onto the ball too long last season? Who knows.

Same with the defensive line. They didn't get much pressure on the quarterback last season, finishing tied for 50th in the nation. So, what you have here are two lines with some obvious talent. Guys like OT DeMarcus Love, DT Malcolm Sheppard and DE Jake Bequette are obvious anchors. But, really, where are the faults?

Well, on the defense, it's the edges. Not a lot of pass rush off the edge last season. Can Bequette and Damario Ambrose change that?

And what about the offensive line? Have they learned their various pass blocking schemes to a comfortable point? Judging from what we've seen in the pre-season, the offensive line is going to have some struggles and there will be a few sacks here and there. Maybe not as many as last year, but there is some worry with pressure. The Hogs weren't counting sacks as much as they should in the pre-season. If they had, the Hogs would have given up about 10 during one of the marathon scrimmages, which probably would have equalled four or five sacks in an actual game.

Ouch.

Expats: If the Hogs are going to upset anybody, which team will it be? On the flip side, is there any game that Hog fans are chalking up as an easy victory that concerns you?

Marcello: If there is one team the Hogs will upset early in the season, I'd say Georgia or Alabama. Georgia, obviously, is the easy pick right now for many fans but a lot is going to be told about the Bulldogs after this weekend's trip to Oklahoma State.

It will be interesting to see how the fans react if the Hogs drop both of those games to enter the Texas A&M tilt in Arlington, Texas with a 1-2 record.

The game the Hogs are most primed for an upset is that Ole Miss game, though. That one, if the Hogs get up early, could get ugly.

As for a game fans may be chalking up as an easy win, but probably shouldn't? Auburn and Troy. Never count out Gus Malzahn and I believe quarterback Chris Todd is going to have the Tigers on the upswing by the time the Hogs hook up with them Oct. 10.

And Troy has a lot of firepower. The Trojans really showed some weaknesses in the LSU Tigers the week before the Hogs upset them, 31-30, in the season finale in the Rock. Troy was up 31-3 on LSU in the Bayou in the third quarter before the Tigers fought back for a 40-31 win.

Don't for a second think Larry Blakeney's apparent words of predicting an upset of the Hogs this season is anything to sneeze at. That game, if the Hogs' defense doesn't show marked improvement by Nov. 14, could be a shoot out.

We all know Arkansas' schedule is very difficult this season, so saying 6-6 should be looked at as a failure is an absolutely ridiculous statement.

There are a lot teams with big-time fire power on the schedule and there are also a few hidden mines in Arkansas' pig pen this season.

Post-Spring Previews: Arkansas Razorbacks

Gamecock Man — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:51:49 -0000

More photos » by Butch Dill - AP

5 months ago: Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino speaks to the media during a news conference at the SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. on Wednesday, July 22, 2009 (AP Photo/ Butch Dill)

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After traveling to Knoxville to take on the Vols, the Gamecocks head to Fayetteville to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks. Arkansas is another team looking to rebound from a shaky 2008. Luckily, momentum is in their favor. After playing poorly early in the season--see the close wins over cupcakes and absolutely ugly blowout losses to elite opponents--the Hogs played well to close out 2008. Moreover, they should only improve with a year in Bobby Petrino's system under their belts. Petrino may be one of the game's true professional slimeballs, but he's also a fantastic coach that came close to getting Louisville to the national title game. To understand the gravity of that accomplishment, take a look at what has happened there now that Petrino is gone. Petrino's offense was undoubtedly hampered last year with Casey Dick--an average quarterback at best--under center. However, this year he has Ryan Mallett taking over quarterbacking duties. Mallett will make mistakes at times, but he'll also be brilliant at times. The tools are in place for this to be a prolific Arkansas offense. While they probably won't win more than seven or eight because of Mallett's youth and a suspect defense, this is a team that will undoubtedly make for exciting football and perhaps an upset of one of the conference's big-name teams.

Let's see how we matchup against them.

Offense

The Hogs run Bobby Petrino's power spread, a modified pro-style attack. Often mischaracterized as a coach that likes to air it out, Petrino believes being able to run the ball is just as important as being able to go long. To this end, Petrino likes to move back and forth between spread formations and power-I formations. The spread formations usually allow him to get the ball to his receivers on the outside, whereas the power-I allows him to run the ball down hill. Petrino likes to throw deep to the tight ends out of the I, as well. His offense is also notable for running similar plays out of multiple formations, which I'd imagine is confusing for defenses.

Quarterback

After sitting out for a year after transferring from Michigan, highly recruited Ryan Mallett takes over under center for the Hogs. Mallett is a prototypical pro-style quarterback: he's big, tall, and can throw the ball a mile. Mallett should thrive in Petrino's system, where his vision and arm will give him lots of advantages. Mallett is somewhat inexperienced and may show it at times. However, while this is Mallett's first year playing at Arkansas and he can thus be expected to make some mistakes, it's not like he's a freshman. He had significant experience playing at Michigan in his freshman year and has had a year to learn Petrino's offense since then. His one liability other than his relative inexperience is that he's kind of slow because of his size. That could pose problems if he doesn't get great protection, which is a distinct possiblity. Overall, though, he looks to be poised for a big season throwing the ball.

We've yet to really see what Mallett can do, whereas we've at least seen Garcia play well in spurts, so I can't give Mallett the advantage here. I'm tempted to, though. Mallett is good and he will thrive throwing to a talented group of receivers in Bobby Petrino's system. Plus, Garcia frankly has almost just as much to prove at this point as Mallett. It will be interesting to see what kind of year these two are having when this game rolls around in November.

Verdict: Push

Running Backs

The Hogs return one of the SEC's best tailbacks in senior Michael Smith. Smith, who spent his first two seasons in the shadow of Felix Jones and Darren McFadden, broke out last year for over 1000 yards. Although small, Smith is a tough runner. His size, though, makes him vulnerable to injury, as the Hogs saw late last season. They'll look to lighten his load this year. The Hogs will look at a host of players in the rotation, although some injuries that occurred during the spring may limit some of those players' effectiveness. The primary backup role may, in fact, go to highly touted freshman Ronnie Wingo, Jr., one of the Hogs' prize recruits and a guy we'll probably hear a lot more of after Smith graduates.

I call this a slight advantage for Arkansas. We have more experienced depth than the Hogs at this position, and depth has to be a concern for the Hogs right now. However, Arky does have some nice young players that stack up well against most SEC teams, and Smith pushes the balance in their favor.

Verdict: Slight advantage Arkansas

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

Arkansas returns an experienced group of talented receivers that could be poised to put up big numbers if Mallet and offensive line step up. The big name in the group is tight end D. J. Williams, who is one of the nation's best ends. Williams has and will continue to thrive in Petrino's offense, which frequently utilizes the tight end as a long-yardage passing option from what look like power-running formations. Lucas Miller, Jarius Wright, London Crawford and others fill out what should be a very effective group.

I give Arkansas another slight advantage here. I think our receivers have the potential to be as good as this group, but they have to prove it, first.

Verdict: Slight advantage Arkansas

Offensive Line

Here's where things get a little murky for what has the potential to be a great Arkansas offense. Last year's line had lots of trouble with both pass protection and run blocking. However, pass protection was the biggest problem, with the Hogs giving up a whopping 46 sacks. If problems continue this year, they may keep the Hogs from having the kind of year offensively they're otherwise capable of having. The fact that Ryan Mallett is hardly the kind of quarterback that can evade sacks with his feet makes protecting him all the more important.

This year's more experienced unit should be better, but they'll really need to be a lot better for the Hogs to truly live up to their potential on offense. Arkansas returns three starters as well as one player that started in 2007 but redshirted last year. It's hard to say who will play where; expect a lot of shifting around on this unit throughout the year, although Ray Dominguez looks to be the guy at the important left tackle position. The reserves are mostly inexperienced. All in all, there are still a lot of question marks here.

I'm going to call this a slight advantage for Carolina. Neither team was good up front last year and both have lots to prove, but we return a bit more experience and should start playing well sooner.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Let's look at the defenses after the jump.

Defense

To put it simply, the Hogs had a bad defense last year. Arky finished at or near the bottom of the SEC in most major categories. To put things into perspective, we managed to score 34 points against them. Experienced defensive coordinator Willy Robinson must get better play out of this group if Arkansas is to contend in the West.

Defensive Line

The Hogs' front four--which returns four starters--is led by tackle Malcolm Sheppard, who was second in the conference in tackles for loss a year ago. Adrian Davis, Zach Stadther, Lavunce Askew and Alfred Davis should round out the bulk of the rotation, although some newcomers may see time as well. This unit wasn't very good against the run last year and has focused on bulking up this offseason. I expect better production from them, but this may still be a team that good teams can run against fairly easily.

I give us a slight advantage here. There's no reason that our line can't be one of the best in the SEC this year, while Arkansas simply has lots to prove despite its experience.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Linebackers

This is another fairly experienced group. Senior Wendel Davis is perhaps the defense's overall leader. Davis missed the first part of last season, and when he returned, the defense clearly improved. Freddy Burton and Jerry Franklin round out the group. This should be another improved unit, but depth may be an issue here.

I give us a slight advantage here. Again, Arkansas has a lot to prove, whereas we have one of the league's better units with Eric Norwood and Rodney Paulk leading the way and a talented group of underclassmen providing depth.

Verdict: Slight advantage South Carolina

Secondary

Secondary is perhaps the biggest cause for concern for this Arkansas defense. The most talented players just might be five-star freshman corner Darius Winton and highly touted JUCO transfer safety Rudell Crim. Both will push for playing time, as the returning starters all struggled last year. Corners Ramon Broadway and Isaac Madison have experience, but neither exactly instills fear in opposing quarterbacks and wide receivers. Safeties Elton Ford and Jerico Nelson also return with experience, but Ford will likely have to fight to keep Crim away from his job.

I call this a push. Both teams have some talented players but will have to rely on freshmen and must worry about depth problems. It's worth point out here that our secondary versus Bobby Petrino's offense is a cause for concern.

Verdict: Push

Special Teams

Kicker Alex Tejada struggled mightily last year after a solid 2007. The Hogs hope he can regain his old form. The Hogs had trouble with some of their return units last year, but should be better this year, especially with Petrino's mentor and former Michigan State coach John L. Smith taking over the special teams.

I'll call this a push. Arkansas doesn't have a reliable kicker at this point, while we don't even know who ours will be quite yet. Punting should be OK for both teams. Both teams look to have good kick return games but will need to figure out punt returns. Both should have decent coverage units. All in all it's hard to make a call right now on which team should have better units.

Verdict: Push

Head Coaches

As I said at the beginning of this preview, I think Bobby Petrino is one of the best coaches in the game. He almost won a national title at Louisville, for goodness's sake. The last two years haven't been nice to the guy, but let's face it: he wasn't exactly playing with a stacked deck last year or in 2007 in Atlanta. He has more pieces in place this year, and it should show with an extra couple of wins. I expect the team will continue to get better over the next few years and will regularly compete with Alabama and LSU in the West.

I'll give Arkansas a slight advantage here. Petrino may not have as many conference titles as Spurrier, but he has been relevant more recently.

Verdict: Slight advantage Arkansas

Overall

Although their strengths are somewhat different, in a lot of ways these are fairly evenly matched teams. Arkansas should have a slightly better offense and we should have a slightly better defense, but the gaps aren't that large. My general impression is that this will be one of the higher scoring games of the year for us; Arkansas's offense is capable of putting up poitns against anybody, and we're capable of putting up points against their defense. Unfotunatley, if the game does become a shootout, I'll have to give the advantage to Petrino and Arkansas. To make matters worse, the game is in Fayetteville, and the atmosphere will likely be raucous if Arky is still in the running for a Western Division crown. If we're to win, we'll have to counter these Arkansas advantages by putting lots of pressure on Mallett, getting some sacks, and hopefully forcing a couple of game-changing turnovers. That kind of performance can't be taken for granted, though, and I have a feeling we'll lose this one.

Predict: seven-point Arkansas victory

Poll

The Arkansas game will result in a...

Blowout Carolina victory

3 votes

Close Carolina victory

27 votes

Close Arkansas victory

104 votes

Blowout Arkansas victory

79 votes

213 votes | Poll has closed

TARGET FILE: vs. Arkansas [11.08.08]

cocknfire — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:43:29 -0000

One coach was forced out after two straight eight-win seasons and his replacement was poached in the middle of the season -- and the middle of the night -- from the NFL. In the meantime, the old coach moved to a rival in the same division. Now, the Houston Nutt-led Ole Miss is pegged as a surprise team in the SEC while the Bobby Petrino-led Arkansas is favored to be the worst team in the division and the worst team in the conference whose name does not begin with a "V."

Just another offseason in Fayetteville.

OFFENSE

O-line. The line was pretty good for the Razorbacks, though a relatively small number of pass attempts and a pair of incredible running backs helps you look really good. Rimington winner Jonathan Luigs returns at center, but Arkansas also loses a couple of high-impact starters. Oh, and the offense is completely different. ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

Quarterback. Hooray! Casey Dick is back! Last year: 150-of-262, 1,695 yards, 18 TDs, 10 INTs. You know a quarterback is good when the coaching staff looks at him and says, "I think we'd actually be a better team if he weren't on the field," which is what Houston Nutt and Co. did several times last year. And Darren McFadden did have a better QB rating than Dick. ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

Running back. Darren McFadden is gone. Felix Jones is gone. Peyton Hillis is gone. No one returning to the Razorbacks had 50 carries last year. Oh, and they won't get too many more than that in the new, pass-based system. ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

Wide receiver. Who knows? The primary mission of receivers for the last few years has been: "Block for McFadden and Jones. Unless you're Marcus Monk, and then just run a go route." None of the returning wideouts had even 20 catches to their name in 2007. ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

DEFENSE

Defensive line. The Hogs managed just 23 sacks last year, or 1.85 sacks per game -- tied for 73rd in the FBS. Three starters return, all with at least 10 TFL in 2007, which is better than South Carolina. ADVANTAGE: ARKANSAS

Linebackers. Freddie Fairchild had 9.5 TFL in 2007, 4.5 of them sacks. He was also third on the team with 92 tackles. And now he's gone. None of the other expected starters has done much to commend themselves. ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

Secondary. They return no starters from 2007. None. Zero. This could be a major blow to the Razorback defense: Their pass efficiency defense was second in the nation, holding opponents to a 97.68 QB rating. ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

SPECIAL TEAMS

Well, their biggest kick return threats were -- you guessed it -- Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. But K Alex Tejada wasn't bad on FGs (73.9 percent) and Jeremy Davis averaged 40.1 yards on punts. Both are back. ADVANTAGE: PUSH

COACHING

This is a tough one, mostly because we really don't know how good a head coach Petrino is. Sure, he had four good years in Louisville -- but first it was Louisville in Conference USA, and then it was Louisville in a watered-down Big East. He did win a Big East crown in 2006, but a loss to Rutgers cost him a chance at the BCS title. Then again, look at Louisville in the first year after his departure. Still, we have a longer record with Spurrier, and we know he's capable of sustaining success once he's achieved it. ADVANTAGE: SOUTH CAROLINA

RESULT

McFadden and Jones beat us last year. No other way to put it.

WARNING: VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED, due to the violence committed upon South Carolina's defense and Tyrone Nix's reputation.

That said, Arkansas has never been a team South Carolina can afford to overlook. It doesn't really matter how good or bad each team is; the game is always entertaining. Even if the entertainment comes from watching Darren McFadden do sprints. In any case, this year, this should be a victory. Should be. LIKELY WIN

THE REST OF THEIR SEASON

There's a reason that the Hogs are expected to be last in the SEC West: They're not a very good team. At least, they don't look like it. Supplement the usual division slate of Auburn, LSU and a potentially resurgent Alabama with Florida, at Kentucky and at South Carolina from the East. Sprinkle in an out-of-conference game against Texas. Even with a split of the Mississippi teams, the Hogs are still a long way from a winning season. 4-8

Poll

South Carolina vs. Arkansas will be a ...

South Carolina blowout

9 votes

Narrow South Carolina win

3 votes

Push

4 votes

Narrow Arkansas win

3 votes

Arkansas blowout

1 votes

20 votes | Poll has closed