Paul Petrino: "You don't want to answer your phone this year."
By: Mike Irwin
Updated: October 10, 2012
FAYETTEVILLE--Paul Petrino missed a phone call from Tyler Wilson Tuesday morning. A short time later Wilson reached Razorbacks team trainer Matt Summers with the news that he had been rear-ended in an automobile accident.
What could have been another devastating blow in a season full of setbacks for the Hog football team turned out to be no big deal. As it turned out Wilson had been knocked around more on the football field over the past two years than he was in the accident.
Summers quickly found Petrino and Wilson was able to reassure the team's offensive coordinator that he would be at practice as usual that afternoon.
Most of Wilson's teammates were unaware of his mishap until word spread through the locker room right before the workout began.
"I went over to him and asked him," junior tight end Austin Tate recalled. "He said he was fine. He would have told me if something was wrong."
With the Razorback media looking on Wilson made a prophet out of himself as he sailed through the early part of the workout.
Afterward Petrino confirmed that it had been a routine practice for the fifth year senior signal caller in spite of the accident.
"He looked good," Petrino told reporters. "He'll probably be a little bit sore tomorrow but he threw the ball good."
The news was not quite as good for one of Wilson's favorite targets. Tight end Chris Gragg, who has been sidelined since the early part of the Rutgers game on September 22nd, was finally dressed out at practice on Tuesday but he was only able to participate in a few individual drills.
Will Gragg be back in time for Kentucky this coming Saturday?
"I doubt it," Petrino said quietly, "but it's day to day."
Gragg's injury has brought Tate squarely into the spotlight. Held to just one catch for four yards against the Scarlet Knights, Tate was shut out against Texas A&M the following week.
It was a different story at Auburn. Tate hauled in four passes for 44 yards including a key 18 yard gain on the Hogs' opening drive of the fourth quarter. Arkansas scored three plays later turning a three point lead into a 17-7 pad.
"I ended up squeezing a couple of passes out," Tate told the Razorback Nation. "Kind of kept 'em going or got 'em going. That feels good."
"As far as this week goes," Tate continued, "I got to do better than last week. I'm looking for a couple of more (catches) than I had last week."
Something has to give on the ground when the Hogs and 'Cats square off. Kentucky has the SEC's 13th rated defense against the run giving up an average of 181 yards per game while Arkansas is dead last in rushing at 108 yards per game.
Dennis Johnson took over at running back against Auburn after Knile Davis was benched early in the game. Johnson responded with 76 yards and a pair of touchdowns giving his team a much needed spark in the red zone. Still Petrino refused to tip his hand when asked if Johnson would be the starter against Kentucky.
"We're gonna play whoever's hot," Petrino explained. "Whoever is playing the best we're going to give them the ball the most."
Before last Saturday the Razorbacks had been held to just one touchdown in SEC play. They tripled that number against the Tigers and returned home with some of their offensive mojo back.
"I feel like that's got everybody's self esteem back up," Tate said with a smile. "Everything is a snowball effect around here. I think everybody liked that feeling. We want that feeling come Saturday night."
Junior center Travis Swanson said the Auburn win was all about giving something back to Razorback fans who suffered through this season's four-game losing streak. "I think we owe it to the fans to come back and get a win here," Swanson announced. "The magnitude of the (Kentucky) game is going to be really big and it's going to be fun."
It should be fun indeed if the Hogs can take advantage of the SEC's 13th ranked defense in points allowed. The 'Cats were competitive early on against the top two teams in the SEC East before being blown out by Florida and South Carolina. Winning the fourth quarter against Kentucky would seem to be one of the keys for Saturday's match up, something Arkansas finally did in the Auburn game.
"That put a smile on my face," Swanson admitted. "That back end (fourth quarter) is what our coaches really preach. Never give up in the fourth quarter."
What could have been another devastating blow in a season full of setbacks for the Hog football team turned out to be no big deal. As it turned out Wilson had been knocked around more on the football field over the past two years than he was in the accident.
Summers quickly found Petrino and Wilson was able to reassure the team's offensive coordinator that he would be at practice as usual that afternoon.
Most of Wilson's teammates were unaware of his mishap until word spread through the locker room right before the workout began.
"I went over to him and asked him," junior tight end Austin Tate recalled. "He said he was fine. He would have told me if something was wrong."
With the Razorback media looking on Wilson made a prophet out of himself as he sailed through the early part of the workout.
Afterward Petrino confirmed that it had been a routine practice for the fifth year senior signal caller in spite of the accident.
"He looked good," Petrino told reporters. "He'll probably be a little bit sore tomorrow but he threw the ball good."
The news was not quite as good for one of Wilson's favorite targets. Tight end Chris Gragg, who has been sidelined since the early part of the Rutgers game on September 22nd, was finally dressed out at practice on Tuesday but he was only able to participate in a few individual drills.
Will Gragg be back in time for Kentucky this coming Saturday?
"I doubt it," Petrino said quietly, "but it's day to day."
Gragg's injury has brought Tate squarely into the spotlight. Held to just one catch for four yards against the Scarlet Knights, Tate was shut out against Texas A&M the following week.
It was a different story at Auburn. Tate hauled in four passes for 44 yards including a key 18 yard gain on the Hogs' opening drive of the fourth quarter. Arkansas scored three plays later turning a three point lead into a 17-7 pad.
"I ended up squeezing a couple of passes out," Tate told the Razorback Nation. "Kind of kept 'em going or got 'em going. That feels good."
"As far as this week goes," Tate continued, "I got to do better than last week. I'm looking for a couple of more (catches) than I had last week."
Something has to give on the ground when the Hogs and 'Cats square off. Kentucky has the SEC's 13th rated defense against the run giving up an average of 181 yards per game while Arkansas is dead last in rushing at 108 yards per game.
Dennis Johnson took over at running back against Auburn after Knile Davis was benched early in the game. Johnson responded with 76 yards and a pair of touchdowns giving his team a much needed spark in the red zone. Still Petrino refused to tip his hand when asked if Johnson would be the starter against Kentucky.
"We're gonna play whoever's hot," Petrino explained. "Whoever is playing the best we're going to give them the ball the most."
Before last Saturday the Razorbacks had been held to just one touchdown in SEC play. They tripled that number against the Tigers and returned home with some of their offensive mojo back.
"I feel like that's got everybody's self esteem back up," Tate said with a smile. "Everything is a snowball effect around here. I think everybody liked that feeling. We want that feeling come Saturday night."
Junior center Travis Swanson said the Auburn win was all about giving something back to Razorback fans who suffered through this season's four-game losing streak. "I think we owe it to the fans to come back and get a win here," Swanson announced. "The magnitude of the (Kentucky) game is going to be really big and it's going to be fun."
It should be fun indeed if the Hogs can take advantage of the SEC's 13th ranked defense in points allowed. The 'Cats were competitive early on against the top two teams in the SEC East before being blown out by Florida and South Carolina. Winning the fourth quarter against Kentucky would seem to be one of the keys for Saturday's match up, something Arkansas finally did in the Auburn game.
"That put a smile on my face," Swanson admitted. "That back end (fourth quarter) is what our coaches really preach. Never give up in the fourth quarter."
