Q&A with Arkansas writer

And now, the latest in our series in a series in a series – (stop) – of behind-enemy-lines interviews with a beat writer. This week Tom Murphy of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette was kind enough to answer my questions about the Razorbacks and this week’s game.

As you’ll see, Murphy has a lot of insight into the Xs and Os of this game, and how the Razorbacks may attack this game. Gamecock fans will like what he has to say later on about Stephen Garcia’s chances for a big game, but only after reading how Arkansas may exploit USC’s injuries. I thank him for his observations, and hope you guys get a lot out of it.

Here you go:

South Carolina’s defense will be without its top secondary player (safety Chris Culliver) and its second-best defensive player overall (end Cliff Matthews). Will that alter the Arkansas offensive gameplan?

One thing the Petrinos (Bobby and Paul) are noted for is evaluation of personnel and creating favorable matchups. Bobby Petrino has talked this week of devoting an extra blocker to help the tackle facing Eric Norwood when he’s an end. Does that mean the tight end on the edge formerly manned by Matthews will be more free to run routes? Probably. The Petrinos will try to scheme up something that tests Akeem Auguste’s coverage skills, and they always want to give their running backs one-on-one shots in the open field against safeties. Arkansas has a very dangerous play-action game, so if Auguste has an itch to read run and rush into support, he could expose the deep zones behind him.

How is Michael Smith’s hamstring, and will he definitely play? South Carolina’s run defense has been its weakness, so you’d figure Smith would get the ball a lot, if healthy.

Smith told me Tuesday his hamstring is feeling great, so look for him to run, but maybe not start. Smith had a phenomenal junior year as the Hogs’ best weapon, but he’s carried more than eight times in a game only twice this year and has only one 100-yard effort (18-145, 1 TD vs. Auburn) on the season. It’s difficult to get a read on how Arkansas’ tailbacks will be deployed on a week-to-week basis. Dennis Johnson ran for 107 at Florida in Smith’s absence, but has four carries for 15 yards in the two games since. Big back Broderick Green, who piled up 134 yards, including a 99-yarder, last week, looks like the back du’ jour, while freshmen Knile Davis and Ronnie Wingo are coming on.

USC’s defensive players are talking about Ryan Mallett as a guy that likes to take risks with his strong arm. Is that a fair assessment, and is it both what makes Mallett effective but also still a redshirt sophomore?

Mallett had such early success with the deep ball (see: 21 of 39 for 408 yards, 5 TDs in a 52-41 loss to Georgia in week 3) that it often seems he goes for the lower-percentage money plays at the expense of lower-risk completions to tight end D.J. Williams, a 61-catch guy last year who now has 16 catches for 170 yards. Wideouts Greg Childs, Jarius Wright (who caught a 70-yard TD at Carolina last year) and Joe Adams have combined for 74 catches for 1,446 yards and 11 TDs, so they average nearly 20 yards per catch. Thus, Mallet’s completion percentage is a very pedestrian 54.4 percent. He’s got only 3 interceptions vs. 18 TDs, so the “risk-taking” is more about trusting his receivers on long throws against man coverage more than throwing into crowds.

Can USC’s sophomore quarterback, Stephen Garcia, exploit the Arkansas secondary?

Well, if Eastern Michigan’s previously unheralded Kyle McMahon can crisp the Hogs for 231 yards and 3 TDs, including 178 yards in the third quarter, then certainly a gifted — if erratic — pupil of Steve Spurrier can burn them. Hey, Joe Cox looked like an All-American here in an early game, and Jevan Snead resurrected, for one week at least, his sinking season against the Razorbacks a couple of weeks ago.

How close is Bobby Petrino to truly having the players he wants for his system?

He’s got them at quarterback, receiver and running back. What Petrino is finding out as an SEC head coach is that the type of defenders he won big with at Louisville are strictly run-of-the-mill SEC caliber players. Sometimes Petrino’s aggressiveness and stubbornness at staying with the pass on offense runs counter to what would help out his defense. The Razorbacks must get bigger on their front seven, more athletic in the secondary and faster all around on defense to become a contender.

Has Petrino loosened up this year? He didn’t strike anybody last year as the world’s most outgoing guy.

Petrino appears to have loosened up ever so slightly in year two, possibly with the aid of a new weekly radio show. It’s not in his DNA to be a master with the media along the lines of a Steve Spurrier or Tommy Tuberville.

Finally, I never ask beat guys to make a pick unless they want to, but the spread is between 5-6 points. Sound about right, too much, too less?

The team with the quarterback who feels most comfortable in the pocket and gets a little support from his running game will win.