Distractions not disturbing Hogs

SCOTT CAIN
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE -- Houston Nutt predicted two weeks ago that Arkansas would face one or two crises before the season began.
Crises would be a tad strong to describe the events that have intruded into the Razorbacks' preseason practices. Distractions would be more accurate, and the Razorbacks have had plenty.
From the abrupt transfer of quarterback Gary Brashears to the surprise ineligibility of cornerback Lawrence Richardson to the one-game suspension of defensive end Randy Garner, Arkansas has had opportunities to lose its concentration on football.
But Nutt, entering his third season as coach, said Sunday his team is holding together just fine.
"That's one of the things about football, I believe it's a great teacher," Nutt said. "There are going to be downs, there are going to be ups. We've had a few of the downs lately, and to me it's how you handle it, how you handle some adversity.
"But I've got a lot of confidence in these guys, the way they're going about their business, the way they're handling things. They're going to be all right."
Garner, a third-year starter, will miss the opener Saturday in Little Rock against Southwest Missouri State as part of a university-imposed penalty for a secondary NCAA violation.
Garner accepted $100 for 31/2 hours of work last December, a wage payment that is considered an extra benefit not allowed by NCAA rules. Garner has repaid the money and will be able to play in the second game as long as the NCAA does not impose a stiffer punishment.
Arkansas is waiting to hear whether the NCAA will open its own investigation. Garner's violation was discovered in an SEC and university investigation.
The booster who paid Garner, Ted Harrod, has been banned from associating with Arkansas' athletic programs for five years. Harrod has employed dozens of Razorbacks athletes over the years at his Dallas-area business, J&H Trucking.
Harrod did not return phone messages left at his house.
Athletic Director Frank Broyles could not be reached for comment Saturday or Sunday.
Garner practiced Sunday and will work out with the team this week. Nutt said he hoped it would be within the rules for Garner to travel with the team to Little Rock on Friday.
Nutt has put Garner off limits to the media.
On Sunday, Nutt called a team meeting to reinforce some basic NCAA rules. Associate athletic director Derrick Gragg, who oversees rules compliance, and director of football operations Louis Campbell talked to the team.
Nutt wants to make sure the boosters understand the rules, too.
"I know people want to help and we appreciate it," Nutt said. "But what's really important is that everybody understands that ... we have rules to abide by. We don't want to hurt the program. Don't hurt the program by making a foolish mistake."
Such uncontrollable distractions are something coaches come to expect. Last year it was the two arrests of defensive end Carlos Hall, who has since worked his way back into the coaches' good graces.
"Anytime you get some type of news off the field it concerns you as a coach," co-defensive coordinator Bobby Allen said. "But as Coach Nutt has said, and how we feel out here is, what's most important is what we do inside the family. All the guys out here at practice are on the same page and we have to close the ranks and put distractions behind us.
"A lot of times that can make you a closer football team, and I think that's what this is going to do for us."
Redshirt freshman Raymond House of Little Rock will start in Garner's place and "we're not going to miss a lick," defensive line coach Bill Johnson said.
Still, Johnson said he can't help feeling sympathy for Garner, referring to him as a "good person."
"I don't see this as a major crisis in my mind, if it stays like it is," Johnson said. "I don't think it will have one effect on our team because if those crises knock us down, the ones that are real big we're going to have to able to withstand those. I think this team has a lot more to it."
Some teams might be flustered by the Brashears, Richardson and Garner incidents, but not this one, center Josh Melton said.
"I believe we have a group here that's strong in mind," Melton said. "We've gone through quite a bit together. We had to deal with [Brandon Burlsworth] dying. That's something that really shakes the foundation of a team and you come back stronger."
Dealing with distractions is part of playing football, guard Kenny Sandlin said.
Yes, the players will miss Garner and Richardson on the field, but the team won't fold without them.
"We feel for them ... but people are going to step up and take up the slack," Sandlin said. "That's just the way it always is. Something happens, someone goes down, someone else is going to step up in the family and take up the slack."
Information for this article was contributed by Bob Holt of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

This article was published on Monday, August 28, 2000

RETURN to main page

Copyright and permissions
Copyright © 2000, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved.
This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.