Razorbacks Report: Coach knows Hogs will get fill of Milons

SCOTT CAIN
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Alabama playmaker Freddie Milons won't start Saturday, but Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt knows the receiver/kick returner will play.
In fact, Nutt said he feels like he's seen Milons all week.
True freshman Lawrence Richardson mimicked Milons on the scout team offense and special teams right down to the No. 15 jersey.
"Lawrence Richardson gave us a great look, about as good a look as we can get," Nutt said.
Coaches had plans to make Richardson Arkansas' version of Milons, but he did not qualify academically. Richardson, who's primary position is cornerback, is going to school and practicing as a partial qualifier and will be eligible next year.
Milons is "full of tricks and really fast," not unlike himself, Richardson said.
"I think they picked the right person [to imitate Milons]," Richardson said. "I just ran like I usually do when I have the ball. I think that's just a preshow for the future."
Three fumbles, none of which were lost, led to Milons losing his starting spot, Alabama receivers coach Dabo Swinney said Thursday. Otherwise, Milons has been playing well and practicing hard. He has 13 receptions for 92 yards, has averaged 32.3 yards on 3 punt returns and 18.8 yards on 5 kickoff returns.
It's unlikely Milons will be out of the game for more than a few plays.
"He'll play, he'll play," Nutt said. "We're going to be ready for him. He's a great player. I know he'll be out here."

SUPREME PRESSURE
Only those men who have worn the Alabama coach's headset before Mike DuBose really know what he's going through this week.
Bill Curry is one of those guys.
Curry was the Tide coach from 1987-89. He won 26 games and an SEC championship, then lost 10 games and was routinely ridiculed by fans, one of whom through a brick through his window. He's in Fayetteville this weekend as part of the ESPN2 broadcast team.
In DuBose's fourth season, Alabama had visions of a national championship but has opened the season 1-2. The Tide lost 21-0 to Southern Mississippi last week.
"Really, the best word is indescribable," Curry said of the pressure that goes with the Alabama job. "There's an indescribable intensity and expectation of excellence over there all the time, maybe as much there as anywhere.
"It's one of the few programs that are in that top echelon that have won more games than anybody in history and more national championships. They've won 12 national championships and untold SEC championships, and that's what people expect.
"You can't get beat by Southern Mississippi without really catching it."

NO CHANGE IN KICKER
Senior Matt Swartz is the likely kicker for Saturday's game, Coach Houston Nutt said Thursday.
Swartz and true freshman Brennan O'Donohoe competed this week after Swartz missed field goals of 42 and 41 yards against Boise State. Both had their ups and downs in practice, but O'Donohoe ended the week by badly missing two attempts Thursday.
"Right now, it's probably going to be Matt," Nutt said.

BUA MAKES PROGRESS
Tony Bua's pulled hamstring might not keep him out of the Alabama game after all.
Bua, the backup bandit, pulled the muscle in the Boise State game and was listed as doubtful to play against Alabama. Then he showed up Thursday running at full stride.
"That was the surprise of the day," Coach Houston Nutt said. "It looks like he might be able to get some plays in. But it's just like [defensive end] Randy Garner ... when you don't practice all week, experience tells us that it's going to be hard to contribute a lot."
Garner practiced Thursday for the first time all week since spraining his ankle. But the workout was a light day of polishing and did not require him to push off his foot much. Sophomore Raymond House will start.

OUT-OF-THE-WAY PLACE
Win or lose, it will be a long walk to the locker room for Alabama.
The opponent locker room was demolished as part of the stadium expansion, so a temporary facility has been assembled inside the Walker Pavilion. To get there, the Tide players and coaches will have to cross the practice fields and go to the south side of the indoor facility, almost 200 yards from the south end zone of Reynolds Razorback Stadium. It's about a 21/₂-minute walk.
Arkansas has set up 74 temporary lockers for players, 15 temporary lockers for coaches and portable showers with 21 shower heads, equipment manager Tim Cheney said.
Halftime will be lengthened five minutes for each Fayetteville game to give the visiting team time to walk to and from the facility. SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer approved an extension to 25 minutes for the half.

RED ALERT
Give Arkansas' defense an edge over Alabama's in stinginess inside the red zone.
Opponents have moved inside the 20-yard line 6 times against the Razorbacks but have scored just 1 touchdown and 2 field goals. Against the Tide, teams have penetrated the red zone nine times and have come away with five touchdowns and no field goals.
Arkansas' offense has reached the red zone 8 times and scored 6 touchdowns and 1 field goal. Alabama has reached the red zone just 4 times in three games, scoring 2 touchdowns and 1 field goal.

FRESHMEN TRY ACT AGAIN
Linebacker Carlton Baker of Belle Glade, Fla., and defensive lineman Elliott Harris of Marianna are scheduled to take the ACT on Saturday in Texarkana.
Both are true freshmen who signed with Arkansas but did gain academic eligibility. They enrolled as part-time students hoping to pass the test and become eligible in time this semester to add enough hours to be full-time students and join the team.

THURSDAY'S INJURY REPORT
PLAYER POS. INJURY STATUS
Tony Bua ROV Pulled hamstring PP
Randy Garner DE Ankle sprain PP
Cameron Glenn TE Foot sprain DNP
Brett Shockley RT Foot sprain DNP
DNP--did not practice, PP--partial practice

This article was published on Friday, September 22, 2000

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