UA's Ray not afraid to battle

BY ROB KEYS
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE -- Alvin Ray is a fighter.
And no, that's not referring to Ray's Silver Gloves boxing background or his well-publicized tussle with Cedric Cobbs during preseason practice.
Ray said he has been fighting almost all his life to get exactly where he is now.
"I'm used to having the odds stacked up against me, and in this game coming up, I'm quite sure there's a lot of people that think I probably won't perform to the level that I know I can perform to," Ray said. "I'm just blocking all that out and getting ready for the game. I'm just ready for the game to get here."
Ray will take over as Arkansas' starting tailback, replacing the injured Cobbs and Fred Talley, when the Razorbacks play host to No. 25 Georgia at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.
The soft green turf at Reynolds Razorback Stadium is a long way from the Oak Cliff section of Dallas, the hard neighborhood where Ray was raised in a single-parent home. That home was where Ray acquired his fighting instincts from his mother Carolyn, who worked multiple jobs so he could attend a private high school.
Attending Bishop Dunne High School, however, didn't bring an end to Ray's days of fighting to disprove his doubters.
"People said I would never go to college coming from a single-parent home," Ray said. "Then, going to a private school, people said I would never get a scholarship."
Ray achieved both goals when he came to Arkansas in 1997, but his struggles continued.
After redshirting his first year in Fayetteville, Ray was used sparingly in 1997 and 1998. Entering this season, Ray had a modest 40 carries for 148 yards.
"I believed that I would get a shot, but I guess it didn't come when I wanted it to come," Ray said. "But everything is on the Lord's time. Our time's not always His time."
Ray was still waiting for his time to come after Arkansas' first two games this season, when he had a total of five carries.
That was before injuries to Cobbs and Talley during last week's game against Alabama thrust Ray into the spotlight. He responded with 51 yards on six carries, including a critical 32-yard run on Arkansas' game-winning touchdown drive.
Now suddenly, Ray is being counted on to shoulder Arkansas' rushing load.
The Razorbacks don't seem worried.
"We're not going to flinch, we're not going to skip a beat with Alvin back there," quarterback Robby Hampton said.
"We know that when No. 3 is back there in the huddle, that little guy isn't going to go down without a fight," center Josh Melton said. "That makes you feel good, and makes you want to fight your heart out for him."
Ray isn't nearly as "little" as he was when he arrived at Arkansas as a runner that relied on his ability to make people miss. But making people miss at the college level, Ray said, wasn't nearly as easy as it had been in high school.
To compensate, Ray dedicated himself in the weight room, adding 20 pounds of muscle to his 5-9 frame. Now a sturdy 192 pounds, Ray doesn't have to worry about avoiding contact.
"When I'm running with the ball, I have the attitude that if I have a chance to make somebody miss, then I'm going to do that," Ray said. "But if I have to go ahead and run into them just to let them know that, 'Hey, I will hit you,' I'll do that, too."
Ray should get a chance to do both on Saturday, as he figures to draw plenty of attention from the Georgia defense. Ray also has gotten a heap of attention from Arkansas fans and media this week, although he said it hasn't changed his approach to the game.
"It really hasn't been too different," Ray said. "I'm still just coming in, working hard, trying to get better every day."
In other words, he's still fighting.

This article was published on Friday, September 29, 2000

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