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UA TodaySCOTT CAINARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE SATURDAY REWIND Analyze the 38-7 loss to Georgia from every angle and it all seems to filter back to Arkansas' first offensive play. As Coach Houston Nutt addressed questions the day after the program's first home loss in 17 games, many of his answers started on the subject at hand and then wound up on quarterback Robby Hampton's interception that was returned 35 yards for a touchdown. Arkansas trailed 10-0 41/2 minutes into the game. "You can't give a good team anything and we gave them seven points right off the bat," Nutt said. "Then we couldn't swing it. We couldn't turn the momentum around. [The Bulldogs] were a different club after 10-0 than they were when it was 3-0. "You're starting on your 3, your 5, your 7, inside the 20 numerous times and keeping your defense on the field that long, that's a rough, rough day. But you've got to give Georgia credit. I can't wait to just bury that film and get on with it." Few starters played well enough to merit praise. Nutt said he was pleased with senior linebacker Quinton Caver, redshirt freshman tackle Mark Bokermann, freshman running backs Brandon Holmes and Radale Pearson, freshman cornerback Bo Mosley and sophomore receiver Sparky Hamilton. Asked about the offensive line's problems, Nutt talked about how the continuity has been disrupted with left tackle Shannon Money missing time with a sprained ankle. Then his answer wound back to the interception. "When Robby starts off -- and I'd given anything to have that call back -- but when he starts off and he throws an interception, that's a shocker," Nutt said. "That's hard to overcome." Arkansas didn't score until the fourth quarter when Georgia inserted its defensive reserves. Through three quarters, the Razorbacks totaled just 105 yards, 21 of those rushing, and 5 first downs. For the game, they converted just 2 of 16 third downs, most of them third-and-long situations. Nutt suggested that there is no reason to be concerned about the offense, that the early interception led to all of the other problems. "It will be much, much different because I know what these guys are made of and hopefully you won't have things go bad for you from the very first play of the game," Nutt said. "When you have something go bad the very first play and [the opponent] has got the momentum and they've got their ears pinned back ... and they know you're going to have to throw it, that's a long day." HOLMES MAKES A CASE No changes are planned in the order of tailbacks, Coach Houston Nutt said. Junior Alvin Ray rushed eight times for 4 yards. Backup Brandon Holmes, who's a true freshman but at 215 pounds is 23 pounds heavier than Ray, ran 11 times for 46 yards. True freshman Radale Pearson, summoned from the scout team last week, ran four times for 8 yards. "I was proud of Alvin Ray, Holmes and Pearson," Nutt said. "There wasn't much room there. Holmes really made some good runs and I think Radale did, too." All of Ray's work came against Georgia's first-team defense. He averaged .5 yards per carry. Holmes carried seven times for 28 yards against the Bulldogs' first-team defense, a 4-yard average, and added 19 yards in the fourth quarter against reserve defenders. The better production from Holmes appeared to come from being able to break through the initial hit or carry a tackler an extra couple of yards, where Ray often went down on first contact. Holmes is not as familiar with blocking assignments and doesn't see the field as well as Ray. Look for Ray to start against Louisiana-Monroe but Holmes could see more carries, Nutt said. "We're going to keep things going the way they are," Nutt said. ONE HITCH TO THE HITCH Arkansas' opening play was doomed before the ball was snapped when quarterback Robby Hampton failed to notice Georgia free safety Jermaine Phillips positioned back in the secondary. With the safety back, that allows the cornerback to play tight on his receiver instead of playing soft, which Georgia's corners had done in their three previous games. A quick pass to Boo Williams turned into a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown. "It was just going to be a nice completion for 7 yards, that's what we were all thinking," Coach Houston Nutt said. Cornerback Jamie Henderson was watching Hampton's eyes all the way and knew from studying Hampton on video that a three-step drop back meant he would throw the hitch route. "He broke even before the pass, just about before [Hampton] hit his third step really, the guy was already breaking towards our end zone," Nutt said. "That's tough. That's a hard learning experience. He's only going to get better from that play." Hampton had the option of throwing to receiver Michael Snowden who was running a route on the play, too, Nutt said. NO SURE FIX Add another chapter to Arkansas' special teams streak that has reached three consecutive games with major mistakes. There is no magic answer, Coach Houston Nutt said. Coaches have spent as much time as is reasonably possible in practice without cutting into offensive and defensive work, and they have tinkered with the personnel. "I just think you continue working on it," Nutt said. Against Georgia, Richard Smith muffed a punt in the first quarter when teammate Eddie Jackson backed into him. Also, Arkansas drew a personal foul on a second-quarter punt. "Everything that can possibly go wrong has gone wrong on that team," Nutt said. By recent standards, it was a light day for special teams errors. And if you look close enough, the return units are blocking well, Nutt said. HOG CALLS TO CATCALLS The few fans who booed and the many who left in the third quarter have short memories. Wasn't it just last week that Arkansas had a 16-game home winning streak? As pitiful as the Razorbacks played Saturday, it was their first loss of the season and the first at home since Nov. 15, 1997 (a 30-22 loss to Tennessee). Coach Houston Nutt said he didn't notice the emptying stands until the fourth quarter. "Deep down inside, I'm not going to lie, that bothers you a little bit," Nutt said. "But the way it was going, I understand." SIDELINES  Defensive linemen Pervis Osborne and Jermaine Brooks received more playing time in the first half and Sacha Lancaster less because Lancaster wasn't making many plays, Coach Houston Nutt said. Lancaster came out early on the first series after he jumped off side. Georgia ran outside on Arkansas, which prides itself on taking away the outside run, because of two wrong alignments and a missed assignment, Nutt said. Sam Breeden caught his first pass, a 14-yard gain on the touchdown drive. Georgia's running backs had 1 catch for minus 4 yards in the first three games and 5 for 51 yards against Arkansas. Georgia collected three turnovers in its first three games and three against Arkansas. Arkansas' most lopsided loss in Razorback Stadium did not happen Saturday. It was a 42-7 loss in 1996 to Florida.UP NEXT Arkansas (3-1, 1-1 SEC) plays its final nonconference home game against Louisiana-Monroe at 6 p.m. Saturday in Reynolds Razorback Stadium. ULM is 1-4 with losses to Minnesota, Memphis, Tennessee and Southwest Texas State. The victory came against Nicholls State. Quarterback Andy Chance is questionable to play after taking a hit to the head in a 27-7 loss to Southwest Texas on Saturday. Chance threw 50 passes before leaving the game. INJURIES FORCE SHUFFLING Fullback Adam Daily joined the list of injured key players and likely will miss the Louisiana-Monroe game with a sprained ankle, Coach Houston Nutt said. So might left tackle Shannon Money and defensive end Randy Garner, who have been slowed by ankle sprains. Nutt would like for those players to recover enough to play in two weeks against South Carolina. Daily backs up Rod Stinson but has contributed significant plays. Desmond Garcia moves into the No. 2 spot. Without Money, either redshirt freshman Mark Bokermann or sophomore Nathan Ball will play left tackle, Nutt said. Bokermann is the backup. Ball, a tight end, played tackle last season and might be moved back but he cannot leave his current position unless coaches find somebody to help at tight end. Cameron Glenn might be available this week after missing a month with a foot sprain or defensive end Justin Scott might be moved to tight end.
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