Razorbacks look for turning point

BOB HOLT
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' defense needs to start turning it up on turnovers.
Through the first four games this season, the Razorbacks have just five takeaways -- three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
That's less than half of what Arkansas had in the first four games last season (12) and fewest among SEC teams. Arkansas' per-game average for creating turnovers (1.3) also ranks last in the SEC.
"Oooh," said Razorbacks senior linebacker J.J. Jones, wincing. "We need to catch up and get on top of things. This next game we need to get things rolling on the turnovers."
Saturday night's game against Louisiana-Monroe looks as if it should be a turnoverfest for the Razorbacks' defense considering the Indians (1-4) have a redshirt freshman quarterback, Ryan Corcoran, making his first start and already have suffered 14 turnovers this season.
"We're not going to take anything for granted," Arkansas redshirt freshman free safety Ken Hamlin said. "But hopefully we will get a lot of turnovers."
Arkansas' 38-7 loss to Georgia last week turned on a turnover. Bulldogs cornerback Jamie Henderson intercepted Robby Hampton's pass on the Razorbacks' first snap and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown to give Georgia a 10-0 lead.
The Razorbacks never recovered and didn't get any turnovers that might have helped them get back in the game.
"Georgia's guys were jumping up and down the whole game, but there was no spark, no momentum on our side of the field," said Arkansas co-defensive coordinator John Thompson, who coaches the secondary. "We didn't do anything to create momentum, and it goes back to not getting any turnovers."
Players who got a lot of turnovers for the Razorbacks last season -- free safety Kenoy Kennedy, cornerback David Barrett, bandit Jeromy Flowers and defensive tackle D.J. Cooper -- were seniors.
Arkansas also has been without one of its biggest defensive playmakers, senior end Randy Garner, for all but half a game because of a suspension and ankle injury.
The secondary is loaded with first-year starters -- Hamlin, redshirt freshman cornerback Eddie Jackson, junior rover Corey Harris and junior bandit Derrick Johnson. They have made some big plays, including Jackson's interception return for a touchdown against Boise State, Hamlin's interception against Southwest Missouri and Johnson's fumble recovery against Alabama, but their inexperience may be a factor in the defense creating fewer turnovers.
"I know how it is to be playing as a freshman in the SEC," said Jones, who played as a true freshman in 1996. "You're not thinking about making turnovers, you're just thinking about not making a mistake.
"I think maybe because we're younger on defense, we've been more concerned about making sure we're lining up in the right place, making sure we've got our assignments down.
"With the younger guys, it just takes some learning and getting used to the speed of the game, getting a knack for making plays."
Arkansas has faced experienced quarterbacks in the first four games, which also may have hurt its ability to force turnovers.
Southwest Missouri State's Austin Moherman started at Ohio State last season, Boise State's Bart Hendricks is a four-year starter, Alabama's Tyler Watts has started some the past two seasons, and Georgia's Quincy Carter is a three-year starter.
Although Carter threw five interceptions at South Carolina this season, he has 17 in his other 27 starts.
"Veteran quarterbacks are more educated in the game," Hamlin aid. "They're not going to force many passes where they shouldn't throw them, so that makes it tougher to get turnovers."
Co-defensive coordinator Bobby Allen, who coaches linebackers, said there has been extra emphasis on turnovers in practice this week, on stripping the ball and deflecting passes.
"I really can't put a firm answer on why we haven't gotten more turnovers," Allen said. "But they usually come in droves, so once you get it going, it all starts to come your way."
When Thompson was defensive coordinator at Southern Mississippi, the Golden Eagles tied for second nationally with 34 takeaways in 1996.
"The next couple of years, we did OK, then there was a drop-off, and we didn't do anything differently at all," Thompson said. "So I've been through this before, and it's nothing where you panic.
"You just make sure you're emphasizing it, and I really believe we are."
Senior linebacker Quinton Caver, who along with Jones has one forced fumble this season, said the Razorbacks "have got to be patient and continue to play hard and pound and pound and pound, and eventually the ball is going to pop out. And when it does, we've got to be ready to jump on it."
Junior defensive tackle Sacha Lancaster, though, sounded impatient.
"We can't depend on [turnovers] to come to us, we've got to make them happen," he said. "I think we've got enough playmakers on defense. ... We just have to get our stuff together because I know we haven't played up to Code Red's capability."
Code Red is the defense's credo for aggressiveness. It was initiated by Keith Burns, the defensive coordinator the previous two seasons who is now Tulsa's head coach.
The Razorbacks are still playing aggressively on defense, but are using fewer blitzes and playing more zone coverages.
"We're trying to be a little bit more zone pressure and protect the middle of the field, make sure we're covering all our bases," Allen said. "But we need to get a better pass rush and force the quarterback into some bad decisions."
Winning in turnovers was a key to Arkansas' 9-3 and 8-4 records the past two seasons coming off consecutive 4-7 records.
In 1998, the Razorbacks ranked second in the SEC and 10th nationally in turnover margin at plus-1.00, with 32 takeaways. Last year, they again ranked second in the SEC and 20th nationally at plus-0.64 with 27 takeaways.
"When we won our first two years here, turnovers had a lot to do with it," third-year Razorbacks Coach Houston Nutt said. "It's real critical that we start creating more turnovers."
That seems especially true with mounting injuries on offense, including the loss of leading rusher Cedric Cobbs to a season-ending shoulder injury.
"We know we've got to help our offense get on the field more, give them more turnovers to capitalize on," Hamlin said. "I believe you're going to see that happen, because we're getting the defense together now, all oiled up and ready to go."

This article was published on Friday, October 6, 2000

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