Razorbacks Report: Stomach virus latest setback at quarterback

SCOTT CAIN
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Another week, another health problem at quarterback.
Arkansas will travel to Tennessee today possibly without true freshman Zak Clark, who had to be hospitalized Thursday.
Clark had "some kind of stomach virus, flu-bug type of deal," Coach Houston Nutt said. "We're hoping it's just 24 hours, but he was extremely sick."
Clark wasn't the only one. Linebacker Quinton Caver and defensive end Randy Garner were among a few others "who are feeling queasy right now, so we're trying to get them orange juice and get them in bed," Nutt said. "It's highly contagious is what the doctors said."
Clark went to the hospital early Thursday. Nutt said he was unsure if Clark would have to stay overnight.
"Hopefully we can get him well enough to get him on the plane," Nutt said.
The team is scheduled to leave the Broyles Center on buses at 10 a.m. and fly out of Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport around 11 a.m.
The way Arkansas' injury misfortune has run this season, it might have been too much to expect a week without a setback. But sophomore quarterback Robby Hampton did return from a sprained shoulder. He took the majority of the practice snaps all three days and will start against Tennessee, though his shoulder is still tender.
"He got better as the week went on," Nutt said. "You just worry about a shot. You worry about a hard lick. Hopefully he's well enough to handle anything. I'd love to have one quarterback go four quarters."
Hampton and Clark have been limited by various injuries since the Oct. 14 game against South Carolina. Clark had to start last week against Ole Miss because Hampton was unable to throw the ball with any velocity.
Junior walk-on John Rutledge will be the backup if Clark cannot play.

LB ROTATION PICKS UP
Reserve linebackers Corey Warren and Caleb Miller are expected to play a slightly larger role Saturday, perhaps as many as 20 snaps, co-defensive coordinator Bobby Allen said.
Allen rotated four linebackers in the two spots the last two seasons. He has given Quinton Caver and J.J. Jones the bulk of the playing time this season because they're seniors and the guys behind them have minimal experience. It's also hard to take Caver out when he's making plays all over the field.
"Quinton and J.J. have been playing extraordinary," Allen said. "But they need a blow sometimes so they can be fresh for the fourth quarter. I've got confidence in those younger guys. They need to get a taste of it this year."
Senior Jim Ed Reed has been the most-used reserve. He has been slowed by a hip injury this week, which has allowed Miller more practice time.

REASON TO BE ON GUARD
Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt said he's aware of the complaints made against Tennessee sophomore guard Will Ofenheusle for dirty play.
Officials at South Carolina and Georgia filed complaints with the SEC office accusing Ofenheusle of illegal hits during their games. Gamecocks Coach Lou Holtz went so far as to notify SEC supervisor of officials Bobby Gaston before the game so he would have the officiating crew watch for Ofenheusle.
Ofenheusle threw what appeared to be illegal blocks at Gamecocks nose guard Cleveland Pinkney's knee and ankle but no penalties were called.
The SEC sent Ofenheusle a letter of warning after the Georgia game but did not reprimand him after the South Carolina game.
Nutt said he did not contact Gaston this week about Ofenheusle.
"That's the least of my problems right now," Nutt said.

BIG-CROWD VICTORIES SCARCE
If Tennessee meets its attendance average of almost 108,000 Saturday, then it will be the largest crowd an Arkansas team has ever played in front of, which is a bad omen.
Arkansas has a 2-13 record in its 15 most-attended games.
Crowds only bother you if you let them, said linebacker J.J. Jones, who couldn't remember a time in his five seasons when an opposing crowd bothered Arkansas' players. That includes the 1998 game in Knoxville, Tenn., that the Hogs led before quarterback Clint Stoerner fumbled with 1:43 to play and the Vols rallied to win.
"I remember it was quiet the whole game until the last minute and a half," Jones said. "Then it erupted. It was unbelievably loud."
Tennessee has averaged 107,967 fans in four games at Neyland Stadium, which has undergone 17 additions since it was opened in 1919. The last one was completed earlier this year when 78 suites were added on the east side.
A school-record crowd of 108,768 watched the Sept. 16 game against Florida.
The top four crowds to see an Arkansas team play all were at Tennessee, and the Razorbacks' most recent victory among its top-15 most-attended games was in 1992 at Neyland Stadium.

UNFORGETTABLE SCENE
Payback hasn't been a major theme in the Tennessee camp this week, but a few players will draw motivation from last year's 28-24 loss to Arkansas.
"I watched it all," said linebacker Anthony Sessions, who didn't play much in the 1999 game. "I watched them tear both of the goal posts down. Being my first year at Tennessee last year, I wanted a national championship and they took that from us. We know the situation at hand."

TOWEL, PLEASE
Throwing downfield figured into Tennessee's game plan last week at Memphis until it started raining.
That's because the ball felt slippery to true freshman quarterback Casey Clausen, who never played a game in the rain during his high school career in California. His only other wet-ball experience was Sept. 23 against Louisiana-Monroe.
Rain is not in the forecast for Saturday's game.

SIDELINES
Coach Houston Nutt said he considered trimming a few players from the travel squad this week to deliver an attitude adjustment after the Ole MIss loss, but he maintained the regular 70-man roster because he was pleased with the effort he saw in practice Tuesday before he had to finalize the list. ... Arkansas' 1969 Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia will be featured on the next Razorback Classics with former receiver Chuck Dicus and kicker Bob White joining Athletic Director Frank Broyles and host Rick Schaeffer on the broadcast.

INJURY REPORT
PLAYER POS INJURY STATUS
Zak Clark QB Virus DNP
R. Hampton QB Sprained shoulder Practiced
Jim Ed Reed LB Hip flexor Partial practice
DNP -- did not practice

This article was published on Friday, November 10, 2000

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