Butler's boots back Tigers against a wall

BOB HOLT
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Arkansas punter Richie Butler's average Friday was nearly 10 yards below his SEC-leading 44.2, but no one was complaining about that after the Razorbacks beat LSU 14-3 at War Memorial Stadium.
That's because Butler's 34.2-yard average on nine punts included five that were downed inside the LSU 15 and another that was fumbled and set up an Arkansas touchdown.
"Richie Butler was the MVP in my book," Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt said. "To pin them back continually and let your defense play ... that's what really won the game.
"Now you're not asking questions about, 'Ah, Coach Nutt, why were you were so conservative?' Nobody's asked me one question about that."
Butler, a sophomore from Harrison, saw his average stay at 44.2 yards -- it actually went from 44.21 to 44.19 -- and he's had 18 of 63 punts downed inside an opponent's 20-yard line.
"I've had some good games this season, but this has to be my best game because of the way the field position worked out," Butler said. "As a punter, it makes you feel more like a part of the team when you can contribute like this.
"When the defense is congratulating me as they're running on the field, that's a great feeling."
LSU ended only one of its 13 possessions in Arkansas territory, when the Tigers got a first-quarter field goal.
"Richie kept them on their side of the field, and it made our job a lot easier," said Arkansas senior linebacker J.J. Jones, who tied for the team lead with six tackles. "It gets you more excited to go out there and play defense because you know their back is up against the wall.
"It's like their offense has got their hand tied behind their back. They can't do much."
Butler, who cleanly handled every snap from Chuck Nalley and got the ball off without a problem on a wet, windy day, made his job sound easy.
"I never really worried about catching the ball," Butler said. "Chuck had a perfect snap to me every time, then my punt team did a great job of getting down the field and downing it.
"It was really all the other guys. I just kicked the ball and they did the rest."
Butler had punts downed at the LSU 12, 14, 8, 2 and 3 and another that Domanick Davis returned to the Tigers' 19, then fumbled.

This article was published on Saturday, November 25, 2000

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