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The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: Houston Nutt (9th season, 57-40) 2005 record: 4-8 SEC finish: 2-6 (4th West) 2005 I-A offensive rankings: Rushing: 12th (216.9 ypg) Passing: 108th (143.7 ypg) 2005 I-A defensive rankings: Rushing: 35th (132.6 ypg) Passing: 45th (209.4 ypg) Date Opponent Sept. 2 USC Sept. 9 Utah State Sept. 16 at Vanderbilt Sept. 23 Alabama Oct. 7 at Auburn Oct. 14 SE Missouri State Oct. 21 Ole Miss Oct. 28 #UL Monroe Nov. 4 at South Carolina Nov. 11 Tennessee Nov. 18 at Mississippi State Nov. 25 #LSU #Little Rock AR Depth Chart: Offense 10 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. SE 85 Marcus Monk Jr. - Damian Williams Fr. FL 10 Cedric Washington Sr. 6 Cedric Logan Jr. LT 66 Tony Ugoh Sr. 78 Jose Valdez So. LG 74 Stephen Parker Sr. 60 Chase Pressley Sr. C 63 Jonathan Luigs So. 67 Jeremy Harrell Sr. RG 61 Robert Felton Jr. 57 Mitch Petrus So. RT 69 Zac Tubbs Sr. 75 Nate Garner Jr. TE 89 Wes Murphy Sr. 80 Mason Templeton Jr. QB 11 Casey Dick So. 18 Robert Johnson Jr. FB 22 Peyton Hillis Jr. 33 Farod Jackson Jr. TB 5 Darren McFadden So. 25 Felix Jones So. Depth Chart: Defense 9 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 92 Jamaal Anderson Jr. - Chris Wade Jr. DT 99 Keith Jackson Sr. 98 Cord Gray So. DT 55 Marcus Harrison Jr. 90 Ernest Mitchell So. DE 97 Antwain Robinson So. 91 Anthony Brown Sr. SLB 44 Freddie Fairchild So. - Van Stumon Fr. MLB 23 Desmond Sims Sr. 30 Weston Dacus Jr. WLB 24 Sam Olajubutu Sr. - Wendel Davis Fr. CB 16 Matterral Richardson Jr. 20 John Johnson Jr. CB 4 Darius Vinnett Sr. 2 Chris Houston Jr. SS 6 Randy Kelly Jr. 3 Kevin Woods Jr. FS 8 Michael Grant Jr. 21 John West Jr. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 50 Jeremy Davis Jr. P 14 Jacob Skinner Sr. KR 25 Felix Jones So. PR 25 Felix Jones So.

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Opponents have respected Arkansas' running game through the years but have not feared the offense as a whole. That's because it often was half an offense - heavy on running, light on passing.

Balance, however, is being restored. Arkansas has expanded its passing game beyond the starter kit pass routes it used to run and plans to move closer to an even number of runs and passes each game.

Coach Houston Nutt believes the change is the final move needed to push Arkansas to an SEC West title. He has added strong recruiting classes in recent years, reworked the defense and gets an SEC-best 19 starters back.

Nutt gave up the play-calling duties that he'd held since arriving in 1998, hired an offensive coordinator and said "everything will run through" the coordinator, former Springdale (Ark.) High coach Gus Malzahn.

Fan anticipation might be hard to gauge some years but not this time. There hasn't been this much preseason buzz around the program since Sports Illustrated put the hex on Arkansas' 1978 team by making it No. 1 and putting it on the magazine's cover.

"We've come a long way and once we're all on the same page and clicking it's going to be very explosive," quarterback Casey Dick says. "We'll be more balanced. We'll have more of the vertical passing game, but we'll keep running the ball with the backs to keep people off balance."

Something had to be done. Arkansas hasn't ranked among the upper half in NCAA Division I-A passing for seven years and bottomed out at 108th last season. Arkansas has ranked in the top 25 nationally in rushing the past four years. The running game has stayed intact and Malzahn has added a passing game that stretches the field in all angles and distances.

"If you keep the defense honest and open up the field and have that vertical threat, it can be a lot of fun," he says.

There will be stretches of games when the attack will be run in hurry-up, no-huddle style to try to fatigue the defense and keep the opponent from substituting. The most important hurry-up will be the rush to get the offense running at peak efficiency, no easy task when you're making changes.

OFFENSE

Opponents have respected Arkansas' running game through the years but haven't feared the offense as a whole because it's been so one-dimensional. Balance is being restored, though. Dick moved the chains late last fall but didn't keep the momentum going in the spring. Robert Johnson, who started seven games last season, is in the mix. If both falter, then heralded signee Mitch Mustain, who played for Malzahn at Springdale (Ark.) High, will be needed right away. Mustain can make all the throws and the newly installed passing scheme is the same one he ran in high school.

The strength is in running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones and multi-use fullback Peyton Hillis. Hillis combines power with unusual athletic ability and speed for a 233-pounder. Jones is a sprinter. McFadden hammers and accelerates.

Marcus Monk is the go-to receiver. But finding help is a must, either from the veterans or from the seven receivers Arkansas signed.

The five linemen have a combined 74 career starts. Nobody questions their run-blocking; the key is whether or not they can improve their pass protection.

DEFENSE

Nine starters return from a unit that became solid against the run. The key components are back in defensive linemen Marcus Harrison, Keith Jackson and Jamaal Anderson and linebackers Sam Olajubutu, Freddie Fairchild and Desmond Sims.

Olajubutu, a legitimate All-America candidate, led the team and ranked third in the SEC in tackles. He may be undersized at 5'9", but he tracks down ball-carriers and explodes into his tackles. Fairchild has the size and range to be one of Arkansas' best linebackers in recent years.

There's quality and depth at both cornerback spots, headlined by Darius Vinnett. Speedster Michael Grant switched to free safety to try to fix the defense's Achilles' heel - giving up big plays. Making sure the spot is shored up will remain the top priority in preseason practice.

SPECIALISTS

Jones is back after ranking second nationally in kickoff returns as a freshman at 31.9 yards per return. McFadden averaged 29.0 yards per return.

Punter Jacob Skinner and most of the coverage unit that ranked seventh nationally in net punting are back. Grant and Chris Houston, the gunners, are vital in pinning down punt returners.

Several walk-ons will compete to kick field goals and extra points this fall.

FINAL ANALYSIS

As painful as the last two losing seasons have been, moves have been made to try to return the program to respectability. The offense and defense have been updated without forsaking the fundamentals of a strong running game and an emphasis on stopping the run. Adding a true passing attack to an already stout rushing game should be the final major piece.

The schedule falls nicely, too, with most of the toughest opponents coming to Arkansas. Don't underestimate how hungry this team is to win after two forgettable seasons.