UA workouts at full speed

FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas football team practiced Wednesday with its eyes set on Saturday’s meeting inside Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with Texas A&M (3-1, 0-1 Big 12). The 11th-ranked Razorbacks, holding a 3-1 record (1-1, SEC), are off to head coach Bobby Petrino’s best start in his three seasons at Arkansas.

Defensive coordinator and secondary coach Willy Robinson feels that the Razorbacks’ defenders are ready for the weekend’s matchup. UA ranks first in the Southeastern Conference and third nationally in sacks, averaging 3.75 per game.

"What we’ve been preaching since day one that we’ve been here is running full speed to the ball," Coach Robinson said. "I think what we do a better job at is running full speed to the ball and then tackling when we get there."

Coach Robinson mentioned the astute offense matching up with Arkansas’ defenders during workouts. The Razorback offense is the second-best passing attack in the country and first in the SEC, throwing for 365.0 yards per game. Coach Robinson noted practicing against a top-notch offense is beneficial for the squad overall.

"We aren’t going to practice against anyone better than our offense," Coach Robinson said. "It’s a matter of knowing day in and day out that we’re practicing against the very best. There’s no reason to wake up on Saturday and fear anybody. You just have to execute and do your technique."

The Razorback scoring defense ranks third in the conference and 12th in the country, allowing only 14.5 points per game this season. Coach Robinson knows the Arkansas defense is suited to perform at a high level on Saturday after a sound week of drills.

"Our kids are very much experienced with what type of tempo they are going to see," Coach Robinson said. "We feel like the last week and a half that we’ve tried to emphasize it, and our kids have really adjusted to it. They understand what they’re doing. We’re pressing them to pick the pace up, and they are starting to rely on each other."

The UA-TAMU game will be shown on ABC at 2:30 p.m. For more information on Razorback football, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.