Razorback defensive coordinator Willy Robinson missed the team's win over Troy after being hospitalized with an infection. Linebackers coach Reggie Johnson took over the defense in his place. [KFSM PHOTO]
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark--On a night when the Razorbacks became bowl eligible for the first time under Bobby Petrino sophomore quarterback Ryan Mallett displaced Clint Stoerner as the school's all-time single season passing leader.
It almost didn't happen.
In the second quarter, as Mallett was just getting warmed up enroute to a 405 yard passsing performance, he went down in a heap of bodies. One of Troy's defenders stepped on Mallett's hand as he emerged from the pile up. Razorback fans gasped as Mallett grabbed the hand and rolled on the ground for a few brief seconds. Then he suddenly shot to his feet, shook off the pain and went back to work.
"It's part of football," Mallett recalled after the game. "It wasn't my throwing hand," he added. "(It was) my left one," Mallett concluded with a laugh.
Asked the significance of the record that Mallett had just set Petrino said simply, "You're happy for the individuals when they get the records and then you go out and sell it in recruiting and it helps us in recruiting."
Mallett said he didn't think about the record. "We got the 'W,' " he told reporters. "I thought about that."
Mallett wasn't the only Razorback to set a record in the Troy game. Sophomore running back Dennis Johnson eclipsed the career kickoff return mark set by current Dallas Cowboy Felix Jones back in 2007. Jones set his mark in three seasons. Johnson is not yet through his second season as a Razorback. Still he seemed unconcerned with the accomplishment as he wiped a towel across his forehead following the game.
"I have to give it to the other ten people on the field," Johnson said. "They help me out. I just get the ball and run and they do all the work."
Another Johnson found himself directing the Hogs defense following a weekend illness suffered by Willy Robinson. Reggie Johnson was Petrino's choice to call the defense after it became clear that Robinson would have to sit the game out after his release from a Fayetteville hospital.
Petrino said Johnson was a natural choice to take over in Robinson's absence. His duties as linebackers coach involve both stopping the run and defending against the pass. "Also," Petrino revealed, "when we split the staff last spring for the spring game he was in charge of the defense."
Johnson's players responded well to his stint as acting defensive coordinator. Arkansas defense held allowed Troy to cross the goal line just twice. The Trojans came into the contest averaging 35 points per game.
Troy quarterback Levi Brown's streak of 265 passes without a pick, tops in college football, came to an abrupt end. In fact he was intercepted three times, while getting sacked twice with five of his passes batted down.
Reggie Johnson admitted he had some jitters when taking over for Robinson, especially when he considered that a bowl trip might be riding on the outcome of the game.
Afterward, with a bowl invite for the team assured, Johnson reflected on last season's 5-7 record. "It sucks staying home, Oh, I shouldn't say that. You've got a camera in front of my face," Johnson said with a hearty laugh. "I probably shouldn't have said that. But, it's great because it wasn't good staying home, watching everyone else play over the holidays last year so it's good. The players are excited."
In the second quarter, as Mallett was just getting warmed up enroute to a 405 yard passsing performance, he went down in a heap of bodies. One of Troy's defenders stepped on Mallett's hand as he emerged from the pile up. Razorback fans gasped as Mallett grabbed the hand and rolled on the ground for a few brief seconds. Then he suddenly shot to his feet, shook off the pain and went back to work.
"It's part of football," Mallett recalled after the game. "It wasn't my throwing hand," he added. "(It was) my left one," Mallett concluded with a laugh.
Asked the significance of the record that Mallett had just set Petrino said simply, "You're happy for the individuals when they get the records and then you go out and sell it in recruiting and it helps us in recruiting."
Mallett said he didn't think about the record. "We got the 'W,' " he told reporters. "I thought about that."
Mallett wasn't the only Razorback to set a record in the Troy game. Sophomore running back Dennis Johnson eclipsed the career kickoff return mark set by current Dallas Cowboy Felix Jones back in 2007. Jones set his mark in three seasons. Johnson is not yet through his second season as a Razorback. Still he seemed unconcerned with the accomplishment as he wiped a towel across his forehead following the game.
"I have to give it to the other ten people on the field," Johnson said. "They help me out. I just get the ball and run and they do all the work."
Another Johnson found himself directing the Hogs defense following a weekend illness suffered by Willy Robinson. Reggie Johnson was Petrino's choice to call the defense after it became clear that Robinson would have to sit the game out after his release from a Fayetteville hospital.
Petrino said Johnson was a natural choice to take over in Robinson's absence. His duties as linebackers coach involve both stopping the run and defending against the pass. "Also," Petrino revealed, "when we split the staff last spring for the spring game he was in charge of the defense."
Johnson's players responded well to his stint as acting defensive coordinator. Arkansas defense held allowed Troy to cross the goal line just twice. The Trojans came into the contest averaging 35 points per game.
Troy quarterback Levi Brown's streak of 265 passes without a pick, tops in college football, came to an abrupt end. In fact he was intercepted three times, while getting sacked twice with five of his passes batted down.
Reggie Johnson admitted he had some jitters when taking over for Robinson, especially when he considered that a bowl trip might be riding on the outcome of the game.
Afterward, with a bowl invite for the team assured, Johnson reflected on last season's 5-7 record. "It sucks staying home, Oh, I shouldn't say that. You've got a camera in front of my face," Johnson said with a hearty laugh. "I probably shouldn't have said that. But, it's great because it wasn't good staying home, watching everyone else play over the holidays last year so it's good. The players are excited."
