GeauxTo
11-24-2005, 11:26 AM
Arkansas' dynamic duo
Freshman running backs grinding out yards for Hogs
By RANDY ROSETTA
rrosetta@theadvocate.com (rrosetta@theadvocate.com) Advocate sportswriter
http://www.2theadvocate.com/images/112405/19093_256.jpg (http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/112405/lsu_arkansas001.shtml#) Associated Press photo Arkansas fans give freshman running back Darren McFadden a pat on the back after rushing for 165 yards against Mississippi State on Saturday. McFadden leads the Hogs with 1,056 yards rushing and has scored 10 touchdowns this season. It was a fairly normal recruiting visit last January.
Great recruits all show up on the same weekend to check things out -- including their potential future competition if they choose whatever school is hosting them.
But when Darren McFadden and Felix Jones met last January during their visit to Arkansas, the two running backs came away a good feeling about their future in the Razorbacks' backfield.
"I think we both knew we could be a pretty combination if we both came here," said Jones, who starred at Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington.
Those feelings turned out to be prophetic. And with most of a spectacular rookie season behind them, McFadden and Jones are poised to be on of the SEC's top running back tandems for the next few years.
Now the two Hog runners would like to put a memorable finishing touch on their season when Arkansas (4-6) visits No. 3-ranked LSU (9-1) at 1:30 p.m. Friday.
The Razorbacks will take the field at Tiger Stadium with the league's best rushing attack and arguably the best 1-2 punch in the backfield with McFadden and Jones.
McFadden has already delivered the best season ever by an Arkansas freshman back with 1,056 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is carving out 6.9 yards every time he carries the ball.
With a strong finish against LSU's stifling defense, McFadden could finish as the SEC's top rusher this season -- he needs 150 yards to pass Auburn's Kenny Irons (1,205 yards) -- and join Georgia's Herschel Walker and Florida's Emmitt Smith as the only two true freshmen to lead the SEC in rushing.
The 6-foot, 195-pound Jones has emerged as a shiftier alternative to the powerful and greasy-fast McFadden and has also established his own niche as a kickoff returner.
Jones leads the nation with a 33.7-yard average and last week burned Mississippi State with a 100-yard runback. He created enough fear in opposing special teams coaches that they started kicking the ball away from him for three games.
As eye-catching as their physical skills and accomplishments have been, though, the fact that the two budding stars are co-existing in an age when egos blossom before athletes ever get to college is even more impressive.
"I didn't know what I'd think when I met the other running back recruits because I knew I wanted to come to Arkansas and be a star," said McFadden, a graduate of Pulaski Oak Grove High in North Little Rock. He was the only player from the state of Arkansas named to the 2004 Parade Magazine All-American Team.
"When I met Felix and we got to know each other, I knew we'd get along because we both want to be the best. I also knew I had to come in ready to work hard. Ever since we got here last summer, we've relied on each other to push each other."
That friendly competition has apparently paid big dividends for both 18-year-old freshmen.
Despite a preseason tailback depth chart that included a proven senior in De'Arrius Howard and the versatile sophomore Peyton Hillis, it didn't take long for McFadden and Jones to start working their way up.
"The sky's the limit," Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said of the two freshmen -- in published reports in late August before either had taken a college snap. "They're outstanding because they can do so many things. They both have such exceptional quickness and speed and still have great vision."
Jones actually provided the earlier splash when he rambled 80 yards for a touchdown in Arkansas' season opener against Missouri State and finished the game with a team-high 137 rushing yards.
Two games later Jones rolled up 147 all-purpose yards against No. 1-ranked Southern California, while McFadden led the Hogs with 88 rushing yards.
"It took a few games to realize what we could do at the college level, but when we played the way we did against the No. 1 team in the nation, I figured we were ready," said Jones, who has rushed for 621 yards and three TDs. His 6.5-yards-per-carry average ranks second in the SEC to McFadden's 6.9.
"That game gave us a spark and a burst of confidence."
McFadden's coming out party arrived a week later when he dashed 70 yards for a touchdown against Alabama. Since that game, the 6-2, 215-pound freshman has rolled up 797 rushing yards in the last six games, including a single-game freshman school record 190 yards vs. Georgia.
While McFadden has moved to center stage with his huge numbers, he is quick to credit Jones for helping to keep defenses guessing.
"It's hard for a defense to stop both of us because when I go off the field then they have to deal with Felix," McFadden said. "He's the same caliber back I am, but he's different because he's got great vision and quick feet and hits the hole at 100 mph. I'm more straight ahead and like to run by the defense, but he makes them think and adjust. We work real well together."
And they've worked together a lot faster than they thought.
With Howard back after turning in a team-high 124 carries for 529 rushing yards last season, and Hillis back as a reliable dual threat (337 total yards, 8 TDs as a freshman in 2004), McFadden and Jones figured to play understudy roles this season.
Instead, their blazing speed, raw talent and surprising rapid development made it impossible for Nutt to keep them off the field.
"I don't think either one of us thought we'd play this much right away because we had good running backs here when we got here," Jones said. "We both wanted to make an impact and knew we could, but we weren't planning on it."
Now that the plan has accelerated this season, the future seems awfully bright for the Arkansas offense. Another true freshman, Casey Dick, is slated to make his fourth straight start at quarterback against LSU.
Dick is 2-1 as the starter and was a major difference in the Razorbacks' 28-17 triumph against Ole Miss two weeks ago. He completed 17-of-24 passes for 175 yards and tossed three touchdowns when the Rebels shut down McFadden and Jones, limiting them to 72 yards combined and holding Arkansas to a season-low 89 yards on the ground.
"The more the three of us play together, the better we can be," McFadden said. "We've got a good thing going now, but if we all stick together for a few years, we've got a chance to be great for a few years." Arkansas at LSU
WHEN: 1:30 p.m. Friday.
WHERE: Tiger Stadium.
Freshman running backs grinding out yards for Hogs
By RANDY ROSETTA
rrosetta@theadvocate.com (rrosetta@theadvocate.com) Advocate sportswriter
http://www.2theadvocate.com/images/112405/19093_256.jpg (http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/112405/lsu_arkansas001.shtml#) Associated Press photo Arkansas fans give freshman running back Darren McFadden a pat on the back after rushing for 165 yards against Mississippi State on Saturday. McFadden leads the Hogs with 1,056 yards rushing and has scored 10 touchdowns this season. It was a fairly normal recruiting visit last January.
Great recruits all show up on the same weekend to check things out -- including their potential future competition if they choose whatever school is hosting them.
But when Darren McFadden and Felix Jones met last January during their visit to Arkansas, the two running backs came away a good feeling about their future in the Razorbacks' backfield.
"I think we both knew we could be a pretty combination if we both came here," said Jones, who starred at Tulsa (Okla.) Booker T. Washington.
Those feelings turned out to be prophetic. And with most of a spectacular rookie season behind them, McFadden and Jones are poised to be on of the SEC's top running back tandems for the next few years.
Now the two Hog runners would like to put a memorable finishing touch on their season when Arkansas (4-6) visits No. 3-ranked LSU (9-1) at 1:30 p.m. Friday.
The Razorbacks will take the field at Tiger Stadium with the league's best rushing attack and arguably the best 1-2 punch in the backfield with McFadden and Jones.
McFadden has already delivered the best season ever by an Arkansas freshman back with 1,056 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is carving out 6.9 yards every time he carries the ball.
With a strong finish against LSU's stifling defense, McFadden could finish as the SEC's top rusher this season -- he needs 150 yards to pass Auburn's Kenny Irons (1,205 yards) -- and join Georgia's Herschel Walker and Florida's Emmitt Smith as the only two true freshmen to lead the SEC in rushing.
The 6-foot, 195-pound Jones has emerged as a shiftier alternative to the powerful and greasy-fast McFadden and has also established his own niche as a kickoff returner.
Jones leads the nation with a 33.7-yard average and last week burned Mississippi State with a 100-yard runback. He created enough fear in opposing special teams coaches that they started kicking the ball away from him for three games.
As eye-catching as their physical skills and accomplishments have been, though, the fact that the two budding stars are co-existing in an age when egos blossom before athletes ever get to college is even more impressive.
"I didn't know what I'd think when I met the other running back recruits because I knew I wanted to come to Arkansas and be a star," said McFadden, a graduate of Pulaski Oak Grove High in North Little Rock. He was the only player from the state of Arkansas named to the 2004 Parade Magazine All-American Team.
"When I met Felix and we got to know each other, I knew we'd get along because we both want to be the best. I also knew I had to come in ready to work hard. Ever since we got here last summer, we've relied on each other to push each other."
That friendly competition has apparently paid big dividends for both 18-year-old freshmen.
Despite a preseason tailback depth chart that included a proven senior in De'Arrius Howard and the versatile sophomore Peyton Hillis, it didn't take long for McFadden and Jones to start working their way up.
"The sky's the limit," Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said of the two freshmen -- in published reports in late August before either had taken a college snap. "They're outstanding because they can do so many things. They both have such exceptional quickness and speed and still have great vision."
Jones actually provided the earlier splash when he rambled 80 yards for a touchdown in Arkansas' season opener against Missouri State and finished the game with a team-high 137 rushing yards.
Two games later Jones rolled up 147 all-purpose yards against No. 1-ranked Southern California, while McFadden led the Hogs with 88 rushing yards.
"It took a few games to realize what we could do at the college level, but when we played the way we did against the No. 1 team in the nation, I figured we were ready," said Jones, who has rushed for 621 yards and three TDs. His 6.5-yards-per-carry average ranks second in the SEC to McFadden's 6.9.
"That game gave us a spark and a burst of confidence."
McFadden's coming out party arrived a week later when he dashed 70 yards for a touchdown against Alabama. Since that game, the 6-2, 215-pound freshman has rolled up 797 rushing yards in the last six games, including a single-game freshman school record 190 yards vs. Georgia.
While McFadden has moved to center stage with his huge numbers, he is quick to credit Jones for helping to keep defenses guessing.
"It's hard for a defense to stop both of us because when I go off the field then they have to deal with Felix," McFadden said. "He's the same caliber back I am, but he's different because he's got great vision and quick feet and hits the hole at 100 mph. I'm more straight ahead and like to run by the defense, but he makes them think and adjust. We work real well together."
And they've worked together a lot faster than they thought.
With Howard back after turning in a team-high 124 carries for 529 rushing yards last season, and Hillis back as a reliable dual threat (337 total yards, 8 TDs as a freshman in 2004), McFadden and Jones figured to play understudy roles this season.
Instead, their blazing speed, raw talent and surprising rapid development made it impossible for Nutt to keep them off the field.
"I don't think either one of us thought we'd play this much right away because we had good running backs here when we got here," Jones said. "We both wanted to make an impact and knew we could, but we weren't planning on it."
Now that the plan has accelerated this season, the future seems awfully bright for the Arkansas offense. Another true freshman, Casey Dick, is slated to make his fourth straight start at quarterback against LSU.
Dick is 2-1 as the starter and was a major difference in the Razorbacks' 28-17 triumph against Ole Miss two weeks ago. He completed 17-of-24 passes for 175 yards and tossed three touchdowns when the Rebels shut down McFadden and Jones, limiting them to 72 yards combined and holding Arkansas to a season-low 89 yards on the ground.
"The more the three of us play together, the better we can be," McFadden said. "We've got a good thing going now, but if we all stick together for a few years, we've got a chance to be great for a few years." Arkansas at LSU
WHEN: 1:30 p.m. Friday.
WHERE: Tiger Stadium.