Nutt says Dick has slight edge over Johnson
Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 8:25 pm
Seriously, anywhere but the south?
The topic of discussion closest to the heart of most Razorback fans as this moment is who will be the Hogs’ quarterback this season.
The opinions vary from person to person, and if you are as indecisive as I am on the topic, yours might vary from day to day.
While we all have our guesses, there really is no way of telling until practices begin Aug. 7.
At that point, the competition will begin, and one hopes that a clear pecking order will emerge and that the decision on whom to start won’t be by default.
In the spring, neither sophomore Casey Dick nor junior Robert Johnson made the type of move Arkansas coach Houston Nutt would have liked.
The best thing for the program would have been for one of them to take command of the situation and clearly beat the other out, but that did not happen.
From a reporter’s view, which admittedly is far different than a coach’s, it appeared Robert Johnson practiced better than Dick early on, but that the latter made some strides at the end.
Both were inconsistent and neither looked steady in the final scrimmage, though they both had their moments.
While we are uncertain of the specifics, we now know neither man was completely healthy during the spring. Johnson had hernia surgery in May and Dick evidently practiced through a back injury, but both are expected to be ready to go in August.
In his post-spring press conference, Nutt said Dick holds an advantage over Johnson going into fall drills.
Nutt indicated, Dick got the nod because of his play in the final four games of the 2005 season when the young man from Allen, Texas took over the starting role from Johnson, who struggled as the starter in the Hogs’ first seven games.
Under the circumstances, Dick showed promise in quarterbacking Arkansas to victories over Ole Miss and Mississippi State, and his play gave the Razorbacks an opportunity to beat South Carolina and LSU, though the Gamecocks and Tigers each secured close wins over the Razorbacks.
Dick impressed me with his toughness and cool head under pressure. He hung in the pocket and delivered some pretty good balls before taking big shots in each of the four games.
That’s the type of grit the Razorbacks are going to need at quarterback this season because as experienced and as big as the Hogs’ offensive front is, there are no pushovers playing defensive line in the Southeastern Conference.
Whoever winds up being the Hogs’ QB must be able to absorb hits, jump right back up and be ready and capable of administering his own type of punishment right back at the opposing defense.
Last season, Johnson did not bear up well under such pressure. Admittedly, though, he quarterbacked against tougher defenses — USC, Alabama, Auburn and Georgia — than Dick, on the whole.
Of course the added variable this fall is Mitch Mustain, and he must be factored into the equation.
Though Mustain has never played a down of college football, he was not USA Today, Parade Magazine and Gatorade’s Player of the Year for nothing.
Mustain has a strong arm and uncanny accuracy, but Gus Malzahn, his high school coach at Springdale and now his offensive coordinator at Arkansas, said last summer that Mustain’s greatest qualities are his toughness and leadership ability.
Now, it is different leading guys you grew up with and taking hold of the reins of a new group of men, who have already proven themselves on the college level.
But, if Mustain shows he can move the football more effectively than the other quarterbacks, the rest of the Hogs will no doubt follow his lead.
If I had to guess right now, I’d say Dick will start the season-opener against Southern Cal, but I believe Mustain will get meaningful playing time.
From there, I assume the quarterback who produces the best results will earn more and more playing time.
Terry J. Wood is the sports editor of the Northwest Arkansas Times.
The topic of discussion closest to the heart of most Razorback fans as this moment is who will be the Hogs’ quarterback this season.
The opinions vary from person to person, and if you are as indecisive as I am on the topic, yours might vary from day to day.
While we all have our guesses, there really is no way of telling until practices begin Aug. 7.
At that point, the competition will begin, and one hopes that a clear pecking order will emerge and that the decision on whom to start won’t be by default.
In the spring, neither sophomore Casey Dick nor junior Robert Johnson made the type of move Arkansas coach Houston Nutt would have liked.
The best thing for the program would have been for one of them to take command of the situation and clearly beat the other out, but that did not happen.
From a reporter’s view, which admittedly is far different than a coach’s, it appeared Robert Johnson practiced better than Dick early on, but that the latter made some strides at the end.
Both were inconsistent and neither looked steady in the final scrimmage, though they both had their moments.
While we are uncertain of the specifics, we now know neither man was completely healthy during the spring. Johnson had hernia surgery in May and Dick evidently practiced through a back injury, but both are expected to be ready to go in August.
In his post-spring press conference, Nutt said Dick holds an advantage over Johnson going into fall drills.
Nutt indicated, Dick got the nod because of his play in the final four games of the 2005 season when the young man from Allen, Texas took over the starting role from Johnson, who struggled as the starter in the Hogs’ first seven games.
Under the circumstances, Dick showed promise in quarterbacking Arkansas to victories over Ole Miss and Mississippi State, and his play gave the Razorbacks an opportunity to beat South Carolina and LSU, though the Gamecocks and Tigers each secured close wins over the Razorbacks.
Dick impressed me with his toughness and cool head under pressure. He hung in the pocket and delivered some pretty good balls before taking big shots in each of the four games.
That’s the type of grit the Razorbacks are going to need at quarterback this season because as experienced and as big as the Hogs’ offensive front is, there are no pushovers playing defensive line in the Southeastern Conference.
Whoever winds up being the Hogs’ QB must be able to absorb hits, jump right back up and be ready and capable of administering his own type of punishment right back at the opposing defense.
Last season, Johnson did not bear up well under such pressure. Admittedly, though, he quarterbacked against tougher defenses — USC, Alabama, Auburn and Georgia — than Dick, on the whole.
Of course the added variable this fall is Mitch Mustain, and he must be factored into the equation.
Though Mustain has never played a down of college football, he was not USA Today, Parade Magazine and Gatorade’s Player of the Year for nothing.
Mustain has a strong arm and uncanny accuracy, but Gus Malzahn, his high school coach at Springdale and now his offensive coordinator at Arkansas, said last summer that Mustain’s greatest qualities are his toughness and leadership ability.
Now, it is different leading guys you grew up with and taking hold of the reins of a new group of men, who have already proven themselves on the college level.
But, if Mustain shows he can move the football more effectively than the other quarterbacks, the rest of the Hogs will no doubt follow his lead.
If I had to guess right now, I’d say Dick will start the season-opener against Southern Cal, but I believe Mustain will get meaningful playing time.
From there, I assume the quarterback who produces the best results will earn more and more playing time.
Terry J. Wood is the sports editor of the Northwest Arkansas Times.
