Even Superman needed Clark Kent.
Arkansas needs a Clark Kent what with four offensive Supermen.
Running backs Darren McFadden, Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis and receiver Marcus Monk can beat anything but Kryptonite according to Arkansas coach Houston Nutt.
But if there’s no Clark Kent alter ego quietly but efficiently distributing, the Razorbacks’ Fab Four won’t be as fabulous, Nutt said.
Not nearly so fab if Clark Kent tries to play Superman, too.
Earlier this summer, quarterback Casey Dick addressed the Clark Kenttype role he must take quietly to enhance, not impede the quality quartet.
Not that a quarterback should be mild-mannered. He’s still got to lead. But lead, Dick said, knowing who leads to touchdowns.
Monday, with fresh media in town for Arkansas’ media day, it was Nutt’s turn to field questions about his only returning quarterback.
What do you tell him ?
“ First of all, ” Nutt said, “ you tell him he’s got a good supporting cast. You don’t have to be Superman every play. What we are asking you to do is hand the ball off and throw it and keep it simple. If there is a play to make, do it exactly like you have been practicing. ”
Let the extraordinary make the extraordinary plays.
“ You don’t have to press, ” Nutt said. “ You’ve got Marcus Monk, Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, Peyton Hillis, our defense, you’ve got the teammates to make you look good. ”
The questions persisted. So with Casey the only returning QB, will you let him scramble or must he hook-slide to preserve his health ?
“ I don’t think, ” Nutt replied, “ we’ll ever tell him take off scrambling because that’s not what the offense is about. The reads are quick and there’s play-action. So he ought not need to scramble. That’s not his forte. ”
Playing well as a true freshman starting the last four games of 2004 after being told through the first seven he would redshirt, Dick was projected to start last season. He got derailed by a spring ‘ 06 back injury that didn’t heal until well into the fall.
Playing 10 games for the 10-4 Hogs, Dick began well after sitting out early. He mopped up for the since transferred Mitch Mustain when Arkansas got some big leads and then replaced Mustain one series into the South Carolina game.
Dick played well beating South Carolina and started thereafter as Arkansas beat Tennessee and Mississippi State.
But his effectiveness waned when the Hogs lost their final three games, albeit to great teams in national top five powers, LSU, national champion Florida and Wisconsin.
Now with a healthy spring behind him and a new-old offensive coordinator directing him, the junior quarterback from Allen, Texas is in line for better things, Nutt asserts.
“ I think you are going to see a different Casey Dick, ” Nutt said. “ A different quarterback. He’s older and with what he’s gone through, I think he will be much, much better. And David Lee will have him ready. ”
Most recently a four-year NFL assistant with the Dallas Cowboys, Lee begins his third Arkansas tenure, the second in 2001 and ‘ 02 coaching quarterbacks under Nutt after coaching Razorback quarterbacks and fullbacks in Ken Hatfield’s wishbone from 1984-88 and then being the head coach at Texas-El Paso. Nutt touts Lee’s work with quarterback Tony Romo at Dallas, but maybe more significantly because it was the college game, Lee coached previously strictly running ex-Razorback quarterbacks Quinn Grovey and Matt Jones into becoming capable and occasionally deadly passers.
Gus Malzahn, last year’s offensive coordinator now at Tulsa, brought some new concepts to Arkansas and to his credit, got previously just I-tailbacks McFadden and Jones simultaneously on the field and not just in the Wildcat where McFadden becomes an option quarterback.
However, as teachers, veterans Alex Wood, a former NFL offensive coordinator now coaching receivers, and Lee are vastly more experienced.
Nutt banks on that to help improve a passing game that while not Arkansas’ bread and butter, must fare significantly better than the 108 th national ranking of both 2005 and ‘ 06.
“ I think we are going to be better at wide receiver, ” Nutt said, “ with tremendous instruction by Alex Wood. I’ve already seen improvement there. We didn’t have much separation last year. I think you will see a better caliber of receiver creating that separation. ”
They have some super receivers to separate. Monk, 24 touchdown catches in three years, is a split end. Backs McFadden, Jones and especially Hillis are gifted receivers, too and as important as Monk to the passing game.
It’s on their play-making as runners, that Nutt and Lee pledge to the play-action pass.
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