Arkansas Razorbacks Hope To Get Their Kicks In 2009

In his star-crossed 2008 season, things got so bad for Arkansas kicker Alex Tejada that he was unceremoniously yanked for a walkon, Shay Haddock, who didn't even finish the season himself.

In the Hogs 28-27 comeback win over Louisiana-Monroe, Tejada drew head coach Bobby Petrino's ire not only by drawing a delay of game penalty, on a kickoff, no less, but by then kicking the ball out of bounds to hand ULM great field position.

To top things off, Tejada proved to be a triple threat in that game by missing an easy field goal, shank you very much. Lip readers could make out Petrino's response to Tejada's explanation for the miss. Hint: it can't be printed in most publications.

After a 2007 freshman season in which Tejada made 17 field goals, Alex's point total dropped from 109 points to only a scant 32 in 2008.

The 4-9 field goal kicking and short kickoffs exemplified Arkansas' kicking game woes in Bobby Petrino's first season in Fayetteville, but they were far from the only problems.

Dennis Johnson's kickoff returns and the punting of departed senior Jeremy Davis were the only bright spots in the kicking game for the Hogs in 2008. The rest of the special teams' performance could charitably be described as terrible.

Even after Tejada made the extra point to give the Hogs a 31-30 lead over LSU in the season finale with only 22 ticks left on the clock, the Razorbacks were still hanging on at the end as the Bayou Bengals missed a long field goal attempt at the gun.

The ensuing squib kickoff after the Hogs took the lead barely made it past the 50 yard line, once again giving an opponent great field position.

So, you ask, what have Bobby Petrino and the Arkansas staff done to rectify the Keystone Kops performance of the special teams in 2009?

John L. Smith, former head coach at Utah State, Louisville and Michigan State and Petrino's mentor, was brought in to attempt to fix the special teams after Lorenzo Ward bolted for South Carolina right before signing day.

John L., a thrill seeker who has run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain and hiked to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro among other things, has the reputation as a special teams guru in addition to being a defensive minded coach.

Petrino is counting on Smith's expertise, more and better athletes throughout the Arkansas roster and an improved showing by Alex Tejada to upgrade the Hogs' special teams to at least an adequate level in 2009.

Tejada was hampered by a dislocated kneecap on his plant leg in 2008, so hopefully Tejada will return to his 2007 form this season.

Junior college transfer Briton Forester, the punter for Hawaii in their banner season a couple of years back before leaving upon June Jones' departure, figures to be the Hogs punter. Freshman walkon Dylan Breeding may have a good future, but the more seasoned and consistent Forester is the man for now, apparently.

Dennis Johnson, who set the Arkansas record for kickoff return yardage in a season, returns. Receiver Joe Adams has the potential to be a game breaking punt returner as he showed with an 85 yard burst for a score in one scrimmage.

A few junior college studs with blocked kicks on their resume have been added as well. In short, the Hogs have nowhere to go but up on specialty teams after the disaster film that was the 2009 season.

The Hogs have spent more time in practice working on special teams this season. If that work pays off, the team will reap the rewards with a better bowl bid than 6 or 7 wins would deliver.