Senior quarterback Casey Dick passed for a game-high 404 yards and two touchdowns in the Red team's Spring Game win.

Dick dominates Spring Game through the air

By: Matt Watson

Posted: 4/28/08

While the Dick brothers probably never had 40,000 fans watching in a backyard football game growing up, Casey and Nathan were back at it again Saturday, quarterbacking opposite sides of the Red-White game.

Casey Dick got the best of his younger brother, completing 33-of-49 passes for 404 yards and two touchdowns for the Red squad in the Arkansas fans' first look at the offensive scheme of new head coach Bobby Petrino.

"In this offense, it's on your shoulders to get the team in a good situation. Change the protections, get the ball in the hands of your playmakers and let them make plays. We all play a part," Dick said.

The first-stringers beat the White team 45-15.

Dick said it was the first time he had ever thrown more than 30 passes in one half.

"It's a lot easier. You throw the ball a lot, you're in the game a lot so you get in there and feel comfortable and get in the rhythm and it comes naturally," Dick said.

Tailback Michael Smith said, "I think it'll be a very balanced offense, because now we're not 90 percent running any more."

Tight end D.J. Williams led the game with nine catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. Wideout London Crawford had eight receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown, and Carlton Salters added seven catches for 108 yards.

"We got our first win. It was a lot of fun," Petrino said. "We didn't do everything right but we had some good execution on offense at times."

"Coach told us to play like we're in peewee football again," Smith said. "We know everything, we've put in the work, we gelled as an offense throughout all the practices and we wanted to go out and put on a show for everybody."

Petrino said they certainly have a long way to go because there are a lot of new faces on the team and the staff, but it was a productive spring and players did a nice job working hard and learning the schemes.

"He's out there to push everybody no matter how we're doing," Dick said. "He always strives to get the best out of everybody."

Smith runs wild at Spring Game

On the same day two of his former running mates cashed in at the NFL Draft, Razorback running back Michael Smith reminded Arkansas fans that the Hogs can still run the football.

Smith, along with fellow junior-to-be Brandon Barnett, will have the daunting task of replacing two All-Americans who rushed, received, returned and passed for 4,423 yards and accounted for 34 touchdowns last season alone.

"It's not all about what I'm gonna do next year. I think the biggest thing is we're going to come together as a team and we're gonna play as one unit," Smith said.

Smith rushed 13 times for 157 yards (12.1 yards per carry) and a touchdown and also caught three passes for 63 yards. On his longest play from scrimmage he took a screen pass from Casey Dick for 55 yards from sideline to sideline before getting pushed out of bounds at the 5-yard line.

Smith was fourth on the team with 474 all-purpose yards in 2007 and scored three touchdowns in ten games.

As for his former teammates, Smith said he was excited to see them both drafted in the first round.

"I was too happy to see them on the screen [at Reynolds Razorback Stadium]," Smith said. "I'm gonna call them as soon as I get out of here."

Felix Jones, Darren McFadden and Smith were born within four months of each other, with Smith right in the middle of the two superstars. But while Jones played second fiddle to McFadden in the national spotlight at Arkansas, Smith was lucky to ever get a note in. But with the two of them gone, it's Smith's turn in the spotlight.

"I think they just expect me to step up now that they're gone," Smith said, "and that's what I'm gonna try to do."

At 5-foot-7, 173 pounds, the Tallahassee native is trying to prove he can be an every-down back coach Petrino's new offense.

"He made some great plays," Petrino said. "It's great to see his speed show up. He's got to keep getting more attempts and show the explosiveness he can have.

Smith said the team will move the ball up and down the field at a fast pace next year, keeping the defense off balance by running a number of different play from several different formations.

"I've just gotta learn how to use him right," Petrino said. "[We have to] make sure we throw him the ball enough and get him in the open field. But he certainly showed that he can run the football."

While some questioned his durability last year, Smith battled through injuries all spring, including a hip pointer and a sports hernia. Smith will have hernia surgery on Thursday morning.

"'Coach P' emphasizes toughness. Leaders just have to keep going," Smith said. "You've got a couple nicks and bruises but you've gotta keep playing."