by NATE ALLEN
Redshirt freshmen tackles Matt Gilbow and Nate Garner must shoulder the Razorbacks' burden of losing their most experienced offensive lineman for the season.
X-rays revealed junior right tackle Zac Tubbs, the lone offensive lineman on this Arkansas team who had started a game until 2004, broke the fibula of his left leg during Tuesday's practice and will miss the remainder of the campaign, Arkansas trainer Dean Weber said Wednesday. Also, X-rays revealed reserve redshirt freshman defensive end Derek Moore broke the fibula of his left leg during Tuesday's practice. Moore also will miss the remainder of season, Weber said.
Both are expected to play in 2005 after a sixmonth injury rehabilitation.
Tubbs, 6-6, 351, started all five games this season, including every offensive snap in three of them. He also started last December's Independence Bowl victory over Missouri after All-American Shawn Andrews declared for the NFL draft.
Gilbow of Jonesboro and Garner of Pulaski Robinson are as tall as Tubbs but way lighter (292 and 306) and not nearly as strong.
Both Gilbow and Garner were injured last fall and required reconstructive shoulder surgery allowing neither the extensive weightlifting offensive linemen get while redshirting.
Does Arkansas coach Houston Nutt worry about relying on a pair of gimpyshouldered rookies at right tackle when the Hogs next play on Oct. 16 at nationally sixth-ranked SEC West rival Auburn? "I can't worry about it," Nutt replied. "They are all I've got."
If Nutt was truly a worrier, he'd already be in the boo house. Freshman fullback Peyton Hillis broke three small bones in his back in last Saturday's loss at Florida and is out indefinitely, possibly for the season. Starting wide receiver Carlos Ousley quit the team Tuesday after freshman Marcus Monk was promoted over him to start.
Tubbs and Moore went down, freshman linebacker Weston Dacus broke a toe Sunday and two starters, center Kyle Roper (not practicing at all) and tight end Jared Hicks (just walking through drills) ailing from injuries in the Florida game. "Hey, Dean!" Nutt shouted at trainer Dean Weber in the aftermath of Wednesday's practice. "We didn't get anybody hurt today, did we? Great! That's a great feeling!"
Gallows humor can replace tears with laughter, but the injuries are hard felt. "You hate it when you lose Zac Tubbs and Derek Moore," Nutt said. "Two great guys. Zac was having a great year, but you've got to go forward. Somebody has to step up in the meat of the schedule."
For a while Wednesday, it appeared Garner would be the only one to step up because Gilbow briefly went down. "That scared me," offensive line coach Mike Markuson said of Gilbow being shaken up. "He's all right. He just got tweaked a little bit out in pass rush."
Both Gilbow and Garner have been more resilient this fall than last fall though Garner missed some early-season time from neck and back injuries in an automobile accident. "It was just a little whiplash stuff," Garner said, noting he's recovered.
Both players said strength coach Don Decker has had them catching up hard on the weights and they've at least experienced varsity play mopping up the second halves of nonconference routs over New Mexico State and Louisiana-Monroe.
Both are quicker and faster than Tubbs though obviously not as experienced. "They've just got to get a feel of it," Markuson said. "Those guys are both capable. I just told them, 'Get some game in you and it will get better as time wears on.' I've got all the confidence in the world in them."
Enough that Nutt and Markuson vow the Hogs won't become predominantly lefthanded though junior left tackle Tony Ugoh and third-year sophomore left guard Stephen Parker are playing well. "You hate to do that," Nutt said of running way predominantly to one side, "or they'll tee of on you."
All will feel better about the middle once junior starting center Roper's aching back frees him to snap. Roper is scheduled to practice Sunday when the Razorbacks launch game-week preparations after a light practice today then Friday and Saturday off.
Sophomore Tyler Morgan of Hot Springs and sophomore transfer Skye Peterson have worked at center this week.
Starting tight end Jared Hicks is recovering well enough from a shoulder injury that tight end Payne Hall has moved back to linebacker.
Reserve fullback Justin Slaughter now is a tight end. "Justin Slaughter is really helping us," Nutt said. "He's been at fullback so he understands the blocking and Xs and Os."
Before this attrition epidemic, the big open date week story was going to be how the starting secondary would be resolved after the staff, down 35-7 in the first half against Florida, in the second half replaced starters Michael Coe, a third-year sophomore, and juniors Darius Vinnett, Lerinezo Robinson and Vickiel Vaughn, with freshman corners Michael Grant and Matteral Richardson, freshman strong safety Dallas Washington and sophomore transfer free safety Randy Kelly.
Nutt said last Sunday the gauntlet was thrown down for all to compete for starting jobs. "The older guys have had their best work," Nutt said. "Some freshmen came out on the field and proved they could hold their own and now those older guys went back to work, and that's all you want. And that's what competition does. It's the best dose of medicine for a healthy environment."