The Arkansas Razorbacks football team was the first to hit the stage in Birmingham, Alabama, on the first day of the enormous event.

Head coach Bobby Petrino spoke a bit about the expectations heading into his second year as head coach and the development of his offense under quarterback Ryan Mallett.

Star tight end D.J. Williams also spoke about the offense heading into the 2009 season and defensive tackle Malcolm Sheppard touched on the improvements the Razorbacks hope to see on the defensive side of the ball.

Head Coach Bobby Petrino

Petrino on improving in year two: I really believe that we'll be a much better football team this year than we were a year ago. That started in our winter conditioning and our off season program, continued through spring ball, and now with what the players are doing throughout the summer. We've worked extremely hard on having a good attitude and a tremendous work ethic. I feel like our team chemistry is where it needs to be to have a chance to be a special football team.

Petrino on the schedule: We have a tough schedule, there's no question about that. When you look at our schedule, it is going to be very tough. We did play 16 true freshmen last year. But with the schedule, that will really challenge our experience that we have coming back. It will challenge the depth that we have coming back.

Q. How much closer are you after one year to having the personnel that you need to have to run your system at Arkansas?

Bobby Petrino: Well, I think we're really getting there. We have two quarterbacks now that have been around in the system, one for a year, one for a year and a half. They're both very, very good students of the game. They come in and spend a lot of time watching video and understanding what we're asking them to do. So we've really progressed in that area.

We'll have four true freshmen wide receivers we played a year ago returning with a year under their belt, and two seniors coming back there. You know, we did lose two seniors on the offensive line, but we have guys we'll have a lot of competition, guys that know what they're doing, a lot of competition.

We hurt ourselves sometimes in short yardage situations and goal line situations (last year). I know we'll be much better there with the addition of some big running backs.

Q. What can you do with Ryan Mallett, a quarterback that you say you couldn't do last year? What can you do with your offense now? Can you talk about what he's improved the most on this one year?

Bobby Petrino: One thing Ryan can really do is throw the deep ball. If we can run the ball better and run the ball more consistently, it should open up our deep passing game and our ability to get the ball down the field, something I've always loved to do and really believe in doing, because then you don't have to call so many plays.

[W]e're not gonna lose our movement game, our ability to run sprint outs, run the bootleg game, be able to move the pocket. In this league, with the defensive ends we face, the speed and athleticism of the defensive fronts, it's important that you change the launch point, and you can set your quarterback at different spots, take some pressure off the offensive line, running backs at times.

Q. How important do you consider experience to be for a quarterback in the SEC? How difficult is to win in the SEC when you don't have an experienced quarterback?

Bobby Petrino: Well, I think it's very critical just to experience the speed. You go out there and you practice and you can throw the ball; but until you understand how fast those defensive rush men are going to be getting to you, how you can train yourself to keep your vision downfield when things are flashing in front of you and moving in front of you, you really don't have any idea what it's like.

That's a concern of mine. Tyler Wilson did play two games last year, so that in two games last year, so that will help him. Ryan played as a true freshman up at Michigan. That will certainly help him. They have to carry that experience and that knowledge and feel with them.

Q. Can you give an update on Brandon Barnett, Knile Davis, how they're coming along? Maybe Broderick Green, how do you plan to use those running backs when you have Michael Smith there with you?

Bobby Petrino: Knile Davis is doing very well. He's doing everything full speed. He's rejoined all the workouts. The strength staff tells me he's cutting, changing directions, doing everything he needs to do to have a chance to compete for playing time.

Brandon Barnett is a little bit behind that. He's, hopefully by next week, he'll start changing directions. I don't know if he'll be full speed when we open practice. I think he'll be limited. Hopefully we can bring him along and get him into the competition.

We have more depth and more competition at runningback. That will make us better. Michael carried the ball a few times last year in a game way too many times. We'll be able to give more carries to different guys, whether it be Knile Davis. We have a true freshman I like coming in, Ronnie Wingo, 215 pounds and fast. Then we have the two guys that helped out last year in De'Anthony Curtis and Dennis Johnson. Hopefully Broderick Green. We have yet to get a decision on that. NCAA is taking their time. Hopefully we'll know something soon. I'm hoping for a positive outcome.

TE D.J. Williams

On the difference between this year and last:
"It's been fun. It's very intense. There's a big difference between last year and this year in what we know. Like, last year, if you were to ask me about what we were doing, I would've said it almost looks like Chinese to me. But Coach Petrino's a tough coach and he knows his stuff and just one year into the system. I know so much more. So this year, instead of thinking about what we need to do on the field, we'll be reacting."

On Coach Petrino:
"Sometimes, I'm in practice, and he'll be getting on me, but when I look at the video, I see he was right. One thing he's been telling me for a while is that I need to work on my blocking. Typically, when you tell a player anything's wrong with their game, they'll be offended, but when you adjust, you see he was right, and that's why he's just about as good as anyone in the country."

On expected starting quarterback Ryan Mallett:
"He's got one of the strongest arms I've every seen. In practice, I've got to bring a couple of pairs of gloves because he tears the gripping off with his passes. I know he had some problems at one team, but he's got great character. I'm glad he's a Razorback, and he'll be something to watch next year."

On the team's expectations:
"It'll surprise everyone else but us how well we'll play together this year. The chemistry is just so much better so it won't surprise us but it'll surprise others."

On the team's schedule:
"It's fun because you hear of other teams in other conferences that go undefeated and don't get to play for a national championship. The best thing is that if we win most of the games, people will be talking about us at the end of year. If you look back at the results from last year, most of the games we're decided by a touchdown or a key play here and there. Every Friday, it's our most intense workouts. The workouts are divided into four quarters. At the start of the fourth quarter, we hold up a fist, because a fist is powerful, but if one finger is missing or is out, then your hand can break. This year, we've defeated every fourth quarter workout, and hopefully, that will translate to the field."

DT Malcolm Sheppard

On season expectations:
"We're, as a team, anxious about getting started, on improving what was done last year. Our team chemistry is much better. There are things we worked on in the off-season that will work. Guys are faster, stronger. We're definitely a more physical team, guys are getting bigger and faster."

On the SEC:
"There are a lot of good quarterbacks in our conference. Our defense knows if we don't put pressure on the quarterbacks that they can pick us apart so we're definitely working on that and it starts with run stop so that we're prepared for the pass."

On the youth from last year's team:
"We had a lot of young guys play last year, and that led to some meltdowns and giving up big plays, but they've (the younger guys) all gotten better, and we're looking forward to how they do this year."

On playing in the SEC:
"It's tough because you have to have your mindset right every week good. Every week, you're in a battle."

On last year's adjustment under Coach Petrino:
"It was an adjustment. The whole system was different, from academics to practice. I think we're used to it by midseason, and it's been just getting used to it after that."

on expected starting quarterback Ryan Mallett
"He definitely brings a lot to the team. He's a great quarterback with a strong arm. He's a great leader in the weight room."

On his defensive strengths:
"I don't think it's necessarily so much one thing as much as a fearless aggression, doing whatever I have to in order to make a stop."

On this year's expectations:
"I've been here since 2006, and we've beaten all those teams (in the SEC West) so we're definitely capable this year. We try not to pay attention to preseason polls. You can't get caught up in it. We're just preparing to be the best team in the SEC West."

On summer training:
"Our workouts are meant to make us mentally tougher. We're preparing ourselves to go four quarters. (The unorthodox Friday training) It's something to get the players fired up, it gets us motivated during the offseason when you have long stretches where you don't play a game."

You can find the full Arkansas Razorbacks press conference transcript by following this link.

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