No Tricks For Malzahn
Unique Plays Part Of Legend
Last updated Monday, October 9, 2006 10:19 PM CDT in Sports
By Kurt Voight
SPRINGDALE -- Across Northwest Arkansas, the voices could be heard during the third quarter of Arkansas' 27-10 win over then No. 2 Auburn on Saturday.
As Reggie Fish crouched behind the Razorbacks offensive line, the legions of Gus Malzahn's former assistant coaches and players immediately spotted a familiar sight.
"Woody," they yelled. "It's Woody!"
What they saw was a formation used by Malzahn in his days as coach at Shiloh Christian and Springdale High. It was a play the present offensive coordinator at Arkansas hadn't used since the 2004 season against Van Buren, but it was one he thought enough of to request video of this past summer from current Springdale coach and former assistant Kevin Johnson.
"We knew what it was," said Springdale assistant coach Dennis DeBusk, who was watching the game while doing film study for an upcoming game that afternoon. "On TV you get a good look, and as soon as we saw Fish walking up there, we knew immediately what it was."
The play resulted in a 28-yard gain for Fish -- as well as national attention for Malzahn and his creative ways. For those whose first experience watching Malzahn was "Woody," the new play was a brief glimpse into the fruits of all the hours spent developing plays by the former high school coach.
For those who know Malzahn's past ways, however, the play was simply another reminder of the excitement the coach used to bring on a weekly basis. It also served to bolster the pride felt by many assistant coaches for their former colleague -- who they feel now carries the torch for high school coaches across the country.
"You see flashes of what we did, and I think it's exciting," said DeBusk, who has watched his former boss and the Razorbacks at home games this season. "And in the second half (against Auburn, when Arkansas attempted only 2 passes), I think Gus had a lot to do with that also.
"Because when something's working, he'll stick with that, and that didn't surprise me at all."
When Malzahn was hired at Arkansas last December, one of the coaches trumpeting the impact for high school coaches was Johnson -- Malzahn's former assistant at both Shiloh and Springdale as his eventual successor with the Bulldogs.
Like many others, Johnson also recognized "Woody" when he saw the formation Saturday. He also remembered that the last time Malzahn ran the play at Springdale, it was 5-8 Drake Taylor -- all of an inch taller than Fish -- who toted the ball.
"Woody" is one of several trick plays used by Malzahn at Arkansas this season. Others include a tackle eligible formation which has resulted in big catches by former Springdale receiver Ben Cleveland, as well as the swinging gate against Alabama.
All were plays used at both Shiloh and Springdale, and all came with unique nicknames given by Malzahn. "Woody" is named after former Malzahn assistant and current Springdale Har-Ber coach Chris Wood, while the swinging gate is named "Elder Special," former Shiloh and current Prairie Grove assistant coach John Elder.
As for Cleveland's play, its nickname is "Fight Song." The reason behind the name, Johnson said, is "because every time we ran it, the band was going to be striking the fight song after we scored."
Like DeBusk and others, Johnson watches Arkansas games with extra attention this season. He does so both to watch how much of Springdale's former offense Malzahn has brought to the Razorbacks as well as to watch former Bulldogs Mitch Mustain, Damian Williams, Cleveland and Andrew Norman, who is redshirting.
Johnson watches, while his former head coach bring the same leadership qualities and offensive prowess to the college game that he once did to Arkansas high school football.
"It doesn't matter what level it is," Johnson said. "Football is football."
KURT VOIGT IS THE MORNING NEWS PREPS EDITOR. HIS COLUMN APPEARS EACH TUESDAY. E-MAIL: KVOIGT@NWAONLINE.NET
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pigslop wrote on Oct 16, 2006 12:12 PM:
andrew autry wrote on Dec 6, 2006 7:49 PM:
red mamma wrote on Dec 12, 2006 11:49 AM:
ou lover wrote on Dec 12, 2006 3:41 PM:
To Red Mamma wrote on Dec 13, 2006 7:52 AM:
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Missing Fun plays wrote on Jan 31, 2007 8:52 AM:
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Seein' Red wrote on Oct 12, 2006 4:36 PM: