Having the best of both worlds as a redshirted rookie rockets Travis Swanson into maybe a starter’s orbit.
The Arkansas Razorbacks’ redshirt freshman from Kingwood, Texas battles fourth-year junior incumbent Seth Oxner of Monticello play for play at first-team center.
The traditional offensive line formula generally apprentices two years. Redshirt one year then play a little as a second-year redshirt freshman. Increased the playing time as a third-year sophomore reserve then start as a junior and senior.
Obviously, first-team redshirt freshman guard Alvin Bailey and Swanson accelerate the process.
Both likely accelerated because though redshirting, they practiced with the varsity’s second-team last year.
Precociously big and strong, Bailey practiced with the varsity from 2009 preseason Day One.
Coach Bobby Petrino and former offensive line coach Mike Summers agonized deep into September whether to play Bailey for 2009 short-term reserve benefits or redshirt him for that 2013 fifth year.
It was a no-brainer redshirting Swanson, a 6-5 rangy project, to the scout team emulating Arkansas’ opposition offense to the varsity defense.
Swanson’s practices proved otherwise.
“I practiced with the scout team until the A&M game,” Swanson said, “and then they brought me up with the twos and I stayed with them.”
So by first paying scout team dues then learning varsity life, Swanson truly lived a redshirt’s best of both worlds.
On the scout team he was assigned 2009 senior All-SEC tackle Malcolm Sheppard.
“Scout team I learned going against Malcolm every day,” Swanson said. “I learned a lot.”
He learned enough to get promoted daily to learning Petrino’s offense instead of the opposition offenses.
“I got to work with the offense and got it down, Swanson said. “So I wasn’t just thrown into a situation. Being able to redshirt I thought was the best thing for me. I think it helped me get to where I am now.”
Oxner started all 13 games at center last year with starting guard Wade Grayson of Harrison doubling as backup center.
Even behind those veterans, Swanson believed capitalizing on what he learned last fall fashioned spring practices to catch new line coach Chris Klenakis’ attention.
“I thought they went good,” Swanson said. “My body weight was down a little, but I thought the spring was big progress for me.”
Upping from 293 to 304 over the summer, (“He looks like a different person,” offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said) Swanson thought he had grown into becoming Oxner’s challenger instead of understudy.
“I kind of came into it hoping that they would give me an opportunity,” Swanson said. “I am trying to make the most of it that I can.”
Swanson got the opportunity the fifth day of the August preseason, the first day the freshmen and redshirt freshmen practiced with the upperclassmen as one.
“When the team came together we started splitting half and half,” Swanson said. “The competition is just great between me and Ox.”
Klenakis loves the battle.
“That’s the beauty of camp,” Klenakis said, “The centers are competing the guards are competing. We got a lot of competition. That’s how you get better.”
Still hard envisioning Swanson this quickly dislodging a mature, much physically stronger fourth-year junior like Oxner, but Klenakis says he ranks competition over seniority.
“It’s not his fault he’s just been here a year,” Klenakis said. “He’s gotten a lot better and he’s a great athlete.
“Where Travis has to get better is his technique. He’s got to make up for his size and strength,” Klenakis said. “He’s got to become a technician.”
Those are technical difficulties Swanson knows he must master to stay in the starting hunt.
“You are not going to just wake up one day and automatically be able to go with those guys,” Swanson said. “But I think it’s going good.”
Certainly it’s going ahead of schedule.
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Having the best of both worlds as a redshirted rookie rockets Travis Swanson into maybe a starter’s orbit.
The Arkansas Razorbacks’ redshirt freshman from Kingwood, Texas battles fourth-year junior incumbent Seth Oxner of Monticello play for play at first-team center.
The traditional offensive line formula generally apprentices two years. Redshirt one year then play a little as a second-year redshirt freshman. Increased the playing time as a third-year sophomore reserve then start as a junior and senior.
Obviously, first-team redshirt freshman guard Alvin Bailey and Swanson accelerate the process.
Both likely accelerated because though redshirting, they practiced with the varsity’s second-team last year.
Precociously big and strong, Bailey practiced with the varsity from 2009 preseason Day One.
Coach Bobby Petrino and former offensive line coach Mike Summers agonized deep into September whether to play Bailey for 2009 short-term reserve benefits or redshirt him for that 2013 fifth year.
It was a no-brainer redshirting Swanson, a 6-5 rangy project, to the scout team emulating Arkansas’ opposition offense to the varsity defense.
Swanson’s practices proved otherwise.
“I practiced with the scout team until the A&M game,” Swanson said, “and then they brought me up with the twos and I stayed with them.”
So by first paying scout team dues then learning varsity life, Swanson truly lived a redshirt’s best of both worlds.
On the scout team he was assigned 2009 senior All-SEC tackle Malcolm Sheppard.
“Scout team I learned going against Malcolm every day,” Swanson said. “I learned a lot.”
He learned enough to get promoted daily to learning Petrino’s offense instead of the opposition offenses.
“I got to work with the offense and got it down, Swanson said. “So I wasn’t just thrown into a situation. Being able to redshirt I thought was the best thing for me. I think it helped me get to where I am now.”
Oxner started all 13 games at center last year with starting guard Wade Grayson of Harrison doubling as backup center.
Even behind those veterans, Swanson believed capitalizing on what he learned last fall fashioned spring practices to catch new line coach Chris Klenakis’ attention.
“I thought they went good,” Swanson said. “My body weight was down a little, but I thought the spring was big progress for me.”
Upping from 293 to 304 over the summer, (“He looks like a different person,” offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said) Swanson thought he had grown into becoming Oxner’s challenger instead of understudy.
“I kind of came into it hoping that they would give me an opportunity,” Swanson said. “I am trying to make the most of it that I can.”
Swanson got the opportunity the fifth day of the August preseason, the first day the freshmen and redshirt freshmen practiced with the upperclassmen as one.
“When the team came together we started splitting half and half,” Swanson said. “The competition is just great between me and Ox.”
Klenakis loves the battle.
“That’s the beauty of camp,” Klenakis said, “The centers are competing the guards are competing. We got a lot of competition. That’s how you get better.”
Still hard envisioning Swanson this quickly dislodging a mature, much physically stronger fourth-year junior like Oxner, but Klenakis says he ranks competition over seniority.
“It’s not his fault he’s just been here a year,” Klenakis said. “He’s gotten a lot better and he’s a great athlete.
“Where Travis has to get better is his technique. He’s got to make up for his size and strength,” Klenakis said. “He’s got to become a technician.”
Those are technical difficulties Swanson knows he must master to stay in the starting hunt.
“You are not going to just wake up one day and automatically be able to go with those guys,” Swanson said. “But I think it’s going good.”
Certainly it’s going ahead of schedule.
