`Everything but ...,' Nutt laments as he seeks an Arkansas QB

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Arkansas football coach Houston Nutt was talking about the bright spots for his Razorbacks in the 2005 season.<br> <br> ``We&#39;re a year older on defense,&#39;&#39; Nutt said. ``Our offensive line is a year older. Everything but ...&#39;&#39;<br> <br> He paused and, crouching sightly, cupped his hands to take an imaginary snap from center.<br> <br> He didn&#39;t need to say a thing to Arkansas sports writers Tuesday. Everyone in the room heck, everyone in the state knows Nutt has to find a quarterback to replace Matt Jones.<br> <br> Three prospects will be on campus this fall Cole Barthel, Robert Johnson and Alex Mortensen and all have the same problem.<br> <br> ``They don&#39;t have experience,&#39;&#39; Nutt said at the annual meeting of Arkansas&#39; Associated Press-member sports writers. ``Robert Johnson has the most experience with three or four plays.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The wild-haired and wild-footed Jones completed his eligibility for the Razorbacks last year and was drafted in the first round by the National Football League&#39;s Jacksonville Jaguars. Over are Jones&#39; days of exciting Arkansas fans and frustrating Southeastern Conference opponents with his agility.<br> <br> And Nutt isn&#39;t looking for a clone in Barthel, Johnson or Mortensen.<br> <br> ``All of them feel like, `Boy, I&#39;ve got some awful big shoes to fill,&#39;&#39;&#39; Nutt said. ``We don&#39;t want you to do that. What we want you to do is not get us beat.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Arkansas was among the nation&#39;s leaders in turnover margin in 2003, with 33 takeaways and 22 turnovers in a 9-4 season. In last year&#39;s 5-6 season Nutt&#39;s first losing season in seven years at Arkansas there were only 16 takeaways, with 19 turnovers.<br> <br> ``Take care of the most valuable possession we have. Hand it to your backs. Throw it to our guys,&#39;&#39; Nutt said. ``If nobody is open, throw it to Grandmother in the third row or something. Just don&#39;t throw it to them.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Nutt spoke of Johnson first, then Mortensen, then Barthel, but said there was no significance to his consistently mentioning them in that order.<br> <br> ``We have three right now who are fighting hard, working hard,&#39;&#39; Nutt said. ``Robert Johnson is our most athletic quarterback. He has a tremendous arm. You just want him to be able to execute under pressure be able to handle third-and-eight, third-and-five, third-and-six. Move the chains.<br> <br> ``If he walked in this room today, you&#39;d say, `Boy, that&#39;s what a quarterback ought to look like. He&#39;s 6-2, 200 pounds. He looks perfect,&#39;&#39; Nutt said.<br> <br> He described Mortensen as ``very accurate&#39;&#39; and said Barthel brings a maturity because he has played baseball in the Atlanta Braves organization. ``You can tell he&#39;s been away from it (football), but he got better and better and better as the spring went on.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Nutt said fall drills, which begin after an Aug. 6 reporting date, will be structured so a starting quarterback will quickly emerge.<br> <br> ``We won&#39;t waste time until the first game to decide who&#39;s going to start,&#39;&#39; Nutt said.<br> <br> Arkansas opens its season Sept. 3 against Missouri State. The school is currently known as Southwest Missouri State, but is formally changing its name next month.<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)