Wilson takes command for No. 15 Arkansas in win

Wilson takes command for No. 15 Arkansas in win

Published Sep. 4, 2011 10:48 p.m. ET

Tyler Wilson admitted to some pregame nervousness before Arkansas' season opener with Missouri State on Saturday night.

The Razorbacks quarterback didn't show any nerves throughout No. 15 Arkansas' 51-7 win over the Bears (0-1). Wilson, making the first start of his career, was every bit the tactician in picking apart Missouri State - finishing 18 of 24 passing for 260 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The junior had played sparingly during his three seasons at Arkansas (1-0), using a medical redshirt his first season before serving as Ryan Mallett's primary backup the past two seasons. However, even though he was baptized into the Southeastern Conference fire last season at Auburn - where he threw for 332 yards and 4 touchdowns - Wilson took a moment to look around before the game on Saturday.

''It kind of gave me chills a little bit there in pregame,'' Wilson said. ''It was fun when they announced it, when they kind of separate your mind a little bit and say, `Hey, take it in.'

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''... It was a great first start, and it's nice having a good team around you.''

Wilson entered the season with no shortage of targets, and the Razorbacks abundance of wealth at receiver showed itself against the Bears. Eleven Arkansas players caught passes in the blowout win, including the team's four preseason Biletnikoff Award watch list nominees - Joe Adams, Greg Childs, Cobi Hamilton and Jarius Wright.

Wright led the team with six catches for 108 yards, including a pair touchdown catches from Wilson. His first was a 33-yarder in the first quarter, and he followed that with a spectacular touchdown grab in the third quarter - where he barely planted a foot in bounds before falling out of bounds.

''We know how the offense works,'' Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. ''Guys are going to take turns having their game, their big game. Certainly it was Jarius' day.''

Hamilton had three catches for 38 yards and Adams just one for 11 yards. However, Adams also returned a pair of punt returns for touchdowns in the game, tying the SEC record and keeping Wilson from feeling too much remorse for not finding the senior more often.

''In my mind, I didn't get it to (Adams) enough (Saturday),'' Wilson said. ''But luckily he had a great special teams night, so I don't think he's going to be too disappointed.

''... I think everybody should be happy (Saturday). We'll try to keep it that way.''

Childs, in his first game back after suffering a season-ending knee injury against Vanderbilt last season, had a pair of catches for 28 yards. The senior, who was Arkansas' leading receiver last season before the injury, received a loud ovation from the Razorback Stadium crowd after his first catch - a 13-yard reception from sophomore Brandon Mitchell in the second quarter.

Childs struggled early with conditioning and timing during fall camp, but Petrino said he had made great progress the two weeks leading up to the opener.

''He's hungry,'' Petrino said. ''He wants to get in there and get more touches, but he just needs to be patient. I really thought he took huge strides forward the last two weeks prior to our opener and better and better each day and faster and getting back to looking like Greg.''

Petrino praised Arkansas' receivers during the preseason for their unselfishness and blocking ability. It's Wilson's job now to keep the peace in the talented and deep group, something Adams said he did on Saturday.

''None of us are selfish,'' Adams said. ''So whatever guy's in, whoever gets the catch, we just try to block for him and make sure he gets in the end zone or a 20-yard gain or whatever it is. We're not selfish at all.''

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