Lance Thompson has more to prove than most on this Razorback football team. The senior from Searcy not only has to prove himself. He's got to prove his position.

Fullback is just a sometime spot in new coach Bobby Petrino's vastly multiple offense. If the fullbacks don't produce, they and their position will vanish from the game plan.

" Fullback is a position that has not been completely defined yet how much we'll use it in the offense, " running backs coach Tim Horton said as Arkansas opened the August preseason,

Thompson and sophomore walkon John Durmon of Warren closed spring drills one-two at the fullback Petrino will employ if it works in practice but likely discard quickly if it doesn't.

" They are continuing to get better and must continue to get better if they want that package to be a part of the offense, " Horton said.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y f o r Thompson, he pulled a groin muscle the third day into drills and has been idled.

Do look for him to carve a niche upon his healthy return.

After all, since walking on with former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt's 2004 Hogs, Thompson has earned a scholarship and three letters as a specialteamer and reserve tight end.

Dating back to Game 3 of Arkansas'2006 SEC West championship season, Thompson has played 25 consecutive games. Included are starts against Ole Miss and Mississippi State last year when Arkansas opened using two tight ends.

Coaches tell you he'd be at least a No. 2 tight end on most teams but at Arkansas he's buried behind the team's offensive best, sophomore D. J. Williams and junior Andrew Davie plus Ben Cleveland, the promising third-year sophomore tight end also striving to put injuries behind him.

" We are fighting through some injuries right now, " Thompson said shortly after the pulled groin muscle. " We all have injuries out here and we all have to fight through them. "

If he's physically able, Thompson will have the fight and the smarts to do what he's asked.

The new staff picks up on what second-year UA coach Horton already knows about the 6-4, 227 former walkon who earned a football scholarship all the while passing through the academic minefield besetting pre-dental majors.

" Tight end is such a strength with D. J. and Ben Cleveland and Andrew Davie and Lance Thompson and even Joseph Henry [the walkon from Conway and son of former Razorback Cliff Henry ], " Horton said. That's a really deep position. But we need some help at fullback. Thompson is a tough kid who can block so I think he's got a chance. And we can throw to him out of the backfield because he can catch. "

Thompson doesn't have the official game catches to prove it in three years as a strictly blocking tight end, but vows that will change once he can prove himself in practice.

" We have to earn our reps and our touches on the football, too, " Thompson said. " If we don't have a good practice and don't catch the ball, they are not going to throw it to us. We all take pride in running good routes and trying to get that part of the job done. "

Of course at fullback if you don't block, you don't catch anything but a seat on the bench.

" I'm a blocking fullback and run a few routes that are short routes, " Thompson said. " It's like a tight end except you get a few yards head start on the guy right in front of you. I feel like it fits me. "

Just like he felt the UA would fit him even if its coaches didn't initially deem him fit for a scholarship.

" I've always wanted to come here, " Thompson said. " I'm a lifelong Hog fan, most everybody in the state is. "

Could he have had an immediate scholarship elsewhere ?

" I had some chances to go to some smaller schools instate and Tulsa, " Thompson said. " I just figured it would be worth my while to earn my scholarship as a walkon. I've gotten a lot out of it so far. It's always worth it, being part of the team and that I made a spot for myself. I'm proud of it. " He's proud to be a part of this new regime's team, even if it's a team prognosticators project for the SEC West basement. " I like them, " Thompson said of the Petrino staff. " They are straight to business. They know what they want and what they want out of you. They push you hard and they expect you to be good and I think we will be. I think this year we will have a good team. "