FAYETTEVILLE - Dominque Johnson left his Crowley, Texas, home as a running back and vowed he would return close to home at the Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium as a running back.

So, the 6-1, 240 redshirt sophomore convinced Arkansas coach Sam Pittman (in Craven Whitlow photo above) to end his August preseason move to tight end after Day One and return to where Johnson wanted to run for the Razorbacks.

No. 16 Arkansas plays No. 7 Texas A&M at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the home of the Cowboys. CBS plans to televise the game nationally.

JOHNSON KNOWS BEST
Given Johnson’s contributions to the Razorbacks’ 3-0 start, Pittman gladly admits Johnson knew where he needed to play. On 15 carries, one a 48-yard run, Johnson has netted 132 yards and three touchdowns.

“We moved him to tight end, and he got his chance to go back the next day,” Pittman said. “He said, ‘Hey, I’m going to show you that you don’t want to move me. That I’m too valuable here.’ And he has done that.”

The big 'back, recruited as a short-yardage power runner, proved he can also run by and elude defenders.

“I never thought, ‘Hey, when we put him in the game I’m going to be overly excited that he’s in there,” Pittman said. “But I’m excited. I mean, this guy is a good running back. Tough, good blocker. It just goes to show sometimes you’ve got to wait your turn.”

TAKING HIS TURN
He waited his turn last year lettering on special teams. So he wasn’t about to be turned away without a turn at running back this year.

“Moving to tight end, it really put a fire under me because I wanted to come in and play running back,” Johnson said Tuesday after practice. “Because running back’s all I’ve been playing. So running back is what I wanted to play. Moving me to tight end made me just want to go harder at running back to show them I’m an actual running back.”

CLARY CLEARLY ENDORSES
No doubt Johnson is an actual running back, says senior lineman Ty Clary who has blocked for Johnson as a center, guard and tackle. And while Johnson has proven a more versatile runner than advertised, he’s never forgotten his power 'back roots.

“Dom, it’s kind of like he’s looking for contact out there,” Clary said. “He wants to run you over.”

FOUR UP FRONT
Johnson, the tight end for one day, has carved a niche in Arkansas’ four-back rotation that includes junior returning 2020 leading rusher Trelon Smith, true freshmen Raheim “Rocket” Sanders and AJ Green.

They stay fresh with the alternating. And so far they’ve kept in a groove with the limited carries. Smith averages 5.1 on 42 totes, Sanders 5.5 on 25, Johnson 8.8 on 15 and Green 7.4 on 14.

“We have different packages for each 'back,” Johnson said. “It can be a period of time where you’re sitting on the sideline, and somebody else may be in the game, but you’ve got to stay ready at all times because you never know when you’re going to go in the game.”

COMING HOME
Johnson, who said he played pewee football at AT&T Stadium and fellow Texans, senior linebacker Bumper Pool of Lucas and third-year sophomore defensive tackle Taurean Carter,  talked about returning Saturday the the Lone Star State.

“It’s pretty exciting to go back home and play at the Dallas Cowboys stadium,” Johnson said. “I live maybe 20 minutes from there. It’s going to be exciting to have my family there and hopefully come out with a win.”

Carter played in two high school playoff games at AT&T Stadium.

“Great memories,” Carter said. “I can’t wait to go back. I’m hoping to see it fully packed out. It gets pretty packed during the high school playoffs, but I’m wanting to see what this game really is about on Saturday.”

CLARY’S 3 HATS
After playing guard, tackle and center in the same game during last Saturday’s 45-10 victory over Georgia Southern, Clary of Fayetteville said he played just one position in Tuesday’s closed practice, presumably center.

Starting center Ricky Stromberg is questionable from a fourth-quarter injury Saturday after Clary first went from guard to right tackle to replace injured starter Dalton Wagner.

“It was a little stressful,” Clary said, “but it was fun playing a little tackle, then going from guard back to center. It's all about just trying to help the team.”

A&M's SALTY D
Texas A&M's defense has pitched seven consecutive shutout quarters. Since overcoming a 7-0 first-quarter lead, A&M beat Colorado 10-7 in Game Two then skunked New Mexico 34-0 last week.

“They are definitely a solid defense,” Clary said. “They do a lot of really good things, and I’m excited to see how we match up.”