Arkansas linebacker Jerry Franklin knew the drill.

Every weekday in the summer, the junior linebacker woke up at 5:40 a.m. in order to make it to his 6:30 workout session. Each morning, Franklin’s maroon 1992 Crown Vic sat in a near-empty parking lot on campus in the wee hours of the day while he pumped iron with his teammates.

Franklin wouldn’t trade the experience, though. While friends were on summer vacation, he relished the opportunity to put in work with his fellow Razorbacks in preparation for a season the Hogs will begin ranked No. 19 – their highest debut in the polls since 1999.

“Maybe when I was a freshman I missed going home on summer break, but now it’s more like a business attitude,” Franklin said. “You want to get better. This is just a small part of your life, the four or five years you’re here, so you can sacrifice and see what happens with it.

“We get enough breaks.”

The Razorback defense attacked the offseason program with extra zeal after a 2009 season in which they ranked last in the SEC in total defense.

“We’re pretty excited,” Franklin said about the season nearing. “The whole offseason there was a lot of talking (about expectations) going around, but we’re not really worried about all that. We know we put in the work and how we came to work in practice every day.”

The summer was beneficial to Franklin after he missed part of spring practice to strengthen a scoped right shoulder. Missing practice time with his teammates wasn’t easy for the Marion, Ark., native.

“Probably one of the worst things you can do is be off doing something by yourself and seeing all your teammates out working hard in practice,” Franklin said. “You just kind of sitting there like, ‘Man.’ It made me feel down a little bit, because I couldn’t be out there with my team.”

Franklin started 24 of the Hogs’ 25 games the past two seasons, but was among the younger starters on the defense. Arkansas outside linebackers coach John L. Smith said Franklin tried to hide the shoulder injury from the coaching staff so he could practice with the team and assume a larger leadership role.

“We sometimes don’t realize that as coaches, that, ‘Alright, he’s not wanting to let us know (he’s hurt),’” Smith said. “He’s taken being a leader to heart; he’s matured a little bit more. As those guys keep coming back year after year they gain that maturity. It’s easier for them.

“People don’t realize how hard it is for a freshman or sophomore to be placed in that (prominent) of a role. You have to age into that role. Franklin is a year older and is trying to step up.”

Franklin’s teammates voted him one of the Hogs’ three defensive captains following spring practice. The 6-foot-1, 241-pounder recorded a team-best 94 tackles and tied for the team lead with three interceptions last season.  Franklin’s knowledge of the Razorbacks’ defensive scheme and athletic ability makes him a weapon for the Hogs, Razorback coach Bobby Petrino said.

“Jerry’s made a lot of plays around here for two years,” Petrino said. “As far as the linebacker position goes, he understands our defense as well as anybody. He’s very, very athletic and big. He fought through the shoulder (injury).

“He understood that we were trying to get him stronger and better, so his attitude’s been good working through that. We need him to have a big year.”

Franklin wasn’t the lone Razorback linebacker who added strength in the offseason, a change in physique Smith said was necessary.

“As a whole, we have to be more physical,” Smith said. “As you look at us, I think it’s night-and-day from last season. We’re looking like real guys. Our guys are taking pride in looking at themselves in the mirror.

“They look in the mirror now and say, ‘Hey, I’ve got a ripple or two now.’”

The change in Franklin is evident from the spring.

“You look back and say gosh darn, he feels better about himself now,” Smith said. “He feels healthy instead of trying to hide the fact that he feels hurt and he doesn’t want to let you know that.”

The Hogs kick off the season Sept. 4 against Tennessee Tech. For Franklin and the rest of the Razorback defense, the date can’t come soon enough.

“All that work is about to pay off,” Franklin said.