LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Coach Houston Nutt's obsession with field position almost cost Arkansas its quarterback.

Nutt had senior Clint Stoerner handling the snaps in the fourth quarter Saturday night with the 15th-ranked Razorbacks leading Louisiana-Monroe by 28 points and on the way to a 44-6 victory.

	Arkansas tailback Chrys Chukwuma got stopped by Louisiana-Monroe's Cedric Robinson on this play, but the Indians couldn't stop the Razorbacks' running game.

From the Arkansas 30, Stoerner was sacked for a 13-yard loss; he headed for the sideline pointing to his right shoulder.

Nutt said it was a bruise, but Stoerner said it was a strain. Nutt said Stoerner, who threw for a school-record 2,629 yards last year, would probably miss practice until mid-week, but should be ready for Alabama next week.

"It was all about field position," Nutt said. "I wanted to get it to midfield and get the other team in. Looking back, I wish we hadn't put him back in the game.

"It's 34-6. I think we're going to win, but I don't know."

Arkansas broke the game open by converting three kicking game mistakes into 17 points in the third quarter.

Michael Mitchell's 33-yard run early in the fourth quarter ended Arkansas' bid for its first consecutive shutouts since 1974.

Arkansas (2-0) led 17-0 at halftime, but the Indians (1-2) did not make a major error until the early minutes of the third quarter. Punter John White mishandled a snap for a 20-yard loss that left the Razorbacks 5 yards from the end zone.

Arkansas got a 42-yard field goal from Tony Dodson following White's 14-yard punt, then covered 52 yards in three plays after a partially blocked punt traveled 25 yards.

On the first play after White's bobbled snap, Chrys Chukwuma took a handoff up the middle, broke to the outside and easily reached the end zone. Michael Jenkins' 1-yard run made it 34-0 two plays after Anthony Lucas caught Stoerner's 51-yard pass at the 1.

"We made them shank a couple of punts," Nutt said. "You don't have to block one if you force a poor punt."

The Indians, known as Northeast Louisiana until a few weeks ago, moved from Division I-AA to Division I-A in 1994. Since the move, Louisiana-Monroe is 7-36 against Division I-A teams.

Arkansas took the opening kickoff and covered 71 yards in eight plays for a 7-0 lead. Stoerner's pass over the middle to Michael Williams was good for 46 yards to the Indians 19. On first down from the 8, Stoerner threw a swing pass to Marvin Caston, who didn't have a catch or a carry last season.

The Indians had to punt from their 12 after Jermaine Brooks' sack of Chance and Harold Harris' 10-yard return ended at the Louisiana-Monroe 40. On third down, Stoerner lined up in the shotgun with Cobbs to his right. Cobbs slipped into the middle of the field, behind the charging defenders, caught Stoerner's lob and broke a couple of tackles on his way to the end zone.

The Razorbacks outgained the Indians 200 yards to 71 in the first half and neither team had a turnover.

Aided by two Arkansas penalties, the Indians made three first downs on their first possession. The Indians picked up a blitz and Andy Chance dumped a pass to Kevin Stevenson for a 16-yard gain. A couple of plays later, Chance overthrew wide-open Sean Brown at the Arkansas 10 and Justin Mink was wide left on a 39-yard field goal attempt.