No fans, few frills expected

FAYETTEVILLE — The general public won’t get to see the 2017 Arkansas Razorbacks in person until the fall.

Heeding a National Weather Service forecast that is calling for thunderstorms and a 100 percent chance of precipitation in Northwest Arkansas, officials at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville have decided to close the gates to fans at Reynolds Razorback Stadium and move the show indoors.

Instead of a traditional Red-White spring game, the Razorbacks announced Friday night that today’s 15th and final workout of the spring will be a 24-period scrimmage and practice, and will be played at the Walker Pavilion.

The SEC Network will televise the proceedings beginning at noon, but the live audience in the 38,000 square-foot building will be

limited to family members, member of the media, school officials and VIPs.

Last Saturday, before the weather forecast turned wet, Bielema said of the RedWhite game, “We try to do something every year to kind of spice it up a little bit.”

About 4 p.m. on Friday, he dropped another hint, writing on his Twitter account, “Just got out of meetings w/ @SECNetwork crew. Excited about the unique coverage & inside access fans will get to see tomorrow! #WoooPig”

The Razorbacks’ new 3-4 defensive scheme will be on display, but some of the more exotic blitzing and coverages they’ve been adding the past few days will probably stay under wraps.

“I want it to be as mistakefree as it can be,” defensive

coordinator Paul Rhoads said. “And the level of intensity, which equates to the level of how fast and how hard we play, needs to be the best we’ve played all spring.”

Rhoads said the Razorbacks are sure to gain from the today’s work, even if it’s indoors.

“I think anytime you can step in between the white lines and do what you’re asked to do, you’ve got a chance to improve,” Rhoads said. “We’ll get that done, whether we’re in the stadium and scrimmaging or wherever we end up.”

Offensive coordinator Dan Enos has mentioned the Razorbacks have worked on offensive innovations, but they won’t be seen today, especially with the game on TV.

“That’s fine,” Enos said. “I have enough work on them in the other 14 days plus fall camp.”

Bielema said there are some things we will do and some things we won’t do when asked last week if he planned to “hide stuff.”

“In today’s world it’s kind of hard to say we’re keeping things under wraps,” Bielema said. “There is definitely some things on both sides of the ball we probably won’t necessarily showcase or put out there.”

Bielema said he expected starting quarterback Austin Allen to play the first half and possibly not beyond that, which would give Ty Storey and Cole Kelley work with the first-team offensive line, excluding Frank Ragnow, receivers and backs.

Ragnow, a senior center who projects as one of the nation’s best, will not participate after sitting out the live tackling portions of the previous two spring scrimmages. Additionally, senior receiver Jared Cornelius (hamstring) is expected to have limited duty at best.