Hammonds staying a receiver despite RB losses

FAYETTEVILLE — Losing running back Rawleigh Williams the remainder of his Razorbacks career obviously doesn’t render Arkansas’ lack of depth at receiver any less acute.

So for now at the University of Arkansas, coach Bret Bielema continues planning on sophomore T.J. Hammonds playing more receiver than running back.

The SEC leading rusher last regular season, Williams netted 1,326 yards in Arkansas’ 12 games before closing with the 38-24 loss to Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl. However, the second major neck injury of his Arkansas career during the final spring practice on April 29 prompted Williams to retire from football, though the junior remains on full scholarship and will assist as a student-coach.

Even with Williams, current sophomore Devwah Whaley (110 rushes for 602 yards), the apparent No.1 tailback heir, and oft-injured sixth-year senior Kody Walker (33 carries), Bielema, offensive coordinator Dan Enos and running backs coach Reggie Mitchell worked Hammonds into the game plan last season.

The 5-10, 197-pounder from Pulaski Robinson rushed 15 times for 58 yards. He popped a key 30-yarder complementing Williams’ five-touchdown performance in the 58-42 SEC West victory at Mississippi State. Hammonds netted a 15-yard run in the 31-10 SEC triumph over then-No. 11 Florida in Fayetteville.

Hammonds did not catch a pass in his eight games last season, but Bielema and Enos saw enough in practices to be impressed with his potential at receiver.

So with Keon Hatcher, Drew Morgan, Dominique Reed and Cody Hollister all departed, Hammonds moved to receiver during the offseason.

Hammonds dropped two passes during the first spring scrimmage, then started catching on. He hauled in three passes for 24 yards in the second scrimmage, then really caught Bielema’s eye in the final practice.

While Hammonds will work some out of the backfield in the upcoming preseason, Beilema currently has no plans to use him in the backfield more in the wake of Williams’ injury.

“I think we liked what evolved at wide receiver, especially that last week,” Bielema said. “That last spring practice it really showed, the catches that day. He’s had tremendous growth. He’s very intelligent and he’s very exciting with the ball in his hands. So the growth at wide receiver, we’d probably like to see that going. But I am not saying he couldn’t pop in there at tailback at some point.”

Early on in spring drills, it appeared that star-crossed junior Juan Day of North Little Rock could help at running back. Day has had two major knee surgeries — the first at North Little Rock and the second during his second college season — and sustained another injury before spring drills ended. However, after graduating in three years, the running back will look for a better chance to play after announcing he’s transferring with two years’ graduate student eligibility.