Razorbacks plan for scrimmage Saturday
FAYETTEVILLE — Bret Bielema delivered on his promise to practice the Arkansas Razorbacks just one time Wednesday.
However, he used the first of two practices allotted for a morning walkthrough before a closed practice at night in full pads.
Between the sessions late Wednesday afternoon all nine assistant coaches meet with media.
“It was a really heavy day mentally for our guys this morning,” defensive coordinator Robb Smith said. “Really focused on a lot of things, walkthrough tempo wise, a little bit more installation in terms of our critical area. We’ll go out there underneath the lights and fly around and be a little more physical tonight. I thought we were off to a great start to the day with our mental portion of it and it’s really got to pick up in terms of physical intensity.”
Offensive coordinator Dan Enos expected the pace to pick up with the Hogs going full pads, following two practices in shoulder pads and thigh pads after an NCAA- mandated two practices without any pads.
“It’s a unique sport from other sports in that you can’t practice with your equipment on all summer,” Enos said. “You’ve got to learn how carry your pads. Football is actually a little bit easier game to play when you have your pads on, because there’s a lot of natural collisions and contact and it’s for protection purposes.”
The Razorbacks won’t be just practicing in full pads but scrimmaging in full pads Saturday ( so far closed to the public) to best simulate the 2: 30 p. m. conditions at Reynolds Razorback Stadium for the Sept. 5 season opener against UTEP.
Some coaches were asked what they looked for out of their position players scrimmaging Saturday.
“Hopefully establish a little bit of depth,” linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves said. “The thing about the scrimmage, when the lights come on the guys are different than in prac-
tice. So I am looking for guys who are ready to play when the lights come on.”
Offensive- line coach Sam Pittman likes the bar set by his starting five of center Mitch Smothers, guards Sebastian Tretola and Frank Ragnow ( the only one not a regular starter last year) and tackles Denver Kirkland and Dan Skipper but yearns to be more set with who waits in their wings.
“I am trying to make sure our good ones are playing good and the guys that need to step up are stepping up,” Pittman said. “We are looking for a few more guys. I would like to know who the sixth, seventh and eighth, ninth guys are and what position and we haven’t decided that yet.”
A redshirt freshman walkon, Johnny Gibson, is coming closer as the backup left tackle behind Kirkland, a job he surprisingly took last spring and continues enhancing.
“I am going to tell you Johnny Gibson is really, really having a good first five days,” Pittman said. “He can play and he will play. He’s a good football player.”
How does Gibson stand out?
“He is really playing fast and he’s big, man!” Pittman said. “He’s playing with leverage and he’ll hit you. He is starting to enjoy it. He got a little dinged up in his shoulder yesterday and did not miss a rep.”
Two true freshmen Arkansas native sons are on the move at linebacker.
Dre Greenlaw has ascended to backup weakside Will linebacker behind fellow Fayetteville High grad Brooks Ellis, the junior 2- year letterman and most currently heralded Razorback defensive player.
And Jamario Bell, the Junction City standout recruited as a defensive end but moved to linebacker last week where the depth is less, seems deemed both at end and linebacker for now.
“Dre’s been a guy through the first few days of camp that has really progressed,” Robb Smith said. “He’s caught on to what we’re trying to do defensively. We’ve always been really impressed with his athletic ability and now we’re getting a chance to see him do it against some really good competition. Excited to see that role expand as camp goes on.”
Defensive- line coach Rory Segrest assumes he’ll have full coaching custody of the ever growing Bell, but Bell does move well and linebacking depth is considerably thinner than the defensive line.
“We know defensive line is where he will end up at some point,” Segrest said. “But if he can get in and play linebacker early then he will give him that opportunity. We are just trying to get the best guys on the field. We are in the process of making that determination.”
Defensive coordinator Smith assures Bell chiming somewhere some day.
“There’s a guy whose athleticism has jumped out at us,” Smith said. “Based on where, as he progresses and learns our system, we’ll find a role for him within that system. It might be rushing the passer. It might be at outside linebacker. But we like what we’ve seen so far.”