Hogs no longer limited to 105-man roster
FAYETTEVILLE — With Monday’s start of University of Arkansas fall semester classes, senior receiver Jared Cornelius rejoins the Razorbacks.
After preseason practice began on July 27, Cornelius injured his back and was removed from the 105 maximum active preseason roster.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema expects Cornelius to resume practice this week and likely be available for the Razorbacks’ Aug. 31 Thursday night season opener against the Florida A&M Rattlers at War Memorial Stadium.
“J-Red can’t join us until we start back in school,” Bielema said last Wednesday. “But if there wasn’t a rule, he’d probably be back with us right now. But he’ll join us on Monday.”
Other than Cornelius, who had 32 catches for 515 yards and four touchdowns, only third-year sophomores Deon Stewart and La’Michael Pettway, who combined for three catches, return from last year’s receiving corps.
Newcomers get bonus reps
Cornelius’ absence did allow Bielema and receivers coach Michael Smith to get more work for a host of new receivers.
Junior college transfer Jonathan Nance, true freshman Koilan Jackson of Pulaski Robinson and redshirt freshman Jordan Jones of Smackover appeared to benefit the most from being in the regular receivers’ rotation, and summer-added junior college transfer Gary Cross of Fordyce also has been cited.
Brandon Martin, the more heralded receiver at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College when he and Nance played there, has been set back by inconsistencies and injuries since signing on at Arkansas, but he has healed from a recent back injury and is practicing again.
Although still recovering from injuries suffered during preseason that removed them from the 105man preseason active roster, defensive end Jamario Bell of Junction City, middle linebacker Josh Harris of Watson Chapel, sophomore receiver/running back T.J Hammonds of Pulaski Robinson and true freshman offensive line Dalton Wagner of Spring Grove, Ill., can return to practice when their health allows.
Speaking Monday at the Little Rock Touchdown Club, Bielema reiterated last week’s statement that the Razorbacks’ uniforms in some way will honor the memory of Frank Broyles, the iconic Razorbacks head football coach, athletic director and athletic director emeritus until his death Aug. 14 at 92.
Broyles, Arkansas’ winningest football coach and only national champion football coach and the athletic director who turned the UA athletic department into a nationally renowned all-sports program, was a nationally-renowned color analyst with renowned play-by-play man Keith Jackson on the ABC College Football Game of the Week. He also authored the worldwide freely distributed Alzheimer’s Playbook for Caregivers based on his experiences from taking care of his late wife Barbara, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, and was honored last Saturday in a celebration of life last Saturday at Walton Arena.
The Razorbacks spent Monday getting adjusted to their first day of classes before practic accelerates today.
Arkansas’ first two games are nationally televised. The SEC Network televises the 7 p.m., Thursday night, Aug. 31 game against Florida A&M in Little Rock. CBS televises the 2:30 p.m. Sept. 9 game against TCU in Fayetteville.
CBS also televises Arkansas’ final regular-season
game, at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 24 against SEC opponent Missouri at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Kickoff times for the other Razorbacks games and who will televise them remain to be announced.
Arkansas fans can get a TV preview of the Florida A&M Rattlers of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The Rattlers, coached by Alex Wood who coached Arkansas quarterbacks in 2006 and receivers in 2007 under Houston Nutt, open their season against Texas Southern at home in Tallahassee, Fla., at 11 a.m. Saturday on ESPNU.
Bielema completes his preseason speaking obligations this week.
He spoke to the Little Rock Touchdown Club Monday and addresses the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club Wednesday at Mermaid’s Restaurant in Fayetteville.