Injury, slow start mar Razorback practice

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas was temporarily reduced to three tight ends on Monday.

Senior Razorback Jeremy Patton, a second-year junior college transfer, apparently injured a foot or an ankle while blocking for a field goal attempt during the first 20 minutes of Monday’s practice. He had to be carried off the field and returned in a boot to watch the remainder of practice.

Media was allowed to view the first 20 minutes of practice and was later told Patton’s condition would be updated.

Coach Chad Morris has said tight ends is one of the team’s deepest positions, citing fourth-year juniors Austin Cantrell and Cheyenne Grady, along with Patton and third-year sophomore Grayson Gunter.

“Really, everybody just steps up one spot,” Cantrell said. “I don’t think he’ll be out that long, honestly.”

Patton’s injury was the toughest for the Razorbacks to watch, but, for their ears, the toughest was Morris’ vocal displeasure, at least with their first 20 minutes. It was the team’s first practice since Saturday’s scrimmage.

“He’s kind of like that every day,” Cantrell said of Morris being fiery. “But he was a little bit more mad today, I guess. We were a little slow on the start. You know, we got a little punishment, had to do some up-downs, but I think after that it turned around.”

Senior cornerback Ryan Pulley and McTelvin “Sosa” Agim, the junior defensive lineman, said they were not surprised Morris chewed them out and put them through up-downs.

“You will catch it every once in awhile if he doesn’t feel like you are giving it your all,” Agim said. “Especially after we just got a day off yesterday.”

Pulley said he saw Monday’s updowns coming almost from the get-go.

“We knew we didn’t have any energy when we went out there,” Pulley said. “People were walking around. So, we knew we were going to get punished at some time out there today. So, we just took it to the chin and got better today.”

Pulley said Morris closed practice far more upbeat than he began it.

“Just a little message to motivate us a little bit,” Pulley said. “He told us we’ve got to keep getting better everyday. We went out there a little slow, but we picked the energy back up at the end. We’re going to come out there tomorrow and have a big day.”

Pulley was clad Monday in a green jersey signifying limited contact.

“I’m dinged up a little bit, but I’m alright,” Pulley said. “Just a little stinger on my shoulder, but I’m ready to go.”

Sophomore running back Chase Hayden, withheld from Saturday’s scrimmage because of an injury, practiced Monday.

Saturday’s scrimmage was Austin Capps’ first live work after moving from the defensive to the offensive line. Cantrell said the 6-4, 311-pound junior

from Star City already pulls his weight at left guard.

“Capps, you don’t want to be over there when he’s pulling, I’ll tell you that.” Cantrell said. He’s been hitting people on that pull. He’s one of the strongest if not the strongest guy on the team.”

Seems all the Razorbacks have tactfully avoided directly replying to questions about the competition for starting quarterback between fourth-year junior Ty Storey, of Charleston, and third-year sophomore Cole Kelley, of Lafayette, La.

Cantrell is no exception, but he did contrast their personalities and styles.

“Really, between Ty and Cole, to me it’s neck and neck,” Cantrell said “Honestly, I think it’s wide open. They each kind of have their own personalities. Cole’s just a really, really fierce competitor, but sometimes it may lead to a bad decision. Ty’s usually more conservative and he’s more of a thinker. That’s kind of their personalities to me, anyway.”

Sophomore cornerback Chevin Calloway was asked to describe the leaping one-handed interception alongside the sideline he picked in the scrimmage.

Morris, defensive coordinator John Chavis and even offensive coordinator Joe Craddock all marveled Saturday about Calloway’s catch and footwork in tightroping the sideline.

“I just looked up for the ball and saw it was in my reach,” Calloway said. “So, I just reached up and grabbed it. Kind of mentally I told myself I need to drag this foot, so dragged that foot and just caught the ball.”