Hogs rusty after two days off
FAYETTEVILLE — Two full days off from practice left the Razorbacks rusty when they returned to practice Tuesday. Following their standard Sunday off, the team was given Monday off for the first day of classes for the University of Arkansas fall semester.
“I thought we came out today very lethargic,” Arkansas coach Chad Morris said after Tuesday’s closed practice. “The energy level was not even close to where it needed to be. You can definitely tell their schedule has changed. With us being back on the field for the first time since Saturday, you could definitely tell the energy level wasn’t near what it should be. It wasn’t to our standards. It picked up a little bit toward the end of practice, but it was nothing like it needs to be.”
Morris said the letdown’s timing didn’t surprise him. He said he had looked to one of the two quarterbacks battling for the starting job, third-year sophomore Cole Kelley, who opened with the first unit, or fourth-year junior Ty Storey, of Charleston, to pick up the team’s pace.
“I was really hoping that one of them would pick the energy level up and really kind of take over a little bit more,” Morris said. “But that didn’t happen like I wanted it to.”
Morris said that a decision had not been made regarding naming a No. 1 quarterback with the Sept. 1 opener against Eastern Illinois looming.
“Each one continues to bring things — good and bad,” he said. “Consistency is the key we’re looking for right here, but we are really no further ahead than we were Saturday.”
Regarding film review of last Saturday’s scrimmage, Morris reiterated defensive coordinator John Chavis’ disappointment with the tackling. He also noted that first-team senior weakside linebacker Dre Greenlaw was withheld, and first-team middle linebacker Scoota Harris and some others in the first-team secondary scrimmaged briefly to allow second-team players to be better evaluated.
Sophomore Ty Clary worked at backup center Tuesday behind senior starter Hjalte Froholdt.
Third-year sophomore backup center Dylan Hays was among those not practicing Tuesday, clad in a green jersey denoting limited activity, which was also the garment for tight end Jeremy Patton, out since last week with a sprained ankle.
Defensive end Randy Ramsey continues rehabbing a sore hamstring, but Morris predicts he’s getting close to returning.
Tight end Grayson Gunter, who sprained an ankle during last Saturday’s scrimmage, also was withheld Tuesday as was ailing receiver Gary Cross of Fordyce.
Junior McTelvin “Sosa” Agim, generally considered Arkansas’ best defensive lineman but recently practicing second team while adjusting his move from defensive end to defensive tackle, practiced first-team alternating with senior Armon Watts during the first 20 minutes that media was allowed to view Tuesday’s practice.
Nickel back D’Vone McClure, the ex-Cleveland Indians minor league baseball prospect and two-way baseball/football star at Jacksonville High, picked off a Cole Kelley pass during Tuesday’s first 20 minutes.
A very special visitor graced Arkansas’ Tuesday practice. Tori Johnson, 3, attended Tuesday’s workout as the surprise guest of Razorbacks sophomore nickel back/special-teamer Derrick Munson. Johnson is a patient at Arkansas Children’s Hospital Northwest who has been treated for a brain tumor, explained her mother, Erin.
Munson and Tori Johnson became fast friends upon the Razorbacks visit to the hospital last Friday.
Redshirt freshman offensive tackle Dalton Wagner has sufficiently recovered from last week’s appendectomy to ride an exercise bike with others wearing the yellow jerseys denoting they are too injured to practice.
Connor Limpert and Preston Stafford, with George Madden snapping to holder Jack Lindsey, each kicked 25-yard field goals during Tuesday’s first 20 minutes. Limpert kicked another later closing a 2-minute drill, Morris said and again will be Arkansas’ kickoff man.
“Connor is coming on,” Morris said.