Receivers heat up with heat
FAYETTEVILLE — Receivers Jared Cornelius and Keon Hatcher made the day’s best catches as the Arkansas Razorbacks conducted an open practice of a little more than two hours, mostly in the sizzling heat of the outdoor practice fields Saturday.
Cornelius got a step on cornerback D.J. Dean on the right sideline and hauled in a perfectly thrown pass of intermediate depth from Brandon Allen on the second play of the opening team period. The Razorbacks worked in shoulder pads and thigh pads with limited contact, which gave the passing game a chance to shine.
Hatcher ran an intermediate curl with Jared Collins in his hip pocket, but eight snaps later he managed to snatch the ball away from a breakup attempt by the cornerback to grab an Allen pass.
“Keon Hatcher has been a superstar at wide receiver,” Coach Bret Bielema said while making his first media appearance of camp.
The Razorbacks moved inside for the final seven periods of the workout, which included a few team periods. Austin Allen dropped in a pass just beyond coverage for Jojo Robinson to bring in for a long gain.
On the next play, cornerback Ryan Pulley, who had just given up the deep pass, popped Robinson in the backfield on an end-around. Pulley picked up plenty of snaps with the second defense.
“Pulley has jumped out from Day One,” Bielema said.
Later, Rafe Peavey rolled right and found speedster Eric Hawkins open deep down the middle for the connection and a would-be touchdown pass.