Jackson back on OL for Hogs
FAYETTEVILLE - After his get-your-feet-wet performance off the second-team bench in last Saturday's 44-17 loss to North Texas, incumbent left offensive tackle Colton Jackson of Conway was back on the first team for Arkansas' Tuesday practice.
The Razorbacks, 1-2, prep for their 6:30 Saturday night SEC West opener against the nationally No. 9 Auburn Tigers, 2-1, 0-1, televised by the SEC Network at the Tigers' Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala.
Jackson just last week started full pads practicing following his back surgery performed in July.
Jackson was Arkansas' starting left tackle for most of the last two seasons under former Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and was counted upon to start by first-year Coach Chad Morris until his ailing back required surgery.
In Jackson's place, the Razorbacks in their 55-20 season-opening victory over lower division Eastern Illinois started redshirt freshman Shane Clenin at left tackle. Clenin injured an ankle in the opener and was replaced the last two games by even more inexperienced Noah Gatlin, the true freshman from Jonesboro.
Morris and offensive coordinator Joe Craddock
have praised Gatlin for doing the best he can as a true rookie playing a position most don't master until their third college season. However they obviously welcome Jackson's return even if his summer workouts obviously were detoured by his rehab from surgery.
"He did some good things," Morris said when asked Monday about Jackson's play against North Texas. "You could definitely tell it was his first game. We’ll continue to bring him along. He was sore as well. But definitely he will give us some depth in our offensive line. I was pleased with Noah Gatlin at left tackle again for a freshman to be put in those situation the last two weeks. Hopefully we’ll be able to get Colton back in there to help out as well."
Craddock also was asked about Jackson at the coaches' Monday press conference.
"Colton played and obviously was a little rusty and a little bit out of shape," Craddock said. "But I think with a good week of practice and just getting back into the flow of things he's gonna be just fine."
Redshirt freshman JaTarvious Whitlow has taken over the bulk of the carries in the backfield off the bench. Kam Martin, the top returning rusher, has only nine carries in the past two games while freshman Shaun Shivers started against LSU.
The receiving corps also has undergone a youth movement. Ryan Davis is averaging just 8.4 yards on a team-high 13 catches after setting the school record with 84 receptions last season.
Freshmen Anthony Schwartz, a high school track star, and Seth Williams have become bigger factors in the passing game.
Schwartz (57 yards) and freshman tailback Asa Martin (33 yards) have accounted for the early season's longest pass plays.
"I think any time you can get an explosive play, it kind of ups your tempo, ups your game a little bit," Stidham said. "I think that's something we really need to focus on, trying to get a little bit more explosive plays. But at the end of the day, we're going to take what the defense gives us.
"You can't try and force too many things. We'll just take a look at it and see what we can do."
points per game. Lake Hamilton owns wins over Hot Springs Lakeside (31-27), Malvern (56-10) and Hot Springs (42-7).
"They're really talented in the backfield. They've got three or four guys they have a lot of confidence in carrying the football," said Wylie. "Up front, they're not as big as Cabot but they do what they do well. They know what they're doing. They're sound up front. Those guys are doing a real good job."
The coach said the Wildcats, during their off-week, got back to basics and also got a little physical.
"A lot of fundamental stuff, we've gone against each other. We've had some periods where we've gone against our offense for speed. We've been getting after it pretty good," said Wylie, who, after the Cabot game, said his defense had to get lower in its pad level.
"I think we've done a better job. We want to see it in a game situation come Friday. We want to see us take the stuff we're doing from the practice field and execute it in the game."
Senior starting center Hjalte Froholdt, Arkansas' starting left guard the last two seasons, worked some at left guard Tuesday while sophomore starting left guard Ty Clary, a backup center last spring and a 4-games starter at right guard as a true freshman last year, worked some center.
Offensive line coach Dustin Fry has cross trained about everybody but senior right tackle Brian Wallace trying to create depth on the injury depleted line.
Sophomore Chevin Calloway, the starting cornerback Arkansas' first two games, but missing the North Texas game "because of some personal family issues he's dealing with," Morris said Monday, was not spotted during Tuesday's first 20 minutes of the otherwise closed practice that media is allowed to view.
Junior Britto Tutt and redshirt freshman Jarques McCellion were among the corners taking Calloway's place opposite entrenched cornerback Ryan Pulley against North Texas.
However Tutt was in a green limited practice jersey Tuesday.
Junior college transfer defensive end Dorian Gerald, idled by an ankle injury last week, practiced Tuesday.