Arkansas football camp report: Razorbacks trim practice on eve of 1st preseason scrimmage

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FAYETTEVILLE — On an unseasonably cool morning with a start-time temperate about 72 degrees, the Arkansas Razorbacks conducted the seventh practice of training camp outside in spider pads on the eve of their first scrimmage.

The Razorbacks trimmed their practice by about a half hour to give the players more time to be off their feet prior to the big scrimmage. Coach Sam Pittman and a few players are scheduled to address members of the media after the scrimmage, which is being played on a Thursday to match up with the Hogs’ season-opener on Thursday, Aug. 29, against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Little Rock.

There was plenty of personnel movement for Wednesday’s workout as the Hogs deal with bruises, tweaks and soreness at a variety of positions.

Tailback Ja’Quinden Jackson, receiver Tyrone Broden, offensive lineman Keyshawn Blackstock and cornerback Kee’yon Stewart all dressed out and had some level of participation after missing time Tuesday.

Receiver Andrew Armstrong, cornerbacks Jaheim Singletary and Marquise Robinson, offensive guard Patrick Kutas and defensive ends Anton Juncaj and Jon Hill did not participate in the workout during the media viewing portion.

Armstrong and Singleton were both slowed Tuesday and they were not visible on the practice field for the first five periods. Kutas has been out since last Thursday. Juncaj, Robinson and Hill walked the perimeter of the practice fields in the early part of the workout.

None of those players are expected to be out long.

Armstrong, who had team highs with 56 catches for 764 yards and 5 touchdowns last season, was named Wednesday to the Biletnikoff Award watch list.

With Armstrong and Broden slowed, Bentonville High School freshman CJ Brown earned key time with the starters along with Fayetteville High School grad Isaiah Sategna and Jaedon Wilson.

Jackson and Blackstock did not participate in Tuesday’s work and were limited Wednesday, while Broden has been slowed the past couple of days and held out of team periods during the media viewing time.

Stewart came up gimpy after a play during one-on-one work Tuesday, but he worked with the second unit during fastballs. True freshman Selman Bridges took valuable first-team snaps at cornerback opposite Jaylon Braxton with Singleton slowed and Stewart going with the second team.

Blackstock worked with the second group, behind Joe More at right tackle. Amaury Wiggins was back at first-team center and Addison Nichols, the projected starting center, took snaps at left guard with Kutas on the mend. They were joined, as usual, by projected starters in left tackle Fernando Carmona and right guard Josh Braun. Nichols and Wiggins have been swapping positions with regularity this week as offensive line coach Eric Mateos tries to ensure versatility.

Scrimmage time

The Razorbacks will hold their first scrimmage of camp, a closed affair Thursday morning at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Coach Sam Pittman has been promising a tougher camp with more tackling to the ground and the players sounded prepared.

“The coaches have already let that be known,” defensive end Landon Jackson said. “We’re trying to get a lot of live periods in. That’s been a problem that I’ve noticed from my past two years here. The first few weeks our tackling is poor.

“A lot of people might say, ‘Oh, the players will get injured.’ At the end of the day, it’s the game we signed up for. I’d rather take that risk than us lose football games.”

Defensive line coach Deke Adams said the increased attention on more rugged practices suits his unit.

“There’s no doubt about it, that the game is won in the trenches,” Adams said. “So I demand that of my guys up front all the time anyway.

“And tackling is a big part of what we do in a lot of ways because you look back to last season, we left some things, we left a lot of plays on the field. We left some sacks on the field and if we can make those plays this year, it’ll make a difference in a lot of games.”

‘Never forget’

Receivers coach Ronnie Fouch is clearly high on the potential for 6-7 senior Tyrone Broden, who had 15 receptions for 109 yards and 3 touchdowns and a pedestrian 7.3 yards per catch in 2023.

Fouch said Broden can play the Z position, where he’s been running first team, but also the W and X spots, where Isaiah Sategna and Andrew Armstrong are the probable starters, respectively.

“He has to move around a lot,” Fouch said. “He’s been so impressive in his work ethic and his footwork for his size and his hands, obviously.

“With his height, he can high point the ball way up there above the backboard. … This is a different year for him. We’re asking him to start on the outside. He’s taken that role and the leadership role, really working harder because this is going to be a different year for him.”

Fouch said Broden, a sixth-year player and second-year transfer from Bowling Green, has a remarkable trait that not all receivers possess.

“His ability to pick up things fast,” Fouch said. “You can tell him something one time, and he’ll never forget it. … A lot of guys, maybe young freshmen, you’re pounding it in their heads, ‘Hey, this is what you have on this play.’ I tell him one time, or change something on a play, and he’ll never forget that.

“That’s what I’ve been most impressed with him is just picking up the offense and his ability to win at the line of scrimmage. People are afraid of his speed, so he gets a little more cushion sometimes, but he still trusts the detail and gets into his technique and wins on routes.”

Hasz named

Tight end Luke Hasz was named Wednesday as one of 90 players on the preseason watch list for the Comeback Player of the Year Award as announced by The Associated Press, the College Sports Communicators and the Fiesta Bowl Organization.

The award has been in existence since 2018, honoring players returning from injury, illness or other circumstances.

Hasz, a sophomore from Bixby, Okla., had 16 receptions for 253 yards and 3 touchdowns through the fist four-plus games before leaving early in Arkansas’ game against Texas A&M with a broken collarbone. The 6-3, 241-pounder was named to The Athletic’s midseason Freshman All-America team. Hasz was also named the John Mackey Award’s tight end of the week after making 6 catches for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 34-31 loss at LSU.

Tribute pendant

Defensive line coach Deke Adams prominently displays a pendant on a necklace with an image of his late mother Anna Adams on it.

“I lost my mom on July 3 of last year,” Adams said. “She had dementia and Alzheimer’s and so we kind of … that’s my deal.”

Fastballs

Quarterback Taylen Green completed his only throw in fastball starts Wednesday, a connection with Isaiah Sategna down a seam over the right side for double-figure yards on snap No. 2. Green dropped back two other times but did not see a throw he trusted and scrambled over the right side. The other play was a toss to the right to Rodney Hill, who bumped up to the first unit.

True freshman running back Braylen Russell had three touches on four snaps for the second unit. The 6-1, 253-pounder caught passes on each edge of the defense from quarterback Malachi Singleton and he had a short run at right guard.

The other snap was a keeper by Singleton over the right side.

True freshman KJ Jackson went 2 for 3 with the third group. He completed a short pass over the left side to Bryce Stephens and one on the other edge of the formation to Rykar Acebo. Jackson also threw incomplete on a shallow crossing route for Acebo with a pass broken up by Landon Phipps. The other snap in the sequence was a run-pass option give to tailback Tyrell Reed for a short gain.

Visitors

Former Razorback coaches Harold Horton and Louis Campbell attended the practice and hung out together on the sideline.

A scout from the Atlanta Falcons also observed the workout. The Razorbacks have had visits from multiple scouts during the early portion of camp, including ones from Green Bay, Seattle, Indianapolis and other teams.

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Arkansas football camp report: Razorbacks trim practice on eve of 1st preseason scrimmage

Arkansas football camp report: Razorbacks trim practice on eve of 1st preseason scrimmage

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