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re: Arkansas Football Summer Offseason Thread **WR Maleek Barkley finally announces transfer**
Posted on 3/8/18 at 1:09 am to Hogwarts
Posted on 3/8/18 at 1:09 am to Hogwarts
Cole Kelley
Ty Storey
Jeremy Patton
Dre Greenlaw
You’re starting to see some shade thrown at the previous staff in these interviews. These guys were clearly ready for a change.
Ty Storey
Jeremy Patton
Dre Greenlaw
You’re starting to see some shade thrown at the previous staff in these interviews. These guys were clearly ready for a change.
This post was edited on 3/8/18 at 1:13 am
1
Posted on 3/8/18 at 10:29 am to TheCheshireHog
It's weird hearing Patton abs Kelley sounding the most excited about the regime change because you would think the guys who bielema had just recruited would be his biggest supporters
Posted on 3/9/18 at 3:16 am to RazorHawg
Clicking these blind links is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.
Posted on 3/9/18 at 8:47 am to 870Hog
I feel like 247 sec country and the rest just copy each other and none end up with real quality info or a better scoop than the others. it's just quotes and message board speculation.
Posted on 3/9/18 at 9:16 am to oklahogjr
They’re all just writing the same stories based off quotes from the videos I linked above. That’s the only access they have right now.
Posted on 3/9/18 at 7:18 pm to TheCheshireHog
Yep. Shadid is the only person I’ve seen tweet about the actual practices he’s watched other than Danny messing with K.Rich.
Posted on 3/10/18 at 3:10 pm to RazorHawg
Posted on 3/10/18 at 4:17 pm to RazorHawg
Maleek Williams at #2 RB and Jordan Jones at 3rd string WR are surprising.
Posted on 3/10/18 at 7:18 pm to RazorHawg
WR: La’Michael Pettway | Brandon Martin | Jordan Jones
Posted on 3/10/18 at 7:21 pm to TheCheshireHog
Is Tyson Morris a walk-on?
Posted on 3/11/18 at 12:52 pm to ocelot4ark
Thoughts and Observations from Andrew Hutchinson at 247:
(Part 1)
Now that I have slept on it, here are a few of my thoughts and observations from Saturday's scrimmage - the first of the Chad Morris era.
-Scrimmages during the Bret Bielema era were methodical. The team would warm up and meet at midfield, where Bielema would talk to them, before the scrimmage started. Then during the scrimmage, the Razorbacks would huddle up between plays. That made charting and tracking statistics relatively easy the last five years. All of that changed Saturday. It was almost as if Morris pressed the "fast forward" button on an old VCR player. The first thing Arkansas did was a kickoff coverage/return drill. Then I blinked and they were three plays into the scrimmage. I still don't know how it happened. When I wrote that the stats were unofficial, I wasn't joking - we had to estimate some of the gains because the Razorbacks were going so fast (plus we didn't have a very good vantage point from the crowded sideline). A couple of times when a new unit jogged out for its series, Morris yelled "Come out like you want to play" and made them go back to the sideline and sprint back out there.
-The scrimmage was structured in a way that it included some moving the ball the length of the field, some red zone work, some goal line work and some situational stuff (third-and-long, fourth-and-short, etc.). One of my biggest takeaways from Saturday was the creativity of the offense in the red zone and at the goal line. There were obviously some "We're going to pound it in from one yard out" type of runs, but they also utilized the tight ends a lot. That is when Jeremy Patton, Will Gragg and Cheyenne O'Grady caught their touchdowns. I saw running backs getting out into the flats and catching passes. Quarterbacks threw a couple of what seemed almost like jump passes - not quite Tim Tebow-esque, but close. There was much more creativity and variety than the previous coaching staff. We'd occasionally see a Dan Enos special with a trick play, but usually the goal line offense was maddeningly inefficient (until they created the Steamboat package for Cole Kelley).
-I didn't get to watch the cornerbacks as much as I would have liked, but I did notice them playing press coverage in situations that you would think should call for it. There was no playing seven yards off the receiver on third-and-three or in the red zone. Along those same lines, John Chavis has definitely made his mark on the defense. They were very aggressive Saturday. Sure, a quick whistle helped the sack numbers, but even without that, they were constantly in the quarterbacks' face. I'm far from an expert on the subject, but I don't believe that was just a byproduct of poor offensive line play - like what some fell for a couple years ago. I'm pretty sure I saw defensive ends, defensive tackles, linebackers and safeties in the backfield at various times throughout the scrimmage, so the pressure was coming from everywhere.
-Everyone was getting a lot of reps and rotating with their own unit and the unit above them. By that I mean third-teamers were also getting work with the second-team unit and second-teamers also got work with the first-team unit. That was true on both sides of the ball. Ty Storey and Cole Kelley got the majority of the 1s and 2s snaps, but the other four quarterbacks also took snaps with those units. Wide receivers, running backs, tight ends, defensive linemen and linebackers rotated through regularly. The secondary remained mostly constant from what I could tell. My guess is that will start to change as spring practice winds down and the coaches zero in on who they think will have significant roles this fall. However, that "no position is guaranteed" philosophy has worked wonders for a few players. You can tell that they have an extra pep in their step because they have been given new life after being dug up from the deep depths of the depth chart. If nothing else, that should only push the presumed starters to be even better - or they'll lose their spot.
-On an individual basis, here's an example of no spot being guaranteed: Tyson Morris, a walk-on from Fayetteville High and the son of former Arkansas basketball player Isaiah "Butch" Morris, had the best day of Arkansas' wide receivers and he did it starting out with the second-team offense while also getting some work on the first team. He had a long touchdown reception when he caught a short pass, made a guy miss and then raced up the sideline. It was actually the first score of the day. I told a group of fellow media members, "If you had Tyson Morris scoring the first touchdown of the first scrimmage, please come forward and collect your winnings," because the odds of that happening had to be astronomical. The second-most impressive reception of the scrimmage, in my opinion, was by another walk-on. Tobias Enlow - no longer in a green jersey - snagged a ball along the sideline for a 35-yard gain despite tight coverage. It was a highlight-reel type of play. Now, will either of these guys contribute on more than special teams next season or will be turn out to just be spring all-stars? That probably depends on the development and progression of the other talented scholarship wide receivers on the roster.
-I'll focus on a couple of those scholarship wide receivers because they seem to have flipped in regard to their standing on the football team. La'Michael Pettway has enjoyed a resurgence with the new staff. After being stuck in a perpetual doghouse with Bielema, he has emerged as one of the Razorbacks' starting wide receivers this spring. I've written before that he has been near the front of the line for drills and stretching and he continues to do that. Even though he dropped what should have been a long reception, Morris praised Pettway for his blocking abilities after Saturday's scrimmage. Those are the little things that will get him on the field if he continues to do them (and he starts making those catches). On the opposite end of the spectrum, it seems like Jordan Jones has plummeted down the depth chart. He has been at the back of the line for drills and stretching. The couple of times I saw him on the sideline, his body language wasn't very good. Sure enough, he didn't check in to the scrimmage until the third-team offense came out and I don't remember him being targeted with a single pass. In my opinion, he needs to kick it in gear. Jones has all of the talent - and speed - in the world, but that doesn't do you any good unless you do something with it.
(Part 1)
Now that I have slept on it, here are a few of my thoughts and observations from Saturday's scrimmage - the first of the Chad Morris era.
-Scrimmages during the Bret Bielema era were methodical. The team would warm up and meet at midfield, where Bielema would talk to them, before the scrimmage started. Then during the scrimmage, the Razorbacks would huddle up between plays. That made charting and tracking statistics relatively easy the last five years. All of that changed Saturday. It was almost as if Morris pressed the "fast forward" button on an old VCR player. The first thing Arkansas did was a kickoff coverage/return drill. Then I blinked and they were three plays into the scrimmage. I still don't know how it happened. When I wrote that the stats were unofficial, I wasn't joking - we had to estimate some of the gains because the Razorbacks were going so fast (plus we didn't have a very good vantage point from the crowded sideline). A couple of times when a new unit jogged out for its series, Morris yelled "Come out like you want to play" and made them go back to the sideline and sprint back out there.
-The scrimmage was structured in a way that it included some moving the ball the length of the field, some red zone work, some goal line work and some situational stuff (third-and-long, fourth-and-short, etc.). One of my biggest takeaways from Saturday was the creativity of the offense in the red zone and at the goal line. There were obviously some "We're going to pound it in from one yard out" type of runs, but they also utilized the tight ends a lot. That is when Jeremy Patton, Will Gragg and Cheyenne O'Grady caught their touchdowns. I saw running backs getting out into the flats and catching passes. Quarterbacks threw a couple of what seemed almost like jump passes - not quite Tim Tebow-esque, but close. There was much more creativity and variety than the previous coaching staff. We'd occasionally see a Dan Enos special with a trick play, but usually the goal line offense was maddeningly inefficient (until they created the Steamboat package for Cole Kelley).
-I didn't get to watch the cornerbacks as much as I would have liked, but I did notice them playing press coverage in situations that you would think should call for it. There was no playing seven yards off the receiver on third-and-three or in the red zone. Along those same lines, John Chavis has definitely made his mark on the defense. They were very aggressive Saturday. Sure, a quick whistle helped the sack numbers, but even without that, they were constantly in the quarterbacks' face. I'm far from an expert on the subject, but I don't believe that was just a byproduct of poor offensive line play - like what some fell for a couple years ago. I'm pretty sure I saw defensive ends, defensive tackles, linebackers and safeties in the backfield at various times throughout the scrimmage, so the pressure was coming from everywhere.
-Everyone was getting a lot of reps and rotating with their own unit and the unit above them. By that I mean third-teamers were also getting work with the second-team unit and second-teamers also got work with the first-team unit. That was true on both sides of the ball. Ty Storey and Cole Kelley got the majority of the 1s and 2s snaps, but the other four quarterbacks also took snaps with those units. Wide receivers, running backs, tight ends, defensive linemen and linebackers rotated through regularly. The secondary remained mostly constant from what I could tell. My guess is that will start to change as spring practice winds down and the coaches zero in on who they think will have significant roles this fall. However, that "no position is guaranteed" philosophy has worked wonders for a few players. You can tell that they have an extra pep in their step because they have been given new life after being dug up from the deep depths of the depth chart. If nothing else, that should only push the presumed starters to be even better - or they'll lose their spot.
-On an individual basis, here's an example of no spot being guaranteed: Tyson Morris, a walk-on from Fayetteville High and the son of former Arkansas basketball player Isaiah "Butch" Morris, had the best day of Arkansas' wide receivers and he did it starting out with the second-team offense while also getting some work on the first team. He had a long touchdown reception when he caught a short pass, made a guy miss and then raced up the sideline. It was actually the first score of the day. I told a group of fellow media members, "If you had Tyson Morris scoring the first touchdown of the first scrimmage, please come forward and collect your winnings," because the odds of that happening had to be astronomical. The second-most impressive reception of the scrimmage, in my opinion, was by another walk-on. Tobias Enlow - no longer in a green jersey - snagged a ball along the sideline for a 35-yard gain despite tight coverage. It was a highlight-reel type of play. Now, will either of these guys contribute on more than special teams next season or will be turn out to just be spring all-stars? That probably depends on the development and progression of the other talented scholarship wide receivers on the roster.
-I'll focus on a couple of those scholarship wide receivers because they seem to have flipped in regard to their standing on the football team. La'Michael Pettway has enjoyed a resurgence with the new staff. After being stuck in a perpetual doghouse with Bielema, he has emerged as one of the Razorbacks' starting wide receivers this spring. I've written before that he has been near the front of the line for drills and stretching and he continues to do that. Even though he dropped what should have been a long reception, Morris praised Pettway for his blocking abilities after Saturday's scrimmage. Those are the little things that will get him on the field if he continues to do them (and he starts making those catches). On the opposite end of the spectrum, it seems like Jordan Jones has plummeted down the depth chart. He has been at the back of the line for drills and stretching. The couple of times I saw him on the sideline, his body language wasn't very good. Sure enough, he didn't check in to the scrimmage until the third-team offense came out and I don't remember him being targeted with a single pass. In my opinion, he needs to kick it in gear. Jones has all of the talent - and speed - in the world, but that doesn't do you any good unless you do something with it.
Posted on 3/11/18 at 12:53 pm to TheCheshireHog
(Part 2)
-If Saturday's scrimmage was any indication of how Arkansas will use tight ends in 2018 and if Hudson Henry truly is waiting to see how the Razorbacks use the position before making a decision, then I fully expect him to follow his dad and brothers to Fayetteville. As mentioned above, Patton, Gragg and O'Grady each caught touchdowns during red zone and goal line work. I also don't remember any plays run without at least one tight end on the field. On several occasions, there were two tight ends on the field. However, it seems like one of the tight ends has more of a blocking role, while the other has more of a role in the passing game. Austin Cantrell and Hayden Johnson played that blocking tight end spot for the most part. That said, Patton, Gragg and O'Grady are still asked to be involved in blocking and things like that. I hope we can talk to Barry Lunney Jr. at some point this spring so I can ask him if they are actually separate positions or if it's just a matter of skill set for each guy.
-Defensively, the two guys that jumped out the most to me were Jamario Bell and Micahh Smith. They made plays all over the field. Bell was constantly in the quarterback's face. He had a strip-sack that was a thing of beauty. Instead of swiping down on the quarterback's arm, he very deliberately poked the ball out of his hand by hitting the ball itself as the quarterback cocked his arm back to throw. Smith was a second-team safety along with Montaric Brown and he made the only interception of the day, but it wasn't ruled that because it was called a sack before the quarterback threw the ball. He likely would have returned it for a touchdown, too. Our unofficial stats have him with three tackles and I remember thinking throughout the scrimmage that he was coming up from his safety position and a lot of making plays. Again, only time will tell if he is just a spring all-star or if he'll be a part of the safety rotation once Arkansas' stud freshmen get to campus.
-One of the things I wrote in Friday's Bacon Bits column about what I'd be watching in the scrimmage was the linebacker usage. Something I noticed is that the third linebacker with Dre Greenlaw and De'Jon Harris was Derrick Munson. I also noticed that he was almost playing a nickel back position, as he'd be in pass coverage on certain plays. He was sort of a combo linebacker/nickel, kind of like Jerico Nelson a few years ago. Kevin Richardson II is likely the Razorbacks' starting nickel back, assuming he gets a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA, but he has been in a green jersey and didn't participate in the scrimmage. However, Arkansas might be trying to get some versatile guys that can play like linebackers but also serve as the nickel. Backing up Munson was D'Vone McClure, the former minor league baseball player who originally joined the team a couple years ago as a wide receiver. He actually had a shot at a diving interception, but couldn't quite reel it in. Deon Edwards, a former defensive back now listed as a linebacker on the roster, was also used at that spot, so it seems like that's what Arkansas is doing.
-It was weird seeing only one kicker working on field goals during that portion of practice, but that's the position Arkansas finds itself in after the departure of Cole Hedlund. The good news for the Razorbacks is that Connor Limpert was a perfect 5 for 5 on his kicks. He drilled a PAT, a 30- and 36-yarder from the left hash, a 40-yarder from the right hash and a 48-yarder from the middle of the field. A couple of walk-ons will join the team this summer, but Arkansas fans can breathe easy because Limpert appears to have that position under control.
-If Saturday's scrimmage was any indication of how Arkansas will use tight ends in 2018 and if Hudson Henry truly is waiting to see how the Razorbacks use the position before making a decision, then I fully expect him to follow his dad and brothers to Fayetteville. As mentioned above, Patton, Gragg and O'Grady each caught touchdowns during red zone and goal line work. I also don't remember any plays run without at least one tight end on the field. On several occasions, there were two tight ends on the field. However, it seems like one of the tight ends has more of a blocking role, while the other has more of a role in the passing game. Austin Cantrell and Hayden Johnson played that blocking tight end spot for the most part. That said, Patton, Gragg and O'Grady are still asked to be involved in blocking and things like that. I hope we can talk to Barry Lunney Jr. at some point this spring so I can ask him if they are actually separate positions or if it's just a matter of skill set for each guy.
-Defensively, the two guys that jumped out the most to me were Jamario Bell and Micahh Smith. They made plays all over the field. Bell was constantly in the quarterback's face. He had a strip-sack that was a thing of beauty. Instead of swiping down on the quarterback's arm, he very deliberately poked the ball out of his hand by hitting the ball itself as the quarterback cocked his arm back to throw. Smith was a second-team safety along with Montaric Brown and he made the only interception of the day, but it wasn't ruled that because it was called a sack before the quarterback threw the ball. He likely would have returned it for a touchdown, too. Our unofficial stats have him with three tackles and I remember thinking throughout the scrimmage that he was coming up from his safety position and a lot of making plays. Again, only time will tell if he is just a spring all-star or if he'll be a part of the safety rotation once Arkansas' stud freshmen get to campus.
-One of the things I wrote in Friday's Bacon Bits column about what I'd be watching in the scrimmage was the linebacker usage. Something I noticed is that the third linebacker with Dre Greenlaw and De'Jon Harris was Derrick Munson. I also noticed that he was almost playing a nickel back position, as he'd be in pass coverage on certain plays. He was sort of a combo linebacker/nickel, kind of like Jerico Nelson a few years ago. Kevin Richardson II is likely the Razorbacks' starting nickel back, assuming he gets a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA, but he has been in a green jersey and didn't participate in the scrimmage. However, Arkansas might be trying to get some versatile guys that can play like linebackers but also serve as the nickel. Backing up Munson was D'Vone McClure, the former minor league baseball player who originally joined the team a couple years ago as a wide receiver. He actually had a shot at a diving interception, but couldn't quite reel it in. Deon Edwards, a former defensive back now listed as a linebacker on the roster, was also used at that spot, so it seems like that's what Arkansas is doing.
-It was weird seeing only one kicker working on field goals during that portion of practice, but that's the position Arkansas finds itself in after the departure of Cole Hedlund. The good news for the Razorbacks is that Connor Limpert was a perfect 5 for 5 on his kicks. He drilled a PAT, a 30- and 36-yarder from the left hash, a 40-yarder from the right hash and a 48-yarder from the middle of the field. A couple of walk-ons will join the team this summer, but Arkansas fans can breathe easy because Limpert appears to have that position under control.
Posted on 3/11/18 at 1:11 pm to TheCheshireHog
Thanks for sharing! Getting excited, myself.
Posted on 3/11/18 at 1:25 pm to TheCheshireHog
Chesh do you know who all didn’t play in the scrimmage? Or who is buried on the depth similar to Jordan Jones?
Morris only mentioned Barkley, Wagner and Reid Miller when asked about injuries yesterday but it seems like many more that were injured last year didn’t play.
Cornelius, Richardson, Capps (inj), Boateng, Guidry, Gunter, Barnes, Koilan, McClellion, Hernandez. Any idea?
What is Kendrick Jackson doing? Hayden Johnson has been mentioned with Cantrell in the blocking role but no Jackson.
Morris only mentioned Barkley, Wagner and Reid Miller when asked about injuries yesterday but it seems like many more that were injured last year didn’t play.
Cornelius, Richardson, Capps (inj), Boateng, Guidry, Gunter, Barnes, Koilan, McClellion, Hernandez. Any idea?
What is Kendrick Jackson doing? Hayden Johnson has been mentioned with Cantrell in the blocking role but no Jackson.
Posted on 3/11/18 at 2:17 pm to RazorHawg
quote:
Running back T.J. Hammonds has been really good with the ball in his hands, Morris says. However, Morris feels he must get much better in pass protection. “We can’t put him or anybody else in there if pass blocking is going to be a weakness. Teams will exploit that. But he’s doing some great things running the ball and running hard. I’m excited about him.”
A big part of what was going on last year, I'm sure.
Posted on 3/11/18 at 2:29 pm to TheCheshireHog
quote:
-It was weird seeing only one kicker working on field goals during that portion of practice
Has the open tryout happened yet? Might find some high school soccer star that can boot it.
This post was edited on 3/11/18 at 2:30 pm
Posted on 3/11/18 at 3:03 pm to RazorHawg
quote:
Depth chart and stats
In terms of where we are from a talent standpoint, the defense doesn't look half bad outside of DT and SLB.
We've got a decent amount of talent at the skill positions on offense.
I'll hold my optimism until we solidify our QB situation.
This post was edited on 3/11/18 at 3:07 pm
Posted on 3/11/18 at 3:04 pm to Feral
Capps when he get healthy will be at DT too.
Posted on 3/12/18 at 9:19 pm to RazorHawg
Practice six - Monday report
-Guidry at DT
-Wagner dropped weight
-Ramsey getting a lot of praise as rusher
-TJ Smith says simpler, focus exclusively on winning matchups
-Bell home at DE after three position changes with last staff
One of the best things so far has been this staff sorting our roster and putting players where they should be. If they can’t play or move up the depth chart then they can move on.
-Barkley at RB where he can catch passes
-Jake Hall, Deion Malone, Guidry, Nichols all to DT
-Ramsey, Bell, Richardson to DE
-Edwards to OLB
-Curl to S and Dalton back to corner
-Guidry at DT
-Wagner dropped weight
-Ramsey getting a lot of praise as rusher
-TJ Smith says simpler, focus exclusively on winning matchups
-Bell home at DE after three position changes with last staff
One of the best things so far has been this staff sorting our roster and putting players where they should be. If they can’t play or move up the depth chart then they can move on.
-Barkley at RB where he can catch passes
-Jake Hall, Deion Malone, Guidry, Nichols all to DT
-Ramsey, Bell, Richardson to DE
-Edwards to OLB
-Curl to S and Dalton back to corner
This post was edited on 3/12/18 at 11:14 pm
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