FAYETTEVILLE - The second units would have been cheered and the first units jeered had Arkansas coach Bret Bielema publicly opened the Razorbacks' scrimmage Saturday.
The second offense and second defense and third-teamers thereafter scrimmaged full go while the first units didn't hit a lick.
Of course, that was by design. Anyone injured in a first-offense vs. first-defense clash is a starter, and the Razorbacks' Sept. 3 opener with Louisiana Tech at Reynolds Razorback Stadium is fast approaching.
"We didn't want to tackle with the ones partly because of how they played last week," Bielema said after Saturday's scrimmage. "I thought our ones tackled so well and efficiently last week. And because of the injury status of a couple of offensive players that's why we didn't go tackle football with those guys. But they have been really locked in.
So Bielema modified the first-teamers' clash to fast whistles and no tackling to the ground first outside in the rain and then inside at W Walker Pavilion once Bielema deemed the Hogs had done enough with the wet-ball drills that the rain provided.
Other than one first-team snap miscue between center Frank Ragnow and quarterback Austin Allen that was recovered by defensive tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter, the Hogs handled the ball well in the rain.
"To get that wet-ball work offensively was really critical," Bielema said. "I really wanted to see them battle through the elements and overall I thought they handled it well. I thought the quarterbacks threw the ball pretty well and we caught the ball very well."
First-team stats obviously are pretty skewed. Most plays, particularly rushes, end in estimated yardage and included all the quarterbacks. Running backs Rawleigh Williams (five carries for 42 yards, proving himself in the previous Saturday scrimmage as recovered from last season's broken neck) and Devwah Whaley (nine for 27 yards, coming off a shoulder injury) and senior receiver Keon Hatcher (coming off a shoulder injury) in green jerseys specifying no contact. Hatcher caught two passes for 26 yards.
Typifying Saturday's first-team debate, Ledbetter celebrated what he thought should be a sack in the backfield while tight end Jeremy Sprinkle celebrated in the end zone catching Allen's 4-yard touchdown pass.
Allen, 15 of 21 for 158 yards and two touchdowns, had a no-doubt TD for his second score on a 30-yard pass to receiver Jared Cornelius (four catches for 66 yards) beating cornerback Henre' Toliver deep.
Senior defensive end JaMichael Winston, subbing on the first team while senior Preseason All-American candidate Deatrich Wise attended his grandfather's funeral in Carrollton, Texas, was credited with four quarterback sacks among his five tackles.
Because Rafe Peavey is a third-year sophomore with an extra Razorback spring-practice year behind him as a December high school graduate in Bolivar, Mo., Bielema said he didn't scrimmage him Saturday so he could get a better look at redshirt freshman Ty Storey and true freshman Cole Kelley in the backup quarterback battle behind Allen.
"Obviously Rafe is in there as well battling it out for that No. 2 spot," Bielema said. "Just really wanted to give those two guys a lot of reps. I wanted to see what they did if they got a heavy workload today and I was very pleased with Cole in particular. I thought he continues to get better every day."
Everybody but Kelley and Storey was fair game to be tackled during the second-offense vs. second-defense sessions.
Kelley completed 8 of 15 for 127 yards with a 26-yard touchdown to LaMichael Pettway and also hit some big passes to freshman receiver Jordan Jones (three catches for 44 yards) but threw the day's lone interception. Safety De'Andre Coley picked off a pass that walk-on redshirt freshman cornerback Byron Keaton deflected.
Keaton broke up three passes during the scrimmage while Coley was all over the place with six tackles, second to second-team freshman middle linebacker De'Jon "Scoota" Harris.
Sitting out Saturday's scrimmage with injuries were senior receiver Dominique Reed; cornerback D.J. Dean, running back Kody Walker, tight ends Austin Cantrell and C.J. O'Grady; junior-college transfer offensive guard Paul Ramirez, and offensive tackle Jalen Merrick.
After saying Dean's hamstring injury may cause him to redshirt, Bielema said Saturday Dean is healing so well that he might practice Tuesday. The Hoge rest today and begin fall classes Monday, when no practice is scheduled.
Bielema also said Reed, his sprained ankle initially projected to keep him out until game week, also might practice Tuesday.
While wanting to evaluate more film and practice next week, Bielema said the previously unsettled offensive line appears close to settling with Colton Jackson, a redshirt freshman, and University of Texas graduate Jake Raulerson at right tackle and right guard, Ragnow at center, sophomore Hjalte Froholdt at left guard and senior three-year starter Dan Skipper at left tackle, which he played in 2014 before moving to right tackle last season.
Among young players, Bielema continues to tout freshman defensive tackle Austin Capps.
"He's going to play," Bielema said. "He's going to play and my guess is he's going to be a very, very good player in short fashion. He's so locked in to what he's doing. He's so strong and powerful. He popped into that squat rack during the summer in that competitive lift thing and he did 600 pounds like it was nothing on his back. A kid his age, that's just not normal."
Bielema said the Razorbacks were awed with their Friday night viewing of "Greater," the movie about the late Razorback Brandon Burlsworth, who arrived at UA from Harrison in 1994 as a walk-on and graduated with academic and football All-American honors. Burlsworth was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts before dying in an automobile accident in 1999 en route from Fayetteville to Harrison.
"Our kids were just locked in, so respectful," Bielema said. "I think it gave a greater appreciation to everybody in that room. It was pretty awesome. I would definitely say it's a must-see. I mean, in Arkansas everybody will love it. But if you're a college football player, a man or woman of faith, the values that kid had and shared, the environment he overcome and preserved was awesome."
Sports on 08/21/2016