Hog coordinators evaluate scrimmage; current 2-deep
FAYETTEVILLE - For its final week of preseason practices before the Aug. 20 start of the fall semester, Arkansas will work some of the players held out of Saturday’s scrimmage.
Senior first-teamers Brian Wallace (right offensive tackle) and defensive end Randy Ramsey are among those Coach Chad Morris presumes will practice Monday.
Others who did not scrimmage Saturday include sophomore running back Chase Hayden, reserve linebackers Dee Walker and Alexey Jean-Baptiste, graduate transfer receiver Chase Harrell and redshirt freshman Jordon Curtis.
Reserve defensive lineman Briston Guidry, injured before the preseason began, can practice on a limited basis, Morris said.
Center Dylan Hays, the first-team center when spring drills closed but now behind senior Hjalte Froholdt, reportedly worked after missing most of preseason drills with an ailing back.
Stats from the closed scrimmage were not released to media, but offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Joe Craddock (In R Sharp photo), guessing on recollection, said junior QB Ty Storey of Charleston was “somewhere around nine of 12 passing” and sophomore QB Cole Kelley “was about 13 of 26.”
Craddock said both QBs were hampered by “about five drops” that should have been catches by the intended receivers.
Among the receivers, Craddock touted freshman Michael Woods, atoning for a drop with a catch of what Craddock called “a 50-50 ball” while battling a defender.
He also touted a couple of unheralded surprises, receivers Gary Cross of Fordyce and Tobias Enlow of North Little Rock.
“I tell you one thing, Gary Cross is fast,” Craddock said. “He’s gotten by some DBs in fall camp thus far. We’re just trying to find out what all he can do. He’s really come a long way. I love what he’s done to make himself better and to work on his craft this summer. He’s actually learning the plays, which was kind of his biggest thing in the spring. He just didn’t know what to do. But man, he’s really come a long way. Tobias is doing a great job as well. Those two are really good guys who are competing for a job.”
Both Morris and Craddock cited junior running back Devwah Whaley as the scrimmage’s top rusher.
Veteran defensive coordinator John Chavis isn’t prone to lavish public praise on rookies until they’ve played in real games, but freshman reserve weakside linebacker Bumper Pool merited Chavis’ attention on Saturday.
“I feel real good about Bumper Pool,” Chavis said. “He’s having a heck of a fall camp. He’s playing the position well. He’s smart. He learns and he’s got some instincts.”
A 6-2, 223-pound December graduate who first committed to former coach Bret Bielema, Pool joined the Razorbacks for the 2018 spring semester but quickly exited spring drills because of mononucleosis.
Chavis feels like he’s seeing Pool again for the first time.
“I didn’t have enough opportunities in the spring to see that, but I’m seeing it now,” Chavis said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “And I’m pretty excited about it … He’s working at Will most of the time, and he’ll work some at Mike (middle linebacker).”
Among his veterans, Chavis praised junior middle linebacker Scoota Harris and senior weakside linebacker Dre Greenlaw and senior free safety Santos Ramirez.
“Santos is a leader on our football team,” Chavis said. “There’s no question about that. He’s a guy you’d love to have with the same demeanor at every position on defense.”
2-DEEP OFFENSE
QB Ty Storey Jr. OR Cole Kelley So..
RB Devwah Whaley So., Chase Hayden So.
WR Jonathan Nance Sr. De’Vion Warren, So.
WR La’Michael Pettway Jr. Gary Cross Sr.
WR Jared Cornelius Sr. Jordan Jones S.
LT Dalton Wagner Fr. Shane Clenin Fr. OR Noah Gatlin, Fr.
TE Austin Cantrell Jr. Cheyne O’Grady Jr.
LG Kirby Adcock Fr. OR Austin Capps Jr.
C Hjalte Froholdt, Sr. Dylan Hays So.
RG Johnny Gibson Sr. Silas Robinson Fr.
RT Brian Wallace Sr. Ty Clary So.
DEFENSE
DE Gabe Richardson Jr. Michael Taylor Jr.
DT Sosa Agim Jr. Armon Watts Sr.
DT T.J. Smith Sr. Isaiah Nichols Fr.
DE Randy Ramsey Sr. Jamario Bell Jr.
WLB Dre Greenlaw Sr. Dee Walker So.
MLB Scoota Harris Jr. Grant Morgan So.
SLB Hayden Henry So. D’Vone McClure So.
CB Ryan Pulley Jr. Britto Tutt Jr.
CB Chevin Calloway So. Montaric Brown Fr.
SS Kamren Curl So. Micahh Smith So.
FS Santos Ramirez Sr. La’Darrius Bishop Fr.
SPECIALISTS
P Blake Johnson Jr. Reid Bauer, Fr.
PK Connor Limpert Jr. Preston Stafford Fr.
H Jack Lindsey, So.
KOR D’Vion Warren, So.
PR Jared Cornelius, Sr.
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