FAYETTEVILLE — No word on plan for QBs
Four months ago in his spring wrapup news conference, Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said that if the Razorbacks were playing that Saturday, Ryan Mallett would start at quarterback and backup Tyler Wilson would come into the game on the first series of the second quarter.
So with the Sept. 5 Arkansas-Missouri State season opener little more than a week away, does Petrino plan to use his quarterbacks the same way?
"Ryan is the starter. He's going to start the game for us," Petrino said after Thursday's practice. "Tyler is a good quarterback, and I certainly want to get him into the game.
I haven't made a decision yet whether that will be the first series of the second quarter or not."
Petrino said the coaches have spent a lot of time discussing how to use the quarterbacks in the opener.
Mallett has had a strong fall camp, especially after an inconsistent first week, to put some separation between himself and Wilson.
Wilson has passed well most of fall camp but has struggled at times with playing under center, getting the snaps cleanly.
"We've got all the confidence in the world in Tyler," Petrino said. "He can make a lot of throws. He's improved tremendously in the run game.
He's taken a lot of pride in his work habits.
"He's getting to the point almost where you need to be to execute the whole offense." Dress rehearsal
If any Razorbacks want to make a move up the depth chart, now is the time.
Arkansas will hold a closed dress rehearsal practice tonight,trying to simulate as much as possible what the Razorbacks want to do in their opener.
Coach Bobby Petrino said the practice will help determine which players start, who will be backups and who will be ticketed to redshirt.
"We keep track of everything that's gone on up to now and then [tonight] is the last chance to move up in the depth chart for the first game," he said.
"Then, of course, as the year goes on, you evaluate each week after that." Wait and see
Defensive coordinator Willy Robinson confirmed some new first-teamers on defense this week after Wednesday's practice, including cornerback Rudell Crim, safety Jerell Norton and linebacker Terrell Williams.
Coach Bobby Petrino said after Thursday's practice there also was some depth-chart shuffling on offense, but he declined to be specific.
"The one thing about offense is we have so many different personnel groups," Petrino said.
"I feel like we have maybe 14, 15 starters, not just 11, because we substitute so many guys in the game."
Perfect Thursday
The practice wasn't perfect, but Perfect Thursday is the name of Arkansas' normal workout two days before a game.
It's still another eight days before the Razorbacks faceMissouri State in Little Rock, but the team's practice regimen this week has included about half camp drills and half Missouri State game planning, and it was structured much like a game week.
"I thought our players came out with real good excitement, good focus," Coach Bobby Petrino said. "We didn't do everything right, but the energy was there." Injury report
Receiver Joe Adams missed a second day of work and will not participate in tonight's mockgame scrimmage.
"Joe has a little twig in his hamstring, nothing serious," Coach Bobby Petrino said. "We decided to keep him in and rehab, but he'll be fine. He'll be 100 percent ready to practice next week."
Another receiver, senior London Crawford, was back and participating in practice after missing several days of team work because of a leg injury.
"I'm back in the groove, ready to roll, doing the rehab thing," Crawford said.
Ready to go
The Razorbacks have been practicing for three weeks, so they are ready to go against another team.
"Personally, I'm tired of the safeties and corners sitting on my moves," tailback Michael Smith said. "At the beginning of camp, I could shake them a little bit. But right now they know what I like to do ... so I'm ready to put that on someone else."
Smith and the rest of the Razorbacks get a chance to play someone else when Arkansas opens the season against Missouri State on Sept. 5 in Little Rock.
"On the first day of camp, everyone is ready to roll," defensive end Jake Bequette said. "As it goes on, you kind of get to know the offensive line's tendencies and they get to know our tendencies.
"It gets repetitive, so we're definitely ready for the first game."
Sports, Pages 28 on 08/28/2009