Razorbacks report

FAYETTEVILLE — Pace will pick up in hurry

The split practices end today at 9 a.m. for Arkansas’ football team, just in time for the Razorbacks’ debut in full pads.

The newcomers, who have had separate workouts the first four days of camp, are in for a new experience as the Razorbacks segue into a new practice gear.

“Fall camp is fall camp.

It’s always hard, right?” outside linebackers coach John L. Smith said. “And it’s meant to be hard. Now we’re going to start to get even a little harder.”

Smith said the veterans’ approach to camp has been “better than last year” and “as good as a lot of teams I’ve ever been around as far as them coming to the field, wanting to self-motivate.”

Several newcomers spoke of their anxiety about the first complete team practice in full pads.

“Now we’re going with the vets, and it’s going to be interesting to see what happens because they move a lot faster,” receiver Maudrecus Humphrey said.

“They know what they’re doing, and we’re still in the learning process.”

Receiver Marquel Wade said working with veterans over the summer should help the transition.

Defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell said today’s work should be exciting.

“Hopefully things go well for [the rookies] and we have done enough with them that the flow will go smoothly.”

Madison back

Junior Isaac Madison jumped right back onto the first unit in camp, the same cornerback role he had last fall before he tore knee ligaments.

“The nurturing part of it is over,” defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. “I mean, he’s been stamped that he’s 100 percent. I’m going to throw him out there and see if he’s capable of it.”

Madison has held the first-unit spot with sophomore Darius Winston, who was praised for his strong spring, right on his heels.

Robinson said through the first two veterans’ practices that Madison’s timing wasn’t where it needed to be and he had been on the ground too much.

“Really good defensive backs are never on the ground,” Robinson said.

“So I’ve got to see if he kind of weeds that out of his practice process, and if doesn’t, shoot, we’re going to have to move on to the next guy.”

Uekman’s role

Freshman Garrett Uekman, who worked at tight end the first three days of camp, went through some drills with the linebackers Sunday.

“We ran him through a little bit of agility today,” assistant coach John L.

Smith said. “Making sure that our obligation to you as a player is to get you on the field at the earliest possible time we can do that. So we’re trying to not make mistakes and put guys somewhere, where maybe we can get him on the field earlier over here.”

Smith said Uekman has great moves and is a good athlete.

The Little Rock Catholic product showed that in a team period by breaking down the right sideline and hauling in a deep pass.

Tejada’s start

Senior kicker Alex Tejada seems energized by the competition for the place-kicking and kickoff duties.

So far, Tejada has outperformed freshman Eduardo Camara on field goals, and Sunday the Springdale product put two kickoffs into the end zone for certain touchbacks.

Freshman Zach Hocker is challenging for kickoffs and punts.

None of the punters - sophomore Dylan Breeding, Hocker and Westin Cox - has shown impressive consistency yet.

Worth noting

Freshman receiver Marquel Wade made a stirring one-handed catch from Brandon Mitchell deep down the left sideline, though he might have gotten a small assist with a nudge of cornerback Jerry Mitchell. “I just saw the ball up there and I threw my hand out and it just came inside my hand,” said Wade, who claimed there was no push-off.

Freshman quarterback Jacoby Walker, who is rehabbing from knee surgery, ran on the sideline wearing a harness held by head trainer Matt Summers.

The four rookie receivers - Javontee Herndon, Julian Horton, Maudrecus Humphrey and Marquel Wade - have named themselves The Fantastic Four.

Herndon made several quality catches in the evening workout.

First-team center Seth Oxner took snaps at guard in Sunday’s work.

Former Razorbacks linebacker Quinton Caver (1997-2000) is back on campus and assisting defensive tackles coach Bobby Allen.