FAYETTEVILLE — Process ongoing for QBs
After Arkansas’ offense opened camp with a disjointed passing attack Thursday, with dropped passes piled on top of errant, ill-timed or well-defended throws, the offense bounced back some Friday.
In the veteran practice, quarterbacks Tyler Wilson and Brandon Mitchell both completed some big throws to top targets such as Jarius Wright, Joe Adams and Cobi Hamilton, and their completion percentages were higher.
“It’s a process,” Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said, explaining how all 11 offensive players have to click. “We have high standards and we expect to execute at a high level every time we go out. ... We expect to do better.”
Said Adams, “It was better today. First day,you’ve got to get some rust off.”
Adams had a drop on a deep ball late in practice.
Wright had a pass on an intermediate curl route wrangled away from him by safety Elton Ford, but he came back strong, hanging tough on a pass tipped by himself and safety Tramain Thomas and making a diving catch.
Tight end Chris Gragg caught a touchdown pass from Tyler Wilson down a deep seam, and Adams grabbed a Brandon Mitchell pass for a touchdown. Cobi Hamilton caught a ball deep down the left sideline in traffic from Brian Buehner for a would-be score.
Defensive gems
Safety Tramain Thomas had an interception on a pass off the fingertips of Greg Childs, who looked marginally better Friday after a rusty showing Thursday in his recovery from patella tendon surgery.
A couple of plays after the interception, Childs snagged a pass on a shallow crossing route and showed a burst of speed getting to the left sideline.
Cornerbacks Isaac Madison and Darius Winston both had quality pass breakups during team periods.
Backs up
The running of tailbacks Knile Davis, Ronnie Wingo and Dennis Johnson has been solid through two days.
“I was very impressed with our running backs,” Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said Thursday. “Not only in the team part of it and the drill work. They’re really concentrating on getting to their speed as quick as they possibly can, and that will allow us to get some big runs when we get the front blocked.” Drops
The number of disconnected passes Thursday was aggravating to Bobby Petrino, who said, “I hate to see dropped balls,” but pointed out it came from a combination of errors involving accuracy from the quarterbacks and hands from the receiving corps.
“You know, you expect to come out here and complete a bunch of balls,” quarterback Tyler Wilson said. “That first ball of routes today was a drop and it was like, ‘What was that?’ We had a great summer.”
Wilson predicted a better Friday, and he was right.
Good rookies
Bobby Petrino rode the newcomers hard in the 105-plus degree heat Friday, but he’s high on the long-term prospects for the class.
“I do really feel like it’s a talented group, particularly when you look at the defensive line and the secondary, linebackers,” Petrino said Thursday.
“That’s a talented group.
... I did like what I saw ... as far as our ability and our recruiting class. It’s going to be a good recruiting class for us.”Closed ‘Face’
Tailback Knile Davis said he decided to close his Facebook page recently.
“I don’t need any distractions,” Davis said.
“I’ve already got enough going on. ... There are a lot of things going on with the Facebook and Twitter thing.
It’s just something I don’t need.”
Newcomer notes
Defensive backs Alan Turner and Darrell Smith both intercepted passes on tipped balls on short routes thrown by Jacoby Walker and Brandon Allen, respectively.
As advertised, cornerbacks Kelvin Fisher and Tevin Mitchell have displayed solid coverage and ball skills, with each reaching in for smooth break-ups.
Receiver signee Davyon McKinney took early group drills with the defensive backs, then went back to the receiving corps for jam-and release drills and the rest of practice.
Defensive line signee Grady Ollison worked the entire practice as an offensive lineman and showed a good passblocking set on one-on-one pass-rush drills.
After wearing the floppy No. 15 jersey Thursday, receiver Keante Minor wore a tighter practice jersey Friday with the sleeves cinched up on both sides.
Linebacker prospect Alex Lyons of DeSoto, Texas, attended Friday’s early practice.
Media day
The Razorbacks’ annual media day is this morning at the Broyles Athletic Complex. After the morning media sessions, the veterans will return to the field with shoulder pads today at 3 p.m., while the newcomers work at 6:30 p.m.
Sports, Pages 26 on 08/06/2011