Razorbacks report

Arkansas wide receiver Greg Childs says he will be fine for the Razorbacks’ opener but is still searching for a missing step.
Arkansas wide receiver Greg Childs says he will be fine for the Razorbacks’ opener but is still searching for a missing step.

— Childs seeking final step — Greg Childs had an invisible type of work day Monday morning at the intramural fields, but he bounced back Tuesday inside Reynolds Razorback Stadium to look closer to the All-SEC form he put on display in 2010.

Childs caught a handful of passes in team drills, looked sharper in his cuts and faster, but he still came up just inches short on a few deep passes from quarterbacks Tyler Wilson and Brandon Mitchell.

“Man, I know,” Childs said of the near-miss big plays. “I saw a couple of them were just about six inches away, just barely missing my fingers. I mean, you know, I’ve just got to get that last little final step back. I’ve got to get that last little burst back. When you see the ball in the air, just that last little gear to kick in.

“Overall, the balls are fine. I’m a receiver, I’ve got to make plays, and that’s what it is.”

Childs projects he’ll be fine for the season opener.

The senior, who is coming off patella tendon surgery after the last season’s eighth game, practices only in the mornings during two-a-day sessions.

“That helps me really get my legs back,” Childs said. “I’m up here in the training room, getting iced down, doing things on my knee, just to get back in shape for the next practice.”

For starters

Though Tyler Wilson has taken the vast majority of reps at first-team quarterback over Brandon Mitchell, Arkansas’ offensive coaches apparently won’t be naming a starter until game week.

“I think the game’s coming,” offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said. “We’ll tell you right before the game.”

Coach Bobby Petrino said early in camp the team’s starters would be released “some time” before the opener.

“You guys know I’m not big on depth charts,” Petrino said. “I’m not big on naming starters early. Normally what you do is on the Monday before the first game, you always send a depth chart to the opposing team. Most of the time it’s 100 percent accurate. Sometimes it’s not.”

Hat exchange

Free safety Tramain Thomas was involved in a hit that broke his chin strap Tuesday. But instead of coming off the field while trainers fixed his helmet, Thomas quickly grabbed the one belonging to cornerback Greg Gatson to finish up his series.

When the second-team defense was called out, Thomas flipped the helmet back to Gatson.

Personnel report

Top tailback Ronnie Wingo worked through a few periods Tuesday before having to sit out and get cold water over his neck and back. Eventually Wingo left the practice field, and offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said he had an illness that wasn’t considered serious.

Cornerback Isaac Madison was sporting a bulky wrap on the pinkie and ring fingers of his right hand.

Guard Marcus Danenhauer of Bentonville has been back at work the past two days after suffering a shot to the shoulder in Thursday’s scrimmage.

Defensive end Lonnie Gosha’s rehab regimen for the ankle he sprained Aug. 7 appears to be increasing in intensity.

Defensive gems

Safety Eric Bennett and linebacker Matt Marshall each had interceptions on tipped passes Tuesday. Bennett’s came when Joe Adams failed to get a handle on a short Tyler Wilson throw over the middle. Marshall nabbed a pass from Brandon Mitchell intended for Maudrecus Humphrey that cornerback De’Anthony Curtis tipped.

Big pop

Freshman tailback Kody Walker dealt out his share of hits during live scrimmage work Tuesday, but cornerback Darius Winston got in a good one of his own when he came up to hit Walker on a run at right end for no gain.

Smothers up

In the constant shuffle that has marked the firstteam offensive line in camp, freshman Mitch Smothers from Springdale moved back up to first-team quick tackle Tuesday, with Jason Peacock going back to the twos.

Offensive line coach Chris Klenakis likes Smothers’ athleticism and work habits.

“He’s getting better every day, which is what we’re required to do,” Klenakis said. “He’s still got a lot to learn about the game, and he’s got to keep making strides every day.”

Cook back

Senior Grant Cook was back at his guard spot on the top line last weekend after missing some work with an ankle injury.

“He’s been in this program for four years, and that’s what counts,” Chris Klenakis said. “He knows our practice methods. He knows the tempo we work at and what’s required of our players.”

Coming up

The Razorbacks have a two-a-day session slated for today, with workouts scheduled for 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The morning workouts have recently been moved up, meaning the Hogs could be out as early as 8:20 a.m. The Arkansas kickoff luncheon is scheduled for Friday at noon at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale, and fan day is Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Walton Arena.

Sports, Pages 26 on 08/17/2011

Upcoming Events