Razorbacks report

Arkansas running back Kody Walker, who sustained an ankle injury earlier in the season, might take a medical redshirt if he doesn’t play the rest of the season.
Arkansas running back Kody Walker, who sustained an ankle injury earlier in the season, might take a medical redshirt if he doesn’t play the rest of the season.

— Greg Gatson and Tevin Mitchel have played so well at cornerback in relief of would-be starters Isaac Madison and Darius Winston that the veterans are going to have to wrestle their jobs back.

Gatson had an interception and eight tackles and Mitchell posted 13 tackles and a fumble recovery in the Razorbacks’ 42-38 victory over Texas A&M two weeks ago.

Madison and Winston suited out for the Auburn game last week, but the senior Gatson and the freshman Mitchel started and played virtually every snap. Mitchel was credited with 7 total tackles, 3 unassisted, in the 38-14 victory over Auburn to move into fourth place on the team-tackles chart with 30 stops.

“The thing about it is that Darius and Isaac have obviously been cleared, they’re ready to go and stuff, but these other two kids ... have given us great effort and execution,” Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. “It’s still a matter of competing out there, you know. Who’s going to take the job?

“We grade effort day in and day out. Those two kids have been the guys that have kind of given us that. We’re hoping that those other two young men step up and want that job back.”1s vs. 1s

Taking it easy isn’t part of Coach Bobby Petrino’s plan, even during an off week.

The Razorbacks spent part of Wednesday’s workout at Reynolds Razorback Stadium pitting the offensive starters against the top defense.

“Yeah, it was physical,” linebacker Jerico Nelson said. “Going with the ones, stuff goes so fast anything can happen. You have to pick up the pace in practice and pick up the physicalness and just go out and ball.”

Defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said the sequences between the top units came during run and play-action periods and “we got what we needed out of it. ... We’re not afraid to do that. It’s the idea of contact, doing what’s right, keeping our eyes right.”

Redshirt option?

Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said Wednesday that freshman running back Kody Walker sustained an ankle injury in practice the week of senior Broderick Green’s return.

Walker scored five touchdowns in the first three games as the Hogs’ designated short-yardage back, but the 6-2, 235-pounder has not played since. Because he has played in less than 25 percent of the team’s games, Walker could qualify for medical redshirt status if he doesn’t play the rest of the season.

Neither Green nor Walker played at Alabama, and Green has scored three short-yardage touchdowns the past two weeks.

Walker had 20 carries for 68 yards and averaged 3.4 yards per carry through 3 games.

As Joe goes

Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee, during his appearance at the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club on Wednesday, was complimentary of Joe Adams’ explosiveness and ability to change directions and impact games with his speed as he did with a 92-yard touchdown run in last week’s 38-14 victory over Auburn.

He also pointed out another side of Adams’ personality.

“Now Joe on the practice field can be another story,” McGee said. “There’s times on the practice field where we run that same play we ran the other night and Joe will catch the ball and jog down the field, but not run full speed. He expects me to think, ‘You know I’m going to score when you toss it to me in the game,’ and that’s not necessarily the way it works at all.”

McGee concluded by saying the Razorbacks have to work on other ways to keep feeding Adams the ball.Rookie reps

Defensive coordinator Willy Robinson pointed out strong play from defensive linemen Trey Flowers, Lonnie Gosha and Horace Arkadie in the extra practice work for newcomers that has followed the team’s Tuesday and Wednesday workouts.

Flowers and Gosha are playing as true freshmen, while Arkadie is redshirting.

On the offensive side, coordinator Garrick McGee said freshman quarterback Brandon Allen has stood out because of his ability to learn coupled with his physical skills.

“You know, we’ve got some really good offensive linemen and defensive linemen out there,” Coach Bobby Petrino said. “I liked what I saw from Brandon Allen out there. It’s nice to see them working on things and not just the scout team.”

Sports, Pages 20 on 10/13/2011

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