FAYETTEVILLE -- Thursday's single practice struck some bad notes and the Arkansas Razorbacks look likely to be headed back to a heavier workload for today.
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema didn't have a media session Thursday, but he expressed his thoughts after the workout on Twitter.
"Today needed to be better & the team knows it," he wrote. "Some great things from individuals but collectively not where we need to be Better [tomorrow] WPS."
Offensive tackle Dan Skipper said Bielema told the team "we've earned a revamp of the schedule for tomorrow," meaning it could be a heavier two-a-day workload than the Razorbacks had Tuesday.
"We came out sluggish and slow all across the board," Skipper said. "We didn't execute like we needed to up front. ... We'll see what happens, but at this point we just have to rest, recover and hydrate, get back to what we need tomorrow."
Three Razorbacks -- running back Alex Collins, cornerback Cornelius Floyd and receiver Jojo Robinson -- did not arrive early enough for a meeting Thursday and combined to carry a heavy sponge mattress around the practice field during the early portion of practice, monitored by strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert.
Robinson said they rejoined their teammates for period seven.
"We were supposed to come early and we came on time," Robinson said. "We were expected to come early like everyone else.
"It means something to Coach B, and we've got to respect that. It's not going to happen again."
After the three dropped the mattress against a side wall during the opening stages of practice, they picked up individual light blocking dummies and made a trip around the grass field with them.
Covering Jojo
Receivers coach Michael Smith said Wednesday that no one on the defense had been able to cover Jojo Robinson, who was starting to do a lot of the things the coaches were expecting last season when Robinson redshirted after a series of injuries in camp.
"That means a lot to me," Robinson said. "I've got high expectations for myself. He's saying nobody on the team has covered me, and I don't want anybody in the country being able to cover me. I've been working hard, trying to do the best I can and every day, taking a step at a time. I've just been trying to be the best player I can be."
Allen speaks
Quarterback Brandon Allen, the team's lone returning captain, addressed the whole squad after practice.
"I kind of gave my feelings about it," Allen said in reference to the disciplinary work carried out by Alex Collins, Cornelius Floyd and Jojo Robinson. "It's something we can't have.
"It's something so easy to do, show up on time, something as simple as that. It kind of really carries over and goes a long way."
Edwards in
Sophomore receiver Kendrick Edwards, who was held out of spring drills by Coach Bret Bielema for off-the-field issues, made his first appearance in the media room in months Thursday and talked about his long road back to rejoining the team.
"At first I was seeking other options in case he wouldn't let me come back," Edwards said. "But he told me if I had a good spring semester there was a good chance I could get back on the team, and that's what I did. I went out and busted my butt on everything."
Receivers coach Michael Smith said Wednesday that Edwards and Jojo Robinson, who also has struggled with commitments off the field, have come a long way.
"Last year I wasn't too much focused," Edwards said. "My head wasn't where I wanted it to be. I wasn't in the playbook too much, so I wasn't really good with the plays.
"This year I'm trying to master all the plays and learn all the positions ... so I can get into the game more."
Sorting it out
Receivers coach Michael Smith said competition will continue for first-team reps, but for Saturday's scrimmage the receivers likely to be on the field with quarterback Brandon Allen and the first unit will be Keon Hatcher, Jared Cornelius, Jojo Robinson, Duwop Mitchell and Cody Hollister.
First picks
Brandon Allen was intercepted twice in Tuesday's workout, the first interceptions logged in full-team work since last fall.
"I had one deflected back to a D-lineman and one was my fault," Allen said of the interceptions by end Tevin Beanum and cornerback D.J. Dean. "So Coach [Robb] Smith came up to me and said it only took them nine months, but they finally got a pick on me.
"It was probably bound to happen eventually. I'm glad they got it out of their system now."
Hold on tight
Offensive coordinator Dan Enos said the team has been "decent" with ball security through the first week of camp.
"For the guys who are a little bit older and have been around a little bit, I think it's a little better," Enos said. "With the young guys, we've got a ways to go. Sometimes where you played, I don't know, maybe your coaches let you get away with carrying the ball a little differently, a little bit loosely. But I know it's certainly something we're going to stress on a daily basis."
Not high on Hogs
Arkansas is getting lots of attention from the national media, but Jerry Palm of CBS Sports isn't impressed by the Razorbacks based on his preseason bowl projections.
Palm has Arkansas playing in the Birmingham Bowl against Cincinnati, which is coached by Camden native Tommy Tuberville.
Palm projects Arkansas State to play Temple in the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Projected national playoff games by Palm are Auburn-TCU in the Cotton Bowl and Ohio State-Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
Where's Bell?
Defensive coordinator Robb Smith said freshman Jamario Bell's look at outside linebacker is in the evaluation stage.
"There's a guy whose athleticism has jumped out at us," Smith said. "We haven't lost sight of the fact that we think he can help us as a pass rusher.
"As he progresses and learns our system, we'll find a role for him. It might be rushing the passer. It might be at outside linebacker. But we like what we've seen so far."
CFP meeting
Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long and the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee will meet this week in Dana Point, Calif., in preparation for the 2015 season. Long, the inaugural committee chairman last year, will serve a second season in that capacity this fall.
The meeting this week is to serve as further orientation for new members Bobby Johnson, the former Vanderbilt coach, and Kirby Hocutt, the current Texas Tech athletic director. They replaced Archie Manning and Oliver Luck.
The CFP rankings will be released after the ninth weekend of the season, just like last season, with the first poll coming out Nov. 3.
Sports on 08/14/2015