Accolades continue for Henry

Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry goes through practice Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry goes through practice Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE — Tight end Hunter Henry was named Monday as a first-team preseason All-American by ESPN.

Henry, a junior who leads all SEC tight ends with 65 receptions the past two seasons, is one of six SEC players on the All-America list and the only tight end.

The Pulaski Academy product had 28 receptions for 409 yards and 2 touchdowns as a freshman and 37 catches for 513 yards and 2 touchdowns last year. Henry has two career 100-yard games, including a career-best 110 yards on seven catches last season in a 17-10 loss at No. 1 Mississippi State.

Henry was also a first-team preseason All-America choice by Athlon Sports and was named to the watch list for the John Mackey Award, which is given each year to the nation’s top tight end.

Henry and senior offensive guard Sebastian Tretola were the two Razorbacks named on ESPN’s preseason All-SEC team. Tretola did not allow a sack in 2014 and was called for only four penalties.

Coming up

With camp coming to an end, the Razorbacks resume practices today with an expanded roster after the start of classes Monday.

Coach Bret Bielema held extended meetings with his coaching staff Sunday to discuss personnel plans.

“I wanted to … get our 70-man travel roster and then jump into the UTEP training,” Bielema said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “We’ll continue to do some good on good next week, but for the most part I like where we’re at and see where we’re going.”

50-50 at MLB

Coach Bret Bielema said the plan in last Saturday’s scrimmage was to give sophomore Khalia Hackett and redshirt freshman Josh Harris an even amount of work with the top defense.

“They both have some really good qualities,” Bielema said.

Harris had four tackles and Hackett added three in the 101-play scrimmage.

Pinball wizard

Receiver Cody Hollister took a double shot from linebacker Josh Williams and cornerback Ryan Pulley during Saturday’s scrimmage.

Hollister, a 6-4, 208-pound junior, hung on to the pass from Brandon Allen for a 9-yard gain near the left sideline. The hits, which were not simultaneous, sent Hollister spinning to the turf, but he held on to the ball, popped up and headed back to the huddle.

Headed red?

Coach Bret Bielema openly wondered Saturday if receiver Kendrick Edwards might be in line for a redshirt season.

Edwards, a 6-5 sophomore from Miami Norland High, had a rocky offseason that included a suspension handed out by Bielema for the entirety of spring drills for off-field issues related to time management and academics.

While discussing the performance of junior receiver Drew Morgan in camp, Bielema noted the numbers in the receiving corps.

“I think at wide receiver we’ve got more talent and deeper talent that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Bielema said. “We’re probably in a position where we may even redshirt Kendrick Edwards … and that might geve him a chance to grow up a little bit.”

Edwards caught four passes for 70 yards as a true freshman last year, including a 4-yard touchdown against Georgia.

Coley crunch

De’Andre Coley’s recent move from strong safety to strong-side linebacker might help the redshirt sophomore get on the field more quickly.

“He’s a physical football player, and the closer we can get him to the line of scrimmage allows him to display that tool a little bit better,” defensive coordinator Robb Smith said. “I know he’s excited about it, Coach [Vernon] Hargreaves is excited about it. We’ll find spots for him and hopefully get him on the football field.”

Defensive backs coach Clay Jennings said the switch should help Coley and can accelerate the learning curve for freshman safeties Willie Sykes and Nate Dalton.

“It also takes advantage of one of his strong points,” Jennings said. “De’Andre does like to bring the wood.”

Good run

Bret Bielema said the Razorbacks’ run game looked strong for the second consecutive scrimmage Saturday even though starter Alex Collins was held out and Jonathan Williams was unavailable after his season-ending foot surgery.

“I was actually very excited with the way we ran the ball without Alex, and obviously J-Will isn’t going to be out there at all,” he said. “So that’s with two of your more prominent guys not in there.”

Miner report

Txas-El Paso quarterbacks combined to complete 24 of 48 passes for 231 yards with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions in Saturday’s final major scrimmage of camp on a weekend that included a couple of key injuries.

Senior safety Ishmael Harrison suffered a knee injury Friday that required him to be taken off the field on a cart, according to the El Paso Times. Harrison is expected to miss a large portion of the season, including the Miners’ season opener at Arkansas on Sept. 5, according to Coach Sean Kugler. Harrison and starter Devin Cockrell, an All-Conference USA safety who has a microfracture injury to his knee, are both expected to miss the opener.

The Miners’ quarterback duel between Garrett Simpson and Mack Leftwich took a twist Saturday when Simpson landed awkwardly on his right foot while celebrating his touchdown pass to Cole Freytag to cap a 75-yard move-the-ball sequence.

“It was a boneheaded move,” Kugler told the El Paso Times. “Probably something I would have done when I was in college.”

Simpson is expected to be back at practice today.

Pass pro

Bret Bielema said pass protection was much improved in the second scrimmage after the starting defense spent a lot of time in quarterback Brandon Allen’s face in the opening scrimmage.

Bielema said offensive line coach Sam Pittman worked on pass protection fundamentals throughout the week, and made a tweak to the stance of left tackle Denver Kirkland.

“I thought Sam made a nice coaching adjustment there,” Bielema said. “It really helped him out before the snap.”

On the rise

Tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. said redshirt freshman tight end Jack Kraus of Bentonville has had an impressive camp working behind veterans Hunter Henry, Jeremy Sprinkle and Alex Voelzke.

“He kind of gets lost in the media shuffle a little bit, you know, in with the new,” Lunney said in reference to true freshmen Austin Cantrell, Will Gragg and C.J. O’Grady, who comprised the nation’s top tight end signing class.

“He’s a guy that we want in our program … an in-state guy who probably exemplifies a little bit what we’re looking for in our program from Coach B’s developmental standpoint,” Lunney said. “He’s smart. He knows all three positions that tight ends play. That brings value in itself.

“I think he’s going to have a future here that’s going to help us win games.”

Center plan

When center Mitch Smothers had to leave the scrimmage for a few plays, right guard Frank Ragnow moved to center and Josh Allen came in for Ragnow.

Zach Rogers has been working at second-team center since spring practice and has drawn praise from his coaches and teammates, but coaches hope to redshirt the true freshman.

Ragnow, Smothers’ backup last season, figures to be the second center for games. Left guard Sebastian Tretola has also snapped in practice.

Bret Bielema said the plan is to have Rogers continue to practice with the second team, dress out and travel for games, but only play in an emergency situation.

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