Morgan, d-backs to return

FAYETTEVILLE -- Bret Bielema said he expected receiver Drew Morgan and defensive backs D.J. Dean and Santos Ramirez to be available for Saturday's 2:30 p.m. game at Ole Miss after they missed all or parts of last week's 63-28 victory over Tennessee-Martin.

Bielema also said receiver Cody Hollister, who has missed the past six games with a broken foot, has a chance to return Saturday.

Morgan suffered a shoulder injury a few weeks back and was pulled early in the second half Saturday after making two catches for 14 yards.

Bielema said Morgan called him Sunday night and "was all pumped up about the week, so I don't think there'll be anything wrong with him."

Morgan leads the Razorbacks with 35 catches for 498 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Ramirez was held out last Saturday due to an unspecified coach's decision that did not involve an injury.

Dean might have been able to play with a turf toe injury, Bielema said, but was rested against Tennessee-Martin with four consecutive conference games on the schedule.

Bielema said Hollister has practiced a little bit more each of the past two weeks.

"He doesn't have a redshirt, so whenever he's cleared to go he'll be up and right in the mix," Bielema said.

Tube talk

The SEC's broadcast partners have used their six-day exception for some of the Nov. 14 slate of games, which impacts the Razorbacks' road game at LSU that day. Kickoff for the game in Baton Rouge, La., will be at either 2:30 p.m. on CBS or at 6:15 on one of the ESPN networks. The decision will be announced on Sunday.

Keon comeback?

Bret Bielema suggested senior receiver Keon Hatcher, who has not taken a redshirt year since joining the program, might be better served to return next season.

"He's a kid that's dreamed of playing on the big stage," Bielema said. "He was set to have a great, big senior year and kind of put his mark on the table for that next level, and he's just not going to have a chance to do that. With that being said, I think -- from the information we've gathered from NFL scouts, from people around the league -- if he could come back and have a senior year, put a little bit more on the resume, it'd be a very beneficial thing for him."

Hatcher had 13 catches for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns when he suffered a broken foot during Arkansas' second game on Sept. 12.

Slow the run

Ole Miss safety Trae Elston complimented Arkansas' tight ends Hunter Henry and Jeremy Sprinkle, but he said the Rebels' first order of business is stopping tailback Alex Collins and the rest of the Hogs' running backs.

"Their tight ends are very good," Elston said. "Hunter Henry is a special player. But their running game ... we've got to stop their running game. If we stop their running game they can't do play-action. I think that's what we're going to focus on."

Smothers wins

Arkansas center Mitch Smothers was named the SEC's offensive lineman of the week by the conference office on Monday. The senior from Springdale, making his 21st consecutive start, had a team-high 91 percent grade as the Razorbacks rushed for 291 yards and passed for 300 yards in their 63-28 victory over Tennessee-Martin.

Arkansas senior Sebastian Tretola won the same honor after the team's 24-20 victory over Tennessee and linebacker Dre Greenlaw was the SEC's freshman of the week after the Hogs downed Auburn 54-46 in four overtimes.

Injury news

Ole Miss is expected to have defensive back Tony Conner available after he missed the past six games after surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Conner was close to being ready last week but did not make the travel roster for the Rebels' 27-19 victory at Auburn.

Ole Miss had several key players return to action the past couple of weeks, including left tackle Laremy Tunsil (NCAA suspension), defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche (concussion), linebacker CJ Johnson (torn meniscus), offensive lineman Justin Bell (ankle) and offensive lineman Rod Taylor (torn labrum).

Ole Miss players out for Saturday are defensive tackle Herbert Moore (knee), defensive tackle Isaac Gross (neck), and offensive lineman Robert Conyers (knee).

Roster spots

Bret Bielema announced Monday running back Tyler Colquitt, a redshirt freshman from Little Rock's Pulaski Academy, had recently left the program, joining receivers Jojo Robinson and Kendrick Edwards on the list of players transferring out and adding to the number of initial scholarships Arkansas can offer in the upcoming signing class.

"I thought this would be a class around 18," Bielema said. "It could get as high as 22, 23. ... I think what we've shown with this staff and since we came here is we recruit well. Next year's class has probably got seven to eight juniors that right now project to be significant NFL draft guys. So the more we can keep bringing in, the better we'll keep getting."

Coaches' choice

The Arkansas coaching staff named tailback Alex Collins, who scored five touchdowns against Tennessee-Martin, and the Razorbacks starting offensive line -- Denver Kirkland, Frank Ragnow, Dan Skipper, Mitch Smothers and Sebastian Tretola -- as its offensive players of the week. Linebacker Brooks Ellis earned the honor on defense, and kickoff specialist Lane Saling was given the award on special teams.

Extra points

• Denzel Evans rushed for a career-best 48 yards on 6 carries, an average of 8.0 yards per carry.

• Austin Allen completed his only pass, a 35-yard touchdown to Jeremy Sprinkle on a bootleg play, to give the sophomore a 724.0 quarterback rating for the game.

• Ole Miss has beaten Alabama and Auburn on the road in the same season for the first time, prompting Coach Hugh Freeze to say on Saturday, "Our kids said we're the Alabama state champs."

• Arkansas enters its final four-game stretch ranked No. 33 in total offense (456 yards per game), No. 62 in total defense (390.9).

Sports on 11/03/2015