FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks took to the practice fields Friday with the vigor and spunk of opening day conducted in helmets and shorts under first-year Coach Chad Morris.
"The retention level was very impressive for day one," Morris said. "I thought the energy level was great. Everybody's excited to be back out there, and you definitely could tell it.
"But the most important thing I saw was a lot of communication, which tells you there's been a lot of film study, a lot of film work that's been put in this summer during our fourth-quarter phase."
Receiver Jared Cornelius is one of many Razorbacks who have trimmed up due to the increased running over the summer. Now back at 100 percent after Achilles tendon surgery, Cornelius has lost 15 pounds and is down to 203.
"We want to be one of the fastest-moving, most explosive offenses in the country," Cornelius said. "So that's our advantage, moving fast. That's the way we practice, and that's the way we're going to play."
Senior linebacker Dre Greenlaw said the Razorbacks hit the field with plenty of energy.
"It was fun," Greenlaw said. "We couldn't wait to get back out there. The tempo is just insane. It's kind of hard to match the previous practices to what we're doing now. Just from station to station, period to period, we're just going, going, going."
The Razorbacks, aiming to bounce back from a 4-8 season that cost fifth-year coach Bret Bielema his job, wanted to open camp at a higher level from how they capped off their first spring drills under Morris.
"It was very smooth," senior guard Hjalte Froholdt said. "A lot smoother than the spring. We had a really good grasp after a good summer of skills and drills.
"Not just O-linemen, but skill guys have gotten a good grasp of it, too. The quarterbacks get the reads quicker and all the calls. It was a nice, smooth practice."
Former quarterback Ryan Mallett, who led the 2010 University of Arkansas team to its only Bowl Championship Series berth in the Sugar Bowl, was a special visitor Friday.
"It's always great to have former Razorbacks come back," Morris said. "They're great mentors for our guys. Not just Ryan, but several of the great Razorbacks, it's always great to have them around. I know he's trying to get into a camp."
Senior safety Santos Ramirez said D'Vone McClure and Britto Tutt both had interceptions.
"Today actually was a pretty good day," Ramirez said. "We've got to get in better football shape obviously coming off offseason training and getting back into football the first day.
"But guys retained a lot of offseason knowledge from spring. We played fast, and I really enjoyed today."
The most intriguing part of the first four periods open to the media were the hurry-up, move-the ball segments conducted by quarterbacks Ty Storey and Cole Kelley.
Storey ran the No. 1 offense in a series of plays conducted at fast speed behind an offensive line of left tackle Dalton Wagner, left guard Froholdt, center Dylan Hays, right guard Johnny Gibson and right tackle Brian Wallace.
Devwah Whaley was the first tailback in the group, followed by Chase Hayden. Jeremy Patton and Austin Cantrell were the top tight ends with the unit, while Cornelius, La'Michael Pettway, Jonathan Nance, Deon Stewart, De'Vion Warren and Michael Woods rotated at receiver.
Kelley operated with the second unit coming back down the field behind center Shane Clenin, tackles Deion Malone and Noah Gatlin, and guards Ty Clary and Kirby Adcock.
The tailbacks on the second group were T.J. Hammonds, Maleek Williams and Rakeem Boyd, and the tight ends were Cheyenne O'Grady and Grayson Gunter. The receivers running on the unit were Jordan Jones, Koilan Jackson, Tyson Morris, Jarrod Barnes, Gary Cross and Tobias Enlow.
Morris said Boyd, a junior-college transfer, was in better shape than he expected after arriving on campus recently. Junior-college transfer defensive end Dorian Gerald flew in from California on Friday and did not make it to the workout because he was finishing up paperwork, Morris added.
Morris said the quarterbacks took turns rotating "racks," or series of plays with the first unit.
"Talking about Ty and Cole, I thought they did well," Morris said. "I thought there were some good things that went on there. They all got about the same amount of reps. We rotated who got the first reps. They flip-flopped. We're just trying to push these guys and challenge them."
Jalen Merrick, who battled Gibson for the starting right guard job during spring drills, was dressed out in his No. 79 jersey but was working on the stationary bike.
Colton Jackson, the returning starter at left tackle who will miss part of the season while rehabilitating from back surgery, wore a yellow no-contact jersey, as did sophomore defensive lineman Briston Guidry and freshman defensive tackle Billy Ferrell.
Sports on 08/04/2018