FAYETTEVILLE -- Trey Knox has made one of the most successful in-season position changes in recent University of Arkansas football history this season.
The 6-5 junior did not have a catch as a wideout in the season opener against Rice before switching over to tight end. He's trying to add weight while turning himself into a hybrid pass catcher and blocker.
"It was really my idea," Knox said. "I was like, 'Move me to tight end.' I feel like I can be really good at tight end.
"I know I can block. Being the hybrid kind of guy, that's what a lot of NFL teams like. So I just thought it's a thing that I should bite at and I would have great success with."
Knox's blocking at the new spot was evident early on. It took him several games to get in the receiving column, but once he did, against Ole Miss in Week 6, he kicked it up a notch.
Only ace wideout Treylon Burks has more catches in the past four games than Knox's nine receptions for 63 yards. And that's after Knox played sparingly against Auburn with a sore ankle and did not play the following week against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
The bulk of his catches have come in successful two-minute drills run by quarterback KJ Jefferson at Ole Miss and against Mississippi State.
"I don't know, I guess the two-minute drill just likes me I guess," Knox said. "KJ likes throwing me the ball when it's crunch time. ... I just have to make plays when there are plays to be made."
Knox has put on 5 pounds during the season to reach about 225 pounds. He's impressed Coach Sam Pittman with his work at tight end.
"He had some really good blocks on a couple screen plays out there that we needed for first downs," Pittman said after Saturday's 31-28 win over Mississippi State.
"I think he can be a really, really good tight end. He's already helping us there now. He's physical. ... Trey is tall and slender. He's really good and really powerful with his hands. Now that he's put some more weight on, I think he's going to be a dynamic tight end for us."
CFP update
Arkansas landed in the No. 25 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings unveiled Tuesday night on ESPN.
The Razorbacks (6-3) earned their second CFP placement after making their debut in the rankings on Nov. 8, 2016, also at No. 25, following a 31-10 win over No. 11 Florida. Arkansas fell from the poll the following week,after a 38-10 home loss to LSU. The Razorbacks travel to LSU (4-5) on Saturday.
Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said the Razorbacks "absolutely" deserved a spot in the CFP rankings following Saturday's 31-28 win over No. 17 Mississippi State.
Arkansas is the fifth-highest three-loss team in the rankings after No. 17 Auburn, No. 18 Wisconsin, No. 19 Purdue and No. 24 Utah.
Personnel report
Senior tailback Trelon Smith was back at practice Tuesday after missing Monday's work due to a family issue, a team spokesman said.
Freshman tailback Raheim Sanders was in a green no-contact jersey for the first time this season during the shortened session in full pads. Sanders appeared to be running at full speed and doing group drills with his undisclosed issue.
Tailback Josh Oglesby and offensive lineman Jalen St. John were not seen during the viewing window open to members of the media.
Morgan a semifinalist
Arkansas linebacker Grant Morgan was named Tuesday as one of 10 semifinalists for the Burlsworth Trophy, which has been awarded each year since 2010 to the top college player who began his career as a walk-on. The award is named after Harrison native Brandon Burlsworth, a walk-on who bloomed into an All-American with the Razorbacks in 1998.
Morgan, a sixth-year senior from Greenwood, was one of three finalists last year for the trophy, which was awarded to Pittsburgh center Jimmy Morrissey.
Joining Morgan among this year's semifinalists are UNC-Charlotte quarterback Chris Reynolds, Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett, Iowa State lineman Derek Schweiger, Liberty lineman Thomas Sargeant, Memphis wideout Calvin Austin III, Northwestern linebacker Chris Bergen, Oregon lineman Ryan Walk, Troy linebacker Carlton Martial and Wisconsin defensive end Matt Henningsen.
The selection committee will announce the Burlsworth Trophy finalists next Tuesday. The winner will be announced on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville.
Johnson honored
Arkansas tailback Dominique Johnson was selected as an honorable mention national player of the week by the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award on Tuesday.
The award, established in 2012, is given each week to the top college player in the country who was born in Texas, graduated from high school in Texas or plays collegiately in the state.
Johnson rushed for 107 yards on 17 carries and scored twice in the Razorbacks' 31-28 win over No. 17 Mississippi State. The performance marked the first 100-yard game for the sophomore from Crowley, Texas, just south of Fort Worth.
The Week 10 winner was TCU quarterback Chandler Morris, son of former Arkansas Coach Chad Morris, who amassed 531 total yards, including 461 passing, in his first career start, a 30-28 upset of No. 12 Baylor.
Morris' 461 passing yards rank fourth on TCU's single-game list and are the third-most in the country since 2012 by a player making his first start.
No blood
Quarterback KJ Jefferson said he did not have blood on his knee pad area early in the Mississippi State game last week, even though the SEC Network broadcast showed him with a red splotch on his pants.
"A lot of people asked me about that," Jefferson said. "But that actually was the paint from the Hog [logo]. I didn't have a busted knee at all. ... People were coming up to me asking was my knee all right, but that was paint from the Hog."
26 and counting
The Battle for the Golden Boot will celebrate its 26th anniversary Saturday, with LSU holding a 17-8 edge over Arkansas in the series since the largest trophy in college football was introduced into the rivalry for the 1996 game.
The Golden Boot trophy was created by former Arkansas linebacker David Bazzel, a TV and radio personality in Little Rock who also created the Broyles Trophy to honor the nation's top college football assistant coach as well as other awards.
"I think Bazzel designed it," Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said Monday. "I think he designs everything."
'Larry' and Lucy
The bowling ball purchased for Sam Pittman by UA director of football operations Pat Doherty to literally represent the fact the Razorbacks were going bowling last Saturday came with the name "Larry" printed on it.
Pittman had introduced Larry to the team and was holding the ball when the Razorbacks called the Hogs after their 31-28 win over Mississippi State.
Pittman managed the feat with his right hand even though he said he tore the bicep in that arm while lifting his dog Lucy for a promotional video a few years ago.
"I was doing that silly 'Yessssir!' video at Georgia and I went down to pick up Lucy like this and ... she's a bulldog, so I was going to put her in the video," Pittman said. "When I did, it just popped right through here. Like a .22 going off. It really did.
"But I had to get the video out, so my arm was shaking. But anyway, I was a little concerned about lifting the bowling ball because it's heavy, because I've torn this bicep, but I was on adrenaline. It wasn't like it was a 100-pound ball, you know."
Pittman said Lucy would be turning 12 on Nov. 27, the day after the Razorbacks' regular season finale against Missouri at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.