RAZORBACK REPORT By Tom Murphy and Bob Holt
FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson, who weighed 247 pounds at the start of training camp last season, said he's now at 240.
"That was the weight I wanted to come in at for fall camp," Jefferson said. "I'm hoping I shed a couple more pounds before the first game. That's my mindset going into it. So each and every day I'm attacking it."
Jefferson said he feels better at 240 than he did at 247.
"I'm flying around a lot better," he said. "I'm a lot more confident in myself, just being able to get out and make plays with my legs. Just being able to knock some of the extra weight off and lean up a little bit and be able to come out there and put my team in the best position to win."
Hot, hot, hot
The Arkansas Razorbacks worked exclusively on the outdoor practices fields on Saturday with the temperature at 91 degrees and the heat index making it feel like it was 100.
The move for the second camp practice came after Coach Sam Pittman openly speculated that the conditions inside the Walker Pavilion, while keeping the Razorbacks out of the sun, felt as hot and possibly muggier than they did outside Friday, where there was a breeze. The Razorbacks split their time inside and outside on the opening day of camp.
Winds up to 9 mph helped provide a little comfort on the grass, but the practice was still a grind after the hot opener during which several players wound up with cramps and tight end Hudson Henry was unable to complete the workout.
Linebacker Christopher Paul was on the field, but in an observer's role with his position group for an undisclosed reason.
Starts
KJ Jefferson went 3 for 3 during the practice-opening "fastball" start drill following a run by Raheim Sanders.
Jefferson found Bryce Stephens on a slant pass on which the sophomore made a good catch on a ball a little behind him. After that, Jefferson completed a short pass to Sanders in the left flat, then hit the running back for a short gain over the right side when his deeper options were covered.
Linebacker Jordan Crook was a standout for the second unit, with a "sack" on quarterback Malik Hornsby and a stop of a scrambling Hornsby on the edge. Prior to that, tailback Rashod Dubinion had a running play.
Cade Fortin went 2 for 2 with the third unit. Isaiah Sategna ran an end-around, followed by an A.J. Green run. Sam Mbake made a good catch on a slant from Fortin, then Green caught a ball in the right flat.
Up and down
Receivers Matt Landers and Bryce Stephens moved up to join Warren Thompson and take reps with the first offensive unit in Saturday's fastball start. Jaden Haselwood and Ketron Jackson Jr., who had been with the first group, did not participate in the four-play segment.
Additionally, freshman running back Rashod Dubinion worked with the second group behind Raheim Sanders, while AJ Green ran with the threes.
The second group of wideouts were Jaquayln Crawford, Jaedon Wilson and Landon Rogers, while Isaiah Sategna, Sam Mbake and Quincey McAdoo worked with the third group.
Scout count
At least five NFL scouts attended Saturday's workout, and the linebackers and defensive backs were a big focus for some of them.
The Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens all had scouts on the sidelines.
Help from DJ
Running backs coach Jimmy Smith is making sure Dominique Johnson, who continues to recover from knee surgery, is staying engaged during training camp.
"I give him responsibilities for our room," Smith said. "I give him responsibilities and tell him what they're supposed to do for each other."
Smith said among the duties he has assigned Johnson is making sure the other running backs are on time.
"In the morning if we've got to start at 6:30, I say, 'At 6:15 you make sure everybody's here. You shoot me a text that, everybody's in the building, Coach,' " Smith said. "Before we go out, everybody's got to be taped. He's got to make sure everybody's taped. The small things.
"In the room, he might have to do the signals for the plays, so he won't lose that. I might even let him get on the board and show somebody something."
Tailbacks Raheim Sanders and A.J. Green touted the role of Johnson, whose 575 rushing yards last year ranked fourth on the team behind KJ Jefferson (664), Trelon Smith (598) and Sanders (578), as Arkansas sported four 500-yard rushers for the first time since 1975.
"He's doing a good job on his rehab as well and that's a good thing having him being still there and making sure he's on task," Sanders said.
"I would say he's definitely a leader in our room," Green added. "Him doing that, it just shows how much of a leader you are, because the better leader you are the more acts of service you're going to do for the people you care for, the people you're trying to lead."
Sore feet
Quarterback KJ Jefferson was asked Friday that considering how tired he must be after the practice, could he imagine how Malik Hornsby felt taking all the second-team reps at quarterback plus another 15 to 20 reps as a receiver.
Said Jefferson, smiling, "I'm actually not tired. My feet hurt, though."
At 83
Arkansas has 83 scholarship players, two under the maximum allowed by the NCAA, with freshman tight end Dax Courtney's announcement Monday he is taking a medical retirement.
Razorbacks Coach Sam Pittman said he's not positive what will happen with the open scholarships, but one possibility could be a transfer.
"If you had a guy that was exceptional that transferred after the transfer portal deadline," Pittman said. "In other words, he could transfer, he could be on scholarship, but he couldn't play this year.
"If we found somebody like that, where they could go through practice and all those things and be up in the spring, we might do that, but that would be really the only answer to your question right now."
Hog rankings
The Associated Press preseason rankings are scheduled to be released Aug. 15. In the meantime, the Hogs are garnering national respect in other precincts.
CBS Sports has the Razorbacks at No. 16 in its rankings of all FBS teams called the CBS Sports 131.
Arkansas is listed just ahead of its season-opening opponent, Cincinnati, and two spots ahead of Penn State, the team the Hogs downed 24-10 in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 to complete a 9-4 season.
Other Arkansas opponents in the 247Sports.com rankings: 1. Alabama, 9. Texas A&M, 26. Brigham Young, 27. Ole Miss, 31. LSU, 35. Mississippi State, 47. Auburn, 53. South Carolina, 67. Missouri and 74. Liberty. Missouri State, an FCS school coached by ex-Hogs boss Bobby Petrino, is not included in the rankings.