RED-WHITE GAME REPORT by Bob Holt and Tom Murphy
FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas receiver Tyrone Broden missed three football practices last week for personal reasons, but he looked sharp in Saturday's Red-White game at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Broden had five catches for 60 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown pass from Jaylen Green.
"I was definitely super, super impressed with how he came out today," Green said. "Even the whole spring, the consistency.
"He stepped away a little bit midway through the spring, but he didn't miss a beat. He was definitely real professional today and went out and had a really good day. That's what I'm most proud of. That's what I love."
Broden had 15 catches for 109 yards and 2 touchdowns last season after transferring from Bowling Green. He's going into his sixth season as a college player and had 89 receptions for 1,308 yards and 15 touchdowns in 44 games.
"He wanted to play, and he's got reasons why for some people in his family that he wanted to play for," Coach Sam Pittman said. "And I thought it was really cool that he went out and had a good day."
Pittman credited offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino and receivers coach Ronnie Fouch for helping Broden have a good spring.
"I think they have really gotten confidence built into Tyrone," Pittman said. "He's always been athletic, but I don't know if he's always thought he was a great receiver. I think some of the catches he made today proves that we need him.
"A lot of people would want him. But it says a lot about his maturity. Of course, he's an older kid. But I think he had a reason and a purpose to go out there today and play well."
Hit-and-miss
Matthew Shipley and Vito Calvaruso each hit 2 of 4 field-goal attempts Saturday.
Shipley, a fifth-year transfer from Hawaii, hit from 40 and 33 yards and missed from 45 and 40.
Calvaruso, a senior in his second stint with the Razorbacks after transferring back from Wisconsin, made kicks of 45 and 33 yards and missed twice from 40.
"Well, we have to be more consistent," Coach Sam Pittman said. "We haven't performed well in the stadium. We have performed well in the indoor [facility and] on the practice field.
"This week was our best week we've had kicking field goals up to today. And somehow we've got to figure out how to put them through those two yellow poles inside the stadium because they're doing it at practice better than they did earlier in the year."
Pittman said Shipley, who made 56 of 73 field-goal tries in four seasons at Hawaii, and Calvaruso are both good workers.
"They have the capabilities," Pittman said. "I haven't lost any trust or anything like that in them because I've seen them do it many a time. We've got to continue to get them in here and make sure they make them inside the stadium because that's where it's going to count."
Injury report
At least eight Razorbacks did not participate in the spring game.
On offense, the injured players were wideout Davion Dozier (left arm), offensive lineman Zuri Madison (knee), tight end Ty Washington (shoulder), running back Cade Fields (undisclosed), and receiver Jace Petty (undisclosed).
On defense, linebacker Justin Logan (left arm), cornerback Marquise Robinson (knee) and safety Dylan Hasz (hand) did not participate.
Washington is rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery after being injured in the Hogs' 39-36 overtime win at Florida. Madison tore a knee ligament in a scooter accident prior to spring practices.
Helmet away
Safety TJ Mitchell laid one of the biggest licks of the day, but his big collision with tight end Luke Hasz ended up being costly to himself.
After Hasz caught a pass in the right flat and dodged one defender, it looked like he might have an open lane into the end zone. However, Metcalf swooped in and delivered a big blow that dropped Hasz at the 5-yard line after 14-yard pickup and sent Metcalf's helmet flying.
The sophomore from Birmingham, Ala., stayed down for a moment to recover and be seen by the athletic training staff, but he got up and received applause from the crowd. Metcalf did not return to the action.
Collared
The White defense contributed to the Red team's third scoring drive with an illegal tackle.
Ja'Quinden Jackson was motoring down the right side after breaking through the line of scrimmage before safety Miguel Mitchell caught up to him.
Mitchell brought him down at the 17 after a 27-yard pickup, but he did it with a horse collar tackle and the resulting penalty moved the ball half the distance to the goal at the 8.
Jackson scored on a spinning, tackle-breaking 8-yard run two plays later.
Big foot
Devin Bale, a redshirt junior transfer from Northern Colorado, boomed punts of 61 and 62 yards.
Junior Max Fletcher, last season's No. 1 punter, had a 43-yarder on his only attempt.
UAPB move
Arkansas' season-opener at Little Rock against the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff was moved to Aug. 29, which is the Thursday before Labor Day weekend, from its original Saturday date of Aug. 31.
The 6:30 p.m. game will be televised on ESPNU.
By moving the game date, Arkansas will have extra preparation time for its game at Oklahoma State on Sept. 7.
Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said playing the season-opener at night and on Thursday are pluses for the fans and the Razorbacks.
"So everybody at Little Rock and probably everybody everywhere wants to play the game at night because it's so dang hot, right?" Pittman said. "So the folks will be able to tailgate and it won't be as hot. It won't be as hot on our guys.
"And you gain two days on your next opponent. I believe that was the best decision and really the only decision we could make other than say we're going to go over there and play [Saturday night] on our first game. That just didn't give us any type of advantage at all. And I think, I believe we'll get people to come out and see us on a Thursday night over there."
Big turnout
About 450 former Razorbacks returned to campus this weekend for the annual spring reunion.
Coach Sam Pittman addressed the group Friday night at a fish fry held at the stadium.
Among the returning players was Darren McFadden, who won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back in 2006 and 2007 and also finished runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting both seasons.
"To be in the presence of those guys, I just thanked them," Pittman said. "Those guys were very, very positive about what we can do next year. I think it was the biggest group we've had, so it goes to say that I felt like the group is behind us still and they believe in us. I just thanked them for all that.
"It's just humbling to be in front of those guys that have so much love for the Razorbacks and they're so kind to me."
The large turnout of former players also was due to a celebration of life for Dean Weber at Walton Arena after the Red-White game.
Weber, Arkansas' long-time trainer who also worked at the Razorback Foundation, died in February at age 78.