Razorbacks report

Wilson displays defense

Thousands of fans lined up to get autographs from the Arkansas football team, including the linebackers seen here, during Saturday’s fan day at Walton Arena in Fayetteville. Arkansas officials estimated the crowd at Saturday’s scrimmage at 15,000.
Thousands of fans lined up to get autographs from the Arkansas football team, including the linebackers seen here, during Saturday’s fan day at Walton Arena in Fayetteville. Arkansas officials estimated the crowd at Saturday’s scrimmage at 15,000.

— Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson turned defensive during Saturday night’s scrimmage, breaking up an interception attempt by defensive end Chris Smith.

Smith batted the ball up in the air at the line of scrimmage and had it in his hands, but Wilson managed to knock it out.

“I’m not even sure what it was, if it was a pass breakup, or a strip and fumble,” Wilson said. “They called it an incomplete pass.

“I had [fullback] Morgan Linton wide open in the end zone. I can’t believe I missed him. I told Morgan I need to go buy him dinner now.”

Wilson and Smith said the play seemed to unfold in slow motion.

“I think I got a little lucky getting the tip,” Smith said. “When I caught it, I heard a whistle blow. Tyler just came out of nowhere and stripped it from me, man. I don’t know what happened on that.

“I heard a fumble, I heard an incomplete pass. I’ll go back on film and look at it.”

If the replay shows it was an intercpetion, Smith said he should have Wilson autograph the ball.

What about Knile?

Tailback Knile Davis was held out of the scrimmage — as has been the case since last spring — which prompted Coach John L. Smith to be asked again if Davis will be tackled to the ground before the Sept. 1 opener against Jacksonville State.

Smith must have lost count how many times he’s been asked about Davis not being tackled, but he’s keeping his sense of humor about it.

“Before practice we came out, and I hit him and knocked him to the ground and that was enough,” Smith said. “We’ve always had a philosophy, get the good guys to the game.”

Family loss

Senior tailback Dennis Johnson missed the scrimmage for family reasons. Johnson’s grandmother, Ira Williams, died earlier this week.

“Dennis called me in the middle of the night and he said, ‘It doesn’t look like she’s going to make it,’ ” Coach John L. Smith said. “I said, ‘You get in the car and go home and say goodbye, and that’s what he did.”

Smith said Johnson was returning to Fayetteville today and would be in class Monday.

“He still has the funeral to go through,” Smith said. “Our prayers are with him, because that’s a tough deal. I think she raised him.”

Jackson a medical

Former defensive lineman Jeremiah Jackson is on medical hardship, Coach John L. Smith said, meaning he can no longer play for the Razorbacks, but can remain on scholarship. Jackson is helping the team as a student coach at practice.

“What a great kid he is,” Smith said. “He’ll be here and get his degree. He’s a student and coming out and helping coach ... I think that’s probably what he’ll do down the road.”

Nice crowd

Arkansas officials estimated Saturday night’s crowd at 15,000.

“It gives you a spring game-type atmosphere right before you’re going to play your game,” quarterback Tyler Wilson said. “We’ve got a mock game next week. I think this helps us tremendously with our preparation and getting into the mind-set of what game day is going to be like.”

Worth noting

Arkansas’ new high definition video board made its debut and appeared to run without a hitch. The camera operators around Reynolds Razorback Stadium displayed hundreds of celebrating fans on the board throughout the game.

Coach John L. Smith said linebackers Tenarius Wright and Alonzo Highsmith and safety Eric Bennett, who missed the scrimmage because of injuries, will be back at practice Monday. He said receiver Keante Minor likely will return to practice in the middle of the week.

Smith said tight end Brett Weir, who hasn’t practiced in two weeks, suffered a “ding” in practice and is being held out for precautionary reasons.

Quick change

Kiero Small, who is playing fullback and linebacker, wore a red sleeveless mesh jersey (for offense) over a white jersey (for defense) so he could quickly make the switch from one side of the ball to the other during the scrimmage.

Small worked with the first-team defense and had six tackles. On offense, he had a 6-yard touchdown run and caught a pass for a first down.

Rough series

It was a rough start to the scrimmage for receiver Julian Horton.

Horton should have scored on a 65-yard touchdown play on his first snap when the second teams went against each other, but he dropped a pass from Brandon Allen.

Seven plays later on the possession, it appeared Horton had redeemed himself with a diving touchdown catch in the end zone, but the play was called back because of a false-start penalty.

“Great scrimmage, even though I flopped big time,” Horton tweeted Saturday night.

2 on 1

There were two turnovers on one play in the scrimmage’s second half.

Safety Jerry Mitchell intercepted a Brandon Allen pass, but on the return he was stripped from behind by receiver Mekale McKay, who then recovered the fumble.

Big Al speaks

Defensive tackle Alfred Davis is a rare team captain who may not be a frequent starter, but the senior’s leadership, praised by coordinator Paul Haynes, was significant last season, and it’s understood.

“Last year, while I wasn’t the captain or the senior of the defensive tackles, I still ran the drills,” Davis said. “But I will say since I am the captain I would say more of the players pay attention.

“Usually it was just the D-line or the D-tackles, and the linebackers didn’t have to hear that much from Big Al. But now everybody has to hear from me.”

Sports, Pages 28 on 08/19/2012

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