FAYETTEVILLE — A list of the major accomplishments for Arkansas’ fall camp has to start with good health.
The Razorbacks emerged with no major injuries and all the projected starters in solid shape after their first 19 practices, including two major scrimmages and one half-scrimmage, before Monday’s start of school.
“It was exciting Saturday, especially,” defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell said. “One of our big goals was obviously to get better, but to get out of there healthy ... so that was huge for us.”
The grueling stretch of work, generally in searing heat, sent a few key players - most notably linebackers Tenarius “Tank” Wright and Alonzo Highsmith and safety Eric Bennett - to the sideline with minor ailments for varying amounts of time. But those three players were scheduled to return to practice Monday, giving them two weeks to prepare for the season opener Sept. 1 against Jacksonville State.
“It’s going to be great to get our senior leaders back in Tank and Alonzo, and Eric Bennett’s obviously a big player for our secondary,” defensive end Chris Smith said. “When we get it all together with those guys, the sky’s the limit for the defense.”
A clean camp from an injury standpoint contrasts with last summer, when tailback Knile Davis broke his left ankle in the first scrimmage and was lost for the year. Davis has not been tackled to the ground, at least not publicly, since that incident last Aug. 11.
“You stay healthy and get everybody to the game,” Coach John L. Smith said after Saturday night’s 123-play scrimmage, excluding field goals, in mild weather at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Quarterback Tyler Wilson liked the idea of starting the season with all the Hogs’ stars, and Davis in particular.
“Absolutely,” Wilson said after the scrimmage. “When he gets back in the game, I’m excited. We didn’t have Dennis [Johnson] and we didn’t have Knile tonight, so we missed those two guys for sure.”
Smith’s first comment to the media after Saturday’s scrimmage was blunt. “We have to get better,” he said. “We have two weeks to do it and we’re going to do it.
“There were a lot of good things tonight, and there’s still some mistakes.”
The Arkansas coaches believe their defense can be better in 2012, but the players understand they have to improve on their camp effort.
“We worked through it, we grinded through it like we planned to,” defensive captain Alfred Davis said. “But as a defense, as a whole, I feel like we could have done better.”
The Razorbacks were pleasantly surprised Saturday by a crowd that nearly totaled 15,000, giving the scrimmage a game like feel and bringing out what offensive coordinator Paul Petrino likes to call showtime.
“It was amazing,” said receiver Cobi Hamilton, whose 65-yard touchdown catch and tackle-breaking run over the middle was the highlight of the day.
“We all took it upon ourselves to have our best play of fall camp. I think a lot of leaders on this team did that, and I was very happy with it.”
Sports, Pages 15 on 08/21/2012