FAYETTEVILLE — Alonzo Highsmith and Tenarius Wright have logged hundreds of snaps as starters on the Arkansas defense.

But the two seniors have teamed for zero snaps as the Hogs’ inside linebackers in games, and for precious few plays in practices since spring drills, which Highsmith missed with a pectoral tendon injury.

Defensive coordinator Paul Haynes and linebackers coach Taver Johnson have said they don’t think the players’ lack of field time together will be an issue.

“We do a whole lot of stuff in walk-throughs, we do a whole lot of stuff in meetings,” Haynes said Wednesday. “They’re not just sitting on the sideline doing nothing.”

After missing most of two weeks — Highsmith with a hamstring and Wright with undisclosed issues related to a helmet-to-helmet collision with Knile Davis — the pair have picked up the pace this week. They were dressed and working during the open portion of drills Tuesday and participated Wednesday, according to players.

“I think every rep they get together you take another step toward the season,” Johnson said. “Both of those guys have played enough where they’ll feel comfortable playing side by side with one another. That’s not a big concern for us.”

Neither Highsmith nor Wright has been available for media interviews since their injuries during the first week of camp.

“It feels good, man, to get those horses back out there,” defensive tackle D.D. Jones said. “They’ve been out for a while, and they’re making great progress.”

Coach John L. Smith recognized during the summer that the linebacker spot was the team’s most suspect group and it hasn’t exactly been stable in fall camp. But that instability might strengthen the position. Everyone behind Highsmith and Wrighthas taken on more responsibility through increased practice time.

Terrell Williams, Otha Peters, Braylon Mitchell, Kiero Small, A.J. Turner, Austin Jones and Robert Atiga have improved their knowledge and reaction time and could provide quality depth.

Matt Marshall, another senior whose ankle injury has impacted his availability, junior Jarrett Lake and sophomore Daunte Carr have played well enough at the strongside linebacker and “star” spots that would-be star first-teamer Ross Rasner has taken more safety snaps in the past couple of weeks.

But there is still a huge dropoff in game action from Wright and Highsmith, who have 175 career tackles, and all the linebacker candidates behind them, who have combined for 107 tackles, 67 of them by Williams.

Williams said he is determined to make his senior season count.

“I’ve matured a lot,” he said. “I understand the linebacker position as much as I ever have in my life. I feel likeI can go out there and help the team make plays.”

The light has come on for Lake, who said earlier in camp he has finally begun focusing on the right things.

“I’m understanding my playbook and what’s going on and really just being physical,” Lake said. “It’s really about staying in the film room, just seeing what I did wrong on that day of practice and coming out not trying to make that same mistake the next day.

Lake ranks among the team leaders in tackles for loss and pass breakups in camp.

“Jarrett’s kind of settled into that star position for us,” Haynes said. “We battled so long with him with his weight - get up here, get down there - and now he feels comfortable. ... I think he can be real productive for us at that star position.”

Peters and Turner, both true freshmen, have a chance to contribute on defense and special teams.

“I look at A.J. and I lookat Otha and those guys have been making plays out there and running around,” Haynes said. “I think they’re getting more confidence too.”

Sports, Pages 17 on 08/23/2012