Razorbacks report

No harm: Davis gets ‘live carry’

Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson said he and his teammates are aware of the NFL scouts who attend Razorbacks practices. “You go out and try to play like you always play, or maybe even a little better,” Wilson said.
Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson said he and his teammates are aware of the NFL scouts who attend Razorbacks practices. “You go out and try to play like you always play, or maybe even a little better,” Wilson said.

— The one key piece of information Arkansas football fans needed to hear from Friday night’s mock game came courtesy of running backs coach Tim Horton’s Twitter account late in the evening.

“Good scrimmage tonight! No turnovers, not many penalties and no injuries.

This is a fun group to coach!” Horton wrote.

No injuries meant tailback Knile Davis emerged from his only live tackling of the preseason in good shape, which the junior seemed to confirm with his own tweet.

“Hahaha still got it...good scrimmage today the team looked great #Blessed & highly favored!!!” Davis sent to his followers late Friday.

Davis also sent out a picture Saturday he described as “First live carry...ready to go!!!” with him taking a hand off from Tyler Wilson.

Visual confirmation that Davis appeared to emerge unscathed came in a picture sent about 11:30 a.m. on Saturday from one of the Arkansas athletic department’s Twitter account. Davis and Wilson were pictured taping a segment for Coach John L. Smith’s weekly television with Chuck Barrett, the team’s play-by-play announcer.

Smith surprised some by revealing Thursday that Davis, a 1,300-yard rusher in 2010 and a key cog in the Razorbacks offense, had talked him into taking live reps in the mock game, No.

10 Arkansas’ final major scrimmage before its Sept. 1 opener against Jacksonville (Ala.) State.

The scrimmage was closed to fans and members of the media.

NFL attention Scouts from more than 25 NFL teams have attended Arkansas practices this fall.

“I just think it shows where the program is at and the level of players,” Razorbacks offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said. “All those same players everybody gave you a hard time about that weren’t five star recruits are good players. They’re real good players.

“It’s a credit to all the coaches that have been here and all the assistants developing them. I think a lot of getting your program where it needs to be is developing young players into great players.”

The Razorbacks are aware of the scouts, who typically wear some type of team gear.

“You go out and try to play like you always play, or maybe even a little better,” quarterback Tyler Wilson said. “I know when I’m throwing routes, I try to hit everybody in the middle of the face mask and do the right things ... conducting yourself like you’ve always conducted and try to sell yourself a little bit.”

Petrino said the players respond well when they see NFL scouts.

“I wish they were there every day,” Petrino said.

“They come over and stand by that period, and Knile [Davis] is going to finish a little harder and Cobi [Hamilton] is going to go a little harder. They’re all going to be a little more focused.

No question it’s great having them out there.”

Sudden impact

Arkansas Coach John L. Smith said nothing is “etched in stone,” but he named several true freshmen who could play this season rather than redshirt.

On offense, he noted receivers Mekale McKay, Keon Hatcher and D’Arthur Cowan; running backs Jonathan Williams and Nate Holmes and tight end Demetrius Dean.

On defense, ends Brandon Flowers, Detrich Wise and JaMichael Winston; linebackers Otha Peters and A.J. Turner; cornerback Will Hines; and safety Defonta Lowe were mentioned.

Pickin’ Hogs

At least two national media figures have picked Arkansas to play for the BCS national title.

Associated Press college football writer Ralph Russo picked the Razorbacks to face Southern California in the BCS championship game in Miami.

ESPN’s Skip Bayless picked the same title game match up, but took it a step further earlier this week, saying, “I’ve got a feeling.

I’ve just got a feeling about Arkansas because the SEC West schedule favors the Arkansas Razorbacks because they get both LSU and Alabama at home.

“I do like John L.

Smith, just his stability, his experience, his being the rock for those kids, and those kids will have something to prove.”

Walker: Ironman

Running back Kody Walker is playing with rods in both tibias after surgery for stress fractures in his shins suffered last year.

“They call me the iron man, but it feels the same,” Walker said.

Walker, who scored five touchdowns in three games before the injuries led to a redshirt season, hopes to regain his role as the Razorbacks’ short-yardage back.

Walker has taken snaps at tailback, fullback and on special teams in camp.

‘Show’ time

John L. Smith said getting Arkansas’ scout team organized and on the same page was one of the key agenda items last week.

“A lot of new guys early on in the year, sometimes it’s not as good as you would like offensively or defensively,” Smith said.

“The show is not as good as you would like, so that has to get better and it will.” Show starts

The first edition of Inside Razorback Football with John L. Smith will air tonight on KATV (after 10 p.m. news), KNWA (11 p.m.), KFTA (9 p.m.) and Cox Cable Systems (check local listings). The show will also air regionally on Cox Sports Television and Fox Sports Southwest, and will be available Monday evenings on RazorVision through arkansasrazorbacks.com.

Chuck Barrett, the Razorbacks’ radio play-byplay announcer, and Coach John L. Smith will discuss the team and upcoming and previous games each week.

Tonight’s show will feature all six of the team captains.

Voelzke’s vim

Redshirt freshman Alex Voelzke, who was sixth on Arkansas’ spring depth chart at tight end, has moved to third behind senior Chris Gragg and junior Austin Tate.

Voelzke’s rise could be partly attributed to Andrew Peterson’s dismissal and Brett Weir’s injury, but the 6-6, 240-pound walk-on from Longview, Texas, has also impressed coaches and teammates.

“He’s got a really big skill set,” said graduate assistant Joe Henry, who coaches tight ends. “He runs well for his size. He’s got really good hands. He knows the offense well, and he’s starting to progress and mature pretty quickly.”

Voelzke has tied up with linebackers Otha Peters and Braylon Mitchell on some heated one-on-one pass blocking drills.

Voelzke said he had scholarship offers from smaller schools, including Henderson State and Ouachita Baptist, but he walked on at Arkansas because he wanted a shot at playing in the SEC.

“I knew I could get up here and prove myself to people,” he said.

Sports, Pages 30 on 08/26/2012

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