Execution exemplary in tuneup

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

— Game week opened Monday for the No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks, who are preparing for Saturday’s season opener against Jacksonville State after a productive mock game Friday.

Tailback Knile Davis took his first live tackles since last August and fumbled after hitting the ground with his first carry, Coach John L.

Smith said.

“He’s excited and I think it was good for him without a doubt to take some hits and feel good about himself, get back up, take a few more,” Smith said.

The first offense and the first defense worked roughly 40 snaps each in the scrimmage, and quarterback Tyler Wilson said a lot of positives came from the workout, most notably execution.

“Probably the top thing, there were two incompletions through the entire night,” Wilson said. “I had one and Brandon Allen had one. I thought we did a lot of things very well.

“We ran the ball pretty good, especially at the end of the scrimmage. We got some things accomplished there.

We threw the ball really well, if you look at the stats. That’s exciting.”

Smith said the scout teams offered up great looks and good effort.

“So I think we got a lot out of it,” he said.

Defensive end Chris Smith said he was impressed with the workmanlike approach to the mock game.

“It was the best one we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Smith said.

Depth chart debut

Arkansas’ first depth chart offered perhaps no surprises, based on how camp played out, with Brandon Mitchell and Mekale McKay earning first-team status at receiver along with senior Cobi Hamilton. Juniors Javontee Herndon, Julian Horton and Demetrius Wilson were listed as second-team receivers.

First-team fullback Kiero Small also is listed as second team middle linebacker behind Tenarius Wright, and he might take significant reps there with Wright slowed by injury.

“We’ve got to make sure that he doesn’t wear down, but yes, we’re going to use him at linebacker as well,” Coach John L. Smith said, adding that Small wore down some last week.

Only four true freshmen - receivers McKay and Keon Hatcher, cornerback Will Hines and kick returner Nate Holmes - made the initial depth chart, though Smith indicated many freshmen will play, including linebacker Otha Peters and running back Jonathan Williams, especially on special teams.

Injury update

Coach John L. Smith said safety Eric Bennett and linebacker Alonzo Highsmith, who have had leg injuries in camp, performed in Friday’s scrimmage work, and linebacker Tenarius “Tank” Wright was held out of live tackling.

“You want to keep Tank from hitting until it comes game time, and that’s what we’ll do,” he said. “But they’ll practice all week. All those guys are ready.”

Smith listed cornerback Tevin Mitchel, who appeared to hurt a groin muscle midway through camp, as the only player with a tweak.

Suspensions

John L. Smith suggested that one or more players would be serving suspensions for the season opener, but he would not reveal names.

“There possibly is some people that are righting some wrongs, correct,” Smith said.

“And this is the perfect time to get them - we want the ship sailing right. If you have a, what do you call it, a penance to serve, you’ll get that done this week.”

The most likely candidate for a suspension is offensive tackle Jason Peacock, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor theft of property charge in June and had to complete community service time.

No Hogs love

ESPN released the predictions of 18 of its college football analysts and the Razorbacks were not projected to win the SEC by any.

Defending BCS national champion Alabama was the choice of eight of the panelists to win the SEC, while defending SEC champion LSU was picked by six and Georgia earned four selections.

The most common national championship prediction from the panel was Alabama vs. Oregon, which earned 22 percent of the vote.

The lull

Quarterback Tyler Wilson seemed pleased that the high drama around the Razorbacks in the spring, with Bobby Petrino’s Harley-Davidson accident and eventual firing, as well as multiple player arrests, died down in fall camp.

“Yeah, there weren’t any big stories to write during the fall camp, other than the defense had some good scrimmages, which was exciting,” Wilson said.

“Everybody settled in. I think we know what to expect.”

Sports, Pages 19 on 08/28/2012