FAYETTEVILLE — The players expected to miss Saturday night’s Arkansas-Kentucky game because of injuries would form a pretty good team.
Kentucky quarterbacks Maxwell Smith and Michael Towles could throw passes to Arkansas tight end Chris Gragg. Arkansas fullbacks Kiero Small and Kody Walker could block for Kentucky tailback Josh Clemons.
Arkansas middle linebacker Alonzo Highsmith and defensive end Tenarius Wright could play in front of Kentucky defensive backs Cartier Rice, Mike Benton, Ashely Lowery and Dakotah Taylor.
Midway through the season, 10 starters or second-teamers have missed a combined 20 games for the Razorbacks, and of those, Highsmith, Wright, Small and Walker are out for the rest of the season. Kentucky has had eight starters or backups miss a combined 16 games. Clemons, Williams and Taylor are out for the season, and Smith is unlikely to return.
“I don’t know what they’ve gone through, but I do know what we’ve gone through,” Arkansas Coach John L. Smith said. ... “The thing for us is most of them have been season-enders. ... I’m not sure about all their injuries but, gosh, we think we have had enough for two or three teams.”
Kentucky defensive coordinator Rick Minter, a former Henderson State player and Razorbacks graduate assistant, said the Wildcats may have six healthy defensive backs to go against Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson, who is averaging an SEC-best 319 passing yards per game.
“We’ve just got to play whoever’s back there,” Minter told reporters in Kentucky, “and whoever’s back there has got to know what their responsibility is.”
At times against Mississippi State last week, more than half of Kentucky’s defensive players were freshmen. The Wildcats have played 14 true freshmen this season.
“It seems like we’re a high school all-star team at times,” freshman linebacker Khalid Jackson told the Lexington Herald-Leader.
“We signed them to come here and play,” Kentucky Coach Joker Phillips said. “We knew we were going to have to play some of those freshmen anyway, especially in the secondary.”
Arkansas has played nine true freshmen, including cornerback Will Hines, who has started the past three games, and linebacker A.J. Turner, who will make his first start Saturday night.
Turner is expected to start at weakside linebacker with senior Terrell Williams sliding over to middle linebacker to replace Highsmith, who leads the Razorbacks with 54 tackles but underwent season-ending foot surgery earlier this week after being injured against Auburn last week.
The Razorbacks dodged more injury misery when Wilson, who missed the second half against Louisiana-Monroe and all of the Alabama game because of a concussion, was uninjured in a automobile accident Tuesday.
Wilson likely will be without Gragg as a passing target for a third consecutive game because Gragg is doubtful for Kentucky because of a bone bruise on his leg.
Wilson, Gragg and Cobi Hamilton, the Razorbacks’ top receiver, have been on the field together for just three quarters this season. Hamilton missed the final three quarters of the opener against Jacksonville State because of a head injury.
“You’ve got to play with who you’ve got,” Arkansas offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said of the injuries.
Wright began the season at linebacker starting alongside Highsmith, but coaches moved him back to end in the hopes of limiting his high-speed collisions that aggravated a shoulder injury. Wright missed the Auburn game, but after undergoing tests this week Smith said Wright made the decision to undergo season-ending surgery. Small also was expected to contribute at linebacker this season.
“Some things you can’t predict, some things aren’t fair,” Arkansas linebackers coach Taver Johnson said. “But it’s like we tell the guys, life isn’t fair, either. So you’ve got to figure a way to get it done.”
Phillips said he tries to take a positive approach to injuries, noting the depth it helps create for the future. Kentucky had 33 players undergo surgery in 2005, Phillips said, but the next season was the start of a streak of five consecutive bowl appearances.
“Where there are challenges, there are opportunities for young guys to play,” Phillips said. “But it still makes it tough for the season that you’re in.”
Sports, Pages 17 on 10/11/2012