FAYETTEVILLE - Saturday’s scrimmage at Reynolds Razorback Stadium might have been the only chance for members of the media and fans to see the Arkansas football team for a while.

Arkansas Coach Bret Bielemahas closed the team’s regular practices all week for the second consecutive week. In preparation for a later scrimmage time this weekend, the Razorbacks practiced beyond 9 p.m. Monday, and are scheduled to do the same on Wednesday and Friday.

The deep evening practice sessions are followed by media interviews.

Bielema said he wanted the team’s three preseason scrimmages to reflect the kickoff times for the team’s first three games. Following last weekend’s 3:50 p.m.

scrimmage, the Razorbacks will start later Saturday to mirror their 6 p.m. kickoff for their second game again Samford at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

The final scrimmage will be closer to the scheduled 11:21 a.m. kickoff time for the Razorbacks’ on-campus game against Southern Miss on Sept. 14.

Saturday’s scrimmage is currently scheduled to be closed to fans and the media.

A flying what?

Bret Bielema might have been at his most animated Saturday when asked for his evaluation of recruiting services.

“All due respect, as I know some of you are in this - I don’t give a flying … care or an opinion for recruiting services,” he said.

Bielema pointed out the maturation and position switch of J.J. Watt, the reigning NFL defensive player of the year, at Wisconsin, as well as Chris Borland, a low-rated 5-11 linebacker who quickly bloomed into the Big Ten freshman of the year in 2009.

“We’ve got kids right now that we’ve recruited or got committed here or we’ve signed, we feel they can play for us,” he said.

“I think a key phrase is undersized, underrecruited and underdeveloped. To me, those are great words. I don’t think a lot of people feel that same way.”

5-pound beard

Coach Bret Bielema rarely misses a chance to poke fun at a player when the opportunity arises. So after praising the physical improvements of offensive guard Brey Cook, he cast his wry eye toward Cook’s blossoming beard.

“He might want to try trimming that beard,” Bielema said. “That thing is probably 5 pounds of water weight after every practice.”

Cook described the genesis of his beard as a lazy thing. “Then it evolved to I want to keep it during camp,” he said. “Who knows? I might keep it.

“Austin Flynn’s not here to really kind of show me up. He had one heck of a beard. Inspiration.”

Nickel back

Freshman cornerback D.J. Dean is taking some of the first-team snaps at nickel back in place of the injured Rohan Gaines. Other players who figure to get some work at the spot this week are cornerbacks Tevin Mitchel and Will Hines and safety Price Holmes.

Gaines said Sunday he expected to miss only a couple of practices while rehabbing a bruised knee.

Second look

Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney’s evaluation of quarterback Brandon Allen, who completed 16 of 17 passes for 216 yards in Saturday’s scrimmage, went deeper than his 94.1 percent completion rate.

“They say he had a heck of a day,” Chaney said. “I didn’t grade him as high as those numbers would indicate. He made some mistakes we’ve got to get cleared up. But he is playing really good right now. He’s throwing the ball accurately, so I am excited about him.”

Derby still No. 2

Bret Bielema said junior college transfer AJ Derby continued to be the second team quarterback behind starter Brandon Allen after a good showing the first week of practice.

“There’s certain things AJ has got to focus on and do a better job of, but I thought he threw the ball better all week than he did in the spring,” he said. “I think the players have confidence in him. He’s a very, very likable guy.”

Skipper surprised

Freshman Dan Skipper said he was surprised to be the second-team offensive left tackle in Saturday’s scrimmage.

“I didn’t expect it all,” Skipper said. “As I came in, I just wanted to get better every day and keep making gains, the same goals that everyone else has.”

Hartfield cleared

Freshman receiver Melvinson Hartfield finally has been cleared by the NCAA to begin practicing with the Razorbacks.

“We just got word that he’ll be here [today],” receivers coach Michael Smith said after Monday night’s practice. “So after he goes through all his medical stuff, he’ll be able practice.”

In accordance with NCAA rules, Hartfield will have to start practicing in shorts, a helmet and a t-shirt. He won’t be able to practice in full pads until later in the week.

Hog sales

Arkansas ranked 10th among college football programs represented by the Collegiate Licensing Company in the most royalties collected for the period between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013.

The program finished in the top 10 in licensed merchandise sales for the first time, moving up four spots from its 14thplace finish last year. The Razorbacks generated $4,047,327 in gross royalties during the period, marking a 7 percent increase from last year and the first time the figure exceeded $4 million in a one-year period.

Collegiate Licensing represents most major colleges, notable exceptions being Ohio State, Michigan State, Southern Cal and Oregon.

Texas led in royalties for the eighth consecutive year, followed by Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan, Kentucky, LSU, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Arkansas.

Sports, Pages 17 on 08/13/2013