FAYETTEVILLE - Sophomore Will Hines is expected back in the cornerback rotation this week, while junior college transfer Carroll Washington has been slowed by a heel injury.
Hines, who broke his right arm at Florida on Oct. 5, was involved in full-contact work during Arkansas’ bye week last week.
“I don’t know if he’ll start, but he definitely will be involved in the game plan and definitely on punt return,” Coach Bret Bielema said.
“To get him back out there in the bye week has been good at that spot,” cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson said. “He’s still a little rusty. The good thing is we have him back.”
Washington’s availability is still up in the air, but his prognosis has improved.
“He’s much better, and that’s been a big plus,” Johnson said.
True freshman D.J. Dean has continued to improve and his reps could go up in the rotation, which also will include junior Tevin Mitchel and freshman Jared Collins.
“It’s good to have Will back,” Collins said. “We’re all just rotating and trying to get better.”
Bielema said Hines was playing his best football just before his arm injury.
“I was getting better every game,” Hines said last week. “I still feel like I’m up there at the same level I was. I’ve just got to go prove it.” On pace
Mississippi State is averaging 433 yards of total offense per game, which is on pace to break the school record of 422 yards per game set in 1982.
Snap to it
Center Travis Swanson missed two plays on Arkansas’ frantic two minute drive at the end of its 34-24 loss at Ole Miss.
The senior had a dislocated finger on his left hand that was jutting out the wrong way.
“After the ball was thrown I felt it go and I was like, ‘Well, that’s not right,’ so I came off and our trainers just took it and snapped it right back into place and taped it up and I went back out there,” Swanson said. “It was pretty painful. I’d never dislocated anything before.”
Swanson is in position to make his 49th consecutive start Saturday against Mississippi State.
Getting better
Bret Bielema said cornerback Tevin Mitchel has turned in his best practices of the year in the past couple of weeks.
Mitchel has allowed big plays in several games, missing a tackle on a 52-yard catch-and-run touchdown by Ole Miss’ Donte Moncrief and giving up Sammie Coates’ 88-yard touchdown catch against Auburn.
“We really sat him down and analyzed why he was playing a certain way and how he can play better,” Bielema said. “After two days of practice last Wednesday and Thursday, I had the coaches make some cutups and show him playing at a level that he hadn’t yet on Saturday.”
Groove on
Bret Bielema said he was impressed to hear that fans begin arriving at War Memorial Park at 5:30 a.m. to tailgate before an Arkansas game.
“Anybody that can get their groove on at that time deserves some kudos,” Bielema said.
2 on AJ
Mississippi State sophomore cornerback Taveze Calhoun made his first two interceptions memorable ones when he twice hijacked AJ McCarron passes in the Bulldogs’ 20-7 loss to Alabama last week.
Mississippi State has 10 interceptions this season.
Korliss cares
Arkansas coaches have concluded they need more players like freshman Korliss Marshall, who has shown tremendous game speed and has the ability to play running back, safety and be a kick returner.
“You can tell he’s an incredibly explosive player,” Bret Bielema said. “The one thing he does, what he’s done on all those run plays or the returns … he hits the hole so much faster than everybody else and with a tremendous amount of power.
“The second thing is, he’s just a willing soul, man.
He’s a kid that is driven by success. It’s been amazing to me … he’s so conscientious coming into my office, I would say at least once a week or every other week, and telling me how his grades are going and all the things that are going on in his life.”
Climbing
Mississippi State Coach Dan Mullen ranks fourth in school history with 33 victories behind Jackie Sherrill (75), Allyn McKeen (65) and Emory Bellard (37).
Sports, Pages 21 on 11/21/2013