Razorback Report

Hogs QB says he's good to go

In this photo taken Nov. 22, 2014, in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game, Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen, top, prepares for the snap against Mississippi. Arkansas gained bowl eligibility with its dominating win over Mississippi last week but the Razorbacks must get hobbled quarterback Allen healthy before Friday's game at Missouri. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
In this photo taken Nov. 22, 2014, in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game, Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen, top, prepares for the snap against Mississippi. Arkansas gained bowl eligibility with its dominating win over Mississippi last week but the Razorbacks must get hobbled quarterback Allen healthy before Friday's game at Missouri. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

FAYETTEVILLE -- Quarterback Brandon Allen practiced at full speed this week after being limited with an oblique muscle injury in the last regular-season game at Missouri.

"I'm 100 percent," Allen said this week. "It's healed up really well. I didn't have any pain in practice. I feel like I'm good to go."

Allen said he wasn't concerned the injury might linger and affect his preparations for Arkansas' game against Texas in the Texas Bowl on Dec. 29 in Houston.

"I think our training room staff has done such a great job," he said. "I was in there every day getting treatment on it and doing everything they told me to do, and it healed up well."

Offensive tackle Brey Cook said it was good to see Allen practicing without problems.

"He came out on fire," Cook said. "He was running like he hadn't skipped a beat."

Allen was hurt against Ole Miss and Coach Bret Bielema had referred to it as hip injury. Allen said after the Missouri game it was his oblique.

"It was all the oblique muscle, but it was right on top of the hip," Allen said. "So that's why they called it a hip."

Spaight's moment

Linebacker Martrell Spaight had to miss some of the final periods of Saturday's 18-period practice, but it was for a good reason.

The senior from North Little Rock was introduced during a first-half timeout in the Arkansas men's basketball game against Dayton as the winner of the football team's annual Crip Hall Award.

The Crip Hall Award is given to the most outstanding senior during the homecoming game. Spaight had a team-high nine tackles along with a pass breakup and one stop behind the line for 4 lost yards in Arkansas' 45-17 victory over Alabama-Birmingham in the Oct. 25 homecoming game.

The Walton Arena crowd gave a rousing ovation to Spaight, who was presented the award by former Razorback Marvin Caston, who works at the Razorback Foundation. Spaight has an SEC-best 123 tackles entering the postseason.

Spaight was named first-team All-SEC by The Associated Press and by league coaches.

"I'm fortunate and blessed to be an All-SEC player," Spaight said. "All credit to my teammates and the coaches for pushing me to be the best player I could possibly be."

Spaight said he glanced through the Arkansas record book in fall camp while preparing for the season.

"I actually looked at the record book ... and a guy [Wayne Harris] ended up having 174 for the record," Spaight said. "So I was like, sheesh, I'm going to try to shoot for it. But, you know, I did the best I could."

Ragnow honored

Arkansas' lone representative on the SEC's All-Freshman team was offensive lineman Frank Ragnow.

The 6-5, 300-pounder from Chanhassen, Minn., picked up playing time behind junior Mitch Smothers at center starting in the second week of the season.

Cornerback Henre' Toliver, who made four starts in the middle of the season and has been a strong contributor, did not make the All-Freshman team.

"I think Frank played in the majority of our games whereas Henre, he missed two or three, maybe even four games," Coach Bret Bielema said. "If you don't play in a game as a freshman and don't get that notoriety, it's probably a little bit more difficult."

Ragnow took a few reps with the first unit at right guard on Saturday while Denver Kirkland was having an equipment issue taken care of by trainers.

Open work

Coach Bret Bielema opened practice to the media for the first time all season Saturday, and visiting recruits, parents of recruits and current players and other family members were also in attendance for the workout on a sunny, unseasonably warm late morning and early afternoon on the outdoor practice fields.

The open practice is believed to be the first for the Razorbacks since a scrimmage at Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Aug. 16 during fall camp.

The 18-period practice ended with scrimmage work by younger players and redshirts.

Oh Henry

Tight end Hunter Henry was voted by SEC coaches to the second-team all-conference offense after they selected him for the SEC All-Freshman Team last season.

"It's a tremendous honor and it just humbles me," Henry said. "To be able to do that just from last year to this year is a huge, tremendous honor to just be on the list and represent Arkansas."

Henry, who played high school football at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, has caught 36 passes for 495 yards and 2 touchdowns. He has 15 third-down catches that resulted in first downs and four fourth-down catches for first downs.

"I think I improved my overall game from last year," Henry said. "Just my complete game."

Henry said he focused on gaining strength and being a more physical blocker in the off-season.

"I feel like I improved on that so much just from my hand placement and my leverage," he said. "I was able to have a complete game this year."

What's up

With semester finals on tap next week, Coach Bret Bielema said the Razorbacks coaching staff will work hard on game-planning for Texas early in the week.

"That will allow our guys to focus on finals," Bielema said. "We're getting into a huge week here with all their classes wrapping up. We'll jump back into practice on Wednesday, then Thursday we'll do meeting and a walk-through. Friday we will do a practice."

Bielema said Arkansas' mid-term enrollees, a group of between five and 10 players, can be involved in a light practice next weekend after graduation.

Worth noting

• Coach Bret Bielema said he expected to meet with Athletic Director Jeff Long on Tuesday and talk about how the Razorbacks can work to retain and compensate assistant coaches and other staff members.

• Redshirt freshman Santos Ramirez, who was wearing No. 18 at the start of fall, is wearing No. 9 in the defensive backfield.

• Linebacker Braylon Mitchell will be a participant in the NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl, which will be played Jan. 17 in Carson, Calif., on the campus of California State University Dominguez Hills. The 3 p.m. game will be televised by ESPN2, and some practice coverage will air Jan. 14-15 on ESPNU. Mitchell, from North Little Rock, has 25 tackles and a sack.

• ESPN's announcers for the Texas Bowl will be play-by-play man Dave Pasch, color analyst Brian Griese and sideline reporter Tom Luginbill.

Sports on 12/14/2014

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