FAYETTEVILLE -- Redshirt freshman Josh Harris said he's had a "pretty good" week after rising to No. 1 on the depth chart at middle linebacker. "I'm just doing everything I can to help the team fill spots," Harris said.
The news of the walk-on's advancement played big in Pine Bluff, where Harris went to school at Watson Chapel.
"Everybody's proud of me," Harris said. "My coaches have texted me. My mom and dad have texted me and my brothers have texted. It's been pretty good just to hear from them again."
Harris said he got a nice word of advice from his father, Jackie, a former standout at Louisiana-Monroe who had a 12-year NFL career as a tight end.
"He was telling me to stay humble, stay positive and keep doing what you do, and a quote he told me was that 'The good is the enemy of the best,' so don't be satisfied with good so you can be greater."
Defenders honored
The Razorbacks voted two juniors into leadership roles on defense, with end JaMichael Winston and linebacker Brooks Ellis being selected as team captains on Wednesday night.
"It's just a respect factor," said Winston, a 6-4, 262-pounder from Prichard, Ala. "I feel like those guys have a great deal of respect for me as I do for them. And they know I've got their best interests at heart. So I feel that's why I got picked."
Winston started 12 of 13 games last season in his first year, while Ellis started 11 to bring his career total to 15 starts.
Ellis, a two-time Class 7A state champion and defensive player of the year in Arkansas at Fayetteville, came to campus eager to step into a leadership role.
"Just my experience is a lot of help," Ellis said. "I can lead guys and tell them on certain plays what they're supposed to do and what to expect on certain plays. I think that's a big factor for a leader on this team."
Free Santos
The Arkansas secondary has started a weekend chant called "Free Santos" regarding redshirt freshman safety Santos Ramirez and his fondness for hitting.
"Santos, he's a full-contact type of guy," veteran safety Rohan Gaines said. "So on Saturdays we're like 'Free Santos,' because he's an animal."
The Arkansas secondary is not allowed to hit during the week, so their only heavy hitting so far came in live tackling work last Saturday. Ramirez had one of the day's best licks last week, a red-zone shot that forced a fumble from Jonathan Williams.
Just Jojo
Asked about safety Santos Ramirez "playing downhill" last Saturday, Coach Bret Bielema said he liked it, but also pointed out how Ramirez whiffed on a tackle try over the middle against Jojo Robinson, who turned a fourth-and-1 slant into a 38-yard touchdown.
"Obviously it was Jojo, so that was a lot of grass to cover, you know," Ramirez said. "He made a little move on me and scored a touchdown. Just one play at a time. You erase that play and go on."
Speaking of ...
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema will have three speaking engagements around the state next week before hitting season-opener mode the following week.
Bielema is speaking at the Little Rock Touchdown Club on Monday, at the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club in Fayetteville on Wednesday and at the Razorbacks' Kickoff Dinner on Friday night in Springdale.
Best on best
For most of camp, the coaching staff has matched the first units on offense and defense against each other, but on Thursday the first units squared off against the second team.
Quarterback Brandon Allen said he expects Coach Bret Bielema to have the starters still go at it in practice.
"I think we'll go back to some one on ones," Allen said. "I believe in it and I think Coach B is really big on you getting your best work when you go ones vs. ones.
"We do a good job of staying up and keeping people off the ground, so it's really safe and you get a lot of good work against each other."
Eerily similar
Arkansas tailback Jonathan Williams' foot injury came almost four years to the day after tailback Knile Davis broke his left ankle to end his 2011 season.
Davis was injured in the Razorbacks' first scrimmage of camp on Aug. 11, 2011.
Williams, who underwent surgery Monday to have a screw put in his left foot, was injured in the first scrimmage Aug. 15.
Arkansas went 11-2 in 2011 without Davis as Tyler Wilson passed for 3,638 yards and 24 touchdowns and became the Razorbacks' lone first-team All-SEC quarterback.
Dennis Johnson was Arkansas' leading rusher in 2011 with 670 yards.
"I know it's a different type of offense in terms of mentality, but you still can have success even if you have a significant injury like that," Wilson said.
"We made some adjustments. I felt a big change that when that injury happened with Knile, we really went a different direction offensively and said we're going to throw a lot more eggs into this wide-open spread attack and put the ball in the wide receiver's hands.
"I don't think that you necessarily have that ability in this offense that currently exists, but you certainly have some running backs behind Jonathan that are able to fill that void."
Wilson said while Williams is one of the Razorbacks' best players, he doesn't believe the injury will drastically change Arkansas' victory total with Alex Collins -- who rushed for 1,100 yards last season and 1,026 in 2013 -- leading a crew that includes Kody Walker, Rawleigh Williams III and Denzel Evans.
"With the offensive line they've got in front of them, I think they'll still have success," Wilson said.
Sports on 08/22/2015