FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said Thursday that as many as five true freshmen could see playing time on defense this season.
Bielema said lineman Hjalte Froholdt, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and defensive backs Ryan Pulley and Willie Sykes would be involved in game planning for the Razorbacks' season-opening game against Texas-El Paso next Saturday. Defensive tackle T.J. Smith also has the possibility of playing this year.
On offense, Bielema said he thought running back Rawleigh Williams and guard Josh Allen will be involved and that tight end and F-back Austin Cantrell has a good chance to see action.
Bielema said Arkansas' depth at tight end, which includes nine players who man three different spots in the offense, will allow blue-chip signees Will Gragg and C.J. O'Grady a year to get stronger and study the offense.
"I tell you those three freshman tight ends, Austin Cantrell, who we may still play as we're kind of waiting to see what he brings along in the next week-and-a-half in practice, but C.J. O'Grady and Will Gragg are two very good players that maybe if we didn't have such good players at tight end would be playing," Bielema said. "We're going to save them on their roster and be able to have them for four years to come."
Awesome Austin
Bret Bielema told the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club on Wednesday that quarterback Austin Allen is probably the most improved backup player at any position on the team, and he reiterated that Thursday.
"I don't have any qualms about Austin Allen right now," Bielema said. "I think I said that yesterday ... that of all the backups that we have in all the different positions offensively and defensively and special teams, I don't think there is anybody I felt more comfortable with after what I saw in the spring, and especially after what I saw this fall, by being able to go in and replace the starter."
Offensive coordinator Dan Enos said he's seen a maturity and a focus to Allen's work.
"He's had a good demeanor," Enos said. "He's done things in practice, even in the last couple of weeks when we've put him in periods with the two offense versus the first defense, which is really difficult because you have a lot of young players and you're going against pretty much seasoned veterans with a really good scheme and guys are well coached."
J-Will's deal
Injured tailback Jonathan Williams sounded appreciative Thursday of being elected a captain even after suffering a torn foot ligament that will cost him the season.
"That makes me feel like I'm still a part of the team," Williams said. "When you get hurt and you can't be out there physically with your teammates, it's kind of tough just because you feel like you're not really helping out as much as you could.
"Just knowing that those guys still look at me as a leader, somebody that they want to be their captain, just helps keep me motivated."
Williams said he'd like to be on the sideline as close to the action as possible at home games. Coach Bret Bielema said he was checking on what kind of travel accommodations can be made for Williams for road games and whether he can travel without being on the official 70-man travel roster.
Analyze this
Former assistant coaches Carl Reese and Eddie Williamson have been hired on one-year deals to assist the football staff as analysts, Bret Bielema said.
Reese was a defensive coordinator at LSU, Missouri and Texas. Williamson was an offensive line coach at North Carolina and TCU and offensive coordinator at Wake Forest. He also was an assistant at Georgia and South Carolina.
"I gave them the mission to evaluate our roster," Bielema said.
One to give
Bret Bielema said the Razorbacks have one scholarship available to offer to a walk-on and that the staff is close to making a decision on who will receive it.
"We're getting into specialists that are battling it out for jobs that are non-scholarship players, as well as guys that are key backups for us," Bielema said. "We're kind of sorting through all that. I don't know if I'll have it by the end of this week, but by the first game for sure."
Prostate nod
Arkansas has announced that former SEC commissioner Mike Slive will be recognized at the season-opening game against Texas-El Paso as part of a prostate cancer awareness initiative put forth by the league.
Bret Bielema said his father, Arnie, is a prostate cancer survivor and his mother, Marilyn, has survived breast cancer.
"When the commish was first diagnosed, I reached out to him and kind of just gave him some thoughts and have been able to share some things with him face to face," Bielema said. "I know [Athletic Director] Jeff [Long] was excited to get the chance to honor him first here."
Bielema said he met with the UA's marketing department Thursday to discuss plans for the initiative and that the team will wear a patch with his father's name on it to bring awareness to the disease.
Sports on 08/28/2015