FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas will take the unprecedented step of having three offensive players — quarterback Brandon Allen, tailback Jonathan Williams and receiver Keon Hatcher — as its representatives at SEC Media Days next Wednesday in Hoover, Ala.
The Razorbacks are believed to be the first team to send three players from the same side of the ball to media days since the conference decided in 2010 to allow three players per team to attend. Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and those seniors will be featured on the third of four days along with Alabama, Kentucky and Missouri.
Commissioner Greg Sankey will open the event for the first time Monday and will be followed that day by Auburn, Florida and Vanderbilt.
SEC coordinator of officials Steve Shaw is Tuesday’s opening speaker, and representatives from South Carolina, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and Tennessee will meet the media that day.
The closing day, in which the media’s preseason All-SEC teams and predicted order of finish will be released, will feature LSU, Georgia and Ole Miss.
Allen will be one of five quarterbacks in attendance, joining Auburn’s Jeremy Johnson, Missouri’s Maty Mauk, Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott and Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs.
Florida All-America defensive back Vernon Hargreaves III, a son of Arkansas linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves, will be making his second consecutive appearance at media days.
Mackey Award watch
Henry one of 33 on list
Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry was announced Wednesday as one of 33 players on the watch list for the Mackey Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top tight end.
Henry, named a preseason first-team All-American by Athlon Sports, has 65 career receptions in his first two seasons, the most by any SEC tight end in that span. The 6-5, 250-pounder from Little Rock was a second-team All-SEC selection by league coaches last season.
Former Arkansas standout D.J. Williams won the Mackey Award after the 2010 season.