FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas used the final day of its fall break to prepare for an early kickoff Saturday.
With no classes Tuesday, the coaching staff decided to put the team through a practice that followed the same schedule as the 11 a.m. Auburn game.
Instead of sleeping in, the players had to be at breakfast at 7 a.m., which is when they’ll eat their team meal before the game.
“It was a great simulation for the game day, waking up at 6:30, getting dressed, taking a shower and doing everything we normally do on a game day, just bumping it up,” receiver Drew Morgan said. “Eleven o’clock is just a time of day to go out and play, that’s how we have to approach it.”
From 2012-2013, eight of the Razorbacks’ 24 games kicked off before noon. That is twice as many as any other SEC team during that span.
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However, this will be the first 11 a.m. kickoff this season and only the second the last two years, making Tuesday’s practice all the more important for younger players who don’t have much experience with such early starts.
“It’s really nice to get your body used to getting up that early and going to play a game,” tight end Hunter Henry said. “It’s very beneficial to get your body used to practicing, playing and hitting people at 11 a.m.”
While most of the players enjoy playing night games under the lights, offensive lineman Frank Ragnow said he is more of a morning person.
“I’m excited,” Ragnow said. “I mean, 7 p.m. games are awesome, with the primetime and everything, but 11:00, you get to get up and get going. You’re not sitting in there waiting, itching just to get out there.”
The players took advantage of the early practice, said quarterback Brandon Allen. He thought the team came out with energy and didn’t appear to be sluggish.
In fact, offensive line coach Sam Pittman said he thinks the 11 a.m. kickoff could benefit the Razorbacks and Tuesday’s practice just further helped the psyche of the team.
“Last year we felt like we were a little sluggish playing at night,” Pittman said. “We’ve done some different things, but we seem to play decent in the morning games.”
Regardless of the time, the players are excited to play in front of a crowd at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, where they haven’t played in five weeks.
“Eleven o’clock is just a time of day to go out and play, that’s how we have to approach it,” Morgan said. “I feel like whatever time of day it is, I’m going to bring the juice.”