Razorback Report

Arkansas geared up for UTEP

In this photo taken Sept. 6, 2014, Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry carries in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Sarah Bentham)
In this photo taken Sept. 6, 2014, Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry carries in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Sarah Bentham)

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry was dripping with sweat immediately after a heavy workout Tuesday evening, but Henry looked happier than he's been in weeks because the Razorbacks open the season Saturday.

"I feel like I just jumped out of a pool," Henry said. "It's nice ... finally having something to look forward to at the end of the week."

The No. 18 Razorbacks open the season Saturday against Texas-El Paso after four weeks of hitting each other.

"I'm fired up just as much as the players are," running backs coach Jemal Singleton said of his debut with the Razorbacks.

"We've been ready," tailback Alex Collins said. "We've been waiting for this. We look real good out there. Everything's going smooth. I just love the feeling."

Quarterback Brandon Allen said the Razorbacks looked good in their first heavy workout of game week.

"I think last week was good for learning purposes, and this week we had a really fast-tempo practice, not a lot of mistakes out there and today was a really good Tuesday," Allen said.

"We're juiced," guard Sebastian Tretola guard. "You go through all the spring, all the summer and all of fall camp and you see the same guys every time. I love those guys, love them to death, but it gets boring.

"So finally having Saturday come is crazy how fast it happened, but at the same time I'm so ready."

Run blocking

Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos said he thinks the Razorbacks have a variety of blocking schemes to trigger the run game and the added benefit of physical tight ends to complement the team's massive offensive linemen.

"We think we've got really good backs," Enos said. "We've got good tight ends that block. When you have tight ends who can control the C and D gap areas like that, that is huge within a run game. We feel good about having multiple tight ends who can do that for us."

Enos said the combination of veteran offensive linemen and tight ends and quality backs have given the Razorbacks' run schemes added depth.

"I think we have a nice mixture of gap schemes, man schemes and zone schemes and different formations and personnel groupings that we can get at our running game with," Enos said. "I think we've got a nice complimentary play-action game off of it."

Kugler cracks

UTEP Coach Sean Kugler had some fun talking about offensive linemen at his news conference this week, poking fun at his own unit after talking about the Hogs.

"This is an extremely athletic, extremely physical and extremely well-coached offensive line that gets after it," Kugler said of the Razorbacks. "It's the strength of their team. I would say they know that as well. These guys are on the cover of their media guide.

"I like our offensive line, too, but when I look at guys like [Derek] Elmendorff and some of those other guys and how ugly they are, I'd have a tough time putting them on the cover of our media guide."

Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema talked about Kugler and himself at the team's kickoff dinner last Friday.

"Their head coach is bigger than me, if you can believe that," Bielema said. "Looks probably a little better than me."

Hawkins' style

Arkansas special teams coordinator Jemal Singleton said Eric Hawkins' ability to "show some explosion" helped him earn the lead kickoff return role for the Razorbacks.

"I don't need a flashy guy ... a guy that's going to dance around and make you miss," Singleton said. "I need a guy that's going to hit it full speed, make one cut and go."

Hawkins has gotten the point.

"The main deal is to catch it and run straight, stretch the blockers and go for it," Hawkins said.

Hawkins, of Longview, Texas, will be competing against his cousin, UTEP safety LaQuintus Dowell, on Saturday.

"I'm really excited," Hawkins said. "I haven't done anything against him sports related since we were in high school, so that's a great feeling."

Hawkins said he and Dowell have not exchanged any smack talk.

"I would say our parents are doing most of it for us," he said.

Miner injuries

UTEP will be without safeties Devin Cockrell and Ishmael Harrison, who have a combined 37 starts.

Cockrell is out for the season with a knee injury, while Harrison is expected to miss several games with a torn quadriceps muscle.

"It does impact us because both of those guys are quality players, probably our two best secondary players," Miners Coach Sean Kugler said.

The Miners, who list five defensive back positions on their depth chart, have two freshman starters with cornerback Nick Needham and safety Michael Lewis. Freshman Kalon Beverly is listed as a second-team cornerback.

"We do feel we have some good, talented young guys," Kugler said. "In camp they've been willing to throw their hats in the mix and play physical, but it's a little bit different out there in front of 70,000 people."

Voelzke named

Tight end Alex Voelzke was announced Monday as the 2015 Garrett Uekman Memorial endowed scholarship recipient. The scholarship honors former Razorbacks tight end Garrett Uekman, who passed away in 2011 with a previously undetected heart condition.

All Razorback student-athletes are eligible for the award with preference given to football student-athletes, tight ends and current or former walk-ons. Voelzke began his career as a walk-on before being awarded a scholarship in the fall of 2013.

"We were overjoyed to select Alex as the recipient of the scholarship this year," said Danny and Michelle Uekman, Garrett's parents. "He is a tight end teammate who played with Garrett and has graciously volunteered his time each summer to help with the foundation's 7-on-7 tournament."

Allen to Reed

Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos said junior college transfer Dominique Reed has received plenty of reps with quarterback Brandon Allen to work on execution and the timing of deep routes.

Allen said overthrowing the speedster Reed on a deep ball is virtually impossible.

Enos related his experience to the Arkansas quarterbacks about throwing deep passes to Andre Rison, Mark Ingram and other fast receivers at Michigan State.

"I had a very below-average arm in college," Enos said. "I tell them I used to take as quick a five [step drop] as I could and throw it as far as I could and usually that only under threw them by a couple of steps.

"They don't have quite the same problem I did, but with Dominique it's almost to that. If he's out there and you've got a matchup ... with him on a deep throw, you better get back quick and you better get it up and out."

Sports on 09/02/2015

Upcoming Events