Razorbacks Report

Enos notes surprising stat for Bielema

Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos watches the team during warm-ups on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015, before the Razorbacks' game against UTEP at Donald W. Reyonlds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos watches the team during warm-ups on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015, before the Razorbacks' game against UTEP at Donald W. Reyonlds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos took a question during camp about whether he has added modern tweaks to the Bret Bielema "old school" run-oriented offense and headed into an interesting direction.

"I don't know. I'm not sure," Enos said, before dropping some statistical data into his response.

Enos said he asked a quality control assistant to research the last eight players who had finished No. 1 in ESPN's QBR ratings after Arkansas' Brandon Allen was the top-ranked college quarterback in that statistic last season.

"So there were all sorts of guys: Sam Bradford, Colin Kaepernick, Johnny Manziel," Enos said. "Anyway, there were two guys on the list that Coach Bielema coached: Russell Wilson and Brandon Allen. He was the only head coach who had two guys.

"I know coach gets this label sometimes that he's always wanting to run the ball, run the ball, run the ball, but he was the only head coach on the list who had two quarterbacks that led the nation in QBR rating. So I think there's something there with the formula that he has."

Rhoads scholar

Arkansas defensive backs coach Paul Rhoads will work from the press box, with coordinator Robb Smith and fellow position coaches Vernon Hargreaves and Rory Segrest all operating from the field.

Rhoads said he worked from the box early in his career and didn't come down to the sidelines until 2000, when he got his first defensive coordinator's gig at Pittsburgh.

"I think there's a calmness up there that doesn't exist as much on the sideline," he said. "You're not in the hectic pace and you don't have to worry about the substitutions of getting guys in and out and so forth, so I think you can digest things in a timely manner and give information as needed."

Handle on Holtz

Arkansas linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves has known Louisiana Tech's Skip Holtz since Holtz took over as head coach at UConn, Hargreaves' alma mater, in 1994. Hargreaves was 10 years in to his career as linebackers coach with the Huskies at that time. Holtz retained him there and the two went on to work together at East Carolina and South Florida.

"I've been on that side," Hargreaves said. "I know what he's telling them and how he's going to prepare.

"I think he's preaching the fundamentals ... and the whole idea of coming into this place and knocking off the big dog and showing everybody what they're all about. He does a great job with that stuff."

Prime touches

Senior receiver Keon Hatcher has shown out in Arkansas' last two home openers. Hatcher scored a pair of touchdowns in the Razorbacks' 73-7 rout of Nicholls State in the 2014 home opener, and he scored two more as Arkansas routed Texas-El Paso 48-13 last year.

The touchdowns came in a span of nine touches, and they covered an average of 47.5 yards. Hatcher scored on an 82-yard end around on Arkansas' first offensive snap against Nicholls and later on a 50-yard catch. He had scoring grabs of 20 and 38 yards against the Miners last September.

Who's the QB?

Louisiana Tech Coach Skip Holtz announced Monday that freshman J'mar Smith would take the first snap at quarterback against Arkansas. The word from Holtz came a few days after he was joking around with a reporter who asked him who would start at quarterback.

"Gerald Shouse," Holtz said. "He's our punter. We may punt on first down."

With projected starter Ryan Higgins suspended for an indefinite period to start the game, Smith and sophomore Price Wilson were battling in camp until Wilson was slowed by a hamstring injury.

"J'mar's more athletic than Price is, but I think Price has a little bit stronger arm," Holtz said.

Smith, 6-1, 222 pounds, is the son of former Alabama defensive lineman Kenny Smith, who was on the Crimson Tide team in 1997 that was upset by Louisiana Tech.

Talking Trent

Arkansas coaches and players say they'll be aware of slot receiver Trent Taylor's position on the field after the 5-8, 178-pound All-Conference USA player caught 99 passes for 1,282 yards last season.

"He looks like a Wes Welker-type build to me," Arkansas cornerback Kevin Richardson said. "We're gonna prepare for him just like we would any other SEC receiver because he has the talent to play at the next level."

Defensive backs coach Paul Rhoads said Taylor and 5-11 junior Carlos Henderson are "NFL receivers" who could play with any SEC team.

"They run all routes that are asked of them, they can go vertical, they can cut it off, they can make you miss in the open field, they can get open in the open field and they've done that against SEC competition," Rhoads said.

Defending J'mar

Arkansas coaches had to find tape from Meridan (Miss.) High School to get a glance at J'mar Smith, the Bulldogs' starting quarterback Saturday.

"He's got a very live arm, a very strong arm and we'll respect that, from throwing the deep ball to throwing everything accurate underneath and everything involved with their offense," defensive backs coach Paul Rhoads said. "He's also a big runner and if you don't lower your pads he's going to run you over. It doesn't matter what position you play."

Arkansas players expect to disrupt the quarterback more than they did in early games last season.

"One of our main goals is to attack him and make him feel uncomfortable in the pocket and whatever he's doing," linebacker Brooks Ellis said. "He's never played a down of college football before, but we know he can run and he can do good things."

End Deatrich Wise said the overall plan doesn't change.

"It doesn't matter who they play out there, our game plan never changes: Hit the quarterback, try to get in his head, try to sack him, force fumbles, force turnovers," Wise said.

Injury update

Arkansas cornerback DJ Dean put in some work on Wednesday and is still day to day with a hamstring injury.

"He practiced today and did quite a bit more," defensive backs coach Paul Rhoads said.

10-0 Bret

Bret Bielema will bring a 10-0 record in home openers into Saturday's game. Bielema is 9-1 all-time in season openers, with the lone loss a 45-21 setback at Auburn in 2014.

3 in common

Arkansas and Louisiana Tech played three common opponents last season: Kansas State, Mississippi State and Texas-El Paso.

The Razorbacks went 2-1 against those teams, downing Kansas State 45-23 in the Liberty Bowl and UTEP 48-13 in the season opener, and losing 51-50 to Mississippi State. Louisiana Tech went 1-2 against those teams, the victory a 17-15 decision at UTEP.

Sports on 08/31/2016

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