Razorback football report

After dragging over the weekend, receivers start fast at practice

Arkansas receiver Jared Cornelius makes a catch Tuesday, March 28, 2017, during spring practice at the UA practice facility in Fayetteville.
Arkansas receiver Jared Cornelius makes a catch Tuesday, March 28, 2017, during spring practice at the UA practice facility in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Senior receiver Jared Cornelius said the Arkansas Razorbacks' receiving corps bounced back on Tuesday after Coach Bret Bielema described the group as being "draggy" at the start of Saturday's practice.

"We came out fast," Cornelius said. "We started strong, great bounce-back practice."

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Cornelius said receivers coach Michael Smith pointed out Bielema's critique and they were determined to show improvement.

"Coach Smith, of course, brought that up," he said. "Whenever you're called out in the media, we kind of want to bounce back and show coach that we might have had a bad start, but we want to be better than before. I felt like we did that today."

'Hog' call

Junior Michael Taylor, a transfer last season from Riverside (Calif.) City College, is getting first-team reps at the heavy outside linebacker spot in the new 3-4 scheme.

"The drops are new to me," Taylor said, referring to pass drops. "I think I'm adjusting pretty well. Dropping to the flats, reading run and pass."

Taylor said his junior college team ran a 3-4 defense, but he was playing end in that scheme.

"This is kind of different for me," he said.

Stewart tweak

Redshirt sophomore receiver Deon Stewart, who is working on the first team with Jared Cornelius and La'Michael Pettway, is playing through pain.

"My ankle is still a little tweaked up," Stewart said. "I'm just trying to fight through it, but I feel pretty good this year."

The Razorbacks had special plays in for Stewart in the Belk Bowl when the 5-11, 164-pounder from Highland was injured.

"I banged it up in the bowl game," Stewart said. "First it was my Achilles, and then both sides of my ankle swelled up, so I guess it was a sprain."

Boot off

Junior linebacker Dre Greenlaw was scheduled to come out of his walking boot on Tuesday evening.

"As far as running, I'll probably have to take it another couple of weeks of just no pressure and then I'll start putting a little bit of balance work and footwork in the next couple of weeks, then I should start running on it."

Greenlaw said his original foot injury healed up well and he was able to get in a couple of weeks of bowl practices before re-injuring his foot in the Belk Bowl.

"I was out there and put a lot of pressure on it," Greenlaw said. "It was early in the third quarter, it just kind of snapped and was re-injured all over again."

Greenlaw said he's going over the "exact same rehab" as he did before.

"They cut out a little bit of stuff, just because my foot already had its strength back, so I already had a lot more strength than I did the first time."

Packing pounds

Arkansas coaches wanted guard Jake Raulerson to add weight to the 295 pounds he played at last season, and Raulerson said it's been a struggle, but he's pushed himself past 300 pounds.

"I've tried as hard as I can to gain some good weight," Raulerson said. "I've gained about 20 pounds since last season and I feel good. I feel like I'm moving better."

Raulerson said he started his college career at Texas at about 240 pounds.

"It's been a real struggle to gain that weight," he said. "It was a real struggle to begin with to get 240 to 275. Then struggled to get to 295. Just doing it in increments and it's been a real struggle getting over that 300-pound mark and keeping it. The best thing about this offseason is I've been able to maintain that weight."

Raulerson, who is running at first-team right guard, had trouble controlling some of the top defensive tackles in the SEC while making eight starts last year.

"I'm just trying to work as hard as I can in the weight room, on the field and whatever happens happens," he said. "One last year so I've got to make the best of it."

Grading the 'strain'

Coach Bret Bielema said at the end of the first week of spring he was pleased with the team's hustle to the ball.

"We grade every practice, every snap on what we're calling 'strain to finish,' " Bielema said Saturday. "We want people running to the ball. We want our guys lined up before the snap. All those little things."

Bielema said he was not happy with a couple of ball security issues on offense based on Saturday's work.

"On the flip side of it, our defensive guys are really doing a nice job attacking the football," he said. "To be healthy, to be moving in the right direction and to me, having three winning practices -- practices that I think we took a step forward -- is a positive point."

Fight for No. 2

Starting quarterback Austin Allen said Ty Storey and Cole Kelley both bring strong traits into their competition to emerge from spring as Allen's top backup.

"Those guys work their tails off," Allen said last week. "Ty, I mean, I'm telling you he can throw the ball right now. He came out and was flinging the thing around.

"And Cole, just how natural he is out there. Both have leadership qualities, and both are the biggest competitors you'll ever meet. They don't want to lose a rep, lose a throw."

Talking TEs

The tight end position, for which the Arkansas offense has sets that can accommodate up to three at once, is always important, and the Razorbacks have plenty of candidates to work into the rotation, even before top junior college signee Jeremy Patton arrives this summer.

A handful of candidates look to join Austin Cantrell, a five-game starter, and pick up the reps left behind by standout Jeremy Sprinkle. Among them are Cheyenne O'Grady, Jack Kraus, Will Gragg, Jamario Bell, Hayden Johnson and Grayson Gunter, who is limited this spring following shoulder surgery.

Bret Bielema said O'Grady "battled through" an illness last Saturday and has continued to develop after a promising end to 2016.

"I tell you what, Will Gragg did some nice things," Bielema said. "You're going to hopefully see him continue to progress. We have to carry it forward into the next practice and the next practice.

"Jamario, athletically, is as good as you could ask for."

Bielema said he's been pleased to see Bell spending extra time in the Smith Center studying tape and visiting with position coach Barry Lunney Jr.

HogFest

The Razorbacks will host HogFest on April 29 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Lot 60 outside Bud Walton Arena in conjunction with the annual Red-White spring football game.

The spring finale is scheduled to kick off at noon at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, with coverage by the SEC Network.

HogFest will feature games, music, a fun zone, the school mascot, giveaways and an autograph session with former Razorback athletes.

Fans are encouraged to bring canned food items for the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank and the UA Full Circle Pantry. Canned food bins will be located throughout the HogFest area and at the stadium gates.

Sports on 04/05/2017

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