FAYETTEVILLE -- Ryan Pulley showed up just as Cole Kelley's pass was reaching the hands of receiver La'Michael Pettway -- well, maybe a fraction of a second before the ball got there -- to break up a throw over the middle in last Wednesday's scrimmage for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Pulley let his teammate Pettway know loud and clear he had won the play by jawing at him as Pettway headed back to the line of scrimmage.
Pulley looks to be back in top form -- in his field game and his head game -- for the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and that's a good thing for those with Hog hats.
"Oh man, it was real fun," Pulley said the next day of the on-field dialogue. "When we're out there, the DBs and the receivers, we just compete every day, no matter what."
The Razorbacks' defense missed their top coverage man and an emotional leader for the final 11 games of a dismal 4-8 season in 2017.
Pulley was reaching with his right arm to corral a Florida A&M receiver late in the first half of last season's opener when he suffered a torn pectoral muscle, the same injury that cost defensive back Kevin Richardson the final 12 games of 2016.
"The pain wasn't like high-level pain, but it just felt funny, like you knew something was wrong," Pulley said. "But the rehab and everything went good and I'm 100 percent."
Pulley's injury forced 6-2 true freshman Kamren Curl into a starting assignment the last 11 games to pair with Henre Toliver and put the hurt on the Razorbacks' depth.
Now Pulley is back to lead the cast of cornerbacks as the Razorbacks and the secondary hopes to begin a turnaround under first-year Coach Chad Morris.
Curiously, Pulley might be the only player back at his same starting spot in the Hogs' defensive backfield which is undergoing experimentation this spring under new coordinator John Chavis and defensive backs coaches Ron Cooper and Mark Smith.
Curl has moved to strong safety, which has bumped veteran Santos Ramirez to free safety. Chevin Calloway, Nate Dalton and Britto Tutt are vying for snaps at the other cornerback spot, and Calloway is also competing for a job at nickel back with converted linebacker Derrick Munson.
Richardson is practicing with the Razorbacks, though he is not going through live tackling work, while he awaits potential NCAA legislation that could smooth his appeal for a sixth season of eligibility.
Pulley's presence is a big boost to the backfield.
"I think Ryan Pulley is as good a corner as there is," Morris said. "He's playing exceptionally well. He's playing with great confidence."
Chavis and the defensive coaches are experimenting with personnel and trying to mold their repertoire of schemes to fit the personnel. One staple, however, will be that the cornerbacks will have to be ready for man coverage for the pressure packages to be able to work.
"What we've got our corners doing, they're going to be playing a lot more man than they've ever played and I think they'll like that challenge," Chavis said. "I think they like the opportunity to do that. I think our entire football team is making strides."
Calloway played as a true freshman last year, just like Curl, logging 10 tackles and a pair of pass breakups in limited duty. The 5-10, 183-pounder, one of Arkansas' key signees in 2017, is liking how the schemes are shaping up this spring.
"I think the communication and everything, and being able to fly around and have fun and not have to think too much on the field ... is going well," Calloway said.
"I think last year, because I had minimum reps, it's a little bit different. I take on more responsibility and have to get the calls and look to the sideline and I think now it's a bigger responsibility, a lot faster. That's the difference between now and last year, and I've adjusted to it pretty well."
Calloway said the new schemes are allowing for less thinking and more doing.
"Last fall ... it was really detailed," he said. "We had to know so much stuff that a lot of guys couldn't really play like they wanted to play because they were thinking too hard. This defense, there's still focus to detail and ... we're supposed to know our plays, but at the same time coach [Chavis] allows us to play. He allows us not to have to think too hard on everything."
Calloway had a quick sack around the left edge as a blitzing nickel back Wednesday, a scenario he hopes repeats itself this fall.
"I think we're blitzing all these guys," he said. "Whenever we blitz this guy it helps out a lot with the corners because it makes the quarterback get the ball out quick."
Sports on 04/02/2018
Cornerbacks/Nickel backs glance
Returning starters Kevin Richardson (9), Ryan Pulley (12 starts in 2016)
Losses Henre Toliver (12), Kamren Curl (11, moved to safety)
Who’s back Chevin Calloway, Jordon Curtis, Nate Dalton, Korey Hernandez, Jarques McClellion, Derrick Munson, Britto Tutt
Walk-ons Byron Keaton, Matt Berry, Simeon Blair
Analysis It’s a weird offseason in many respects for the corners and nickels. Ryan Pulley is back after missing the final 11 games, though his replacement, Kamren Curl, is now playing safety. Last year’s top nickel, Kevin Richardson, is in limbo, awaiting word on his sixth year of eligibility. However, there looks to be the beginnings of depth at the spots, with Chevin Calloway, Britto Tutt, Nate Dalton and Derrick Munson pushing for playing time. The corners will draw plenty of man coverage and the backs will get much-wanted blitzing opportunities under coordinator John Chavis.