RAZORBACKS REPORT: QB Ty Storey on track to play

Arkansas quarterback Ty Storey (4) is tended to by trainers during the fourth quarter of the Razorbacks' 37-33 loss to Ole Miss on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Arkansas quarterback Ty Storey (4) is tended to by trainers during the fourth quarter of the Razorbacks' 37-33 loss to Ole Miss on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas Coach Chad Morris said Wednesday he expects quarterback Ty Storey to play in Saturday's homecoming game against Tulsa, and that cornerback Ryan Pulley will face an unspecified amount of lost playing time for disciplinary reasons.

Storey was pulled out of Saturday's 37-33 loss to Ole Miss in the fourth quarter after taking a hard fall on which his helmet bounced off the artificial turf. Storey wanted to return to the game, but team personnel would not give him his helmet.

Morris said team doctors cleared Storey to practice Tuesday and Wednesday, and the junior was the last player off the field Tuesday after throwing extra passes.

"We'll re-evaluate again today, but he's been cleared to go, so we anticipate him playing right now on Saturday," Morris said on the SEC teleconference Wednesday morning.

In his pre-practice interview with local reporters about 4:30 p.m., Morris was not as decisive.

"He's out here again today, cleared for practice today," he said. "It's pretty much day to day with him right now."

Storey took the first reps in the drill work open to media early in practice, ahead of Cole Kelley and Connor Noland, then Noland took some first-team reps as the media departed at the start of the fifth period of the workout.

Pulley was ejected with 29 seconds left in the game Saturday. The SEC office said he faced no further discipline, but Morris said he would miss time.

"We will handle the disciplinary action within our building and within our program, and he will miss some playing time Saturday," Morris said.

The Razorbacks (1-6) host the Golden Hurricane (1-5) on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Tulsa nicks

The Golden Hurricane have some players on their injury report as well, including tailbacks Shamari Brooks and Corey Taylor.

Brooks returned from an ankle injury and rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns in Friday's 25-24 loss to South Florida. Taylor did not play against the Bulls.

"He's not 100 percent right now," Tulsa Coach Philip Montgomery said of Brooks, who has a team-high 475 rushing yards and six touchdowns. "I don't think he got any more banged up in the game, so that was a positive coming out of it. Take into consideration Corey didn't play last week. Hopefully he's better this week and we have an opportunity to get him back."

Additionally, cornerback Akayleb Evans (concussion) sat out the South Florida game, and cornerback Reggie Robinson left with an undisclosed injury.

Personnel report

Right guard Johnny Gibson and defensive tackle Briston Guidry were in green, limited-contact jerseys again Wednesday.

Guidry, who had arthroscopic knee surgery two weeks ago to clean up an older injury, is not likely to be ready by Saturday, Coach Chad Morris said.

Tailback Devwah Whaley, who had surgery to repair damage to his right ankle Monday, was at practice on a push scooter.

Familiar face

Former All-SEC Razorback Dan Skipper has been at practices this week, hanging out with assistant coach Dustin Fry and the offensive linemen.

'Cane outlook

Tulsa Coach Philip Montgomery, speaking earlier this week, said his team has to prepare for multiple Arkansas quarterbacks and the deep roster of tailbacks.

Speaking about quarterback Ty Storey, Montgomery said: "Once he hits concussion protocol, it just depends on how fast the recovery part of that is. But we've got to prepare for both guys, get a good game plan, because they are extremely different in what they do.

"It makes it a little more difficult from our part, from that standpoint. As for the running back spot, they've got so many guys, in and out with injuries, so we've got to prepare for all those things."

Bryant speaks

Graduate transfer quarterback Kelly Bryant, who led Clemson to the College Football Playoff last season and is now looking for a destination for his final year in college, spoke Wednesday about his upcoming visit to Arkansas.

On the radio show Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly, Bryant said his relationship with Arkansas Coach Chad Morris was a big plus.

"Most everybody knows he's the guy that recruited me to Clemson," Bryant said. "So that relationship is real strong.

"I've been talking to him. It just seems like we're picking up right where we left off when I was a senior in high school. The guy is so knowledgeable. He brings so much enthusiasm to coaching and how he coaches players. Who wouldn't want to play for a coach like that?"

Bryant, who visited North Carolina last week, said he plans to take other visits and was in no rush to make a final decision.

Sheridan's odds

Nationally renowned oddsmaker Danny Sheridan, speaking Wednesday at the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club, gave a positive futures report on Arkansas football under Coach Chad Morris, even if he doesn't like the Hogs' odds of winning more than one game down the stretch.

Sheridan said he would make Arkansas a slight favorite against Tulsa, though he projects a tough game Saturday. As for the Vanderbilt game next week, Sheridan said: "If I made the line, I'd make it even here at Arkansas. Vanderbilt's going to be a tough game. Again, you don't have the SEC talent and you know it, which -- that will change.

"LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, I would make you right now a three-touchdown underdog to every one of them, at least, unless one of them doesn't care."

Sheridan was complimentary of Morris based on his recruiting prowess and what he said Clemson Coach Dabo Swinney said about his former offensive coordinator.

"If you want to have a great job as a football coach, you need to have four things: Unwavering support by the administration, a great supportive fan base, good facilities that you can sell your recruits on, and you want a great place to live," Sheridan said. "I'm not just telling you that. Fayetteville has all those four things.

"There's no excuse. Chad should win here. He needs three recruiting classes. If this guy can win ... at SMU, I mean this is a program that I could have played for. I wouldn't have played long, but I could have played for them."

Sheridan said Morris' ability to recruit in Texas will serve him well.

"You can compete in the SEC West, and Arkansas will do that within three years," Sheridan said.

Seeing red

Arkansas and Ole Miss squared off last week as teams that had allowed the most red-zone penetrations by opposing offenses among all FBS teams.

Ole Miss continues to lead the country by allowing 39 red-zone drives by opponents, an average of 5.6 per game.

Arkansas has allowed 36 red-zone drives, tied for the second most with Kent State and Massachusetts.

Run pressure

Ole Miss sent linebackers and defensive backs at all kinds of angles to combat the Arkansas run game, and it paid off in the red zone.

Arkansas drove to the Ole Miss 20 on three drives and came away with field goals of 38, 38 and 36 yards on those sequences.

The Rebels' gambling pressure has helped them rank No. 23 in the nation in red-zone defense, and No. 13 for touchdowns allowed on just 46.2 percent of red-zone drives by their opponents.

The Razorbacks ran six offensive plays after reaching the Ole Miss 20, and here are the results: a 1-yard loss over the right side by Chase Hayden; a 3-yard loss by Devwah Whaley who was swallowed up as soon as he got the handoff; a 4-yard swing pass from Ty Storey to Whaley; a 3-yard loss by Storey after a high snap; a 5-yard scramble by Storey around the right edge; an incomplete pass. That's 2 yards on six snaps.

photo

NWA Democrat-Gazette

Arkansas quarterback Ty Storey is expected to play in Saturday’s homecoming game against Tulsa, Coach Chad Morris said Wednesday.

Sports on 10/18/2018

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