FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas freshman receiver Shamar Nash has elected to opt out of the 2020 football season, sources have told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Nash confirmed the decision in a Twitter post Tuesday, writing, in part, "COVID has been very relevant in my life since May of this year and with the recent passing of my grandmother due to COVID my family and I felt there wasn't any reward worth the risk of continuing to participate in football this fall. I wish my team and the entire Razorback nation the best of luck this fall."
Nash, a 6-3, 215-pounder from Memphis, would be missing a second consecutive season of competition by opting out, as he redshirted last season. Nash, who finished his prep career at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., was a four-star prospect and part of the Razorbacks' big crop of wide receiver signees in 2019 along with Treylon Burks, Trey Knox and TQ Jackson. Jackson entered the transfer portal in the winter and landed at SMU.
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Nash is the second known Razorback to accept the option that has been given to all college football players in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Senior offensive lineman Chibueze Nwanna, who had not cracked the two deep on the depth chart, also has opted out.
Players will not lose a season of eligibility if they choose not to play this fall.
Shape up
Coach Sam Pittman's biggest concern coming out of the scrimmage Friday was the overall conditioning of the Razorbacks. He and the staff are on a mission to improve that, and he expects improvement come Friday's second and last major scrimmage.
"We're not in very good shape yet," Pittman said via video conference Tuesday night. "We're not in game shape.
"We're in good shape, but we're not in game shape. And so we have to do a few things differently in practice so we can get there. That was probably the No. 1 thing. I thought our defense fatigued faster than our offense. And therefore they got outplayed on [Friday].
"We certainly can't go into a ball game playing the way we did with the team, with the entire team."
Inside out
The Razorbacks conducted their first indoor workout at Walker Pavilion in practice No. 9 of camp on a rainy Tuesday. They are expected to return outside today if the weather allows and scrimmage on Friday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
"Today, to be honest with you, we were just changing up the atmosphere of practice," Pittman said. "It was nice outside. A little earlier this morning, we were a little bit worried about the grass being slick and all those things.
"But by the time practice started, we could have went outside, but we just honestly wanted to give them a different change of pace. It was real cool in the indoor. We're going three days in a row here, so it didn't have anything to do with the tempo. We were flying around."
Pittman said the day's work included some one-on-one drills between the tight ends and linebackers.
Kickoff times
The Razorbacks will kick off their season opener Sept. 26 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium against No. 4 Georgia at 3 p.m. on the SEC Network, the conference announced Tuesday.
The SEC released most of its game times for the first several weekends of the restructured season, and the Razorbacks wound up with three night games through their first six playing dates.
Arkansas will travel to Mississippi State for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff on the SEC Network Alternate station on Oct. 3, will face No. 13 Texas A&M on the road on Halloween at 6:30 p.m. on the SEC Network, and will host No. 25 Tennessee at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 on either ESPN or the SEC Network.
The Razorbacks' home game against Ole Miss in Week 4 on Oct. 17 is a flexible game with three potential kickoff times -- 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. or 3 p.m. -- on one of the SEC Network stations or on another ESPN platform.
None of the kickoff times for Week 3 on Oct. 10, when the Razorbacks travel to No. 11 Auburn, were released.
Line games
After reviewing Friday's scrimmage tape, Sam Pittman felt the passing game was on target and productive, outside of a couple of third-down drops.
"I thought we threw and caught the ball well, and after watching the tape we did," he said. "And we protected very, very well on the offensive line."
However, that tune changed early this week, with various defensive linemen and occasional blitzing linebackers getting early pressure and notching some "sacks" of the untouchable quarterbacks.
"You go back to today's practice, and the defense has gotten after us up front on the O-line two days in a row. So we've got to bring that intensity in practice on the D-line, linebackers to a game-type situation ... and I think we will. I feel very confident we will. We just didn't on Friday."
Oglesby out
Tailback Josh Oglesby, an addition from the track team, had been looking good and showing toughness before an injury sidelined him in Friday's scrimmage. Oglesby has been wearing a walking boot on his right foot this week.
"He got dinged up in the scrimmage, so I don't know how long he's gonna be out," Pittman said. "But ... he was a great addition and is a great addition to the team. Very tough and obviously very fast, but he's a physical guy. Just a wonderful kid. We'll have to wait and see how long this injury's going to keep him out."
'Motivated' QBs
Feleipe Franks, making his first Zoom appearance with reporters on Monday since April, talked up the other players at his position: KJ Jefferson, Malik Hornsby, John Stephen Jones and Jack Lindsey.
"I think the whole quarterback room is super motivated, and we're all helping each other out," he said. "Not one guy envies the next guy. KJ is doing a really good job executing the offense and continuing to learn, and so is Malik. He's come a long way since he first got here, in my eyes.
"I think he's picking the offense up, and he's a really athletic guy. The other guys, Jack and John, they're doing really good as well, and we're all motivating each other. One of my favorite quotes is 'iron sharpens iron,' and I think that's how you breed excellence, breed competition. Those guys are doing that not only for me, but I'm sure I'm helping KJ become a better quarterback, or at least I try to, and Malik is doing the same."