FAYETTEVILLE — Full-contact spring football is back in vogue under first-year Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino.

Spring drills begin Thursday at 4 p. m. with a noncontact workout, but pad popping will begin as soon as the NCAA calendar allows it.

“We need to hit,” Petrino said Monday at a news conference where he discussed his plans for spring. “I think that’s one thing that, from my understanding, will be different for our players. They haven’t done a lot of live tackling, live hitting.”

“Live” tackling will replace the light tackling prevalent at former Coach Houston Nutt’s 10 spring practices.

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“I’ve always had the philosophy that hitting is like tying your shoe,” Petrino said. “It’s just something you do every day and you get used to it and you stay healthy because of it. So, you have to do some hitting every day.”

Petrino said the Razorbacks will fully utilize their three spring scrimmage days — the April 26 spring game, as well as two split-scrimmage days among the 15 practices.

“We need to find out a lot about ourselves,” Petrino said. “The challenge is implementing a new system, make sure we concentrate hard on our technique and fundamentals and make sure we don’t get caught up in just the X’s and O’s part of it.”

Several returning starters are not ready to participate. Defensive tackle Ernest Mitchell is recovering from knee surgery and is scheduled to miss all of the spring practices.

Other potential starters, such as linebacker Wendel Davis (knee surgery ), safety Walner Leandre (shoulder surgery ) and defensive tackle Marcus Shavers (shoulder surgery ), will be limited or out.

And tight end Ben Cleveland (neck / foot ), who missed all of last season, is still not fully recovered.

“He’s been a guy who when most people condition and run four days a week, he goes two,” Petrino said of Cleveland. “So we’re still trying to work him back into getting there.”

Another who will sit out is offensive tackle Jim Hart (knee / back ).

Hart was unable to go through off-season strength and conditioning work and will be out all spring, Petrino said.

There is some positive news. Wide receiver Crosby Tuck, who broke an elbow against Kentucky after catching touchdown passes in his first two games, will be able to participate.

Players enduring position changes also will be watched closely, especially the move of linebacker Chip Gregory to running back.

“At running back, I like his strength, I like his strength,” Petrino said.

“One of the priorities since I got the job was identify somebody considered a big back. I think the game changes a little bit in the fourth quarter when you can throw some big backs at a defense.”

Other changes include Malcolm Sheppard and Van Stumon moving from defensive end to defensive tackle, and Robert Salinas from fullback to linebacker. Sheppard split time between tackle and end last season, finishing the year at end.

Linebacker is a position in flux. Gregory is on offense, Davis is recuperating and returning strongside linebacker Freddie Fairchild is on indefinite suspension.

Fairchild was suspended after his arrest last week on misdemeanor charges of third degree battery and second degree false imprisonment.

Fairchild’s status has not changed, Petrino said.

“He’s been suspended indefinitely until something else happens in the situation that he’s in,” Petrino said of Fairchild, a junior from Little Rock Central.

Weakside linebacker Elston Forte is the only returning starter among linebackers and defensive backs who will be available. Elston is coming off a productive winter.

Returning starter Casey Dick will work with the first-team offense as things get under way, but Petrino said others will get a chance to take first-team snaps at quarterback, including Dick’s younger brother Nathan.

“It’s going to be fun to see how it plays out,” Petrino said. “Casey, he’ll jump in there when we go with the first group. I’m going to give everybody an opportunity in there with the first group.

“ It’s probably a unique situation when you have a younger brother and an older brother both playing the same position.”

Petrino said Alex Mortensen, who has returned to Arkansas after transferring to Georgia Southern, has been working to learn the playbook. Petrino said he’s interested in seeing how accurate and how well Mortensen can throw.

Don’t expect to see Michigan transfer Ryan Mallet taking many snaps with the first team.

It appears Petrino is preparing as if Mallett, from Texarkana, will not be granted immediate eligibility next fall as the NCAA reviews his appeal of the transfer rule.

“We really don’t know anything new about his status, so we don’t know if he’ll be eligible or not,” Petrino said.

“We have to be conscious of the fact he might not be there, so most of his snaps would come with the second group.”

One player who apparently won’t be with the Razorbacks is offensive lineman Joey Crosslin of Russellville. Crosslin is no longer listed on the roster.