Mitchell back in old form

FAYETTEVILLE — Defensive tackle Ernest Mitchell was cleared for his first interviews of the fall Wednesday, and the jovial senior jumped back into the fray sweaty but with gusto.

How did Mitchell feel being back on the interview list ?

“It feels great,” Mitchell said, sweat rolling down his face. “I really enjoy y’all guys. I’ve really been missing you guys. Y’all are just wonderful guys, and I’m back on the scene now. How y’all been doing ?”

Mitchell, one of three returning starters on Arkansas’ defense, had been held out of interviews since receiving a citation in St. Francis County in July for possession of a controlled substance and simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms. He had been pulled over in Forrest City because of an improperly displayed license plate.

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Mitchell paid a $ 150 fine to settle amended charges of possession of an instrument of crime, which had his other charges merged into it. The senior from Newnan, Ga., started camp as a reserve but fought his way back into the starting lineup. His assessment of the Razorbacks’ defense during camp almost sounded like a selfassessment. “I’ve seen improvement,” he said. “We’ve been through a lot of trials and tribulations, so we’ve come a long way.” Mitchell, who underwent knee surgery in the winter, said he was at about 90 percent but didn’t bring up the knee. “I’m coming up with some sinuses, that’s about it,” he said. “So I feel about 90, and by Friday I should be about 100.”

Boss Hog That’s a big outline of a Hog at midfield at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Though mid-summer Internet rumors might have gone a little overboard on the estimated length of the logo, they were mostly on target. The dimensions of the Razorback logo being painted at midfield Wednesday afternoon were 20 yards long by about 15 yards tall. Arkansas has not had a midfield logo in recent history, and last season stenciled smaller Razorbacks at the 35-yard line on diagonally opposite sides of the field, and had the SEC 75 th anniversary logos on the other diagonal.

First start In his fourth year with the Razorbacks, safety Matt Harris will get his first start for Arkansas in Saturday night’s game against Western Illinois. “It’s been a long time coming,” said Harris, a redshirt junior. “I’m very excited, my family’s excited, my friends are excited. “ It’s like a dream come true. Starting for the Arkansas Razorbacks is what a lot of kids dream about.” Harris will start at strong safety after playing free safety last spring and the first part of preseason practice. “It’s just a different read, but once you get adjusted to it, it’s just like anything else,” Harris said. “You find a system that works for you, and you fit into that.” Smith lands job Freshman linebacker Jelani Smith showed up undersized and not expecting much action when he reported to campus this summer. As of Wednesday, he’s in the starting lineup at weakside linebacker. “I didn’t even think I was going to play the first year,” said Smith, 6-0, 205 pounds from Abbeville, La. “I thought I was going to redshirt, I was so small. I’ve got a lot of stuff to prove. I’ve got to prove a lot of people wrong, because a lot of people didn’t think I’d come up here and do anything.” Smith and good friend Khiry Battle, a fellow freshman, are running in the top two spots at linebacker, with senior Elston Forte and sophomore Ryan Powers sidelined. “I know if I slack off, he’s going to get the spot, and if he slacks off, I’m going to get it,” Smith said. Bad memory Arkansas special teams coordinator and defensive ends coach Kirk Botkin played for the Razorbacks the last time they lost to a Football Championship Subdivision team. That also was a Labor Day weekend season opener at Fayetteville, in 1992, and The Citadel beat Arkansas 10-3. Botkin was a starting junior tight end in 1992 and at the season’s end became Arkansas’ first All-SEC player. But The Citadel game is something Botkin would like to forget. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said after Thursday’s practice, covering his ears when the game was mentioned. “That’s a blank memory, man.” Since The Citadel loss, Arkansas is 5-0 against FCS teams, most recently beating Chattanooga 34-15 last season in Little Rock.

Flyover A-10 Thunderbolts from the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188 th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith will perform a flyover prior to the kickoff for Saturday’s game.