Partridge flattered by Watt’s gift

FAYETTEVILLE - Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt hasn’t forgotten what Arkansas defensive line coach Charlie Partridge did for him at Wisconsin.

Watt, the Associated Press’ NFL Defensive Player of the Year with 20 1/2 sacks last season, sent Partridge a thank-you gift this week.

“Pretty neat deal,” Partridge said Thursday.

“I got up in my office and there was a FedEx box on my chair. I thought it was something my wife was sending back to me. She borrowed my GPS.

“So I rip it open and don’t look at the label and J.J. sent me an iPad mini just as a thank-you.”

Partridge was Watt’s line coach at Wisconsin and helped him develop into a player the Texans took with the 11th pick of the 2011 NFL Draft.

“I called him and said, ‘J.J. you didn’t have to do that. You know, I don’t ever expect anything from you,’” Partridge said. “And typical J.J, he said, ‘Coach, I would’ve sent you more but I know you would not have taken it, and this is something your daughters can play with too.’

“How do you match that? He had a nice thank-you note engraved on the back. Pretty neat.”

Good talk

Real estate mogul Jim Lindsey, a member of Arkansas’ 1964 national champion team, addressed the Razorbacks on Thursday, which Coach Bret Bielema pointed out in a post on his Twitter account.

“Fun to be outside for practice #8. Heard a great speech to team from living legend Jim Lindsey about what it means to be a Razorback! #wps,” Bielema wrote.

Thanks BJ

Arkansas safety Rohan Gaines sported a T-shirt under his shoulder pads Thursday that read “Football de los Razorbacks,” which he wore into the interview room.

“Oh, I got this from BJ Young,” Gaines said. “He left it in my room, so I kind of took it.”

Breakthrough

For the second Thursday in a row, the Razorbacks were able to work outdoors in Reynolds Razorback Stadium, but those have been the only outside days this spring out of eight practices.

“It feels like spring break,” defensive coordinator Chris Ash said.

“It’s nice to get outside. It’s good for us to get out and practice in the wind a little bit.”

Setback

Linebacker A.J. Turner, who has a broken right wrist, is losing valuable practice time this spring, which defensive coordinator Chris Ash called a setback.

“A big one. A really big one,” he said. “This is a big spring for him with a new coaching staff, new terminology, and to miss the time he’s missed, it’s going to hurt him.”

Bret Bielema said after last Saturday’s scrimmage that Turner would be wearing a cast for several weeks.

“It’s going to be a big mental spring for him right now,” Ash said. “What he learns in the meeting room, he’s got to go out and apply in the walk-throughs and get those mental reps. He’s got to do a great job with concentration when other guys are out there and he’s not and in tune to the calls and what’s going on and what’s being coached.”

In the middle

Otha Peters, Daunte Carr and Robert Atiga have all taken reps at middle linebacker.

“We’re looking for a guy that can be really the general of the defense,” defensive coordinator Chris Ash said. “A guy that has a good understanding of the schemes, a guy that can get things right when we need it, a guy that can be a leader in times when we need him to be a leader in good and bad times. And we need a physical guy.

“Unfortunately, all the guys bring something different of those characteristics, and we’re trying to find a guy that can eventually fit all those things.”

No huddle

The Razorbacks have not huddled on defense, in anticipation for the styles of offense that are most pervasive in college football.

“You play against so much tempo, hurry-up type of offenses, and huddling anymore on defense is kind of a dying thing,” Chris Ash said. “Honestly, it kind of hurts because you don’t have that old, traditional mike linebacker that would call everybody up and get everybody going.”

When questioned about leaders on defense, Ash said the coaches between plays and older players have been the most vocal.

“Your defensive linemen that have played here before, a couple of the safeties that have played, are probably more of the vocal leaders,” he said.

Inside runs

The Razorbacks have stressed a physical running style so much they’ll devote as much as 30 minutes to inside-run periods during practice.

“We will be way better against the run,” safety Rohan Gaines said. “We have great backs in Nate Holmes and Jonathan Williams and Keante Minor. So it’s going to allow us to practice better and when we get to the games it’s going to be easier.”

Gruden slate

Former Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson’s stint in Tampa, Fla., with Jon Gruden in his popular series Gruden’s QB Camp will have its first airing at 8:30 p.m. Monday on ESPN2, and its second showing at 4 p.m. April 11 on ESPNU.

Gruden expanded his show this season to include Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o, Texas A&M tackle Luke Joeckel and South Carolina tailback Marcus Lattimore in addition to a hefty quarterback lineup.

Wilson’s debut episode will mark the fourth of the season, following those of Te’o, West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith and Southern California quarterback Matt Barkley.

Wilson’s stint will have multiple airings across the ESPN networks, as will the appearances of the other participants: Landry Jones, Ryan Nassib, EJ Manuel, Tyler Bray, Zac Dysert and Mike Glennon. The tentative airing schedule extends through May 24.