FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas kept its early afternoon workout on the outside practice fields Tuesday despite a moderate rain shower.
The slick footballs led to some fumbles, interceptions and push-ups. Defensive coordinator Chris Ash said safeties Eric Bennett and TQ Coleman both had interceptions, and Darius Philon recovered a fumble.
Other opportunities were lost.
“There was a couple of balls on the ground,” defensive line coach Charlie Partridge said. “We had plenty of push-ups. We have a rule that if the defense drops the interception, the whole defense, coaches included, have to do push ups. So I got a little chest workout.
“Then the other side had a couple. It’s all just to make the emphasis that on a dropped opportunity the whole team pays.”
Offensive coaches were not available for interviews Tuesday, but running backs coach Joel Thomas said Monday there was one fumble in the evening workout and that typically leads to a lap around the field for the fumbler.
“We need that work,” Ash said. “It’s going to rain at some point in the fall, I would assume, and we’ve got to get that work, especially for the offensive guys, the quarterbacks throwing it and the receivers catching it.”
Partridge, who handles kickers and punters, said he was glad to have the adverse conditions Tuesday.
“We get a chance to handle the ball, snap and hold the ball on field goals and punts and all those things,” he said. “We needed a day like that. We’ll spray the balls down with water, but it’s not the same.”
Defensive tackle DeMarcus Hodge liked the rain for another reason.
“Honestly, I had the best practice I’ve had today,” Hodge said. “Just off the cool feeling, just having the rain on my back, on my pads. I felt like I was moving out there.”
In the middle
Austin Jones’ scrimmage performance at middle linebacker verified what had become apparent to the Arkansas coaches: He needs to be on the field.
“Austin Jones is our starting middle linebacker right now,” defensive coordinator Chris Ash said. “He’s been the most consistent throughout the course of last spring and this training camp.”
Jones played more strong side linebacker in the spring, but he’s trained to play all three spots for linebackers coach Randy Shannon.
“He just kept making plays, kept making plays and we said, ‘Hey, this guy is one of our best linebackers. We need to find a spot for him,’ ” Ash said. “We need one of our best players at the middle linebacker position, so that’s why we made the move.”
Small concern?
Arkansas fullback Kiero Small said he has no concerns about lingering effects from the foot injury he suffered last week, and yet the soreness that kept him out of Saturday’s scrimmage occurred on the same right foot on which he had season-ending surgery on his fifth metatarsal bone last September.
“When you injure something, with every new thing you do it gets a little sore,” Small said. “I don’t know if it was stepped on or I planted wrong. It’s just a little sore, so we just decided no need to press it right now. We’re going to work hard to get the soreness out of there and be back rocking and rolling.”
‘Hot’ Smith
Defensive end Chris Smith is one of 18 SEC players and the only Razorback on NFL.com’s Hot 100 Seniors list to watch for the 2014 NFL Draft.
Smith is ranked No. 72 on the list compiled by Gil Brandt, the former Dallas Cowboys executive. The list has Texas A&M tackle Jake Matthews ranked No. 1.
There are nine SEC seniors in the top 40 of the list: No. 4 Tennessee defensive tackle Daniel McCullers, No. 6 Mississippi State guard Gabe Jackson, No. 7 Alabama linebacker C.J.
Mosley, No. 15 Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, No. 24 Auburn defensive end Dee Ford, No. 28 Alabama defensive end Ed Stinson, No. 35 Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray, No. 36 LSU linebacker Lamin Barrow, and No. 39 LSU safety Craig Loston.
Wisconsin, coached the past seven years by Arkansas’ Bret Bielema, has three players in the top 100: Running back James White (No. 64), offensive tackle Ryan Groy (82) and linebacker Chris Borland (91).
Good grade
Defensive tackle Robert Thomas said he graded out at 97 percent in the first scrimmage, a lofty starting point for one of the Hogs’ two senior tackles.
“There’s still a lot of things I’ve got to practice on and get better at,” Thomas said.
Hartfield in
Receivers coach Michael Smith said late Monday that Melvinson Hartfield was due on campus Tuesday after a lengthy ordeal in having his eligibility approved by the NCAA clearinghouse.
The 5-9, 183-pounder from Dallas is at least eight practices behind teammates in camp, and even further behind considering off season workouts. Hartfield will have to go through the NCAA-mandated adjustment periods in shorts then modified pads before strapping on full gear.
“I’m going to try to force feed him as much as I can and hopefully at some time during the year we’ll be able to use him on offense,” Smith said. “The kid has a lot of talent.”
Smith, who recruited Hartfield for Kansas State before joining the Arkansas staff in January, said he’s happy the eligibility ordeal is over.
“He’s come from a rough background and for him to have this opportunity to play major college football, it’s a blessing,” Smith said.
Sports, Pages 22 on 08/14/2013