FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas wrapped up its training camp Friday with a mock game at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, after which Coach Bret Bielema termed the training camp a success.
“There wasn’t anything on my checklist we didn’t get to,” he said. “The only bump in the road, I’d say, were those three or four days where we had like a kid each day [injured].”
The Razorbacks attended their annual kickoff luncheon in Springdale after watching tape of Thursday’s practice, then went through their mock game scenarios in which coaches covered every aspect of game day, from a pregame meeting in the old locker room at the Broyles complex to where the position groups will go for warm-ups.
“What we did was a pretty extensive mock game,” Bielema said. “It’s a mock game in the sense that we cover every area that we know we have to cover as coaches that doesn’t necessarily get covered in normal situations. I’m a big believer in this before our first game. I’ve done it every year as a head coach.”
The Razorbacks will take today off, which Bielema said he has traditionally done prior to the first week of a season.
Wideouts return
Bret Bielema said receivers Javontee Herndon and Keon Hatcher, who missed time in camp because of injures, returned to practice this week.
Hatcher practiced on a limited basis and didn’t participate in full team work as a precaution.
“That was my call,” Bielema said. “I just didn’t really feel the benefit of getting him involved in the last two days. He knows the offense, he knows the things we’re asking him to do. He should be full-go for us on Sunday.”
Koehler’s knee
Freshman guard Reeve Koehler dislocated a kneecap several days ago in practice and will redshirt this season, Coach Bret Bielema said.
“He’s an extremely tough kid,” Bielema said.
“He dislocated his kneecap and didn’t say a word to anybody. Just kind of said his knee hurt, and all of a sudden it was swollen and [the trainers] pulled out a lot of blood.
“They’re like, ‘Well, Reeve, you dislocated your kneecap.’ Something that a lot of kids roll around on the ground and scream about, but he didn’t miss a beat.”
Koehler did miss some rehab treatments, Bielema added, which resulted in him “log-rolling” as punishment.
Big challenge
Arkansas coaches have consistently recognized the difficult task of opening against a Louisiana-Lafayette team that has gone 9-4 the past two seasons and is on the rise under Coach Mark Hudspeth.
“We put the film on a couple of days ago as we started to transition to Lafayette, and they have all of our immediate respect,” defensive tackles coach Charlie Partridge said Thursday. “We know they’re a good football team.”Hog passion
Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long, speaking at the Razorbacks’ annual kickoff luncheon in Springdale, said Coach Bret Bielema’s ability to link with fans has been encouraging.
“He instantly understood the passion that Razorbacks fans have,” Long said.
“He draws people to him, and that’s one of his great characteristics. … That’s why he’s going to be so successful.”
Believe it
After his glowing introduction from emcee Jimmy Dykes, in which the Arkansas graduate and ESPN analyst reiterated his view that Athletic Director Jeff Long’s hiring of Bret Bielema was “the hire of the off season,” Bielema got off a one-liner at the Razorbacks kickoff luncheon.
“I can’t believe you memorized all that as I wrote it,” Bielema said.
Who picked who?
A fan in the audience rose up after emcee Jimmy Dykes said Coach Bret Bielema would take a couple of questions following his talk at the Razorbacks’ annual kickoff luncheon.
The fan wanted to know what line Bielema used to break the ice with Jen, who is now his wife.
“She picked me up,” Bielema said.
After the laughter died down, Bielema added: “That’ll mess up our date night tonight.”
Stay a while
Bret Bielema likes to brag on the Fred Smith Football Center as being a “game changer” in recruiting, and on the size of the new locker room and lockers.
“Some of our smaller people, I won’t name them, are living in their lockers,” Bielema cracked at the kickoff luncheon.
Spaight and Beck
Hard-hitting linebacker Martrell Spaight has caused concussions, which led to the term “Spaighted” being created to describe those who feel his tackling might.
Guard Mitch Smothers, who introduced Spaight at the team’s kickoff luncheon, said you could ask lineman Austin Beck about being “Spaighted.”
As Spaight came to the podium, he responded: “Nothing but love, Austin.”
Dean update
Demetrius Dean, a highly-touted Fayetteville product, is still on the team, but he’s down on the depth chart.
Tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. said Dean fell behind physically while he focused on academics this summer.
“He shows flashes of ability, especially in the passing game,” Lunney said. “He needs to get in better shape and continue to learn the playbook and he knows that.”
Lunney said Dean isn’t likely in the game plan against Louisiana-Lafayette.
Sports, Pages 24 on 08/24/2013