FAYETTEVILLE - Junior AJ Derby is expected to make his second consecutive start at quarterback in place of injured starter Brandon Allen when the Razorbacks play No. 10 Texas A&M on Saturday.
Allen didn’t practice Thursday, Razorbacks Coach Bret Bielema said, and he hasn’t thrown passes in team work in two weeks since injuring his right shoulder against Southern Miss on Sept. 14.
Bielema said Allen’s health has gradually improved, and judging by his progress, Bielema said he expects the sophomore to be ready to play at Florida next Saturday. He took snaps and performed handoffs Tuesday and Wednesday before taking Thursday off.
“They said it was going to be a 3-4 week deal, and to think he was going to come back in two probably is a bit unrealistic,” Bielema said.
The only throwing Allen has done this week is with trainer Matt Summers using a light-weight ball, Bielema said.
“The only concern that I really have is that I think he’s going to tell you that he can go a lot earlier than probably the doctors say he can go,” Bielema said. “But they’re just worried if there’s anything that could become problematic if he took a hit or anything along that line.”
Bielema said he would start Allen against Texas A&M if he is medically cleared.
Derby completed 14 of 26 passes for 137 yards and 1 touchdown in the Razorbacks’ 28-24 loss at Rutgers.
“I think he’s had a lot better week of preparation as far as getting a handle, not just the game plan but also all the dynamics,” Bielema said. “Where to go with the ball, where to check to with certain looks.”
True freshman Austin Allen, Brandon’s younger brother, has been working at second-team quarterback the past two weeks. Bielema said he won’t hesitate to play Austin Allen if needed, but Arkansas still hopes to redshirt him.
“I’d love to play the guy that gives us the best chance to win, which is what our decision was last week, which is what our decision [will be] this week,” he said.
Bigger role
Sophomore middle linebacker Otha Peters, who missed the first two games while recovering from a broken arm, played a few snaps against Southern Miss and a more significant amount in the second half at Rutgers.
Peters figures to get increased playing time Saturday, Bret Bielema said.
Peters will wear a smaller cast in his third game back than he did in the first two games.
“He may not start, but I think he’ll play a lot more than he did last week,” Bielema said.
Gaines to start
Safety Rohan Gaines, who played seven snaps last week after missing two games with a knee injury, will be back in the starting lineup.
“Rohan’s back 100 percent,” Coach Bret Bielema said. “We really feel excited to get him back in the lineup. He’s been moving around extremely well, going back to last Saturday to where we are today.”
If the Razorbacks open with five defensive backs, Gaines would play nickel back and Alan Turner would start at strong safety.
Dress code
Arkansas players are required to wear a coat and tie on the walk in to road games, Bret Bielema said, but their clothing for the return trip depends on the outcome.
“So if you win, you get to wear sweats home,” Bielema said. “If you don’t, everybody’s in coat and tie or shirt and tie.”Rain game?
Meteorologists are predicting a chance for rain showers, some possibly severe, Saturday night in Fayetteville.
“Rain, rain, rain,” Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said.
The Razorbacks have practiced with wet footballs for part of the week and their specialists will use wet footballs in today’s walkthrough.
“It depends on obviously what Mother Nature works up for us,” Bielema said.
“But if you are asking for my preference, I would probably opt for a little moisture.”
Last year’s Arkansas game at Texas A&M, the first between the former Southwest Conference rivals in College Station, Texas, since 1991, featured a substantial rain storm in the first half. The Aggies won the game 58-10 after trailing 10-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Captain Phillips
Former Arkansas All-American defensive lineman Loyd Phillips, who as a senior in 1966 won the Outland Trophy, will serve as the A-Club’s honorary captain Saturday.
He will be recognized on the field before the game and accompany Arkansas’ captains for the coin toss.
Phillips, who played in the NFL with the Chicago Bears, was a longtime high school and junior high administrator in Northwest Arkansas before retiring.
He had 304 career tackles with the Razorbacks and is a member of Arkansas’ All-Century Team. He has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and the UA Sports Hall of Honor.
No Aggie band
Texas A&M’s marching band is not traveling to Fayetteville for Saturday’s game after Arkansas officials informed Texas A&M there would not be enough time for the visiting band to perform.
The Razorbacks’ marching band did not perform at Texas A&M last year, but Arkansas did send a smaller pep band, as it usually does for road games.
Bands from Arkansas and Texas A&M both played at halftime of the teams’ three nonconference games at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and that will resume next year when the series returns to the neutral site.
“Certainly the Texas A&M band was welcome to attend the game as part of the visiting team section,” Kevin Trainor, Arkansas’ associate athletic director for public relations, wrote in an email. “The decision on whether to travel to the game was made by the appropriate officials at A&M.”
Trainor said in keeping with customary practice at home games, Arkansas’ band will play at halftime and there will be various presentations.
“With a limited number of home games on campus, we have limited opportunities to recognize those from the University and former student athletes, groups etc.,” Trainor said. “So we must maximize the opportunities we do have.”
Arkansas schedule DATE OPP. (TV) TIME/RESULT Aug. 31 La.-Lafayette W, 34-14 Sept. 7 Samford+ W, 31-21 Sept. 14 So. Mississippi W, 24-3 Sept. 21 at Rutgers L, 28-24 Sept. 28 Texas A&M*(ESPN2) 6 p.m. Oct. 5 at Florida TBA Oct. 12 South Carolina TBA Oct. 19 at Alabama TBA Nov. 2 Auburn TBA Nov. 9 at Mississippi TBA Nov. 23 Mississippi State+ TBA Nov. 29 at LSU TBA SEC game +At War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock
Sports, Pages 20 on 09/27/2013