FAYETTEVILLE -- Defensive ends Deatrich Wise, Brandon Lewis and JaMichael Winston arrived on the Arkansas campus together as freshmen in the summer of 2012 and redshirted together.
Last season, they played as reserves in all 12 games together. They went through winter workouts and spring practice for the second time together.
UA position glance
DEFENSIVE ENDS
KEY LOSS Chris Smith
RETURNING STARTER Trey Flowers
WHO’S BACK Deatrich Wise, Brandon Lewis, JaMichael Winston, Tevin Beanum
WHO’S NEW Anthony Brown, Jake Hall, Mitchell Loewen
WALK-ON Karl Roesler
ANALYSIS The Razorbacks got a major boost when Flowers, an All-SEC pick last year, decided to return for his senior season rather than enter the NFL Draft. Wise had a strong spring and is the top candidate to replace Smith, but he’s getting competition from fellow redshirt sophomores Lewis and Winston. Beanum is working behind Flowers and figures to get into the rotation after redshirting last year as a true freshman. Loewen, a redshirt junior, moved to defensive end after playing tight end last season. He’s been limited in fall camp as he continues to recover from knee surgery.
Now they are together as sophomores in fall camp and battling for the spot opposite returning All-SEC senior Trey Flowers.
While redshirt freshman Tevin Beanum is taking second-team reps behind Flowers, Wise, Lewis and Winston are competing to see who will replace Chris Smith, a three-year starter at defensive end who is a rookie with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Wise is working with the first team, defensive line coach Rory Segrest said, but the depth chart hasn't been determined for Arkansas' season opener at Auburn on Aug. 30.
"It's a very competitive battle," said Flowers, who had 44 tackles, including 13 1/2 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 1 interception and 3 forced fumbles last season. "That's the thing you want in football. That's going to bring out the best in all of them. They understand that the depth chart can change any day."
Winston said he is enjoying the work.
"It's very competitive, and it can bring out the best in you or it can bring out the worst in you," he said. "You either man up or you go home."
Winston is here, so he must be manning up, right?
"Oh yeah," Winston said. "I'm manning up all day."
Segrest doesn't want to go through a depth chart the first week of practice, but he said there is good competition at both spots.
"We're trying to look at everybody from Trey, our only senior, all the way down to our freshmen," Segrest said. "Between our first and second team, obviously there's some good competition right there, and that third team is pushing that second team.
"It's early in camp and we're just going to continue to roll those guys and see who emerges."
Wise had 17 tackles last season with 2 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. Lewis had 13 tackles with 1 sack and 1 fumble recovery. Wise had 4 sacks, forced 1 fumble and had 1 interception.
"I think we've come a long way -- a very long way -- since we first got here," Lewis said. "We've all gotten bigger and faster and stronger, and we've learned a lot more about the game.
"I think we're all at least 10 times better."
Flowers, who returned to Arkansas rather than enter the NFL Draft, figures to draw a lot of attention from opposing offenses.
"Knowing teams are going to focus on Trey, that leaves the rest of us on one-on-one blocks," Wise said. "That should give us more opportunities to make plays."
Considering the Arkansas-Auburn game starts at 3 p.m. when the high afternoon temperature on Aug. 30 has been 90 degrees the past 10 years, Wise, Lewis and Winston all could be in the defensive ends rotation to keep fresh players on the field.
"We're counting on them, and they know that the spotlight's on them, but the bottom line is we're going to have guys out there who are producing," Segrest said. "We'll worry about all the substitution as we get into the game.
"We've got some numbers. It's just a matter of who steps up and takes over those spots."
Lewis was slowed last spring by a knee injury, but he underwent minor surgery after going through the NCAA-allowable 15 practices.
"I'm just getting back at it," Lewis said. "By the time the season gets here, I'll be 100 percent ready to go."
Sports on 08/08/2014