FAYETTEVILLE -- Bret Bielema says he believes brighter days are just around the corner for Arkansas' collection of cornerbacks.
Bielema, the second-year Arkansas head coach, didn't mince words earlier in the summer, saying opposing teams likely targeted the Arkansas cornerbacks as players to attack last season.
Cornerbacks glance
RETURNING STARTERS Tevin Mitchel (10 starts in 2013), Will Hines (6)
KEY LOSSES None
WHO’S BACK Carroll Washington (4 starts in 2013), Jared Collins (2), D.J. Dean (2)
WHO’S NEW Cornelius Floyd, Santos Ramirez, Henre’ Toliver
WALK-ONS Kevin Richardson
ANALYSIS A unit with 47 career starts should be set to rebound from a disappointing 2013 season. Mitchel, a 24-game starter, was in position to make plays last year, but was beaten often. He should have a bounce-back year and provide a veteran presence along with Washington, whose leadership is being hailed by the coaches. Collins added 5 pounds (to 180), but could still be heavier to help in run support. Hines has 15 career starts and is the group’s most physical talent at 6-1, 191. Dean took quality snaps last season. The freshman class, expected to push for playing time, is the best Arkansas has signed in years.
He said the unit might be the most improved on the team this fall.
First-year defensive coordinator Robb Smith and defensive backs coach Clay Jennings have established a more aggressive scheme they hope will spur the veteran-laden unit to improved play.
"Our guys have worked really hard at just becoming a physical presence on the perimeter," Smith said. "Not even so much in press coverage at times, but being able to set an edge."
Bielema called Jennings, whom he hired away from TCU last winter, a "home run" addition during his stint at SEC media days.
Jennings said the cornerbacks have taken to the new style on the edges, which is intended to force quarterbacks into tougher throws.
"I think they're excited about having a chance to be closer to the line of scrimmage and be more aggressive," Jennings said. "The biggest thing that we have to work on is moving our feet and shooting our hands simultaneously and not get caught reaching or moving my body and not shooting my hands.
"I think the press coverage will be good for us. I think it'll be a nice change-up from what we see in our league."
Tevin Mitchel, a 24-game starter, had a strong debut as a freshman in 2011, but he battled injuries in 2012 and was in the negative spotlight by giving up big plays far too often last year. He's looking to bounce back, and was having a good spring before it was cut short by the need for shoulder surgery.
Mitchel and fellow senior Carroll Washington lead a group of cornerbacks with 47 career starts, making them one of the most experienced units in the SEC.
"We can make a lot more improvement," Mitchel said on Sunday, the day he was cleared to return to full contact. "We have good depth at the cornerback position and a pretty good group of guys."
Bielema called Washington, a junior-college transfer who started four games last year, the team's best cornerback at this stage of camp.
"First off, I'd like to say thanks to coach for giving me that compliment," Washington said on Sunday. "I don't go out there every day just to stay the same. ... I don't want to go out there and be just the same old Carroll when I come back in this locker room. I want to be better than I was."
Washington had an interception in the Red-White spring finale and produced a takeaway in the Razorbacks' first scrimmage on Saturday, yanking the ball away from fullback Kody Walker to be recovered by defensive end Trey Flowers.
"He competes on every down, whether he's playing on a slot receiver or he's playing on the outside," Smith said. "He's a guy that really takes denying his man the ball to heart. He's a physical presence in the run game."
Washington is running with the first unit at boundary corner and also is the top nickel back.
Sophomore Jared Collins, playing with the starters, had a rough go of it in the first scrimmage while playing with a dislocated finger. Collins was beaten on a couple of the day's longest pass plays and gave up a score to Drew Morgan on a 25-yard play-action pass.
Jennings said he liked the unit's communication skills on Saturday, but the deep balls hurt.
"Unfortunately there were a couple that got loose over our head," Jennings said. "That's the one thing we cannot do as a defense. That just demoralizes a defense."
Junior Will Hines, who started the first six games before suffering a broken arm at Florida last year, hasn't had a consistent camp. Hines had good coverage on Damon Mitchell on the left edge on Saturday, but still allowed the redshirt freshman to come down with a 48-yard grab down to the 20-yard line.
Sophomore D.J. Dean, who started the final two games of 2013 opposite Collins, said the group has embraced the new philosophy.
"We get to play more physical," Dean said. "Last year we were like 8 yards off the ball. This year we're moving a little bit closer, so we can get our hands on them and throw those guys around a little bit."
The coaches gave true freshman Henre' Toliver a few series with the No. 1 defense in Saturday's scrimmage with Mitchel held out.
The next wave of Arkansas' cornerbacks -- including freshmen Cornelius Floyd, Santos Ramirez and Toliver -- is being touted for its collective talent and size (all measuring 6-1),
"You start looking at Richard Sherman and those guys, they have big bodies and can run," Jennings said, referencing the 6-3, 195-pound Seattle Seahawks corner. "They pose a problem for those receivers that maybe don't have the quicker feet and maybe some of the smaller guys who are out there on the edge.
"They swallow those guys up, so I think that's what we're looking for and that's what we'd like to recruit."
Sports on 08/12/2014