FAYETTEVILLE -- Kicking game problems that have haunted Arkansas in its past three losses have cost John Henson his job and put punter Sam Irwin-Hill on notice.
Sophomore Adam McFain of Greenwood has taken over the place-kicking duties from Henson until further notice, Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said at his weekly press conference Monday.
Irwin-Hill needs to have a good week of punting in practice or he could be supplanted by Toby Baker for Saturday's game against Alabama-Birmingham, Bielema added. Irwin-Hill has not punted well the past two games. Against Georgia last Saturday, he averaged 33 yards on three punts, with a long of 37 yards, and put none inside the 20.
"Toby Baker is going to be our punter on Saturday unless I see something change on Sam," Bielema said. "Sam is a tremendous kid that I love to be around on a daily basis. But I'm also a bottom-line results guy, and he's capable of hitting the ball better and he will or Toby Baker will definitely have his shot come Saturday."
Irwin-Hill's season average has slipped to 40.4 yards per punt, which ranks 11th in the SEC. Arkansas is ninth in the SEC with a net punting average of 37.7 yards. Last season, Irwin-Hill ranked third in the SEC and 13th nationally with a 44.3-yard average.
Bielema said he's given Irwin-Hill a shot at traditional punting to show to scouts, but he's ready to implement more of the rugby-style punting that was successful last year to help the Razorbacks win field-position battles.
Henson has had extra-point attempts blocked in each of the past two games and is 0 for 2 on field goals longer than 22 yards.
"Adam McFain gets the kick up so quickly that he's going to handle the kicking duties until I see something different to take him out of that role," Bielema said.
On Saturday, Bielema said Georgia's Ray Drew flushed an interior gap and got up to block Henson's PAT, but "unless you're 'Too Tall' Jones, you aren't going to be blocking any of [McFain's] kicks."
Arkansas has not made a field goal in its past three games. Henson missed a 43-yarder against Northern Illinois and a critical 44-yarder that might have iced a victory over Texas A&M. The following week, a high snap from Alan D'Appollonio and holder Matt Emrich's inability to get the ball spotted cost McFain a chance at a 43-yard try in a 14-13 loss to Alabama.
Injury report
Bret Bielema said middle linebacker Brooks Ellis is recovering nicely from his bruised knee, but is still questionable for Saturday's game.
Cornerback Henre Toliver is expected to be cleared for participation in today's practice, Bielema said, after being removed in the second quarter against Georgia with a leg injury.
Tube talk
Arkansas' game at No. 1 Mississippi State on Nov. 1 will be a 6 p.m. or 6:15 p.m. kickoff on one of the ESPN networks, the SEC office announced Monday. The decision on the kickoff time will be made after this weekend's games.
Chop talk
Bret Bielema said he has asked the SEC office for an explanation of the chop block penalty called against left tackle Dan Skipper on Saturday as part of the weekly exchange available to all SEC coaches.
"I brought the official over and I didn't quite get the explanation I was looking for," Bielema said, regarding a brief, on-field conversation he had with Skipper and an official during a stoppage of play in the third quarter.
"What he ended up doing is, he's blocking the back side defensive end and it's a toss play away and he's blocking him like we do 100 times in every game and he dropped low and cut him. I've definitely sent it in. I want a clarification on why that was called."
Bielema said Skipper was the only player engaged with the defender on the penalty play and a chop block penalty stipulates that blockers are engaged high and low on the same defender.
Right guard Denver Kirkland moved over to Skipper's spot and Luke Charpentier entered the game at right guard for a couple of series after the penalty.
Two-point trouble
The Razorbacks went 0 for 2 on two-point conversion attempts against Georgia as they tried to chase a blocked extra point following their first touchdown.
The Bulldogs sniffed out a misdirection end-around to AJ Derby after Keon Hatcher's slant-pass touchdown with 6:30 left in the third quarter cut Georgia's lead to 38-12. Later, Georgia stopped Brandon Allen just short of the goal line on a quarterback draw with 5:05 remaining after Alex Collins' 6-yard touchdown trimmed Arkansas' deficit to 45-32.
By Josh
Sophomore Josh Williams led Arkansas with 14 tackles Saturday in his first start at middle linebacker, in place of Brooks Ellis, who sat out with a bruised knee.
"It was a very good first start for him," defensive coordinator Robb Smith said. "He took every snap at the mike linebacker position and did an admirable job. The more he plays, the better we think he'll get. We've got to keep pushing him forward. He needed to get better and I think he's on that track."
Ellis, spotted Sunday evening at the Fred Smith football center, was moving much better than a week ago.
Sports on 10/21/2014