FAYETTEVILLE -- One proven standout and a surprise star in the making have turned Arkansas' tight end corps into a force this fall.
Hunter Henry of Little Rock earned freshman All-America recognition last season while playing with a bum knee and has continued his rise as a healthier sophomore.
Alabama-Birmingham at Arkansas
WHEN 11 a.m. Saturday
WHERE Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville
RANKINGS Neither team is ranked
TELEVISION SEC Network
Tight end trend
• Arkansas’ tight ends have increased their production over the past three weeks:
PLAYER;AT AUB.;NICHOLLS;AT TEXAS TECH;N. ILLINOIS;A&M;ALABAMA;GEORGIA;TOTALS
AJ Derby;4-40-1;0-0;0-0;1-8;3-58-1;4-77-1;3-45;15-228-3
Hunter Henry;1-14-1;1-20;0-0;2-21;4-36;3-38;5-92-1;16-221-2
Jeremy Sprinkle;1-10;0-0;0-0;1-16;1-13;1-6;0-0;4-45
TOTAL;6-64-2;1-20;0-0;4-45;8-107-1;8-121-1;8-137-1;35-494-5
*Led team in catches
AJ Derby moved from backup quarterback to help fill the tight end ranks in the spring and has been every bit as impressive as Coach Bret Bielema projected at the time of the move.
While other parts of Arkansas' offense have ebbed in recent games against the top-flight defenses of Alabama and Georgia, the tight end crew has increased its production with three consecutive games with eight catches and more than 100 receiving yards.
Derby, a 6-5, 255-pound senior, turned in one of Arkansas' most memorable plays this season with his 54-yard catch and tackle-breaking sprint down the sideline against Alabama.
"I think he gained a lot of confidence from playing against such a quality team, known for the quality defense they play," tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. said.
That showed last week when Derby added a highlight-reel, one-handed 14-yard catch against Georgiaas he and Henry combined for 8 receptions for 137 yards and 1 touchdown, accounting for 32 percent of Arkansas' total yards.
"They're good, first and foremost," Arkansas offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said. "They have a lot of ability, and they love to play the game and they're doing a nice job with it."
Henry worked over the middle of the Georgia defense for 92 yards and a touchdown.
"He probably played as good a game as he's played since he's been here," Bielema said. "That involves catching the football, blocking, being engaged in the game plan and fighting his heart out."
Henry, 6-5, 250, signed with Arkansas in 2013 over offers from Alabama and others with NFL-caliber talent already projected in his future.
Derby, a backup at Iowa before playing quarterback at Coffeyville (Kan.) College, might have stumbled into a ticket to the NFL with Bielema's prodding.
"AJ Derby has played tight end for seven games -- every NFL scout that comes in asks about him -- and is going to be rewarded," Bielema said Monday.
Having tight ends that are capable blockers and present mismatches against linebackers, safeties or nickel backs have been staples of Bielema's offenses. Sophomore Jeremy Sprinkle and junior Alex Voelzke have been solid contributors as well, and transfer Cam Jefferson has helped in some of the Hogs' heavy packages.
"It's crucial to how we play," Lunney said. "We're going to have two of them on the field the majority of the game, so when that happens, if you're a receiving threat -- and not just one, but two guys -- I think it helps the balance of our offense.
"So we feel good about those two guys [Derby and Henry] and we feel good about Jeremy [Sprinkle] truthfully as a receiver. He's shown up some for us this year."
There have been a few blocking issues, but recently their run-game work has been better, Lunney said.
The group's bread-and-butter play has been holding for a count on play-action, then releasing into a clean secondary. The play burned Texas A&M twice, led to touchdowns for Henry and Derby against Auburn and has thrived when the running game is firing.
"It's the same pressure we try to put on people, because what happens is you lose that guy," Alabama-Birmingham Coach Bill Clark said. "It's run, it's run, and all of a sudden this guy is by you, which is what running play-action does to you. It's something to worry about for sure."
Bielema said Monday that he's ecstatic with the work Chaney and Lunney have done with the tight ends, specifically pointing out Lunney's attention to detail.
"I think every one of his players is different," Bielema said of Lunney. "Hunter Henry's different than AJ Derby, and Jeremy Sprinkle is different than him, and Voelzke is different than him. He's got a plan for each one of those kids every day. I see it on paper. He writes it down.
"It's just awesome, and there's no secret to why those guys have gotten better."
Sports on 10/22/2014