FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas coaches expect middle linebacker Brooks Ellis and cornerback Henre' Toliver to be ready for Saturday's 6:15 p.m. game at No.1 Mississippi State.
Toliver, who suffered bruised muscles in his back in the second quarter against Georgia, returned to practice Wednesday, the day after Ellis made his return after missing two games with a bone bruise on his knee.
"Brooks practiced [Tuesday], had a great day," Coach Bret Bielema said on Wednesday's SEC teleconference. "He was in for treatment this morning at 6 a.m., bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
"Actually had no regression whatsoever. I talked to him a little bit earlier today just to see where he was at, and he feels good."
Toliver, whose absence with an eye injury proved costly for the last three quarters in a loss to Texas A&M, missed most of the Georgia game and sat out last week's 45-17 victory over Alabama-Birmingham.
"Henre' Toliver did feel a lot better yesterday," Bielema said. "We did some things with him. He didn't get into live football, but he's going to make a go of it today. Those two guys should be in full swing [Saturday]."
Lean to Rohan
Defensive backs coach Clay Jennings said junior Rohan Gaines was likely to reclaim his starting position at safety after Davyon McKinney started in his place last week.
"I thought both those guys had a good week last week," Jennings said. "[Gaines] needed a wakeup call just a little bit. As long as there's a little heat, everybody starts getting in the right place and doing the right thing."
They're No. 1
Mississippi State earned the distinction of being the first No. 1 team selected by the College Football Playoff selection committee, which released its first rankings on Tuesday night.
"That is something you can never take away from this university and this program," quarterback Dak Prescott said. "This is the first-ever ranking, and Mississippi State is the first team ever to be ranked No. 1. I think that is pretty cool."
Said running back Josh Robinson, "It really doesn't matter, as long as we're No. 1 at the end of the year."
They're No. 122
Mississippi State ranks No. 122 in the country in allowing 321.6 passing yards per game. The Bulldogs are last among the 14 SEC teams in that department, more than 79 yards per game behind No. 13 Auburn.
Arkansas coaches didn't put a lot of stock in the statistic.
"They were ahead in almost all their games, you know," tight ends coach Barry Lunney said. "So people are by nature throwing the ball more in the third and fourth quarters. I think that skews the numbers."
Love ya, ref
Arkansas linebacker Martrell Spaight was spotted with his arm around an official during last Saturday's game.
Asked what led to that moment, which followed Spaight's near-celebration following a tackle, the senior said, "The ref said, 'You can't do that in front of everybody.' So I said, 'Sorry about that. I love you ref.' "
Plenty of choices
After D.J. Dean and Demetrius Wilson had flubs trying to field punts last week, Arkansas coaches reopened the job this week.
Among the players fielding punts: Dean, Wilson, Jared Cornelius, Cody Hollister, Drew Morgan, Cornelius Floyd, Jojo Robinson and Matt Emrich, the team's holder on placekicks.
Coach Bret Bielema said Emrich returned punts at El Dorado High School.
"He volunteered for it," Bielema said. "He came to me and our special teams coaches and asked for an opportunity to go back there and do it, and looked pretty good."
Robinson, a freshman wide receiver, hasn't played through eight games and Bielema said if he looked to be the best punt returner, it would be Robinson's decision whether to end his redshirt season.
Bielema said the coaches expect to decide Friday who will return punts at Mississippi State.
Sports on 10/30/2014