FAYETTEVILLE -- Cornerback Tevin Mitchel resumed practicing this week and Coach Bret Bielema said the senior was involved in the game plan against Texas Tech.
Based on Mitchel's performances, he might be on the brink of making his season debut.
"He was flying around today, making plays, so to me he looked like the old Tevin," cornerback Carroll Washington said.
"The last couple of days have been enjoyable to have him around," defensive backs coach Clay Jennings said. "We're fired up to have him."
The past two weeks Bielema had suggested Mitchel, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury, consider redshirting. While that option is not completely off the table, Bielema said, Mitchel might play on Saturday.
"He was significantly better than last week," Bielema said on the SEC coaches teleconference. "We did some testing things with him over the weekend, and he practiced yesterday. He started off the day down on the scouts, and performed very well, got involved in some 1-on-1s and finished in the team period with our twos. So Tevin may get involved with us, depending on how he holds up after today's practice. But I'm very, very optimistic about that."
Injury report
Defensive backs coach Clay Jennings said Arkansas' secondary should be deeper against the pass-happy Red Raiders after reserve safeties De'Andre Coley (hamstring) and Davyon McKinney (heel) were held out, and starter Alan Turner played sparingly in the 73-7 rout of Nicholls State. Cornerback Tevin Mitchel's availability would also help.
"The more bodies that we have the better," Jennings said. "It keeps guys fresher."
Coach Bret Bielema said Coley and McKinney practiced last week but were held out of the Nicholls State game to be healthier.
Defensive end Deatrich Wise (knee), who also sat out last week, has practiced this week and is expected to play against Texas Tech, though defensive line coach Rory Segrest said he was at about 80 percent healthy.
Drought
Arkansas has gone 11 years without winning a road game against a nonconference team currently in a Power 5 conference.
The Razorbacks have gone 0-3 in those games since a 38-28 decision over No. 5 Texas on Sept. 13, 2003. The losses were at No. 1 Southern California in 2005, at No. 7 Texas in 2008 and at unranked Rutgers last year. The Scarlet Knights were in the American Athletic Conference last season but are now in the 14-team Big Ten.
Saturday's game at Texas Tech will come on the 11th anniversary of the Hogs' victory at Texas.
SEC Nation visit
The SEC Network will set up its traveling pregame show SEC Nation in Fayetteville for the first time on Oct. 11, when the Razorbacks host Alabama.
The show, featuring host Joe Tessitore and analysts Tim Tebow, Marcus Spears and Paul Finebaum, will originate from Victory Village North by the John Tyson Poultry Science building.
Arkansas will be celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the Razorbacks' 1964 national championship team coached by Frank Broyles that weekend.
Arkansas won the national championship given by the Football Writers Association of America after the 1964 season, finishing their 11-0 run with a 10-7 victory over Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl. Alabama, which was named Associated Press national champions prior to the bowl games, lost 21-17 to Texas in the Orange Bowl.
Wrinkles
Bret Bielema said on the weekly SEC coaches teleconference that the Razorbacks have plays and schemes in store for Texas Tech that they have not shown yet this season.
"We're excited about some of the looks that we're going to be able to break out that we haven't shown to this point, in all phases," Bielema said. "I'm really excited offensively to do certain things differently. Defense, special teams."
No sacks
Texas Tech has not permitted a sack of quarterback Davis Webb despite passing for 730 yards on 83 attempts.
"It would be a wonderful thing to change," Arkansas defensive end Trey Flowers said. "Our D-line, I think we have the most athletic D-line in the SEC, so we're going to have to get after them."
Sports on 09/11/2014