FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks should have fond memories floating in their heads when they take the field at Reynolds Razorback Stadium this morning for their first significant scrimmage work of the spring.
Today's 11 a.m. workout, which is closed to the public, will be the Razorbacks' first game-like action in the stadium since their 30-0 victory over No. 8 Ole Miss last Nov. 22, which completed college football's first back-to-back shutouts of ranked opponents by an unranked team since World War II. Arkansas broke its 17-game SEC losing streak the previous week with a 17-0 victory over No. 17 LSU.
"I love going into Don Reynolds," sophomore receiver Jared Cornelius said. "It's a great atmosphere, even if there's nobody there. It's a live practice always when we go into the stadium setting."
Offensive coordinator Dan Enos suggested the first and second units on offense would get between 30 and 40 live snaps.
"It'll be a little more controlled I think this week than probably the next couple of weeks after that," Enos said. "We want to certainly get some live tackling in for both sides of the ball and get some situational work in, make sure we get our red zone, third down and those things."
Quarterback Brandon Allen said he's eager to see how the new offensive installations will look in live reps.
"It's really just about being clean on Saturday," Allen said Thursday. " It's basically polishing what we have in right now and getting that as clean as we can."
Coach Bret Bielema has said that senior tailback Jonathan Williams might not take any reps in full tackling sessions this spring and that junior tailback Alex Collins, who had an appendectomy prior to spring drills, would likely be limited.
Williams was asked Thursday if he expected any scrimmage carries.
"I don't think so," he said. "I hope I can. I'm going to try to talk to Coach B and try to get on the field, but I don't think he'll let me."
Combination back Kody Walker, sophomore Denzel Evans and walk-ons like Connor McPherson and Connor Dayton are likely to have increased workloads with redshirt freshman Juan Day out after undergoing reconstructive knee surgery.
"We're going to get some work done," first-year running backs coach Jemal Singleton said. "It's not going to be a full blown-out day. I think we'll get some practice stuff done before that [scrimmage], but it's going to be great. I love this chance to get some of these younger guys some more reps, some live situations and see.
"A week removed from spring break, you've got a couple of practices under your belt, so I want to see those guys really go out and take care of the little things we've been reinforcing."
The Razorbacks also need extensive looks in Enos' passing schemes and work on timing between quarterbacks and receivers.
"Early we weren't doing a good job on our second-level releases, and now I think here in practice five we're doing a really good job of sticking our routes and running angles on man coverage and trying to create separation for the quarterback," Enos said. "Our techniques and fundamentals are certainly improving."
Cornelius said the receivers have done well at picking up the new play calls and schemes.
"The receivers as a whole are playing a lot better," he said. "This offense is a lot easier."
Offensive line coach Sam Pittman said he thought Thursday's practice was much better than Tuesday's return to drills following spring break. He'd like to see a physical showing from his unit with limited blown blocking assignments.
"I'd like for the twos to see the movement a little bit better," he said. "I'd like them to not have as many missed assignments.
"The ones, I want them to play calm football. I want them to play physical football and protect the quarterback. I just want them to look like a unit that's been together for a couple of years, some of them three years. I want to look like a good offensive line, and I think we will."
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Sports on 04/04/2015