FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas may add a running back for the majority of the regular season.
Redshirt freshman Juan Day is practicing with the Razorbacks this week just five months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL. Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said he expects Day to play this season.
"We'll get him involved in a little more non-contact stuff today and maybe by the second or third game we can get him involved in the game plan," Bielema said.
"By no means is he out there breaking tackles yet, but I think it's fair to say by SEC play we hope to have in there full-time."
Day tore his ACL twice during the span of 18 months. He tore it during the first week of spring practice earlier this year and as a senior at North Little Rock in 2013.
As a junior, Day rushed for 915 yards and 13 touchdowns while backing up Altee Tenpenny, a former Alabama running back.
Arkansas is still down one running back for the season after Jonathan Williams underwent foot surgery earlier this month. Williams rushed for 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.
Bielema said Day is a different kind of back than other ones the Razorbacks plan to use this season.
"He's real tall," Bielema said. "What I've loved about him is on our outside zone plays he's got a good pace to him, a good gallop. He kind of reminds me, his style of (former Wisconsin running back) Melvin Gordon when we had him - a real tall, lengthy, good runner."