Arkansas football

Turning the corner

Salty juniors primary cog in Hogs’ secondary

Arkansas' Jared Collins (29) covers Ryan Pulley (10) during drills Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Second-year Arkansas defensive coordinator Robb Smith was asked last winter what he thought of the Razorbacks' defense for 2015.

Smith's response: The unit has three outstanding cornerbacks, a strong foundation for any SEC team.

Position glance

Cornerbacks

POSITION COACH Clay Jennings

RETURNING STARTERS Jared Collins (12 starts in 2014), D.J. Dean (7)

LOSSES Tevin Mitchel, Carroll Washington

WHO’S BACK Henre Toliver (4 starts), Cornelius Floyd, Kevin Richardson

WHO’S NEW Ryan Pulley

WALK-ONSReid Miller, Ryder Lucas, Byron Keaton

ANALYSIS Arkansas’ coaches love their starting point for this group, with veteran corners Collins and Dean complemented by Toliver, the starting nickel back. Because of the coverage experience of their front-line corners, the defensive coaches can afford to free up other defensive backs for blitzes and other duties and give the cornerbacks frequent man-to-man calls. The Razorbacks also grew into a strong zone coverage team by the end of 2014. The freshman Pulley impressed in camp as a fast, physical presence who has a nose for the ball. Floyd and Richardson are solid cover guys who can take reps at nickel back and cornerback, giving the secondary more flexibility.

Juniors Jared Collins and D.J. Dean and sophomore Henre Toliver have all been tested in SEC stadiums and have proven to be solid coverage players and leaders.

"D.J. Dean has come out every day and has had tremendous energy," defensive backs coach Clay Jennings said last week. "The guy we call Mr. Steady has been Jared Collins. Henre Toliver, I've got to give him a little more work out there with some of the base packages. He's doing a great job too."

Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema touted the cornerback crew Wednesday during his address to the Northwest Arkansas Touchdown Club, saying the key contributors there look like different players than they did a year ago.

"Those three guys can man the corner," Bielema said.

Toliver is the starting nickel back, a position that covers slot receivers ranging from shifty speedsters to tight ends. Because the Razorbacks face so many formations with three or more receivers, Toliver is essentially a starter.

"I feel we can be good," Collins said of the cornerbacks. "Playing with each other last year, I think that helped a lot. We knew each other's strengths and weaknesses. We're confident in each other and our abilities."

Dean said the unit's depth goes well beyond the three veterans.

"We have great talent, even some of our young talent coming in," Dean said. "I just think if anybody goes down, we have the same amount of talent coming right back in. I don't think we lose anything."

Sophomore Cornelius Floyd and true freshman Ryan Pulley have played well in camp and take second-team reps at corner along with Toliver.

"I think as many max protect sets and deep balls you're going to get within this league, you better have three corners that can go," Jennings said. "The thing I like is that I have an opportunity to essentially play with three different combinations and not lose a beat, with Henre being the swing guy. He can play either side."

Kevin Richardson, the defensive backfield's multi-purpose weapon, plays mostly nickel back and free safety but could take on any position in the secondary.

The Arkansas defense, which did not intercept starting quarterback Brandon Allen throughout the 15 practices of spring, finally got a breakthrough on end Tevin Beanum's ricochet grab off a Collins' tip early in the second week of camp. Before the week was up, Collins, Dean, Floyd and Pulley had grabbed interceptions from the first-team quarterback.

Bielema said Dean was overly emotional, dwelling too long on low moments, earlier in his career.

"Really beginning towards bowl prep, I think he snapped into playing Texas when we said, 'Hey, this is what you can do every day,' " Bielema said. "By far, he and Jared Collins have been our most productive two corners. Not even close. Hands down."

Bielema joked about Collins and Dean on Arkansas' media day.

"Totally different personalities," he said. "I've been around Jared three years and he's spoken to me five times, I think. That's just not his demeanor. D.J. will talk to anybody.

"It's just fun to see him continue to grow and develop into a leadership role."

Sports on 08/27/2015