FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks will engage in their first full-pad work of spring today at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
After opening the 15 days of spring drills with two workouts this week in helmets and shorts, the Hogs will don full gear for today's 11 a.m. practice, which is closed to the public.
Arkansas spring football
WHAT First full-pad workout
WHEN 11 a.m. today
WHERE Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville
NOTEWORTHY The projected two-hour practice, closed to the public, will likely feature periods of live scrimmage work. Coach Bret Bielema has typically opened up one or more spring scrimmages for public viewing during his first three seasons. The remaining practice dates for the Razorbacks are April 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21 and 23.
The NCAA allows for a prescribed amount of live tackling in the spring, and the Razorbacks will probably get in the first of it today.
"Saturday will probably be a combination of practice and scrimmage, and we'll figure that out as our numbers come through for the week," Bielema said at his prespring news conference Monday.
As a comparison, the Razorbacks ran 82 plays in their first scrimmage last spring, but that practice came on the sixth workout of spring.
Nose guard Taiwan Johnson said he is ready to pick up the pace with full pads.
"I love being here because we play a physical brand of football, and in order to do that, you have to put the pads on," he said. "The game gets easier when we put the pads on, and it's going to be fun."
Players on the Arkansas defense said they are overjoyed that at least some full-contact work will take place.
"It's going to be great," senior end Deatrich Wise Jr. said Thursday. "We're flying around now in practice. You can see everyone slowing up right before the ball carrier comes. But when the pads come on, there's no slowing down."
Senior linebacker Brooks Ellis and defensive lineman Jeremiah Ledbetter said they're also ready to go full force during live tackling periods.
"That's what football's about. Everybody plays better when we put the pads on," Ellis said.
"I think it's easier with the pads on," Ledbetter said. "With just helmets, we don't go full speed like we should. I'm excited for the pads."
Fourth-year Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said earlier in the week he expected today's practice to be a blend of position drills, group periods and perhaps a smattering of scrimmage work.
Sophomore safety Santos Ramirez, always up for live tackling, said he expected "a lot of hitting" to be going down.
"I expect there to be a lot of the offense's red jerseys on the ground," Ramirez said.
Senior running back Kody Walker said the Arkansas offense will have a lot of experienced players to handle the ball, despite the loss of tailbacks Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams as well as tight end Hunter Henry.
"We've got a lot of guys," Walker said. "We lost a lot, but some young guys are going to step up, and we're going to have a lot of explosive players out there."
The team periods in the stadium will be of particular importance to the four quarterbacks battling to take over the reins from the departed Brandon Allen.
Junior Austin Allen will take the initial snaps with the first-team offense, followed by sophomore Rafe Peavey and freshmen Ty Storey and Ricky Town.
Bielema indicated spring drills would include hurry-up elements that serve a double purpose, although those drills wouldn't necessarily be a big part of today's work.
"We will do some repetition huddle stuff," he said. "Even though we aren't a no-huddle offense, our defense needs to see it.
"We'll do it a lot of times where our defense will go against two huddles of our offense so it appears to be a no-huddle situation, and it will benefit both. And you'll get a lot more reps for the quarterbacks."
Sports on 04/02/2016