FAYETTEVILLE — It was a good day for the defensive line in team drills on Thursday. Afterward, offensive line coach Kurt Anderson said his group “took a step back.”
The good news is that the defensive linemen doing damage are among the best in the SEC. Deatrich Wise and Jeremiah Ledbetter can make the best offensive linemen look silly at times.
So where was the leakage? It seemed to be at right tackle where Brian Wallace has been given a big opportunity with Dan Skipper flipping to left tackle, with impressive results.
Anderson's offensive line for all of this week has been Skipper at left tackle, Hjalte Froholdt at left guard, Frank Ragnow at center, Zach Rogers at right guard and Wallace at right tackle. Anderson said that group had performed well for most of the week.
It could be that the coaching staff has some more shuffling to try up front, although it may be that it's too close to Saturday's scrimmage to change anything this week. Dan Enos, the offensive coordinator, and Anderson do have something in mind, although no one was saying what the next combination might be.
It seems clear that it might have something to do with locking down the right tackle spot with Wallace doing some good things, but clearly let up toward the end of an extremely hot day Thursday.
“I do like that five, but there may be one more combination that Coach Enos and I want to try,” Anderson said. “We want to look at everything to try to get down to maybe eight guys.”
What else could be tried at right tackle?
“I think Frank Ragnow can play any of the positions and he can play right tackle if we ask him to play there,” Anderson said. “I think we could also try Jake Raulerson there. I think he could play it. I think Jalen Merrick or Johnny Gibson could play right tackle. So those are some ideas.”
What wrinkle does he have in mind for next?
“Well, I have a wrinkly shirt,” Anderson said, possibly inventing a word. “Real wrinkly.”
Wallace was beaten by Wise near the end of practice on more than one play. Wise's speed to the outside was evident.
“I think Brian has done some good things,” Anderson said. “There was a practice that was hot in the spring and we got after him about his conditioning. That's still something we want to see, his conditioning. It was real hot today, real hot.
“I give Wallace credit, he made it through practice, but he let the heat get to his technique. At least he didn't stop. He just has to focus more when he gets tired.”
The practice was cut short by head coach Bret Bielema – to the surprise of everyone – after 12 periods. Bielema sent the team to the swimming pool next door at the HPER building.
“I don't think anyone knew it was coming except the head ball coach and the man at the swimming pool,” said Paul Rhoades, secondary coach. “It was a good call by the head ball coach.”
Anderson thought it was the right call, too.
“Coach Bielema knows what he's doing, but I am worried if they have enough water over there at the pool,” Anderson said. “My guys can knock a lot of water out of that thing. They will swamp the thing. I've seen what linemen can do to a pool.”
Anderson had praise for Skipper. He made the switch to left guard without hardly a hiccup. He played there two years ago before flipping to right tackle.
“He's awesome, just awesome,” Anderson said. “We asked Dan to do something after he'd obviously put in a lot of work at right tackle. But he's playing his best football this week. We have looked at tape of him over the past and this is the best he's played, whether that was guard or tackle.
“I think it took him about two or three reps to get his technique flipped. Obviously, that's switching feet.”
There were other bright spots throughout the team, especially the play of the older wide receivers. Assistant coach Michael Smith praised what he calls his “core group” of Drew Morgan, Cody Hollister, Keon Hatcher, Jared Cornelius and Dominique Reed. There was a little barb from both the head coach (during practice) and Smith directed toward Reed for not knowing the plays.
“But those five guys have been very good in camp,” Smith said. “Today was a hot day and everyone struggled some, so it was probably a good time to give the guys a break, as Coach Bielema realized. I will say, there was no one who saw it coming.”
Not everyone thought the team deserved it. Hatcher let the entire squad know what he thought.
“Keon has been a great leader,” Smith said. “Really, he's always been that for us. So Coach Bielema tells them they are going swimming, Keon called up the team and told everyone that he didn't think we earned it with what we did today.”
Smith used that as a coaching point. He told his group that they need to return the favor by making Friday their best day.
“Really, what going to the pool was about was to try to freshen our legs before the scrimmage,” Smith said. “And, that's what it was, not really a reward. Coach B has a way of getting your legs during camp and that's what he was doing today.”