FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks changed up their play distribution between second-string quarterbacks Tuesday, giving redshirt sophomore Ty Storey all the work in team drills. Redshirt freshman Cole Kelley will get the extended work today with the second unit behind starter Austin Allen.
Coach Bret Bielema brought Kelley and Storey into his office Tuesday morning to explain the practice plan.
"It felt good," Storey said. "We started kind of slow as a unit, but we picked it up towards the end and in the red zone we lit the fire, it felt like, so it was a good day."
Said Kelley: "Ty did really well today. I think he got in a pretty good rhythm. We started kind of rough coming out, but he didn't. He did well."
Storey said the increased reps were helpful.
"When you have to go in for two plays and come out, you don't really get that rhythm with the guys," he said. "But when you're out there all day, especially in move-the-ball situations, it feels really good.
"Being in the huddle every single rep and looking the guys in the eyes and letting them know you're the guy today is pretty cool."
Kelley is eager for his workload today.
"Going in four reps then sitting out 16 and then going four, it's kind of hard," Kelley said. "Today Ty got all the two reps and tomorrow I will, and we'll see how it goes."
Nance x 2
Jonathan Nance scored a couple of times in Tuesday's practice.
"Jonathan took the top off a couple of times," receiver Jordan Jones said.
"J-Nance had a big day," quarterback Ty Storey said. "I know he caught one, I think it was in a team blitz pickup [period]. He caught a big touchdown there. Then he caught a fade ball in the back of the end zone, so it was a good day for J-Nance."
He's in
Freshman running back Chase Hayden said the film review of his long run against the starters in Saturday's scrimmage showed he stayed in bounds after a push from Henre Toliver inside the 10-yard line on the left sideline. Hayden was deemed to have stepped out by the side judge for a 65-yard gain to the 9. A touchdown would have given him a 74-yard gain to the end zone.
12 percent rule
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville offensive players said Tuesday that offensive coordinator Dan Enos has presented the team with a 12 percent rule. According to Enos, the Razorbacks have a good winning percentage when less than 12 percent of their offensive snaps include mistakes such as penalties, dropped passes, quarterback hits and turnovers.
"We have this system set up that involves sacks and drops and QB hits and missed assignments called the 12 percent rule," tackle Colton Jackson said. "We've just got to stick to being under 12 percent on those mental errors."
Said receiver Jordan Jones: "When we were under 12 percent, most of the time we won the game. So he's stressing that a lot. When the ball hits the ground or somebody holds or is offside, the 12 percent rule is going to apply."
Jackson 3
Koilan Jackson is the third son of Little Rock's Keith Jackson to play major college football, following Keith Jr. at Arkansas and Kenyon at Illinois. Keith Jackson Sr. was an All-American at Oklahoma and a six-time Pro Bowler in the NFL who is in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Koilan Jackson was asked whether there is pressure to play immediately because all of his family members did.
"Not just didn't redshirt, but they all started their freshman year," he said. "In the Jackson family, it's an expectation. I'm just going to take it step by step and see what comes of it."
Smack-what?
Receiver Jordan Jones, a product of Smackover High School in southern Arkansas, said he gets some weird looks when he tells people the name of his hometown.
"A small town that nobody knows where it's at," Jones said of the Union County town with a population of 1,763 in the 2016 census. "I say I'm from Smackover and everybody looks at me like I'm crazy.
"But it's been fun. My hometown gives me a lot of credit when I go back home."
Run balance
Offensive tackle Colton Jackson said the line has focused on run blocking in practice after grading out well in pass protection in Saturday's scrimmage.
"Since the scrimmage, we've mainly worked on running the ball more," Jackson said. "We've been very focused on pass pro and stuff since last year, so we can't get away from what we do here at Arkansas, which is run the ball. We're working on being a balance of both."
Punt pitch
Sophomore punter Blake Johnson made his first media appearance since winning the starting job in the spring and gave his work in camp a thumbs up.
"I've been working really hard and doing a really good job honestly, hitting really consistent balls that are going pretty far and doing what I'm supposed to," Johnson said.
Johnson said his average in camp is more than 40 yards per punt, and his hang time has been more than 4.0 seconds.
"I definitely did great in the spring and have had a great camp so far," said Johnson, who has credited much of his improvement to Toby Baker, the Hogs starting punter the past two years.
Frog scout
TCU Coach Gary Patterson, whose Horned Frogs will serve as the opponent in Arkansas' on-campus opener Sept. 9, is happy with the offensive staff he's assembled.
Patterson hired former Louisiana Tech and Cal coach Sonny Dykes as his offensive analyst to help co-coordinators Sonny Cumbie, who coaches quarterbacks, and Curtis Luper, who handles running backs. The other offensive staff members are inside receivers coach Jarrett Anderson, outside receivers coach Rusty Burns and offensive line coach Chris Thomsen.
"I've never had as much experience in my offensive room anywhere in my 35 years," Patterson said. "Everybody in the room is a coordinator on offense. Everyone has been a coordinator or a head coach."
A defensive specialist, Patterson said the offensive staff has a framework in which to operate, and he doesn't micro-manage.
"They don't need my help in there," he said. "I've given them some guidelines. I don't care what it looks like as long as it scores points, moves the ball and doesn't turn the ball over. I'm pretty simple when it comes to that."
Sports on 08/09/2017