FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ two starting inside linebackers were finally on the field together during the closed first-half portion of Saturday’s scrimmage.
Sophomore De'Jon “Scoota” Harris (6-0, 242) said that he and junior Dre Greenlaw (6-1, 220) - whose 2016 season was cut in half due to injury - meshed well.
“That was the first time Dre and me had practiced together live,” Harris said. “It went pretty good. We were out there flying around and making plays.”
Greenlaw had an SEC freshman-leading 95 tackles in 2015 and 42 stops as a sophomore before his injury in the sixth game of the year.
He returned for Arkansas’ bowl game and had six tackles before injuring himself again.
“We are just catching Dre up in the playbook and mentally, the mental reps on the field just doing it,” Harris said. He has just been watching it and I think Dre is coming along. The injury has not bothered him. They are just limiting him for protection and safety.”
Harris - who had 37 tackles and began playing more when Greenlaw went down - was pleased with how the first-team defense played in first half before being removed and not playing the second half.
“I think we did pretty good,” Harris said. “On film, everybody looked good. We did pretty decent as far as the linebackers with the D-line. We were all aligned properly and assignment sound so the first half you could tell we had everybody in there and how we played and you could tell in the second half who we were missing by how we finished the scrimmage.”
With Greenlaw hurt and unable to go through spring drills, Harris suddenly found himself as the only player who had played a down of college football in the linebacker room and thus jumped into a leadership role.
“I had no choice,” Harris said. “I was the only backer who played in the room so I had to step up and become a leader and take on that leadership.”
It was something he was used to according to Harris, who played both quarterback and linebacker and several other positions in high school.
“Yes, I played every position in high school so it is not as big of a challenge for me,” Harris said. “It is a different level and a different type of player now, but I am comfortable with it.”
He is also feeling comfortable with the depth at the two inside linebacker spots with Grant Morgan, Giovanni LaFrance, Dee Walker and Kyrie Fisher working there.
“I like our depth,” Harris said. “We are cross-training Grant from Mike to Will and he can play either or. Like we said, it is the next best linebacker, not just a Mike or a Will. Gio and D-Walk are coming along and it is just about them getting an understanding and the feel of a game in the field because they haven’t had any experience yet. But I like what they are doing and Kyrei (Fisher), too, in the back as a young guy.”
Arkansas defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads said the defense gave up four big plays in the first scrimmage.
“I think we gave up the same in this scrimmage, but it was not just the ones, but the whole defense so that is probably talking about,” Harris said. “We gave up less as a starting defense. We had pretty much better numbers than the twos and the threes.”
It has been an unusually mild month of August during camp.
“Last year’s camp was worse than this one,” Harris said. “It was hotter than now and I am probably just used to it.
“It is better. You feel better. I worked out at 3 in the summer time and that was probably the hottest part of the day so I was conditioning myself for it and preparing for it. It hasn't slowed me down and that is one thing that we have talked about as a defense - finishing through - and that is what we have got to do, finish in the second half and push through it.”
He feels comfortable with the new 3-4 defense.
“I guess it was from all of us learning at one time and all of us being on the same track,” Harris said. “I have put in a lot of overtime alone and with the defensive backs Coach Rhoads and (linebackers) Coach (Vernon) Hargreaves. It is not that hard learning the 3-4 with less calls and simple checks. I think I have come a long way it.”
Harris had battled a sprain MCL early in camp.
“If I touch it, I can still feel that spot, but as far as moving, I have no problems with it going through the drills and I am using a brace just for protection right now,” Harris said. “I will probably get out of it tomorrow.”
“I caught one, I think it was in Cover 4,” Harris said. “I blocked a field goal in overtime and that was big. We forced a field goal. We came right out of the two minute and the defense came back on the field played three downs and blocked the field goal to win the game. Pulley scooped it and score.”
His pick came while he was covering starting tailback Devwah Whaley.
“It was on the weak side and they tried to dump it off to Devwah in the flat and I just deflected it and took it over the top of him,” Harris said. “It was against the twos but he (Whaley) was in there.”