FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas has had the same first-team offensive line since spring practice began in March, but the coaching staff wants more consistency from junior right tackle Brian Wallace with the season approaching.
Wallace started the final 10 games last season and has worked with the starters in every open practice or scrimmage this offseason, but has been up and down in camp.
“Brian Wallace has been inconsistent,” offensive coordinator Dan Enos said. “Some days good, some days not so good. He’s got to get better.”
Case in point, Wallace’s performance in Tuesday and Wednesday’s practices.
“Yesterday was a really good day for him,” offensive line coach Kurt Anderson said Thursday. “The day before was not so good in terms of making mistakes. It was a hot day out there and he struggled a little bit. It’s about continuing to push him through the mental toughness aspect of the game, but he’s got all the physical tools.”
The 6-foot-6, 337-pound Missouri native has been a mainstay at right tackle since taking over for Colton Jackson in the fourth week against Texas A&M last season. Ranked as the No. 2 offensive tackle prospect and a top-40 player overall by one publication coming out of high school, expectations have been high for Wallace, one of the most high-profile signings in coach Bret Bielema’s tenure.
Anderson ran through a list of backups Thursday while discussing the logistics of preparing for whether he is able to bring eight, nine or 10 linemen on the travel squad this season. He mentioned seniors Jake Raulerson and Paul Ramirez, sophomore Jalen Merrick, true freshman Ty Clary and junior Zach Rogers as candidates to fill the reserve spots allocated for the offensive line.
Wallace wasn’t mentioned and is apparently still firmly a starter. But the staff wants to see more from him leading up to the Aug. 31 opener against Florida A&M.
“When he’s on, he’s very, very good,” Anderson said. “When he’s inconsistent, those things can pop up within a practice, within a game and really hinder your offense and ultimately the outcome of a game. It’s been stressed to him that it’s something he really needs to work on and that he needs to get corrected in terms of his consistency in the next week or so.”