TULSA, Okla. — The Arkansas Razorbacks are nearing the announcement of a nonconference home-and-home series for 2018 and 2019, possibly with an opponent that is not a Power-Five member, and it has taken a major juggling act to get there, Coach Bret Bielema said Tuesday.
"It's one that we had to go through a lot of different things to make it happen," Bielema said before addressing the Tulsa Razorback Club at the Jazz Museum in downtown Tulsa.
Athletic Director Jeff Long and staff have scrambled to fill the void created when Michigan reneged last summer on a two-year agreement with the Razorbacks.
Michigan owes the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville $2 million for breaking the contract, but that hasn't eased the Razorbacks' headaches.
"Just to get this one announced, I think there was a 10-person agreement of different teams, different conferences that all had to agree to make it happen," Bielema said. "When the Michigan game fell through, the timing of it, being so proximate to the actual play date was a real big headache and a hard thing to overcome."
Bielema said the negotiations to set up the 2018-2019 home-and-away series have opened doors that led to discussion of another potential big series.
One question asked of Bielema after his talk focused on what happened in the second halves of the Missouri and Virginia Tech losses to end the season.
The Razorbacks led those games at halftime 24-7 and 24-0, respectively, and they were outscored 56-0 in the second halves.
Bielema said a "perfect storm" of events took place and that if the Razorbacks had simply executed on four or five plays, the results could have been different.
"A 7-6 team, which we are, is a very angry, very hungry and very coachable team," Bielema said, adding he likes to accentuate the positives of playing good first halves in those games.
Asked about who will get a shot at left tackle with the departure of Dan Skipper, Bielema brightened up in talking about Colton Jackson, who got a couple of early starts at the spot last year before the line underwent a shuffle. He talked about a competition last week between Jackson and senior center Frank Ragnow.
"They went head to head on three different stations and completed as many reps as they could and Frank beat him by one," Bielema said. "Colton, we all gassed him up that day, and he took a lot of pride in the way he performed.
"I think it scared Frank a little bit as well. I'm really excited to see him compete."
Bielema pointed out several players on both sides of the ball who have excelled in the off-season workouts conducted by strength coach Ben Herbert and his staff.
Newcomers Brandon Martin and Jonathan Nance, both receivers, have been impressive, he said, as has running back Maleek Williams.
"He came in a little heavy at 237 [pounds], and he's down to 222 and looks really good," Bielema said.
Quarterback Daulton Hyatt has also shown a good demeanor and might be the team's most athletic quarterback, Bielema said.
"We call him Federer, because he's always wearing the headband," Bielema said. "He looks like a tennis guy out there, and he's fun to watch and be around."
The players got to play dodgeball instead of going through the grind of another workout on Tuesday, a pleasant surprise to most.
Bielema said center Ragnow has evolved to another level and will probably be held out of parts of scrimmage work this spring.
On the injury front, Bielema said defensive tackle Bijhon Jackson, who had been having a strong off-season performance, suffered a pulled hamstring last week that will slow him in the final three weeks before spring practice.
The Razorbacks signed three players in February from eastern Oklahoma -- early signee linebacker Kyrei Fisher and defensive backs Jordon Curtis and Kamren Curl -- and Bielema identified the area around Tulsa as key recruiting territory. Defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads will be the program's lead recruiter in Oklahoma now, Bielema said.
"This was very fertile ground for us in recruiting," he said.
Pro day for the Razorbacks will take place next Wednesday, and it will include a wrinkle, he said. Advanced juniors recommended by the coaching staff can be weighed and measured by the NFL scouts, in addition to all the former Hogs who will go through the workout.
Bielema announced a couple of position modifications and one position switch heading into spring, with former Springdale High standout Jake Hall moving from the offensive line back to defensive end. He said T.J. Hammonds would likely line up mostly at slot receiver in the spring and Hayden Johnson would do more tight end work with Kendrick Jackson playing well at fullback.
Sports on 03/08/2017