Razorbacks Report

O'Grady polishing all-around game

Arkansas tight end Cheyenne O'Grady runs after a catch during a game against TCU on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, in Fayetteville.

— Arkansas tight end Cheyenne O’Grady’s arrow is pointing up. The sophomore has caught all four of his targets for 41 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown, and his run blocking has drawn notice.

“C.J. has done a really good job,” offensive coordinator Dan Enos said. “He played with a lot better strain this past week, too. He was better in the run game.

“His whole thing with us has just been being consistent with the run-game part of it. We don’t want to keep putting him in only on pass plays. We want him to be an every-down tight end. He’s certainly moving toward that.”

O’Grady acknowledged that his blocking is still a work in progress, but he said he’s improving.

“I’m just trying to do whatever I can do to help the team,” he said. “When I’m put in the game I’m going to play to the best of my ability, I’m going to play hard.”

O’Grady, who went by C.J. earlier in his career, said he’d like to be called “Cheyenne” on broadcasts and either Cheyenne or C.J. by his teammates and coaches.

Watts up

Texas A&M senior safety Armani Watts, a preseason All-SEC first-team selection, has already been involved in four takeaways, including two interceptions in last week’s 45-21 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette. Watts also has forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.

“He runs to the ball extremely well, is very athletic and he’s a good tackler,” Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos said. “He’s a good tackler in space.”

Watts had a strip on Arkansas tailback Rawleigh Williams at the 1-yard line in last year’s game with Arkansas looking to build on a 10-7 lead in the second quarter.

“It seems like he’s always in on the play,” Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen said. “He’s instinctive, he’s fast and physical and he covers well. He comes down on the run.

“He’s just a great SEC player. That’s what we go against every single Saturday. He’s going to have a long NFL career.”

Aggies report

Texas A&M will be without quarterback Nick Starkel and safety Donovan Wilson, who both suffered foot injuries in the season-opening 45-44 loss at UCLA. Tailback Trayveon Williams, who sat out last week’s victory over Louisiana-Lafayette with an ankle injury, is probable, as is Aggies linebacker Otaro Alaka, who left last week’s game with an apparent hamstring injury. Offensive guard Connor Lanfear, who missed much of the last game with an undisclosed injury, is expected to start against the Hogs.

In the NFL

Texas A&M had to replace starting defensive ends Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall, who are both in the NFL. Garrett was the first overall draft pick by Cleveland and Hall went in the third round to Carolina at No. 77.

Seniors Jarrett Johnson and Qualen Cunningham are now the Aggies’ starting ends.

“Good players,” Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos said. “They’re both active, they’re both quick. Obviously, they recruit to that type of athlete. They want explosive defensive ends.”

Johnson has 3 tackles, including 1 sack, along with 1 forced fumble, 1 pass breakup and 1 hurry. Cunningham has three tackles and one hurry.

Moving outside

Arkansas junior Johnny Gibson has started the first two games at right tackle after starting the last five games of 2016 at right guard.

“I’m not going to say it’s been seamless,” Gibson said. “There are some things I’ve got to work on, but it’s not anything I can’t handle. I’m going to out there making sure I perfect my craft and listen to the coaching from Coach [Kurt] Anderson and doing what I can to keep getting better at that position.”

Gibson said he has worked at guard and tackle on both the right and left sides in practice.

“Johnny is very very bright,” said Anderson, in his second season as the Razorbacks’ offensive line coach. “He’s probably the most ambidextrous lineman we have in terms of being able to play either side of the ball.”

Anderson said freshman Ty Clary, the starting right guard, had to leave practice early Tuesday to take an exam and Gibson took over at his old spot without a problem.

“It was very easy to just slide Johnny in there and roll some other guys at tackle and give them some work,” Anderson said. “You don’t skip a beat because of his overall knowledge of the scheme and he’s very physical. So it’s not a big transition with him.”

Sudden impact

Four true freshmen scored touchdowns for Texas A&M in last week’s 45-21 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.

Quarterback Kellen Mond had a 5-yard rushing touchdown and threw scoring passes of 24 yards to Jhamon Ausbon and Camron Buckley, and Jacob Kibodi had a 67-yard touchdown run.

Texas A&M has matched a school record by playing 18 true freshmen. The Aggies also played 18 in 2009.

“We were able to play a lot of people last week and I thought we made some strides across the board offensively, defensively and special teams wise,” Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin said. “Obviously, moving into league play, getting those guys some meaningful minutes was good for our team.”

There are 11 true freshmen on Texas A&M’s two-deep roster.

Bye-week boost

Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen said Coach Bret Bielema does a good job of preparing players through a bye week, which the Razorbacks are coming off in preparation for Saturday’s game against Texas A&M.

Arkansas has gone 6-1 in its last seven games with more than a week to prepare. The lone loss was the 35-24 setback to Virginia Tech in last year’s Belk Bowl.

“I mean, it’s how good they treat us in the bye week, where it’s recovery, get in the weight room, some different looks,” Allen said. “They give us two hard work days where it’s full pads on Wednesday-Thursday, then we have a morning lift [on Friday]. Then it’s basically recovery Friday and Saturday and get back at it on Sunday.

“That goes to the schedule he lays out and how he gets our bodies back to feeling healthy.”

Passing parts

Arkansas’ passing game has been less efficient through two games than its standard under coordinator Dan Enos, but Texas A&M’s has been even less efficient through three games.

The Razorbacks are No. 11 in the SEC in pass efficiency with a rating of 132.3, while the Aggies are No. 14 at 114.6.

Arkansas quarterbacks Austin Allen and Cole Kelley have completed 55.6 percent (25 of 45) of their passes, while Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond, Nick Starkel and Jake Hubenak have completed 54 percent (54 of 100) of their passes.

Hubenak has the highest completion percentage (.800) with 12 of 15 completions, while the projected starter Mond is at 50 percent (36 of 72) with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception.