FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks report today with new NCAA roster guidelines, a couple of key injuries and intriguing position battles at multiple spots.
First-year Coach Chad Morris and his University of Arkansas staff will be working with low expectations from outside the state. After a 4-8 finish a season ago that spelled the end for Bret Bielema, the Razorbacks have been picked to finish last by league media in the merciless SEC West.
Buoyed by a strong recent run in recruiting and the dawning of his first season in Fayetteville, Morris was full of enthusiasm at a pre-camp media session Monday.
"Holy cow, we're ready," Morris said. "Razorback fans all across our great state are excited about this season, as our coaches and players are."
Arkansas defensive coordinator John Chavis emphasized the staff's run of recruiting successes in a Twitter post Tuesday:
"Coming off a week of program changing commitments we are looking forward to setting the bar even higher as we are only 3 days from starting Fall Camp! It's go time!"
In the lead-up to the start of camp, Morris and his wife Paula hosted the team's seniors and leadership council for a dinner Tuesday night, then had the program's freshmen over for barbecue and a pool party on Wednesday night.
Reporting for camp has turned into more of a formality in recent years, with almost all players attending both sessions of summer classes. Among Razorbacks newcomers, only highly regarded junior college transfers Rakeem Boyd and Dorian Gerald did not make it to campus during summer school. Both are expected to be on the camp roster.
The active roster for camp is 110 players, an increase by five over the previous maximum. Filling the last few spots will prove difficult.
Morris said Monday that he hadn't firmly decided on whether sixth-year defensive back Kevin Richardson, who is out for an extended period after undergoing surgery on his right foot, or junior offensive tackle Colton Jackson, who is out for an extended period following surgery on his back, would be included on the 110-man roster.
"Colton ... from a learning standpoint, we need him in there with that offensive line," Morris said.
Offensive line coach Dustin Fry agreed, saying, "I'm glad Colton at least will be there to help bring some of those young guys along and be kind of an assistant coach for me and be another set of eyes.
"I definitely want him to be involved and be around because I've told him now, 'You just focus on getting better and hopefully in October, or whenever, we can get you back.'"
The official roster is expected to come out Friday. Being on the roster allows full access to watching practice and team and position meetings through the end of camp on Aug. 18. The rest of the roster, which cannot be involved in meetings or attend practices for which the public does not have access, joins the team on the first day of school on Aug. 20.
The Razorbacks will go through what Morris termed a "fun" weigh-in process by position groups tonight, followed by practices Friday and Saturday.
After a meetings-only Sunday, Morris said the coaching staff will "step on them pretty hard" during the first full week of camp starting Monday before the first major scrimmage Aug. 11.
The unseasonably cooler temperatures this week, accompanied by lower-than-normal humidity, are expected to break on the first day of practice, with a high of 94, before dropping to a projected high of 86 on Saturday.
The quarterback competition is a highly anticipated position battle. Sophomore Cole Kelley, who went 2-2 as the starter last fall while filling in for injured Austin Allen, and junior Ty Storey spent time with the starters in the spring and have the most experience.
The young players behind them, redshirt freshman Daulton Hyatt and true freshmen Connor Noland and John Stephen Jones, will get looks in camp.
"Everybody's going to get reps early on," offensive coordinator Joe Craddock said. "The thing I would say with those young guys is they've got to make the most of every opportunity they get.
"They might not get as many reps as the older guys, but they're going to get reps. When they get those reps they've got to make the most of them to show us what they can do."
On the defensive side, the move back to a 4-3 front under veteran coordinator John Chavis after a one-year diversion to a base 3-4 system, will begin to take a clearer focus during the camp.
Junior McTelvin "Sosa" Agim's preference to begin as a defensive end has been granted, though the explosive 6-3, 279-pounder is being targeted to move out and in to create possible mismatches and openings.
"Playing out there [at end] will be his primary position, and he knows we're always looking for matchups inside that can help us, so he's going to be our swing player," defensive ends coach Steve Caldwell said.
"That's the thing about Sosa, who is a very talented player," defensive tackles coach John Scott said. "He can do both. I think that'll help him down the line and it will also help this football team.
"Looking at his body and how he's looked this summer, I think he'll be ready to do both."
Sports on 08/02/2018