Morris unconcerned with status of kicking game

Arkansas kicker Connor Limpert kicks a 34-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining in the Razorbacks' 38-37 win over Ole Miss on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017, in Oxford, Miss.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Chad Morris walked away from the Razorbacks’ first period of practice Tuesday disappointed in a pair of missed field goals, but he isn't concerned with the group as a whole moving forward.

Junior kicker Connor Limpert and freshman Preston Stafford pushed 47-yard attempts wide left and wide right, respectively, following 11-on-11 situational work that opened Day 4 of preseason camp.

Morris said he wanted to see some stress applied to his place kickers.

“I’m disappointed they missed them, but you learn from it,” he said. “You get one shot, one kick, and we had to roll to the next period, so they had to get their work in. As camp goes, we’ll continue to put them in a little bit tougher situations at times.

“It was a no-rush period. That was what was disappointing, but those guys will continue to work on it.”

Given his experience, Limpert appears to be the frontrunner for the job. He connected on 8 of 9 field goal attempts last season with a long of 48 yards at South Carolina. Limpert was a perfect 5-for-5 from 30-39 yards out, including a 34-yarder to beat Ole Miss, and 3-for-4 between 40-49 yards.

Stafford, from Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, La., and Chris Lopez, a junior from Rogers who will join the team after school begins, will also compete for the position. Lopez made both of his attempts in Arkansas’ spring game, hitting from 38 yards in the second quarter and 31 in the fourth.

Morris said he also saw "some good things" from punters Blake Johnson, a junior, and Reid Bauer, a freshman from Magnolia, Texas. Based on punters who averaged 2.5 punts per game in 2017, Johnson ranked last in the SEC in yards per kick (38.6) and outside the top 10 in net punting average (36.9).

“We actually got into some not necessarily live punting work but against some rush today, and it was good to see,” Morris said. “We put in our punt situational stuff, so we’ll know more as the week goes. We’ll try to get in some rush stuff and we’ll see how these guys respond.”