COMMENTARY

Arkansas trying to develop new centers

Arkansas offensive lineman Dylan Hays watches during practice Saturday, July 29, 2017, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE — After this week’s University of Arkansas spring break hiatus, the Razorbacks resume spring practice Wednesday with the new staff continuing working new centers on a new lease on their football lives.

Ty Clary of Fayetteville and Dylan Hays of Little Rock Christian, resume battling at center, a position neither played in 2017 when Hays was a redshirt freshman and Clary a true freshman walk-on since placed on scholarship.

Both have been forged to the front under new Coach Chad Morris, new offensive coordinator Joe Craddock and new offensive line coach Dustin Fry.

Zach Rogers, finishing 2017 as the Razorbacks center after injury terminated the final Arkansas season for All-American candidate since turned pro center Frank Rag-now, opted not to return to the Razorbacks having graduated.

Clary’s path so far resembles the route taken by former Razorbacks center Mitch Smothers of Spring-dale.

Short on offensive linemen, former Arkansas Coach Bobby Petri-no in 2011 stunned true freshman Smothers, built for the guard and center positions at which he would excel, as the starting left tackle.

Smothers’ starting role didn’t last. The John L. Smith interim regime redshirted Smothers in 2012 like he should have been in 2011. He blossomed into a 2013 regular become exceptional as the every game starting center in 2014 and 2015.

Last year’s Bret Bielema regime started so thin in the line to pin the same starting precocity at guard on Clary that Petrino pinned on Smothers at tackle.

Again a rookie starting didn’t last. Clary likely would have been better off redshirting. However he does have big-game experience going into his new position and its shotgun snaps.

“As a first-team center, I mean he’s not bad,” Craddock said. “He’s had some bad snaps here and there. We have to continue to get better and get him more and more snaps.”

Morris is heard to speak encouraging words about both.

“Ty Clary’s been doing good things,” Morris said and also volunteered. “I like Dylan Hays in there. Dylan Hays will get a lot of work at No. 1 center.”

Media available after the Razorbacks last scrimmaged on March 10, Hays a 2-way offensive guard/ defensive lineman at Little Rock Christian, redshirted as a Razorbacks 2016 freshman moved to center, welcomed moving back to center after switched to reserve defensive tackle making just one tackle last year.

“Oh, yeah, I feel at home at center,” Hays said. “It’s something I started out my first year here and then had to be moved with the old staff. But I feel really good with the new staff and this offense. It feels like a good fit for me.”

How has it gone, in contrast to the mostly under center snaps in the Bielema offense, snapping shotgun to a variety of spring auditioning quarterbacks?

“The only thing that might get you is the cadence, like when they are going to do it,” Hays said. “But you are just trying to hit them in the waistband anyway. So, it’s about the same.”