FAYETTEVILLE -- Saturday was a day of football watching, deep contemplation and re-energizing for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
The University of Arkansas (2-7, 0-5 SEC) shared the latest SEC open date with Vanderbilt, the team that dealt the Hogs a 45-31 loss on Oct. 27, which extended the Razorbacks' SEC losing streak to eight games.
Arkansas will try to bounce back at 6:30 p.m. Saturday against LSU (7-2, 4-2), which was No. 3 in last week's College Football Playoff rankings before losing 29-0 to No. 1 Alabama.
The Tigers are 13-point favorites against Arkansas and have won seven games in a row after a loss under Coach Ed Orgeron.
Arkansas Coach Chad Morris said he went hunting Saturday with his son Chandler, but had no bullets in his gun.
"I had no desire [to shoot], I just wanted to sit out there and see some deer and hogs," Morris said. "I was waiting to help Chandler clean a deer if he shot one, but he didn't shoot one either. We just enjoyed being out there and riding around and just getting away."
Morris said he couldn't resist turning on some football games Saturday afternoon and evening and caught the Alabama-LSU game.
"It was two extremely talented teams that, I mean, that was a ball game," Morris said. "That was a slugfest. You saw what I saw, which was guys just laying everything they had out on the field. I know we'll get their absolute best. They'll get our best this week and that's what we ask for."
A small handful of Razorbacks got healthier through the open date. Receiver Jared Cornelius, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and defensive back Kevin Richardson are all expected to be ready for action on Saturday after dealing with ankle injuries.
Morris said running back Devwah Whaley, who had ankle surgery after a 37-33 loss to Ole Miss on Oct. 13, is getting closer to game ready but is still questionable for LSU.
LSU is coming off its eighth consecutive loss to Alabama. Some previous Tigers teams have come out flat against Arkansas, but Coach Ed Orgeron is 2-0 against the Razorbacks, with both games coming the week after a loss to the Crimson Tide.
"We got a lot to play for," Orgeron said. "This is a big game for us in terms of where we want to go in terms of how strong we can finish and in terms of if we do finish strong where we can end up."
LSU is 7-0 after a loss under Orgeron.
Morris said the younger players have been getting scrimmage time at the end of practices each of the last two Sundays and during last week, and that practice will continue through the end of the season since the Razorbacks won't go to a bowl game.
"Now that we know we're not going to a bowl, the development in a bowl practice, those 15 extra practices are so much a part of developing your young guys," Morris said. "So we've got to find a way now to add a little bit more to it."
Several true freshmen can play in another two or three games and retain their redshirts, and the Arkansas coaches talked Monday as if that might happen in some instances, such as with quarterback Connor Noland.
"With Connor, just kind of see how the game goes," offensive coordinator Joe Craddock said. "We'd like to get him in there if we can, but also ... we're going to be very cognizant of his redshirt. I don't want to just burn it for one or two plays."
Defensive coordinator John Chavis said a larger influx of younger players on his unit would only take place if it helped make the team better.
"We may lean that way, but we're going to do everything to win," Chavis said. "Listen, I'm not afraid to talk about winning.
"It's win first, build second. You've heard me say that in here, and if it means playing two linebackers the entire game and that's the best way to win, then that's what we'll do. But certainly we've got to keep developing this football team here.
"You're tempted to lean that way a little bit, and we'll see how things go, but I promise you this: I couldn't look myself in the mirror if I came in here and said we're building this program for next year. We're working every day to be our best and to go win."
Sports on 11/06/2018