FAYETTEVILLE -- The University of Arkansas will hold its final major scrimmage of training camp this afternoon on the practice fields outside Walker Pavilion.
"I'm looking for guys that are going to be making plays on the line of scrimmage, out in space, on the back end," Coach Chad Morris said. "There will be some guys that will be limited. There will be guys that will be doing a lot of movement.
"There will be a lot of roster movement happening out there in the scrimmage."
Morris said the coaching staff is close to finalizing the depth chart for the season opener against Portland State on Aug. 31.
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"We wanted to have a general idea of the guys that we felt like we were really counting on going into Week One and start repping those guys, and that's what we've done this week," he said. "Not necessarily setting that depth chart, but we're pretty close on a lot of our areas right now."
The Razorbacks' mock game, called the "Beanie Bowl", is open to the public and will be held at Reynolds Razorback Stadium at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Fan Day is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. at Walker Pavilion.
Receiver reps
With the wide receivers missing Deon Stewart (season-ending knee injury), Jordan Jones (high ankle sprain), Trey Knox (illness) and Koilan Jackson (knee scope), Mike Woods, Treylon Burks, De'Vion Warren and T.Q. Jackson have been leading the group with walk-ons Jimmie Stoudamire, Karch Gardiner and John David White getting extra reps.
"All the guys are getting reps, and they're spelling each other," Coach Chad Morris said. "I've been pleased with these guys rotating in."
Despite having receivers out, the Razorbacks have continued to practice on split fields.
"You can definitely sense the guys are a little more tired, obviously not having as many pure numbers out there," quarterback Nick Starkel said. "But we have guys stepping up making plays left and right.
"It's great to see them, the older guys bring those younger guys up and say, 'Look, it's your time now.' So that's really encouraging."
Stewart, the lone senior among the receivers, tore an anterior cruciate ligament in Saturday's scrimmage.
"It was real tough to see Deon go down like that," quarterback Ben Hicks said. "Nobody wanted to see that. Deon is a great guy and a great leader in that room, so I think everybody has responded and kind of rallied behind what happened with him.
"We're praying for him, and it's a tough blow for us."
The heat is on
Monday and Tuesday were the two hottest days in Fayetteville this year with the heat index hitting 106 and 105 degrees, respectively, during the Razorbacks' afternoon workouts.
"First of all, we needed it," Coach Chad Morris said. "We needed it at this point in camp, too, when it's getting a little bit redundant and some adversity hits us.
"The weather hit us with some adversity the last two days, and it's been good to see these guys push through."
Quarterback Ben Hicks said the heat wasn't too oppressive.
"Luckily, being from Texas, I'm kind of used to it, so it wasn't that bad," said Hicks, who is from Waco. "But as quarterbacks, it's our job to push those guys and get the most out of them when it's hot.
"I think that's what we've been able to do. I think we've had good practices, and we've got a lot of work done."
Morris said the players handled the heat well.
"They know we're going to take care of them, but when we're out there on the field it's time to go," he said. "These guys have learned that, and I've been extremely pleased with the way this football team has prepped and practiced through the course of camp."
Personnel report
Cornerback Jarques McClellion was back in a green (limited participation) jersey Tuesday after working in his white No. 4 on Monday. McClellion also spent time in a green jersey last week.
Freshman wide receiver Trey Knox (illness) missed a second consecutive day.
Tailback T.J. Hammonds was back in his red No. 41 jersey on Tuesday after missing a week due to concussion protocol.
Right guard
Myron Cunningham, a junior college transfer, has been getting work at right guard along with redshirt sophomore Shane Clenin and true freshman Ricky Stomberg.
"Right now, it's Myron at right guard," Coach Chad Morris said.
Ty Clary is the starting center, but he's gotten some work at guard with Stromberg working at center as well.
Radio show
Chad Morris will have his first radio show of the season at 7 tonight at the Catfish Hole restaurant in Fayetteville. Linebacker De'Jon Harris and running back Rakeem Boyd also will be on the show.
Beaten out
Former Arkansas quarterback Ty Storey was beaten out for the starting job at Western Kentucky by Steven Duncan. At Southeastern Louisiana, former Razorback Cole Kelley also was beaten out for the starting quarterback job.
Western Kentucky Coach Tyson Helton made the announcement Tuesday that Duncan will start in the season opener against the University of Central Arkansas on Aug. 29.
"I thought it was a very close battle," Helton said. "Both him and Ty Storey were pretty even, to be honest with you. I'm just going to go with my first instinct, and my first instinct was to run Steven out there. Ty will play. He'll have a role.
"It's going to be competition every single day. I don't want to get into a quarterback spinning wheel, but if a guy is not performing, we'll go to the next man up."
The Razorbacks host Western Kentucky on Nov. 9.
Senior Chason Virgil, a returning starter at quarterback for Southeastern Louisiana, kept his job going into the season opener against Jacksonville State on Aug. 29.
Rawleigh settles
Former Arkansas tailback Rawleigh Williams has settled his multimillion dollar lawsuit vs. Lloyd's of London, a source with knowledge of the development said.
Details of the settlement are not available due to a confidentiality agreement.
Williams filed the lawsuit through attorney Bill Horton of Caddell Reynolds in Rogers in the spring of 2018, alleging breach of contract for not paying on a $1 million disability insurance policy taken out in March 2017. Williams retired from football on May 8, 2017, nine days after suffering a second neck injury during the spring practice finale.
Williams asked for a jury trial, payment on the policy, more than $3 million in punitive damages, court costs, attorney's fees and statutory damages of 12% of the total loss in the lawsuit.
Williams rushed for 1,360 yards in 2016, one season after suffering a herniated disk between the C3 and C4 bones in his upper neck.
Portland St. pay
Portland State will receive a reported $550,000 guarantee for playing the Razorbacks in next week's season opener. The amount was reported by the Portland Tribune shortly after the game was announced in the winter of 2016.
The Vikings will play an SEC school for the first time.
Sports on 08/21/2019