Arkansas’ spirited defensive practice Thursday didn’t boost coach Houston Nutt’s spirits.

Not with Marcus Monk, the Razorbacks’ Preseason All-SEC split end, limping off the field with an injured right knee.

Monk will undergo an MRI today to better evaluate the injury’s extent and severity.

The senior Razorback career touchdown-catch leader from Lepanto was injured during the Razorbacks’ first practice in pads when leveled by starting free safety Michael Grant while hanging on to a pass over the middle from starting quarterback Casey Dick for a first down.

ADVERTISEMENT

“ It’s hard to feel good, ” Nutt said, “ when No. 85 walks off the field. He probably has a torn cartilage. We’re going to get an MRI and get him scoped and we’ll see where he is. I hope it’s not anything more than that. ”

If it’s just torn cartilage, then maybe Monk could be available for the Sept. 1 season opener against Troy University in Fayetteville, though the Sept. 15 SEC opener at Alabama would seem the more realistic target.

“ With the way the doctors are now, and the surgery, no longer than two weeks, which would be great, ” Nutt said, hoping for just torn cartilage. “ That’s what you’re hoping and praying for. ”

Monk has 24 TD catches in three years, a Razorback record and just seven short of the 31 SEC career record of former Florida All-American Chris Doering.

“ He’s obviously a main target of our offense, ” Arkansas junior starting quarterback Casey Dick said. “ By the time we figure out what he’s doing, people are going to have to step up in his role. People are going to have to step up and do that. ”

Redshirt freshman Marques Wade and Osceola senior Chris Baker began preseason drills listed behind Monk at split end.

The defense opened drills in pads challenged by defen- sive coordinator Reggie Herring who asserted they had “ embarrassed themselves ” during Tuesday night’s practice in shoulder pads and shorts.

So they weren’t bashful about sticking it to the offense which had only Casey Dick clad in a caution jersey Thursday.

“ Yesterday they weren’t aggressive enough, ” Nutt said, “ and that’s a fine line, that’s what’s tough. We’ve got to take care of each other, especially the playmakers. That’s a tough deal, but hopefully it’s not too bad. That’s what we’re hoping for. ”

The defense initially whooped at Grant’s hard hit, not realizing the extent of Monk’s injury as he walked away after the play under his own power.

Sophomore tight end Ben Cleveland of Springdale aggravated a “ stinger” nerve between his shoulder and neck and also did not complete Thursday’s practice.

The Hogs got a false alarm scare when fullback Peyton Hillis stayed down after catching a pass from Casey Dick. Hillis just had the wind knocked out of him and he returned to practice.

Brandon Barnett became a Razorback again Thursday night. The former Texarkana Razorback, transferring as a sophomore from Butler (Kan. ) Community College after a redshirt year there has completed academic work this summer to be officially certified at the UA.

He was a star running back at Texarkana and Butler but practiced Thursday at cornerback.

The Razorbacks are chock full of running backs with Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, Hillis and Michael Smith but short on corners in the secondary.

“ Coach came to me, ” Barnett said, “ and said, ‘ Brandon, we need help on defense. I played a little corner in high school. So whatever it takes to help the team. I know Darren and those guys on the offense are going to hold it down. So really all I need to do is what Coach Nutt asks me to do and be willing to give my best. They told me today and I took it in a positive way. ”

Though Thursday practicing without pads, Barnett must go through the NCAAmandated two days with no pads and two days in shoulder pads and shorts before donning full pads, he still picked off a pass in his Thursday night debut. “ I kind of read the quarterback a little bit, ” Barnett said, “ but I ain’t going to lie, I’m kind of out of shape a little bit. ” There will be no morning practice tomorrow as originally scheduled due to UA summer school finals. The team will still hold its regular night practice.

McFadden named as favorite for Heisman by peers

Darren McFadden is the preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, according to a poll of players from all 119 Division I-A football teams. The question was posed to one starter from each team as part of a poll conducted by SI. com.

McFadden garnered 58 percent of the vote with Southern California’s John David Booty finishing a distant second with 10. 1 percent. West Virginia’s Steve Slaton was third (8. 4 percent ), with Louisville’s Brian Brohm (4. 2 percent ) and Hawai’i’s Colt Brennan (3. 4 percent ) finishing fourth and fifth, respectively. Other candidates garnered 11. 7 percent of the vote and 4. 2 percent of the voters declined to respond.

McFadden finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up last season and is the only Heisman finalist to return for the 2007 season. The Little Rock native became the first Razorback to earn a trip to New York as a finalist for the award.

McFadden on TV this weekend

McFadden will be featured this weekend on “ Aaron’s Football Saturdays in the South, ” a summer television series produced by Lincoln-Financial Sports (LFS ). Hosted by Tim Brando, the hour-long program showcases the legends, coaches and players that have made college football in the south what it is today. Last spring, LFS traveled to Little Rock to film a feature segment on the 2006 Doak Walker Award winner and Heisman Trophy runner-up. McFadden will be the primary feature on the fifth episode of the six-episode series set to air this weekend. The show may be viewed on Saturday in Northwest Arkansas on KHBS KHOGTV at 11 a. m.