Razorback defensive coaches and players normally are Wednesday’s media fodder but Wednesday’s issues were primarily offense.

No. 1: Star running back Michael Smith’s recovery from the concussion he suffered during last Saturday night’s 21-20 SEC loss at Kentucky and if he will be good to go in Saturday’s 6 p. m. SEC game against Ole Miss and former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt in the new Ole Miss’ coach first Rebel appearance at Frank Broyles Field at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

No. 2: The news that backup true freshman quarterback Tyler Wilson of Greenwood is afflicted with mononucleosis and is sidelined “ indefinitely. ”

Redshirt freshman Nathan Dick, the backup when preseason began but beaten out by Wilson and not used in a game, again becomes the backup to older brother Casey Dick, the senior starter.

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First things first, how is Smith ?

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino said he was “ encouraged” that Smith partook of 45 minutes of individual workouts Wednesday, his first practice since the fourth-quarter concussion last Saturday night in Lexington.

True freshmen De’Anthony Curtis of Camden Fairview and Dennis Johnson of the Arkansas side of Texarkana did Wednesday’s heavy work running 1-2 at running back with second-year junior college transfer Brandon Barnett, also a former Texarkana Razorback, getting reps, too.

Regarding Wilson’s illness and Nathan Dick’s readiness, quarterbacks coach Garrick McGee said, “ It [effects from Wilson’s mono ] is something we can’t control, so we’ve got to keep moving on, keep working. Nathan looked well the last couple of days. He has done a great job staying focused and staying within the game plan and understanding what we’re doing. It’s not like it’s a big reach to put him back there as the No. 2 quarterback. He’s had a great attitude all season. ”

Defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said cornerback Jamar Love, out the last couple of games with a broken thumb, may be sufficiently mended to be available as an emergency backup behind starting cornerback Ramon Broadway.

Also senior defensive tackle Ernest Mitchell, the starter until missing the last three games from a knee injury requiring arthoscopic surgery, is practicing.

Mitchell might, Robinson and defensive line coach Bobby Allen said, be able to spell relief for Zach Stadther, the true freshman from North Little Rock who has done well starting in Mitchell’s place.

Allen and running backs coach Tim Horton are the lone assistants on Arkansas’ staff who worked for Nutt at Arkansas.

Horton’s association with Nutt was just last year but Allen’s ties to Nutt not only include all 10 Arkansas years but coordinating Nutt’s defenses at Murray State and Boise State.

“ It’s not going to be weird, ” Allen said of meeting his old boss and friend. “ To me it’s another football game in the SEC. This week is no different than any other week for me. This isn’t the first time I’ve gone against guys I know in the profession or worked with. It happens. ”

Current Ole Miss assistants Mike Markuson, coaching Nutt’s offensive lines since Murray State and Boise State days, Tracy Rocker, James Shibest and Chris Vaughn and Ole Miss administrators Danny Nutt and Clifton Ealy all coached with Allen at Arkansas.

Does he foresee them having an advantage having personally coached all but the true freshman Hogs playing Saturday ?

“ I think they would discuss personnel just like we would and try to make up whatever decision they are going to do offensively or defensively based on that a little bit, ” Allen said. “ But when it gets down to it, you really get into watching the film and see what people do and you get involved with what you have seen from that last week rather than from the past. You’ve got to prepare on what you are seeing from them this year. ”

The same goes, he said, for his knowledge of what Nutt, back to calling his own offensive plays as he did for his eight Arkansas years, has called previously.

“ They are not doing the exact same things they have always done, ” Allen said. “ Every team is different and every year is different. ”