Thin OL, TE groups get thinner in loss

Arkansas offensive lineman Hjalte Froholdt is walked off the field by trainer Matt Summers during a game against LSU on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017, in Baton Rouge, La.

— Arkansas’ decimated offensive line took more hits Saturday in the 33-10 loss at LSU.

Junior left guard Hjalte Froholdt left the game with a lower-leg injury sustained on the final play of Arkansas’ third drive of the game when his leg was rolled up on.

He gingerly walked off the field on his own and headed to the locker room to get X-rays, which came back negative. He returned only briefly later in the half and didn’t start the second half, but returned to the game in the fourth quarter after freshman Ty Clary, his replacement, went down with a knee injury.

“They X-rayed him a few different times,” Bielema said of Froholdt.

Clary was injured early in the fourth quarter and remained on the field for several minutes before walking off gingerly under his own power. Jake Raulerson initially took the field to replace him, but Froholdt ran out and sent the senior back to the sideline.

“The initial report is just an MCL strain,” Bielema said, indicating they would test him further tomorrow.

Arkansas is, of course, already without senior Frank Ragnow.

Froholdt is the only Arkansas offensive lineman to every game at the same position. He and right guard Johnny Gibson are the only two who have started every game, period. Clary, a blue shirt walk-on, started the first three games at right guard before being replaced.

Arkansas was also thin at tight end coming into the game and got thinner during it.

The Hogs were without Cheyenne O’Grady from the jump. The sophomore didn’t make the trip after sustaining a bruised tailbone last week in the Coastal Carolina win. Austin Cantrell went down during the game and didn’t return.

“He tried to go a little bit earlier in the week, wasn’t able to run full-go,” Bielema said. “… Austin Cantrell, he tried to go and bless his heart, I don’t think he could go to the speed we had to play out there today.”

O’Grady leads Arkansas tight ends and is third overall on the team with 20 catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns this season. Cantrell is the best blocking tight end. Their absences meant bigger roles for others, with Jeremy Patton (four catches, 44 yards) and sophomore Will Gragg (three for 47) especially emerging as factors in the pass game.