Practice notebook: Pool absent, Lunney on QB situation

Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool is shown during a game against Colorado State on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, in Fayetteville.

Arkansas stayed inside Walker Pavilion again on Wednesday for its second practice under interim coach Barry Lunney Jr. A few notes from that and our six-minute interview with him:

• Sophomore linebacker Bumper Pool was absent from the workout. He was in a yellow non-participation jersey on Tuesday. Asked about Pool’s status, Lunney said he has a “little bit of a regular muscle injury.” The staff thought it would be wise for him to rest and recover during the open date.

• Lunney was asked how Arkansas’ quarterbacks looked in Tuesday’s practice. He provided some generic coach speak about guys running around and throwing the ball, then added that he has a “pretty clear” idea of what the staff plans to do at the position for the LSU game. He won’t divulge that information, though.

Lunney joked and said his son asked him at breakfast Wednesday who the starting quarterback will be.

“It’s not locked,” he added. “It’s not dialed in completely, but we’ll have that more finite on Sunday.”

• When quarterbacks worked with running backs and tight ends against air, KJ Jefferson and Ben Hicks were the first two in the pecking order. Nick Starkel and John Stephen Jones followed. Jefferson, as he did yesterday, was first up with the first-team offense to begin work against the scout team defense.

• No change in the offensive line from Tuesday. Lunney gave an update on left guard Kirby Adcock, who remained in green Wednesday. If Arkansas played this week, odds are Adcock would not be available, he said. Adcock has not been ruled out for the LSU game at this point, and Lunney said he will provide another update middle of next week.

• Arkansas practiced without music again Wednesday. Lunney called it “a small, petty thing" taking it away, but felt it worked well Tuesday and increased communication.

• Lunney said he spoke with Chad Morris Sunday following his firing. Morris called him and they had a great conversation, he noted. Morris encouraged Lunney, they had a heart-to-heart talk and he was grateful for that.