FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Sam Pittman indicated defensive tackle John Ridgeway is doubtful and receiver Treylon Burks is questionable for the Razorbacks’ season opener against Rice on Saturday.
Ridgeway was released from a hospital Sunday after undergoing an appendectomy, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported, quoting a source. Ridgeway is listed as a starter at his position on the Razorbacks’ Week 1 depth chart.
“I don’t know if he’ll be able to play this week or not,” Pittman said Monday. “It probably doesn’t look good for that to happen. He’s doing fine, but I don’t look for him to be ready this week.”
Ridgeway was one of the standouts of the Razorbacks’ preseason camp after transferring to Arkansas from Illinois State.
Pittman said the Razorbacks have other players who can rotate at defensive tackle if Ridgeway can’t play, including Isaiah Nichols and Taurean Carter. Nichols is listed as the backup to Ridgeway.
Burks, an All-SEC pick last season when he caught 51 passes for 820 yards and 7 touchdowns, has not practiced in several days with an undisclosed injury. Pittman said Burks has “progressed” since the weekend, but said his injury is day to day.
“I think we’re going to progress him a little bit today, a little bit more tomorrow and then we’ll see what happens,” Pittman said. “I had a good talk with (associate director of sports medicine) Dave Polanski this morning about it. We’re going to play him if he’s ready, and if he’s not, we’re not. I really don’t know if he’s going to play or not; I have no idea. I think it’s going to depend on probably the next two days, how he goes. I don’t want to play him Saturday if he hasn’t practiced at all, either.”
Pittman said he is hopeful Burks can return to practice by Wednesday.
Pittman called the team “a little beat up, a little bit more than I’d like to be” entering a game week, “but also you have to practice.”
At least nine Razorbacks — including running back Trelon Smith, right tackle Dalton Wagner and safety Jalen Catalon — were in green no-contact jerseys during the most recent practice open to reporters last Thursday.
“We’ll be smart with those guys, but we’re anticipating we’ll get most all of them back for the game,” Pittman said.