FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ football team went through its first game-week practice ahead of Saturday’s season opener against Cincinnati. Weather was ideal, so the Razorbacks worked outside Walker Pavilion.
Here are a few notes and observations from the periods of practice open to reporters:
• Players in green no-contact jerseys: Wide receivers Jadon Haselwood (undisclosed) and Jaedon Wilson (shoulder), running back Dominique Johnson (knee), who continued to go through individual drills with his position group, and offensive lineman Marcus Henderson (pectoral).
• Projected starter at left guard Brady Latham was back at practice without a green top, but he did not go through the Fastball Start period. He missed multiple practices last week.
Haselwood appeared to be moving just fine during the period in which receivers caught passes from quarterbacks.
Offensive lineman Devon Manuel, who Sam Pittman said earlier in camp was among his banged-up guys up front, was on the field for position drills. He went inside Walker Pavilion with Henderson as Arkansas began its team period.
• With the first-team defense, Arkansas fielded three linebackers — Bumper Pool, Drew Sanders and Chris Paul Jr. LSU transfer Dwight McGlothern manned the cornerback spot opposite Hudson Clark, who is said to have been the most consistent corner this preseason.
• Other notes during the Fastball Start period: Ty’Kieast Crawford played right guard and Beaux Limmer moved to left guard with Latham not participating.
Defensively, LaDarrius Bishop and Malik Chavis were the second-team corners, and Georgia Tech transfer Jordan Domineck was at defensive end opposite LSU transfer Landon Jackson.
• The linebackers the Razorbacks look to be moving into the season with in the rotation are Pool, Sanders, Paul, Jordan Crook and Jackson Woodard. Position coach Michael Scherer wore a shirt that read “RUN AND HIT.”
• I had seen this once or twice before during fall camp, but forgot to mention it in observations: Running backs coach Jimmy Smith had a support staffer hold a pole with a boxing glove attached at the end and attempt to punch the football out of backs’ arms as they went through footwork stations.