FAYETTEVILLE — Malik Hornsby was all over the field in Tuesday’s resumption of spring drills at the University of Arkansas.
The redshirt sophomore quarterback played his normal spot behind KJ Jefferson, but he also split wide, motioned into and around the backfield, and motioned into quarterback as the Razorbacks ran a variety of offensive looks that featured the speedster in spring practice No. 4.
“I’m pretty excited to see him wherever we end up putting him at on the field because that man — that man is fast,” sophomore running back AJ Green said. “I’m just glad to see he’s willing to do anything to help the team try to get some wins, get in the end zone a little bit for us.”
Coach Sam Pittman set in motion Hornsby’s added workload on a radio appearance Tuesday morning and the 6-2, 187-pounder indeed played all over after going through agility drills with the quarterbacks.
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“That’s actually good, man, getting him in there for his speed,” sophomore tailback Raheim Sanders said. “I feel like he’s a good quarterback, but I feel like you put him at any position and he’ll execute it just by his speed and his IQ of the game.”
Junior cornerback Khari Johnson called Hornsby a Swiss Army knife for the Hogs’ offense.
“He’s got speed and … wherever we put him at in this offense, I feel like he’s an explosive talent,” Johnson said. “I’m just excited for him.”
On the first snap of a team period, Hornsby split out right, then motioned into quarterback as Jefferson moved left into the slot. Hornsby took a snap and kept the ball on a run-pass option play.
A few snaps later, Hornsby motioned right to left, pivoted around the tailback and ran back to the right. Jefferson faked a handoff and wound up throwing a swing pass to Hornsby, who bolted quickly around the edge and downfield. Later, Hornsby completed a pass to Jefferson.
Tuesday’s workout came after a 12-day layoff for spring break, typically setting up a rusty kind of practice. However, third-year Coach Sam Pittman told the team it was solid.
“Like Coach Pittman said, we want high intensity, so just going into that next drill, just going into that next drill a little bit faster,” Sanders said.
“I’ve had a few spring balls so I kind of expected the first practice back is going to be little bit hard or whatever, but it really wasn’t that much different,” senior defensive end Zach Williams said. “Probably a little more tired than we usually are, but I feel like everyone was there and a lot faster today. We were into it. So I feel like that week break didn’t really change anything. I think it actually gave us more energy and made us go harder.”
Said Johnson, “I would say it’s a testament to Coach [Jamil] Walker and his [strength] staff for giving us a schedule to follow throughout spring break. A lot of us I felt like followed through with that, so we were able to have an exciting practice. Still have to clean up little things, like transitioning on and off the field, but we’re getting there.”
The practice in shoulder pads and shorts was a prelude to Thursday’s first fully padded session of spring. It also seemed to foreshadow the heavier work.
There were two brief tie-ups, one featuring first-team safety Myles Slusher, and the other matching receiver Jaedon Wilson and the cornerback Johnson.
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“As you all know, this is the SEC and it’s Arkansas,” Johnson said. “We kind of pride ourselves on the tough style of football. At the end of the day, it’s all love on both sides. We’re just trying to get each other better and try to compete.”
A handful of players were dressed in green no-contact jerseys, including safety Jalen Catalon, receiver Jadon Haselwood, defensive back Kevin Compton and Sanders, who took a helmet-to-helmet shot from defensive back Jayden Johnson before spring break.
“I ain’t going to say too much, but I had stopped,” Sanders said of the large hit. “It was helmet to helmet, but I’m good.”
Tight end Trey Knox and offensive lineman Terry Wells attended the practice but were not involved.
Additionally, defensive end Mataio Soli was banged up during a pass-rush period, came out and did not return to the practice.
Center Ricky Stromberg, who missed the final practice prior to spring break, was back with the first unit on offense.
Among the visitors at spring practice No. 4 out of 15 was former Razorback receiver James Shibest.
The Razorback punters enjoyed getting their work with the wind at their backs, as returning starter Reid Bauer and newcomers Max Fletcher and Patrick Foley all had 50-plus yard punts with the stiff breeze.
The Razorbacks’ ball security was not perfect, as redshirt freshman quarterback Lucas Coley had a lost fumble on a scramble that was recovered by defensive lineman Jon Hill.
Redshirt freshman cornerback Keaun Parker had an interception, thrown by Cade Fortin, that was tipped after a collision by freshman receiver Quincey McAdoo and a defensive back.