2-a-days complete for Hogs
FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks completed their final two-a-day workout Tuesday with a two-hour morning practice and a 90-minute afternoon session that focused on special teams.
“Pretty short practice, last two-a-day,” Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said. “I’m sure the players are pretty fired up about that.”
In the 20 minutes the media were allowed to watch the second practice, the Razorbacks were working on fielding and receiving onside kicks and other facets of the kicking game.
“We spent time on sky kicks, onside, hands team, all the things you need to have ready for that first game,” Petrino said.
Junior receiver London Crawford continues to get work as a deep man on kickoffs, along with freshmen Jarius Wright, Elton Ford, Joe Adams and Dennis Johnson.
“That’s a lot of freshman names I keep saying, don’t I ? So that’s a little scary,” Petrino said. “London I think will do a real good job on kickoff returns, then we’ll spray some of those young guys in with him.”
The team went inside the Walker Pavilion for part of the practice, which included specialty situations. “Coming out from the minus-1, how to end the game in what we call ‘kill the clock’ offense, and get the ball back on defense, then two-minute, then basically did some walk-through stuff for our opener,” Petrino said. The Razorbacks have a mock game scrimmage scheduled for Friday, and school starts Monday, the week of the season opener against Western Illinois.
Return of Norton Cornerback Jerell Norton made his first appearance at practice Tuesday during the afternoon workout. Norton suffered a hamstring injury early in spring drills and had to undergo surgery. Then, during his physical prior to the season, doctors discovered a hernia for which Norton had to be operated on again. The junior out of Cedar Hill, Texas, led the Razorbacks with five interceptions last season. “He’s been working out and trying to get back on the field for practice,” Coach Bobby Petrino said. “He’s just really rehabbing. He’s doing well. He’s way ahead of schedule. The reports are very encouraging.” Petrino said any discussion of redshirting Norton was very premature.
NWA cooling ? After three blistering days to open camp, the Razorbacks have worked out in unseasonably mild conditions at practice. The break from the heat has been nice, but now Coach Bobby Petrino has concerns that it hasn’t been hot enough. “It’s nice for practice, but you worry about September when you play and it’s 100 degrees and humid,” Petrino said Monday. “More heat, more humidity, work a little harder.” On Tuesday, Petrino reiterated that the cool, breezy weather has him slightly concerned.
Personnel report Running back Chip Gregory has been slowed the last couple of days by a rib injury, but said he was feeling better Tuesday afternoon. Freshman Albert Gary hasn’t been at practice in more than a week, but coaches say he’s still around campus and they’re holding out hope his eligibility will be approved this season. Meanwhile, the No. 22 jersey in white that Gary had been wearing was issued to Matt Crowder, who joined the 105-man roster Tuesday. Crowder, a fullback, is from Harrison.
Hog wild ! You might have seen Arkansas receiving 14 points in the preseason Associated Press college football poll released Saturday and wondered who saw the Razorbacks as fit to pick in their top 25. Was it 14 of the 62 voters who deemed Arkansas worth the 25 th spot in their polls, or was it a couple of voters who put the Razorbacks 19 th ? Neither. One individual, Mark Tupper of the Decatur (Ill. ) Herald, voted Arkansas No. 12, accounting for all of the Hogs’ points in the poll.
Petrino squared The Petrino representation at practices doubled Tuesday, as Bob Petrino Sr. and Patsy Petrino, the parents of Bobby and Paul Petrino, were on hand for the morning session after flying in from Montana.
Bob Petrino Sr., an NAIA Hall of Fame coach who coached 26 years at Carroll College in Helena, Mont., said he and his wife would be in town through the home opener against Western Illinois on Aug. 30.
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