Arkansas football camp report: Practice intensity not letting up

FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks worked inside climate-controlled Walker Pavilion on Friday for the 15th practice of preseason camp.

Although they were in their lightest “spider” pads and not outside in the rising heat, which reached the 90s before the end of the workout, the “grind” of camp, as Coach Sam Pittman labeled it after Thursday’s scrimmage, continued unabated.

Pittman said the coaching staff is keeping the pressure up through the weekend to reinforce a necessary level of toughness he felt the 2024 Razorbacks must have to bounce back from a 4-8 season.

“We’re never taking the grind off,” transfer center Addison Nichols said Friday. “It’s just some days we’re focusing on technique and some days we’re focusing on mental toughness and physical toughness. And today was one of those days, where we take a load off our body after a big day like yesterday and allow our bodies to rejuvenate and heal a little bit more, but allow our minds to be crisper and work on technique and be quicker and things like that.”

Pittman and the coaching staff shaved a few periods off the length of the practice, but Addison and transfer defensive back Larry Worth pointed out it was a “relief” or a relaxing day after a tough scrimmage.

“I wouldn’t say it’s more of a relief,” Worth said. “It’s more of some days are more physical, some days are more mental, but the grind is always on every single day.

“It may be more of a mental grind some days, more of a physical grind some days but it’s always 100% on.”

Pittman commented after Thursday’s scrimmage, which was largely dominated by the defense with loads of pocket pressure and eight interceptions, that he detected a “sluggish” element to the Wednesday practice that preceded the scrimmage.

“We’re not trying to keep them fresh for the scrimmages right now,” Pittman said. “We’re not. We’re trying to continue to develop our team, with the toughness of it and we’re pressing them until Monday.”

Classes begin Monday, and while that once signaled the end of two-a-day sessions, it now means the roster will expand with additional walk-ons.

The coaching staff will also begin trying to freshen the legs, spirits and mental approach of players which can get worn down during training camp to ramp towards the season opener Aug. 29 in Little Rock against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Jackson honors

The day after preseason All-SEC defensive end Landon Jackson racked up three “sacks” and an additional tackle for loss in the Hogs’ final major scrimmage of camp, the 6-7, 280-pound senior had another honor come his way.

Jackson was named Friday to the watch list for the Lombardi Award, which has been given since 1970 by the Rotary Club of Houston to an outstanding lineman who best epitomizes the values ​​of leadership, courage, performance and discipline on and off the field.

Jackson, a native of Texarkana, Texas, who started his career at LSU, has previously been named to the watch lists for the Chuck Bednark Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

Last year, Jackson was the first Razorback defensive lineman since Jake Bequette in 2011 to earn first-team All-SEC recognition after racking up 44 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

Personal update

Tailback Ja’Quinden Jackson, who edged ahead of junior Rashod Dubinion in the spring, and offensive lineman Ty’Kieast Crawford joined Patrick Kutas and Emmanuel Crawford as players who did not go through fastball starts Friday.

Kutas missed a 13th consecutive workout with a back issue and it appears E’Marion Harris has emerged as his most likely replacement at left guard if Kutas is not a full go by the season opener. Harris remained on the same first unit with tackles Fernando Carmona and Keyshawn Blackstock, guard Josh Braun and center Addison Nichols for a fourth consecutive day.

Jackson, who battled an ankle injury all last season at Utah, has had some soreness in the ankle during camp.

Crawford came out of Thursday’s scrimmage with what Pittman described as a slight shoulder injury.

Kutas update

Pittman said he hoped Kutas, a starter at left tackle for most of last season who has been sidelined since the second day of camp with a back injury, could return to practice as early as Monday.

“We’re still waiting,” Pittman said. “He’s in rehab right now, rehabbing that back, and he’s feeling much better. We don’t want to get him out there too fast, so it doesn’t complicate him the entire year. So we’re being very, very, cautious with him. And really, we’re just going off of how he feels.”

‘Worth’ while

Junior transfer Larry Worth, a former walk-on at Jacksonville (Ala.) State, is getting a chance to display his versatility on the Hogs’ defense.

Worth, a 6-4, 224-pounder, played a lot of linebacker at Jacksonville State, but he’s been mostly at the nickel back or “Hog” position at Arkansas before getting a look at safety Friday.

Juncaj back

Senior transfer Anton Junjac is working at second-team defensive end after missing about a week in concussion protocol.

“I like him,” Pittman said after Thursday’s scrimmage. “I think he’s playing better right now than he did any time in the spring.”

Juncaj, a 6-3 and 273-pounder, had 15 sacks in 15 games last season at Albany, an FCS program.

“Getting Anton back really helps us at the defensive end spot,” Pittman said. “I think there’s a battle there with him and Nico (Davillier).”

Fastballs

Quarterback Taylen Green went 3 for 3 during fastball starts Friday, completing two of his throws to trusty target Andrew Armstrong and the other to Isaiah Sategna on a fake toss and bootleg pass over the left side.

Armstrong had room to run on a crossing route from left to right on the first snap, then he caught a slant with nickel back Doneiko Slaughter in coverage on the final rep. In between, Rashod Dubinion took a trap play over the left guard and Green flipped the short pass to Sategna over an edge defender, giving the swift Sategna room to operate on the left flank.

Malachi Singleton threw incomplete over Davion Dozier down a seam on his only pass attempt with the second group. Rodney Hill had a run over the left side and Singleton kept on a run-pass option read around left end on two of the other plays. Receiver Jaedon Wilson had a misread on the final snap and Singleton ran over the left side on the broken play.

Nickel back Jabrae Shaw got the third defense off to a hot start, intercepting a KJ Jackson pass intended for Krosse Johnson on the first snap. Shaw also had one of the eight interceptions in Thursday’s scrimmage. Jackson went 0 for 2 and he also had a short run up the middle on an RPO keeper. Terrell Reed ran over the right side on the other third-team rep.

Impact freshman

Bradley Shaw, a freshman 4-star recruit from Hoover, Ala., is getting reps at both linebacker spots.

“Doesn’t say much, very mature, very smart,” defensive coordinator Travis Williams said. “His high school he came from… they’ve done a great job just coaching him up. He gets it.

“Has some really good ‘FBI.’ He has really good football IQ. It comes easy. So we’re dual-training him as well. He’s a kid that has a bright future. He’s doing some really good stuff.”

Sophomore Brad Spence, working as a starting linebacker, said Shaw has made a big impact on the field.

“Most freshmen don’t get to play as much when they first come in,” Spence said. “I feel like he’s one of the ones (who will) get to play their freshman year. I feel like he’s going to bring a lot of help to the defense this year. He’s got a lot of speed on him.”

Draw it up

Williams said one way to gauge a recruit’s football knowledge is to have him go to the white board.

“What I do is just put the kid on the board and say, ‘Draw up your favorite defense,’” Williams said. “Just see how much he knows and how much we’ll have to teach him.”