Arkansas Razorback Football Practice Report – Day 1

 

The first Arkansas Razorback football practice report of the 2015 season is here. The team worked for 26 periods on the grass field as 22 newcomers took in their first practice as Razorbacks.

Three Things You Need To Know

1. Some of these guys are HUGE
In case you didn’t know, the Razorbacks have some big boys. There’s just something about the huddle breaking and seeing tight ends Hunter Henry and Jeremy Sprinkle lining up as eligible receivers. They are 6-5, 253 pounds and 6-6, 255 pounds respectively. Add in an offensive line which averages over 325 pounds per player and some physical running backs and that is scary.

It’s not just the starting offense that is big either. True freshman Derrick Graham looks incredible for a linebacker at 6-4, 247 pounds. Another true freshman, wide receiver La’Michael Pettway, is 6-2, 205 and used his big frame several times to go get balls in traffic during his first practice.

2. The wide receivers
Senior Keon Hatcher is clearly the leader of this group. Hatcher is so consistent and reliable that he didn’t drop a single pass this afternoon. Sophomore Jared Cornelius also had a productive day and was consistent from start to finish.

Everybody wants to see Dominique Reed, the junior college transfer with wheels. Not only can Reed run, but he’s also very long and super athletic. He juked a defender out of his shoes today to get up field after a reception and also seemed to adjust to the ball nicely in the air.

3. Playmakers in the secondary
Arkansas returns all but one starter from last year’s secondary and the experience showed on day one. Junior cornerback DJ Dean made a couple of excellent reads in team drills, breaking off his coverage to make a diving pass breakup on a pass intended for the tight end. Junior Jared Collins and sophomore Henre’ Toliver also played well in coverage.

A player to keep an eye on is redshirt freshman Santos Ramirez. Now playing safety, Ramirez made a perfect break on a deep pass over the middle, timing his break in front of the receiver to intercept the pass with a convoy of teammates to block his way down the field.

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Brandon Allen Lands Spot on Impressive Watch List

Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen has claimed a spot on the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Watch List, announced Wednesday.

Established in 1987, the award is named after one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and presented annually at the end of each season to the nation’s top college quarterback based on character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, leadership qualities and athletic accomplishments. Candidates must be a college senior or fourth-year junior on schedule to graduate with their class.

The award will be presented at a ceremony on Dec. 11 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Allen is one of only three Southeastern Conference quarterbacks represented on the 30-man watch list. Earlier this month, the Fayetteville, Arkansas native was named to the Manning Award Watch List after serving as a counselor at the prestigious Manning Passing Academy. Allen has also been tabbed the No. 22 draft-eligible quarterback by Phil Steele.

The senior signal caller enters his final campaign with a streak of 90 consecutive pass attempts without an interception and has tallied 25 career starts, more than any other SEC quarterback. He is one of just three active quarterbacks in the nation to pass for 20-plus touchdowns and five or fewer interceptions last season. His 4,023 passing yards and 34 career touchdown passes rank second among returning SEC quarterbacks.

Allen will be on the Razorback record book watch for most of 2015 as he already ranks sixth in program history in career touchdown passes and is 29 shy of becoming the school’s all-time leader. He is also 254 career completions and 377 career passing attempts away from setting school marks in those categories.

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Arkansas Razorback Football Team Makes Another Top 25 Preseason Poll

Sports Illustrated has tabbed Arkansas the No. 22 team in the country in its annual preseason preview, released this week.

Last week, Arkansas checked in at No. 20 in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll, marking the first time the Razorbacks have been nationally ranked at the helm of head coach Bret Bielema and since Sept. 9, 2012.

Arkansas returns 16 starters and 49 lettermen from a squad that made program history in 2014, defeating LSU, Ole Miss and Texas for the first time in the same season. The Razorbacks also became the first unranked team in college football history to post consecutive shut outs over ranked opponents when they blanked No. 20 LSU and No. 8 Ole Miss.

Arkansas takes the field for its first practice of fall camp on Thursday, Aug. 6 and will open the 2015 season at home on Sept. 5 at 2:30 p.m. CT against UTEP on ESPNU.

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