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Published Aug 29, 2016
Bret Bielema & Coordinators Monday Pressers - LIVE UPDATES
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Trey Biddy  •  HawgBeat
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Head Coach Bret Bielema

-Bielema said they had a really good practice with good tempo on Sunday. He said they're going to do things a little different at the end of the week to make sure their legs are fresh for Saturday. Bielema said he started hearing about this about five years ago and 'dabbled' in it at Wisconsin. Oregon and Iowa have done it before, but they will 'de-load' the work on Thursday and increase the work on Friday. There will be a more up-tempo practice that will be somewhere between a walk-through and a full practice.

-All the players who were previously in green jerseys are back. D.J. Dean is getting better but could be a question on Saturday. Dominique Reed was out there full go on Sunday.

-Bielema commented on scholarships given to Reid Miller and Anthony Antwine and how much they deserved scholarships. He said Miller caught his eye when he was at IMG scouting Hjalte Froholdt. Miller will count against the Class of 2016.

-Bielema said his rule on awarding scholarships is to give them to players who are firmly in the 'two-deep.'

-Michael Taylor arrived on Friday, and they're still waiting on everything to clear for him to get eligible this year. There is a clock on that, and it is possible he won't be able to play this year if everything doesn't get resolved soon. Taylor can practice but may not be able to play in games.

-Bielema said Tevin Beanum (who is on the two-deep), 'snapped right in really quick' after missing most of camp due to personal reasons.

-Regarding Dre Greenlaw, Bielema said a year ago he was a good athlete just running around making plays. Now he knows where to be, and his ball skills are "phenomenal."

-Bielema said McTelvin Agim has been very productive as a 3-technique in practice. They were looking for a player that does a lot of what Jeremiah Ledbetter can do, and Agim "fits that category in a big way." Agim primarily worked at rush end during camp. He could play end some in sub packages. He has really "bought in" at DT, Bielema said.

-Austin Allen is ready for his first start, the head man added. Bielema said just a couple of votes separated him from the players who were voted team captains, and Allen has never started a game at Arkansas.

-Bielema said there will continue to be battles at wide receiver. They will have to take advantage of the opportunities they've got. With Hatcher being a little banged up in camp, he has been able to focus more mentally, which Bielema said he needed after being on back-to-back senior posters and redshirting in 2015.

-The makeshift 70-man travel roster featured several 'bubble players,' primarily among the backup/reserve wide receivers. La'Michael Pettway missed a lifting session and was removed from the 70-man travel roster, and they moved McClure up to the seventh receiver.

-Jen Bielema is a USF graduate. When she and Bret first started dating, she introduced her to then-USF head coach Skip Holtz (2010-12). Bielema described Holtz, now with Louisiana Tech, as a good guy in the business 'you cheer for.'

-They have had discussion on which players will carry the flags. In out-of-state player of significance (no captains) will carry the United States flag and an in-state player will carry the Arkansas flag. This tradition started in 2015.

-They still don't have Kody Walker 'full go' for Saturday. Rawleigh Williams is 'chomping at the bit,' and Bielema said it will be hard to get him out of the game. Devwah Whaley has looked really good, but the last five practices have been Damon Mitchell's best. T.J. Hammonds could fill in for Walker if he doesn't go, and Juan Day is 'on ready,' as well. Hammonds practiced Sunday.

-They will run a scrimmage with the third groups on Tuesday, and they want Hammonds to have several carries because he missed the scrimmages while coming back form a meniscal tear.

-Bielema mentioned that Randy Ramsey can also play Sam for them, in addition to his duties at defensive end.

-Barry Lunney, Paul Rhoads and an assortment of graduate assistants will be in the box. Both coordinators will remain on the field. However, in 2017 when there can be 'technology' in the box that could change with the coordinators.

-In addition to the seven true freshmen listed on the depth chart, there could be more freshmen play at linebacker, wide receiver Jordan Jones and quarterback Cole Kelley (who is getting second team reps). He didn't mention Hammonds and Grayson Gunter, but he also factors into likely playing.

Offensive Coordinator Dan Enos

-Dan Enos said they had a 'really good' practice Sunday, and players were really locked in.

-They ran into a lot of penalties early last year, and it has been a big focus. There are penalties in practice for pre-snap penalties, and players who commit pre-snap penalties are immediately pulled from the game.

-Enos said this is the best camp Dan Skipper has had since he has been here (only his second year). He likes the move of Skipper to left tackle and looks as strong as he ever has.

-Regarding Jake Raulerson, the starting right guard, Enos said he has done a great job. He has an outgoing personality, so he came in and immediately fit in. Enos described him as 'humble' when he came in, and also said he is a 'team guy,' which is what they look for when recruiting players. The OL group respects hard work and toughness, and they respect Raulerson.

-Enos said Austin Allen is tough, a hard worker and doesn't want to let anyone down.

"He's going to play well. I'm really confident he's going to play really, really well," Enos said.

-On Rawleigh Williams, Enos said the big day for him was that first camp scrimmage. He thinks Williams can be an 'elite' running back in the SEC. He has the ability, the intelligence, the mindset - everything - to be an every down back, Enos said. He added that his integrity and character matches the talent - similar to the way Hunter Henry was for them.

"I know as a coach I was really excited to watch him play and have the ball in his hands live and have people hit him," Enos said. "He really lived up to the expectations that we had."

-Enos said T.J. Hammonds is explosive and has great feet. He's a change-of-pace guy that is a little different than the other players. He said he may play this week or it may be week three, but they'll get the ball in his hands at some point.

-On the running game, Enos said they were still trying to figure out what they were a little bit last season. Once they figured out the formula, it was a very good balance. He said they're not heavy in just one area and have several things they can go to if a team tries to take something away.

-He said Austin Cantrell continues to impress them with the way he has blocked and the way he is catching the ball. He also likes the rest of the supporting cast to Jeremy Sprinkle at tight end.

-Enos said he is looking forward to finding out who that player (or players) will be who rise to the occasion and have a much bigger year than anyone expects (it happens every year).

-Enos said Louisiana Tech has a lot of transfers, and there are a lot of things they don't know about them from a personnel standpoint.

"They're very multiple on defense with what they do. Their coaches do a great job. Not allowing you to really get settled in," Enos said. "Their schemes are good, their players play hard. That's the first thing I look for on film - the effort."

Defensive Coordinator Robb Smith

-They'll see a lot of four-receiver threats, so in an effort to get their best pass rushers on the field, that's why McTelvin Agim has moved in to his role at backup defensive tackle from rush end.

-Smith said players like Randy Ramsey, Brandon Lewis and Bijhon Jackson will have a big role in the defensive line rotation but won't

-Regarding Louisiana Tech receiver Trent Henderson...

"He's a guy we've got to be aware of where he is in the game," Smith said.

-Regarding Bielema adjusting the practice schedule with a lighter Thursday and heavier Friday, he said he and the players are excited about it. Bielema and strength coach Ben Herbert have done a lot of research on it and are attempting to 'reach their peak.' They did this last week in practice, and the players said they felt fresher on Saturday.

-Regarding improved speed on defense, Smith said they are better in that category than they have been in past years at Arkansas. They have to have the personnel however to be able to stop different types of offenses. They will have to match personnel that opponents throw at them.

-Smith said the secondary is well-coached and there is good leadership back there. Smith said everyone on defense wears a chip on their shoulder after last season. There were some good things, but there were a lot of things they were not happy with in 2015.

-Smith said the defensive players have the utmost respect for Austin Allen. He has a really strong arm, he said, and in the past viewed as a quality guy they knew they could put in if something happened to Brandon Allen.