Burks, Woods live up to superstar roles in spring game
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Their limited roles weren't enough to help the White team win Arkansas' annual spring game, but Treylon Burks and Mike Woods still had big performances Saturday afternoon.
Both of the Razorbacks' star receivers caught two passes, including a touchdown apiece, and combined for 107 yards in the White squad's 30-20 loss to the Red team.
“They’ve had a good spring,” head coach Sam Pittman said. “They have to, because there’s a lot of pressure that this secondary puts on them, and they’ve taken to the challenge.”
It didn't take long for them to make their presence felt. On the game's opening possession, KJ Jefferson hit Burks for a 36-yard gain and then found Woods streaking down the sideline for a 33-yard touchdown on the very next play.
Woods added a tough 7-yard catch in traffic in the red zone, while Burks hauled in a 31-yard touchdown later in the first quarter. They finished with 40 and 67 yards, respectively, in limited playing time.
The connection between Jefferson and the star receivers is something that has been in the works all spring.
“The connection on the deep ball with Treylon and Mike is pretty good,” Jefferson said. “We’ve got playmakers, so why not give them a chance? As far as me, I put my trust in those guys. They trust me to put the ball in good spots and they are going to make plays. “
Having that much talent at the receiver position not only helps out the quarterback, but it also makes the secondary that much better.
“They make us better and I think the DBs are playing so good that we’re making them better,” Jalen Catalon said. “I might be biased, but I think they’re the best receivers we have in the SEC, and they show it every day in practice with their consistency.”
Last season, despite there being only 10 games, Burks caught 51 passes for 820 yards and seven touchdowns, while Woods added 32 receptions for 619 yards and five scores.
The star-studded potential of both receivers seems to have progressed this spring from last year and fans should have nothing but excitement whenever they touch the field in 2021.