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FAYETTEVILLE — The injury bug has hit Arkansas’ wide receivers room.
In addition to fifth-year senior Deon Stewart going down with a torn ACL in Saturday’s scrimmage, redshirt junior Jordan Jones also suffered a high ankle sprain that required a “minor surgery” Monday and will keep him out 2-4 weeks.
The Razorbacks were also without true freshman Trey Knox on Monday because he was sick and previously lost redshirt sophomore Koilan Jackson to a knee injury, but it sounds like he could return sooner than expected. Knox is expected to return Tuesday, as well.
“It usually happens by position and this year right now, it’s wide receivers,” head coach Chad Morris said. “But fortunately we’ll be able to get Koilan Jackson back. We hope to have him back practice on Thursday or Friday of this week.”
Considering Stewart and Jones were at the top of the depth chart for the 2-man wide receiver spot, Arkansas has had to shuffle some guys around.
Sophomore Mike Woods is working at the 9 and 2, plus Morris said junior De’Vion Warren - the starting 5-man - is also capable of playing that position. That elevates Knox into a starting role at 9-man, plus freshman Treylon Burks has been playing the 9 and 5.
“We don’t want to see anybody go down, but the next guy up has got to step up and I feel like the young wide receivers stepped up and are following their leaders,” safety Kamren Curl said. “It really looks like they have been in their playbooks because they have been running with the ones.”
Stewart was also the Razorbacks’ starting punt returner. Burks and fellow freshman receiver T.Q. Jackson have caught punts in practice previously, but defensive backs Montaric Brown, LaDarrius Bishop and Jalen Catalon also caught some Monday.
Although this was his final year of eligibility, Stewart will apply for a sixth year, which is possible because of a rule the NCAA recently passed that allows players to receive a medical redshirt even when they’ve previously redshirted for non-medical reasons. It is the same rule that gave Kevin Richardson II a sixth year last season.
“What a great young man, a great leader,” Morris said. “He will definitely be missed, but he’ll be back better than ever. He’ll be back stronger and we’ll obviously go after his sixth year of eligibility. … Hate that for him. Just an unbelievable young man.”
On a more positive note, fifth-year senior Colton Jackson returned to practice after missing several days last week and being held out of the scrimmage with a foot injury. That allowed Myron Cunningham to take over at starting right guard, but he also got some work at left tackle because the coaches didn’t want to overwork Jackson.
Senior left guard Austin Capps, the projected starting left guard, will be back sooner than expected, too. Previously said to be out two weeks after having arthroscopic knee surgery last week, he could be back at practice Tuesday or Thursday. However, he’ll be held out of Wednesday’s scrimmage.
Star tight end Cheyenne O’Grady must wait a little longer after having a similar procedure, but is still expected to return early next week.
Wide receiver Kendall Catalon has missed several days of practice after also having arthroscopic knee surgery. He is ineligible to play this season after transferring in from Southern, but is on scholarship.
True freshman defensive end Eric Gregory had surgery for a high ankle sprain similar to Jones and has been out since the first week of fall camp. Morris said he should be back “within the next week.”
