FAYETTEVILLE — After an open date, Arkansas got back into the swing of things with normal game week prep Sunday.
The Razorbacks were starting to feel the effects of playing eight straight games in one of the toughest divisions in college football, so the week off came at a time when it was very much needed, head coach Sam Pittman said.
“I think you could see it a little bit yesterday at practice, the way the guys practiced, the enthusiasm at practice,” Pittman said. “I think everybody got their legs back, and we needed it. I think it’s been very beneficial to us.”
Not only did the break give the Razorbacks a chance to hit the reset button and get refreshed ahead of their final four-game stretch, it also provided an opportunity for players to get healthy.
Several players had been playing through minor issues, while a handful of guys were dealing with injuries that caused them to miss games.
Star safety Jalen Catalon is done for the season, but it sounds like right tackle Dalton Wagner and defensive lineman Markell Utsey will be back in the fold this week against Mississippi State.
Wagner has missed the last three games because of a finger injury that required surgery, while Utsey missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury.
“(Wagner) practiced yesterday, did the walkthroughs last week. I expect him to be back,” Pittman said. “Utsey, I don't know if he could have went against Pine Bluff or not, but we held him so he could be ready.”
Pittman did not go into details about which guys have been playing through more minor injuries, but he did mention that star wide receiver Treylon Burks had “a little issue we worked on last week.”
Burks, who leads the SEC with 717 receiving yards, missed a couple of weeks during fall camp because of a foot injury and it sounds like it’s been a nagging issue he’s played through so far this season.
“He's had that foot (issue) for a while, so we rested it,” Pittman said. “I think he's going to be fine. He did some other things, but I think he'll be ready to go. He had a good practice yesterday and did not practice at all last week.”
Kickoff against Mississippi State is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT Saturday and the game will be televised on the SEC Network.
