Latest on status of Franks, Morgan for Alabama game
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FAYETTEVILLE — Feleipe Franks is expected to be a game-time decision for Saturday’s game against No. 1 Alabama.
The graduate transfer started Arkansas’ first eight games of the season before sitting out at Missouri last week because of a rib injury.
Although he’s still not 100 percent, Franks has practiced this week, head coach Sam Pittman told reporters on the weekly SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday.
“He’s done a nice job of practicing,” Pittman said. “We’ll continue, obviously, to practice today, tomorrow, and it’ll give him time to heal up a little bit more. Then we’ll make a decision game time on what we’re going to do at the quarterback position.”
The first-year coach seemed to indicate that redshirt freshman KJ Jefferson, who started in Franks’ place last week, would get playing time regardless.
When asked if the could potentially split time under center against the Crimson Tide, Pittman said it would depend on Franks’ health and if he’s able to play. If he isn’t cleared, then Jefferson would be the guy.
In his second career start, and his first significant playing time of 2020, Jefferson completed 18 of 33 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns and added 32 yards and another score on the ground. Under his leadership, the offense posted season highs in points (48) and total yards (566).
“I had a lot of confidence in KJ going in, obviously, to the Missouri game because we had seen him practice with the 1s the entire week,” Pittman said. “We've always had confidence in KJ.”
Alabama head coach Nick Saban said he’d been impressed with the way Franks has played throughout the season, but also thought Jefferson did a good job of executing the offense against Missouri.
“They didn’t make a lot of changes in a lot of the things that they did, but they have a really good concept of what they do on offense and do a really good job of executing it,” Saban said. “The guy’s athletic. He’s a big, strong guy and he threw the ball effectively and threw it well.”
Unlike Franks, middle linebacker Grant Morgan has been unable to practice as of Tuesday.
The fifth-year senior suffered an apparent knee injury late in the third quarter of the Missouri loss and was unable to return. Pittman has not revealed any details of the injury, but did acknowledge it wouldn’t be ideal to lose him.
In addition to leading the country with 111 tackles and being a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, Morgan is a team captain and helps the defense get lined up on every play.
“We have a lot of confidence in Hayden Henry and Andrew Parker and those guys,” Pittman said. “They’ve been practicing this week, so I think we’ll be fine there regardless of whether (Morgan) plays or whether he doesn’t.”
Kickoff against the Crimson Tide is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT Saturday and the game will be televised on ESPN.