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FAYETTEVILLE — Going into his final year of eligibility, Cheyenne O’Grady seems to be battling the same issues that have plagued his career at Arkansas.

The fifth-year senior from Fayetteville was one of the Razorbacks’ top offensive weapons last season, catching 30 passes for 400 yards and six touchdowns out of the tight end position, but has been working with the third unit so far in fall camp.

Head coach Chad Morris said even though he has also received some first-team reps, the coaching staff is trying to send a message to O’Grady with the season-opener against Portland State less than four weeks away.

“We’ve got a standard that we’ve set we’re going to play at,” Morris said. “You do that and you’ll be running with the group you want to run with. If not, we’ll let you run with the other groups.

“That’s kind of where we’re at with C.J. … C.J. has got to decide if this is exactly what he wants to do. Our standard is not going to change. He’s one of the best football players in the country and we’re going to treat him that way.”

Morris heaped even more praise on O’Grady when he mentioned him along the likes of quarterbacks Tajh Boyd and Deshawn Watson and wide receivers Sammy Watkins and Courtland Sutton - All-American players he coached at Clemson and SMU.

With that talent, though, comes an added expectation, something the second-year coach is trying to get across to O’Grady.

“All the great players I've coached that have been truly a difference maker, you're been able to hold those guys to a higher standard than you were anybody else,” Morris said. “They wanted that and demanded that.

“Look, 'Don't treat me like every one else. I want you to hold me to a higher standard and I want you to be tougher on me than you are others.' If that's the case, then all the young guys are like, 'Wow, if you're going to get on that guy, get on Courtland Sutton ... if he doesn't overlook that, then he isn't going to overlook me as a true freshman.' Again, it picks everybody up.”

Despite the transfer of Will Gragg, early departure of Austin Cantrell and graduation of Jeremy Patton, tight end is still arguably the best and deepest position on the team, which has given Morris a little more leeway to motivate O’Grady in fall camp.

Most fans are excited about four-star signee Hudson Henry, the younger brother of former Arkansas standout and Mackey Award winner Hunter Henry. However, the Razorbacks also have an experienced returning player in Grayson Gunter and a bruiser with a fullback history in Hayden Johnson.

The second-team role ahead of O’Grady belongs to Gunter, while the first-teamer is a newcomer to the position. Chase Harrell arrived at Arkansas as a two-year graduate transfer wide receiver from Kansas, but has added 34 pounds this offseason as he transitions to tight end.

“Chase has completely transformed his body and he’s so much more at home at that tight end position, so I’m really pleased with Chase,” Morris said. “I think Chase is going to add great value to that room this year.”

Harrell definitely looks the part and even had flashes last season with some acrobatic catches in practice. His struggle has always been drops, so that is an area in which he must show improvement.

Those pieces are certainly good to have, but Arkansas needs O’Grady to live up to his potential - which has landed him on some NFL radars - for its offense to take a step forward.

Last year, he was suspended the first two games for undisclosed reasons - although a tweet by teammate Dre Greenlaw indicated it was related to him skipping workouts and class - and then wasn’t involved much on the offense the next two games. All of his production came over the final eight games of the season.

Following his seven-catch, 48-yard performance against No. 1 Alabama that included a couple of touchdowns, O’Grady said “something just clicked” after those four games and he really zeroed in on the off-the-field issues, leading to his resurgence.

Morris sounds confident that his current strategy will have a similar effect on O’Grady.

“Well, he's working a little bit with the third unit right now, so we'll see,” Morris said. “He'll respond. He always does. He's done it the last couple of days.”