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The Razorbacks have several more weeks of voluntary strength and conditioning workouts before walkthroughs may begin on July 24, but we're already thinking ahead on HawgBeat.
The walkthroughs are non-contact, similar to what the players go through leading up to gameday after a hard week of practice, and they'll be a good jumping off point for a depth chart before fall camp.
"A lot of it has to do with last season, maybe the season before," Head Coach Sam Pittman said. "A lot of it will have to do with what we saw in the eight-week offseason program, as well. We’re going to have a 1, 2, 3. We’re going to do some things where we can get everybody out there reps.
"Of course, in a walk-through, you’re not going to be able to determine if they can go hit and run and tackle and all of those things, but you are going to be able to see who’s retained the information from these meetings."
Arkansas will get six hours of walkthroughs a week for two weeks leading into fall camp, which starts on August 7. Sam Pittman told local media on Tuesday that they plan to use about 4.5 hours for offense and defense and the rest of the time on the third phase of the game—special teams.
The Hog coaches haven't seen players doing drills or even doing workouts, so while walkthroughs aren't that helpful in identifying team strengths and weaknesses, it will help the staff get to know their athletes better and see how much of the schemes they've fuly grasped.
We may never know the coaches' actual walkthrough depth chart so, Andrew Hutchinson and I created our own:
Nikki's Ones
QB: Feleipe Franks
WR: Treylon Burks, Trey Knox, Mike Woods
TE: Blake Kern
RB: Rakeem Boyd
RT: Dalton Wagner
RG: Shane Clenin
C: Ty Clary
LG: Ricky Stromberg
LT: Myron Cunningham
DE: Mataio Soli
DE: Dorian Gerald
DT: Xavier Kelly
DT: Jonathan Marshall
LB: Bumper Pool
LB: Grant Morgan
LB: Hayden Henry
N: Gregory Brooks Jr
CB: Montaric Brown
CB: Jarques McClellion
FS: Joe Foucha
SS: Jalen Catalon
Given that the Hog coaches probably want to give many of last year's starters a chance to re-prove themselves, for team buy-in sake, I have many starters from last season in with my first group even if I think there's a decent shot someone passes them by in fall camp.
Noah Gatlin could be a candidate to take over at RT after getting healthy from his ACL tear last year. Beaux Limmer or Luke Jones could be solid right guard candidates come fall camp and Ty Clary could even get into a battle at center. I think Blake Kern gets to go with the ones because of his experience but Hudson Henry could very well be there in his place because of his pass catching abilities.
Despite missing all of last season, I have Dorian Gerald back in with the ones to start walkthroughs even though Zach Williams has also earned the right to be there. I give Clemson transfer Xavier Kelly a lot of credit by putting him in the starting group but that could be ambitious since he's one of the most recent arrivals. I think even though many have high hopes for Oklahoma transfer Levi Draper, the coaches end up giving Grant Morgan the first walkthrough reps. We've heard great things about Arkansas State transfer Jerry Jacobs already but I have him waiting in the wings for now. I think the future of the safety position lies with Jalen Catalon but I could also see the coaches going for Myles Mason first for walkthroughs given his experience.
Andrew's Ones
QB: Feleipe Franks
WR: Treylon Burks, Trey Knox, Mike Woods
TE: Hudson Henry
RB: Rakeem Boyd
RT: Dalton Wagner
RG: Luke Jones
C: Ty Clary
LG: Ricky Stromberg
LT: Myron Cunningham
DE: Dorian Gerald
DE: Mataio Soli
DT: Xavier Kelly
DT: Jonathan Marshall
LB: Bumper Pool
LB: Levi Draper
LB: Hayden Henry
N: Jerry Jacobs
CB: Montaric Brown
CB: Jarques McClellion
FS: Joe Foucha
SS: Jalen Catalon
