Wednesday Notebook with Bielema & Coordinators

-Bielema said he really liked the energy from the first half of their first two-a-day. He also added nobody has classes right now, nobody has anything hanging over their heads and everyone is eligible.

-Dan Skipper and Frank Ragnow continue to be ‘very impressive.’ Jeremy Sprinkle had a slow start to camp but has been a ‘superstar’ since then. He said among the receviers Drew Morgan and Keon Hatcher have been really impressive. He said Rawleigh Williams is a step faster and has better understanding. Hayden Johnson has stood out, too and is going to play. He said he is really getting after people and is showing nice hands. Both freshman backs will play. Austin Allen has done really well, but the other QBs are kind of ‘in a chokehold.’

-Deatrich Wise and Jeremiah Ledbetter have stood out the most on the defensive line, particularly Wise. Brooks Ellis and Dre Greenlaw have stood out the most, and they think De’Jon Harris will definitely play among the rookie linebackers. They are also looking at Harris in some sub packages. Britto Tutt among the new corners has really been standing out. Bielema said Kendrick Jackson has also had a good camp.

-He said Josh Williams is an MVP for everything he has come through. He’s running with the first SAM linebacker. They’ll put in goal line during Friday’s practice and will roll Williams in at fullback some at that time.

-Bielema said they’re going to rotate Colton Jackson also over at right tackle to give him a look there. He said it’s like having two centers in the game with great communication when Frank Ragnow and Zach Rogers are in the game together. Jake Raulerson has played a little left guard but is primarily working at center and right guard. He called Brian Wallace ‘very genetically gifted,’ and when he knows what he’s doing and is on the right guy he’s a very impressive player. He said players can make up for things more at tackle with great athletic ability than other spots for their offensive line.

-Bielema said Dan Skipper is 6-10 at left tackle and right tackle, and he likes that size to start. He said he is well-respected and experienced. He also said he has settled down more with Kurt Anderson coaching him.

-Regarding Saturday’s scrimmage, Bielema said he plans to get 50 plays with the first and second groups. With the more experienced players, they might keep them at 30-35 and then have everyone else go 50. There won’t be any tackling to the ground until Saturday.

-Bielema said Brandon Lewis, who has had a slow steady heal with his knee, has done some good things and will probably give them some reps.

-T.J. Smith can definitely help them at defensive tackle, he said, but he’s still getting used to his weight at 290 pounds. Smith came to Arkansas as a defensive end.

-Bielema said he isn’t concerned with Tevin Beanum coming in so late and expects him to jump right in.

-Regarding Willie Sykes, Bielema said he didn’t speak with Kliff Kingsbury (obviously) but is friends with defensive coordinator David Gibbs and spoke to him about Sykes transferring to Texas Tech. Bielema said he was joking with Gibbs and said he wanted a formal apology from Kingsbury (regarding Kingsbury’s comment that Bielema was “getting his ass kicked” after the loss to Tech last eyar).

-Regarding the freshmen, Bielema said he was talking with Barry Lunney Sr. (who has been coming out to practice the last three years). He said the freshmen look really good. He also added that Jake Heinrich could help inside this season as well as Jordan Jones playing at receiver. As stated earlier, Devwah Whaley, T.J. Hammonds, Hayden Johnson and De’Jon Harris are heavily expected to play. McTelvin Agim will also play and is rotating in with the first group. Jonathan Marshall and Briston Guidry likely could play, but they’ll be able to

-Ke’Tyrus Marks will be transferring, Bielema said. One school Marks is considering is a program on the schedule in 2017.

-They’ll do full-go kickoffs on Saturday for the first time.

-Bielema opened Thursday’s practice to the media.

DAN ENOS | 8.10.16

-Enos basically said everyone seems to be working hard with a good attitude and there are ups and downs. He said there have been inconsistencies with the offensive line, but part of that is because of the defense (which he said is ahead of the offense right now).

-Dan Skipper has had a great camp. Enos said he looks the best he has ever looked through six practices.

“He’s a smart football player, and he’s tough, and he’s a competitor. That’s the biggest thing, he’s a competitor.”

-Enos offered high praise for freshman receiver Jordan Jones.

“He’s really fast, he’s really explosive, he’s got good ball skills. Things come naturally to him,” Enos said. “He understands how to throttle in zone and run away from you in man…he’s going to be a very good player.”

-Enos added that freshman D’Vone McClure would probably play in another year if they weren’t so deep at receiver. He is knocking the dust off a little after five years away from football playing minor league baseball, but he ‘looks like a full grown man.’

-Enos said they don’t have a second team quarterback right now. They’re all taking reps and nobody has separated themselves.

-He said Hayden Johnson is getting all the fullback reps with the first team and doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He has caught the ball well, but he can’t believe he’s a freshman. He said the two freshman tailbacks are behind schematically but are really talented.

-Austin Cantrell has done decent in the pass game but has been a dominant blocker in the run game. He also complimented the other tight ends.

-Enos said he is confident they’ll have five guys out there on the offensive line that they’ll feel really good about and then a couple more they’ll really like.

-Enos also said Keon Hatcher and Drew Morgan have been very good while the other veteran receivers have been really good. He also said Deon Stewart, Jones and Kofi Boateng have done well.

ROBB SMITH | 8.10.16

-De’Andre Coley and Reid Miller have been battling for the spot as the third-best safety (behind the two starters. They’ll have a better sense of where they’ll go there after Saturday’s practice.

-He has been really impressed with Britto Tutt, especially the past two days. He is catching onto the system and has made a couple of plays. His name has been coming up in the staff meetings, “which is always a positive,” he said.

-Dre Greenlaw had a red zone interception today in practice. Kevin Richardson has also done well taking the ball away.

-The boundary corner spot has Henre’ Toliver, D.J. Dean, Ryan Pulley and Britto Tutt. He said they have some flexibility with moving Henre’ to field corner to relieve Jared Collins.

-Smith said Tuesday was a big breakthrough for Randy Ramsey. They did a lot of third down work, and he can have a role. He’s playing rush end in first and second down, but Smith indicated they were doing something different with him on third down.

-Smith said De’Jon Harris, Britto Tutt and McTelvin Agim have stood out most among the freshmen on defense.

-He said he sees “great competition” up front on the defensive line. He said they’ll play a lot more guys early so they can get their best players on the field nice and fresh later in the game.

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