HawgBeat - Takeaways, depth chart, highlights from Arkansas' 2nd spring practice
Takeaways, notes, tidbits, highlights and depth charts from Arkansas' second practice of spring football.
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The Arkansas football team held its second practice of the spring schedule Friday in Fayetteville.
With the weather being overcast skies again, the team practiced inside the Walker Pavilion for the second day in a row, and the media was let inside to view a significant portion of the action.
"I think we've had two really good days," head coach Sam Pittman said Friday. "Very physical for spider days. I think we've come out pretty healthy. Jaedon Wilson went out late with a hamstring pull, I don't know how bad it is.
"I really like the feel of practice. The enthusiasm of the football team, been proud of the first two days. We won't go back to back again until the practice right before the spring game. So I thought they fought through it very good and we're very, very pleased with the first two days."
Below are HawgBeat's takeaways from coverage drills, 7-on-7 team drills, depth charts from the team portion, highlights and other tidbits from Friday's practice.
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Notes/Tidbits
The Rundown
We were let in to view roughly eight or nine practice periods, which lasted a little less than two hours. The team did individual drills, 11-on-11 fastball drills, 7-on-7s, 1-on-1s, inside zone and much more.
Like we do in every practice report, we've provided a fastball depth chart — which is not an official depth chart. It is just who went out with the first, second and third team groups during four scripted plays per unit.
I bounced around from position to position trying to get video (linked above), pictures and notes.
Quarterback Battle Day 2
For the second day in a row, it was Taylen Green with the first team, Malachi Singleton with the second team and Jacolby Criswell with the third team (primarily). We did see Criswell work a bit with the second team offense during some situational 11-on-11 work, though.
"Taylen, we've seen some out of him before, with the walks and all this kind of stuff and meeting time he puts in and all that kind of stuff," Pittman said. "So it was different than throwing a guy in at the with the ones the first day of practice because of the rules have allowed us to do more before practice starts.
"I like where we're at with the quarterbacks. I think they're battling in there. I think Malachi had a better day today than he did on Thursday, (Criswell) is doing well. I like where KJ's at Taylen’s doing a fine job. So I like where they’re at."
Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino worked with the quarterbacks on throwing off their back foot with a defender in their face early in the practice, and Green was the only one to receive a "perfect throw" comment from Petrino that I could hear.
Freshman KJ Jackson is also in the mix, but he threw two interceptions to RJ Johnson and Tevis Metcalf during Friday's practice.
Pittman is a GA now
For the second day in a row, Pittman spent a lot of time with the offensive line during individual drills. So much so that he commented on it afterwards when I asked him about something from the DB/WR one-on-ones on the other side of the field.
"I was down with the offensive line," Pittman said. "Thirty minutes of indy for me. I’m like, what the hell? (laughs)"
Pittman said he's been acting like a graduate assistant for offensive line coach Eric Mateos.
"Basically I'm his GA during any individual and when they're in indy, and then I'm his GA during one-on-one pass pros and things of that nature," Pittman said. "So, I got about 30 minutes of responsibility in individual drills with O-line each day."
R-Dub catching passes
Junior running back Rashod Dubinion was casually making one-handed snags during the previously mentioned drill that featured quarterbacks throwing off their back foot early in practice.
Later on, Dubinion continued to display his pass-catching ability and he even made a really nice over the shoulder catch on a wheel route near the sideline for about a 15-yard gain later on.
"He’s always been a good receiver out of the backfield," Pittman said. "But I think right now, he’s older, he’s stronger, I think he’s got more confidence. I think the line, the offensive line, is instilling confidence.
"If your offensive line is playing well and things of that nature, your whole team will get a little bit better. I think they’re helping him with his confidence, too. But he’s always been able to catch the ball. He’s catching it well now."
Young linebackers looking solid
The linebacker room is very inexperienced for Arkansas, but a pair of second players in Brad Spence and Carson Dean both had good practices Friday. Both had pass breakups in coverage against first team quarterback Taylen Green.
"Dean had a fantastic practice today," Pittman said.
Give me 5
Co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson and secondary coach Deron Wilson love to make the defensive backs do five pushups anytime they do something wrong. It's safe to say that the freshmen have been doing plenty of pushups.
Injuries
Pittman mentioned wide receiver Jaedon Wilson having a hamstring pull late in practice. Tight end Ty Washington (shoulder) and offensive lineman Amaury Wiggins (cartilage trim) both didn't participate as they continue to get healthy from prior injuries.
Random thoughts
Tyrone Broden continues to impress me with his ability to rise up and make contested catches.
I thought Jacolby Criswell threw the ball better today than he did Thursday, but Malachi Singleton just has an effortless deep ball that is gorgeous. He is also probably the fastest quarterback.
Luke Hasz continues to just eat over the middle of the field. He will find pockets where there are no defenders and pick up 20 or 30 yards. Plus, he told Pittman after practice that he feels 100% healthy after suffering a season-ending broken clavicle last year. Oh, and Hasz had a one-handed catch Friday too.
Even with Hasz balling out, Var'keyes Gumms and Shamar Easter have really impressed me through the first two practices. Both are great in space.
The way this team celebrates each other is better than I've seen it since Pittman arrived. Multiple times, there have been entire position groups that will run down the field to celebrate one guy making a good play.
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Notable one-on-one plays
- Isaiah Sategna beat Dallas Young over the top for a touchdown early, but the more impressive play involving Sategna was one where corner Kee'yon Stewart ran step-for-step with the speedy wideout down the field for perfect coverage to force an incompletion
- Green threw to Davion Dozier on the sideline, but freshman Jaden Allen made a nice PBU
- Dazmin James had Landon Phipps beat over the top, but he dropped the throw from Rykar Acebo
- Acebo threw to Andrew Armstrong, who made a nice diving catch after stumbling on the sideline
- Snaxx Johnson record a PBU against Armstrong by making a nice recovery after initially getting beat
- Isaac TeSlaa dropped a pass from Singleton over the middle with Hudson Clark guarding him
- On the final play of the drill, Jaden Allen had great coverage on Dazmin James to force the incompletion and all of the starting defensive backs ran down to celebrate with him
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