Takeaways, depth chart, highlights from Arkansas' first practice of spring
Takeaways, notes, tidbits, highlights and depth charts from Arkansas' first practice of spring football.
The Arkansas Razorbacks football team held their first practice of the spring schedule Thursday. With the weather being a slight drizzle and overcast skies, the team practiced inside the Walker Pavilion in Fayetteville, and media was let inside to view a significant portion of the action.
"It was a good day," sophomore linebacker Brad Spence said. "A bunch of young guys taking that leadership role today. So it was a good experience for the defense to see a Bobby Petrino scheme. I like our offense, so I’m pretty confident in the Razorbacks this year."
Below are HawgBeat's takeaways from coverage drills, 7-on-7 team drills, depth charts from the team portion, highlights and other tidbits from Thursday's practice.
Notes/Tidbits
For starters...With it being the first practice, there's always an adjustment period to understand who is where and what jersey number everyone is. Also, with 39 new players and three new assistants, there's just a lot of information to take in. Bear with us and we all learn about this team together over the next four practices.
The quarterbacks...
As expected, Boise State transfer Taylen Green was the starting quarterback during team drills. In somewhat of a surprise, redshirt freshman Malachi Singleton was the primary second team quarterback over redshirt senior Jacolby Criswell.
Green was easily the most impressive of the day. First of all, he is all of 6-foot-6 for sure. He throws a smooth, clean spiral and he can move the pocket well. I was really impressed with his ability to throw across his body, plus he also made one throw that almost was a no-look sidearm pass to freshman CJ Brown.
"That dude can move," defensive end Landon Jackson said. "He has a great arm, but I feel like he really can dominate you with running the ball. There were times where I had him out-leveraged whenever I was surfing. I had him out-leveraged, and he’ll still pull it and still get outside. When it comes down to it, if he really needs to, he’s going to use his speed and get those yards."
Pittman working with offensive line...
Head coach Sam Pittman spent plenty of time with the offensive line during individual drills and he did a lot of hands-on coaching. It was probably the most involved I've seen him with the guys during a practice.
Welcome back, Bobby Petrino
Bobby Petrino was on the practice field and had plenty of eyes on him as he spent time observing his quarterbacks. Petrino and Pittman did a little bit of coaching together at one point, so the relationship seems to be working well so far.
"Everything just feels smooth," receiver Andrew Armstrong said. "Everything feels right, with the O-line, with the receivers, with the quarterbacks. It’s a battle with everybody.
"The O-line looked beautiful. You know, it looked beautiful right now. I love the way everybody came to work. Throughout the winter workouts, everybody was bought into the team. You’ve got to embrace the Hogs, and that’s what I like everybody is doing right now."
Standout freshman...
An interesting moment was when true freshman running back Braylen Russell was able to burst over the right side during an 11-on-11 offensive drill. He probably gained 20 yards on the carry and the referee turned to a reporter nearby and said "Who is that kid?" The reported told the referee who it was and he said "That doesn't look like a freshman."
An old friend in attendance...
Former Hog Chris Gragg was in attendance for Thursday's practice.
Two more weapons at tight end...
Redshirt freshman tight end Shamar Easter caught a few passes during the third team fastball drills that left me impressed. He's very quick for a tight end and looks more like a receiver honestly. Var'keyes Gumms also caught a few passes in open field, which is something he did maybe once or twice in practice all of last year.
Any surprises?
Singleton getting the nod as the second team quarterback was pretty surprising to me. It wasn't shocking to see Rashod Dubinion as the first team running back and Utah transfer Ja'Quinden Jackson as the second team guy, but that room looks pretty talented.
The secondary was a little wonky to me. They played with three linebackers on defense rather than putting a nickel in more often than not, so it was hard to really see what thinks will look like back there. Obviously the focal points are returners Hudson Clark, Jayden Johnson and Jaylon Braxton.
Notable one-on-one plays
Note: No cameras are allowed during this portion, so we did our best to get notable plays.
- WR Andrew Armstrong beat DB Jaylon Braxton on a quick slant to start things off
- QB KJ Jackson had a good deep sideline throw, but WR Isaac TeSlaa dropped it
- WR Bryce Stephens had a nice one-handed snag on a slant-pass from Jackson, DB TJ Metcalf was in coverage
- QB Taylen Green hit WR Isaiah Sategna on a crosser but DB Dallas Young broke up the pass
- Green darted one to WR Davion Dozier on a post route, DB Jaden Allen in coverage
- QB Jacolby Criswell throws complete to TeSlaa over middle, huge pass breakup for DB Christian Ford but it was definitely pass interference ("foolish penalty” per co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson)
- Broden smoked DB Landon Phipps down the left sideline, but the throw from Jackson was overthrown
- WR Jaedon Wilson had a nice over the shoulder catch from Green with DB Jayden Johnson bringing him down
- Singleton hit Armstrong on a crosser with Braxton in coverage
- DB Lorando Johnson had great coverage on TeSlaa on the right sideline to force an incompletion and he celebrated that one for a bit
- Sategna cooked DB Hudson Clark, Criswell completed the pass over the middle
Fastball Depth Chart
FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB: Taylen Green
RB: Rashod Dubinion
TE: Luke Hasz
WR: Tyrone Broden, Jaedon Wilson, Andrew Armstrong
LT: Fernando Carmona
LG: Patrick Kutas
C: Addison Nichols
RG: Joshua Braun
RT: Keyshawn Blackstock
Defense
DE: Landon Jackson
DT: Cam Ball
DT: Eric Gregory
DE: Nico Davillier
LB: Xavian Sorey Jr.
LB: Brad Spence
LB/NB: Jayden Johnson/Carson Dean
CB: Jaylon Braxton
CB: Jaheim Singletary
S: Hudson Clark
S: Jayden Johnson
SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB: Malachi Singleton
RB: Ja'Quinden Jackson
TE: Andreas Paaske, Var'keyes Gumms
WR: Davion Dozier, Isaac TeSlaa
LT: E'Marion Harris
LG: Luke Brown
C: Brooks Edmonson
RG: Paris Patterson
RT: Ty'Kieast Crawford
Defense
DE: Anton Juncaj
DT: Kieve Rose
DT: Ian Geffrard
DE: Quincy Rhodes Jr.
LB: Carson Dean
LB: Alex Sanford
NB: Tevis Metcalf
CB: Kee'yon Stewart
CB: Marquise Robinson
S: TJ Metcalf
S: Doneiko Slaughter
THIRD TEAM
Offense
QB: Jacolby Criswell
RB: Isaiah Augustave
TE: Shamar Easter
WR: Dazmin James, Bryce Stephens, CJ Brown
LT: Aaron Smith
LG: Josh Street
C: Tim Dawn
RG: Kobe Branham
RT: Tommy Varhall
Defense
DE: Donovan Whitten
DT: Kyle Thompson
DT: Kaleb James
DE: Kavion Henderson
LB: Brooks Both
LB: Kaden Henley
NB: Dallas Young
CB: Selman Bridges
CB: Jaden Allen
S: RJ Johnson
S: Ahkari Johnson
Fastball play-by-play
FIRST TEAM- Green play-action boot, and he keeps it left side, nothing open
- Green play-action, Nico Davillier pressured and hurried, Green fumbles it un-hit
- Green play-action pass to Hasz at left end
- Rashod Dubinion runs over the right side
SECOND TEAM
- Singleton play-action dink to 81 Andreas Paaske left edge
- Ja’Quinden Jackson rush at left side
- Singleton pass complete to Var'keyes Gumms down a seam on left side, nice gain
- Singleton's pass incomplete on left edge for Ja'Quinden Jackson (dropped)
THIRD TEAM
- Criswell quick throw on left side to Shamar Easter
- Criswell quick tunnel pass on left edge to Dazmin James, blocked up well, good gain
- Criswell pass to CJ Brown on right side for short gain
- Criswell play-action pass to Easter again on the left edge
7-on-7 highlights
- Green pass to TE Luke Hasz over the middle with Clark covering
- Green with a nice no-look sidearm throw to WR CJ Brown, but it was dropped
- Criswell finds WR Dazmin James down the sideline
- Green with a short out pass to TE Andreas Paaske with LB Kaden Henley in tight coverage, Pittman tells Green he had good ball placement
- Singleton to Sategna over the middle, catch was met by the defender but held on for about a 20 yard catch
- Singleton overthrows WR Walker Catsavis over the middle
- Rare drop from TE Luke Hasz on bad pass from Jackson
- QB Austin Ledbetter with a dart to TE Var'keyes Gumms over on left side
- Green hits Hasz on the left side
- Catsavis with a contested catch from Criswell, covered by Braxton
- Dozier is probably out on a close top-tap sideline catch from Green
- Safety Miguel Mitchell nearly intercepts Jackson, but the pass is dropped
