June 18, 2013

RazorBits: Weekend Practice Quick Hits

August 6, 2012 by

Here are a few quick hitters after going to watch the Razorbacks practice over the weekend.

  • Dennis Johnson / Tim Horton (AP Photo/April L. Brown) It was unbelievable how much energy there was from the coaching staff this weekend.  We’re talking about a group of coaches who have been through the wringer the last four months — out there coaching their asses off with no guarantee of anything at year’s end.  Call us impressed.
  • Somehow the Hogs have managed to accumulate four of the best looking freshmen defensive ends we have ever seen.  Taiwan Johnson (6-3, 245), Brandon Lewis (6-5, 235), JaMichael Winston (6-5, 250) and Deatrich Wise Jr. (6-6, 240) are all long and can move.  The coaches are already raving about this bunch.  There’s no way all four redshirt…Wise and Winston especially.
  • We have a new favorite player and he is freshman wide receiver D’Arthur Cowan (6-3, 180).  Long, lean and fast, Cowan will assuredly be in the mix to make the receiver rotation.  In fact, when the newcomers came together with the veterans Sunday morning, if you didn’t know better, you would have thought Cowan and fellow freshman Keon Hatcher (6-2, 205, Owasso, OK) were two of the vets.  Both have NFL-type frames and showed excellent hands in all of the drills.
  • A lot was made of running back Ronnie Wingo Jr. taking some reps at wide receiver Sunday.  We also saw Dennis Johnson line up out wide a few times last Thursday.  Not reading much into this just yet, though.  But stay tuned.
  • Brandon Mitchell / Ross Rasner (AP Photo/April L. Brown) Brandon “Slash” Mitchell continued to look comfortable at receiver.  During most practice periods, Mitchell would take a rep or two at quarterback and then move out to the wide receiver line.
  • Freshman linebacker Otha Peters (6-1, 230) got some first team reps Sunday with Alonzo Highsmith out nursing a hamstring injury.  Peters looks physically ready but appeared lost at times — typical for a newcomer.  Coaches, especially Taver Johnson, were giving Peters instruction after every play during the 11-on-11 team session.
  • More frequently than last year, Chris Gragg was seen runing some deeper routes in the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 sessions.  Whether it was running down the seam or deep crossing routes, Gragg was having his way on Sunday morning with the Hog defense.

Fall camp practices continue Monday evening at 6:00 p.m. at the UA Intermural Fields.

Filed Under: Arkansas Razorbacks, Football Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
  • Hawgfan100

    “Somehow the Hogs have managed to accumulate four of the best looking freshmen defensive ends we have ever seen.”

    And yet, to hear some people jabber, Petrino and Co. couldn’t recruit defense if their lives depended on it.

    • http://therazorbackblogger.com/ GonzoHog

      It’s sad he screwed up and had to be let go by Jeff Long. I think he was on the verge of figuring out Bama and LSU when at their very best.
      He was ever so slowly inching toward landing the type of players on D that puts you over the top in this league.
      I think this coaching staff knows that and wants to continue down that path and finish the job they started.

  • Defense Wins Championships

    Offensive fire power is nice but coaches know that a team must be able to line up and whip you using defense when it is crunch time, as well as line up and whip you appropriately in running the ball. Hopefully, the team has the players to do both.

    How is our O-line?

    • http://www.razorbloggers.net/ Walking on Sunshine

      The o-line is going to be a good one. Bailey will eventually get his spot back. He’s droped 10-15 pounds to 310 or so and looks good. Good depth at every spot.

  • Defense Wins Championships

    Yes, GonzoHog is sad that the personal fiasco occurred. I know some do not believe in sin (wrong) but the truth of the matter is that sin (wrong) is a progressive thing that can get any of us when we do not choose correctly. It goes like this: 1. It takes you further than you want to go. 2. It keeps you longer than you want to stay, and 3. It costs us more than we want to pay. There is a book called Think Twice (actually it is mostly a financial book) that is appropriate to our lack of thinking that often occurs in these situations. The grass is not greener on the other side of the fence. There is dead grass on both sides of the fence. I believe that Coach P. is working this out for him and his precious family. Probably he has learned a late, but very valuable lesson. And when he does work it out, he will land on his feet.

    • http://therazorbackblogger.com/ GonzoHog

      Nice analogy there DWC. I like that. ;) Eveyone can learn a valuable lesson in wrong doing. Sometimes, the more costly the wrong doing is, the more you learn.

      • Anonymous

        I agree as well. Oftentimes it is only in bad things when we do learn. One of the biggest problems with a lot of kids particularly is that are not allowed to feel the consequences of mess ups. Even Jesus’ diciples did not get it when he fed the 5000, but they kind of did in the boat in the storm (to continue the biblical reference).