The University of Arkansas is looking for a go-to wide receiver within its deep group of players. Wide receivers coach Larry Smith has a nine-man crew vying for top opportunities in the new offensive regime, but he would like to hone in on a reliable top trio when the Razorbacks head into the season.
Depth in the Room
Smith said that while having depth in the room is good, he would like to see a few guys separate themselves to solidify being a Receiver 1, a Receiver 2, a guy we can depend on in crunch time. The trio of veterans Jamari Hawkins, Ismael Cisse, and Donovan Faupel are among the top mix of wideouts, along with junior Bentonville High School product CJ Brown, transfer Chris Marshall, and others.
The Razorbacks started with strong energy in Practice No. 5, but Smith wasn’t as pleased with the finish. He said that the team kind of hit a lull in the second half of practice, towards the end, and that guys started feeling sorry for themselves a little bit. However, he noted that the first four practices have been great, with guys being energized in meetings.
Practice and Preparation
The Razorbacks worked in the boiling sun for their final practice before live tackling commences, with the heat index pushing up to 104 degrees and occasional light breezes to take the edge off. Former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt attended the practice, wearing a pink polo and his traditional straw hat. Nutt chatted with Coach Ryan Silverfield at the start and spent a lot of his time during the practice with former Razorback lineman Brey Cook, who is in his first year as manager of alumni and high school relations.
In a text exchange with WholeHogSports, Nutt said it was the first time he had been invited back since his coaching days and that he appreciated the way Silverfield has been building relationships with former players and coaches. Both top quarterbacks led their units to three-play touchdown drives in a team compete period to open the practice, with the ball spotted at the 10-yard line to open the sequence.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
