FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman touted his team’s leadership at defensive back and wide receiver on Monday, the day before the start of his first spring drills with the Razorbacks.
It should be Pittman’s second spring at Arkansas, but the onset of the covid-19 pandemic clipped the 15 days of spring before they could begin last March.
The Razorbacks, coming off a 3-7 season in step 1 of Pittman’s rebuilding job, bring back loads of returning starters on both sides of the ball, including the complete offensive line and receiving units, and the entirety of the back seven on defense.
But Arkansas does not return its starting quarterback, where graduate transfer Feleipe Franks broke the school record for single-season completion percentage (68.5%) while passing for 2,107 yards, 17 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Franks threw one pick in his final five starts covering 110 passes.
Pittman did not mess around with “open-competition” qualifiers regarding the quarterback spot, naming sophomore KJ Jefferson the starter to open spring, with freshman Malik Hornsby running at No. 2.
“We’re going to 2-spot everything, in other words we’re going to have two fields going, because we have numbers,” Pittman said on his pre-spring video conference. “And so Malik right now will be on the 2 field.
“He’ll be down there getting as many reps, and the same reps, as what KJ would. But right now KJ’s our starter, and we certainly anticipate a really nice battle. All that’s going to do is make you better. And the kids understand it. It’ll make KJ better, it’ll make Malik better. It’ll make [Lucas] Coley, [transfer Kade] Renfro whomever, John Stephen [Jones], it’ll make everybody better.”
Pittman said Jefferson has displayed the traits to be a team leader.
“The team believes in him. Heck, I believe in him,” Pittman said. “He’s done a nice job. Again, his work ethic has been leadership in itself, and he’s becoming more vocal. He’s as vocal as he needs to be, to be honest with you.
“And I’ll tell you this. Feleipe, he wasn’t a very vocal guy either, but his work ethic was, and that’s the same way with KJ.”
Pittman said a small handful of players will be limited or out due to offseason surgery: WRs De’Vion Warren and Koilan Jackson, LB Levi Draper and TE Collin Sutherland.
Pittman dropped in a potential tweak to the team’s defensive schemes when asked about improving the pass rush and edge rushers.
“I think we’re going to widen them out a little bit more,” Pittman said. “I think we’re going to get them out of some inside eyes on those tackles a little bit more. At least give one of [the ends], if not both of them, the opportunity to rush the edge.”
The Razorbacks bring back nine defensive backs who started games last season, led by top corner Montaric Brown, safeties Jalen Catalon and Joe Foucha, and nickel Greg Brooks Jr., as well as LaDarrius Bishop, Simeon Blair, Hudson Clark, Khari Johnson and Nick Turner.
Defensive coordinator Barry Odom, who handles safeties, and cornerbacks coach Sam Carter have a long-running connection working with the secondary.
“I think a little bit of [the leadership edge] is all of them are coming back,” Pittman said. “I think the way they’re coached. They have two coaches back there between the five of them.
“With Barry being the coordinator I think they feel a little bit more comfortable. They’re with him all the time, speaking out and sharing his message.”
Pittman said the staff needs to find out what spot in the backfield Penn State transfer Trent Gordon can put up a challenge.
The big group of wide receivers, led by seniors Mike Woods and De’Vion Warren and juniors Treylon Burks and Trey Knox, has been supplemented by early enrollees like Ketron Jackson and Jaedon Wilson who come in well regarded.
“When you talk about groups, the DBs were —and still are — probably leading the team in work ethic, things of that nature, but the wide receivers now have kind of closed that gap with them,” Pittman said. “The wide receivers, the O-line, all that. … But I’ve been really pleased with the wide receiver group, the way they work.”
Pittman added four-star signee Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, who signed as an athlete and will wear No. 5, will start out as a running back. Sanders and tailback signee Javion Hunt are also early enrollees.
“I like Sanders a lot,” Pittman said. “Rocket Sanders, he’s never carried the ball and he’s never gotten hit here yet, so we’ve got to find that out there, and we will pretty fast.”
Pittman said Sanders would add to the grouping of big backs like Dominique Johnson and Hunt to complement speed backs Trelon Smith, T.J. Hammonds and Josh Oglesby this spring.
The Razorbacks will work the next three Tuesdays and the next couple of Thursdays and Saturdays before taking spring break. After that, they’ll come back and have seven more practices before the Red-White Game on April 17, which is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.
Arkansas is scheduled to open the 2021 season by hosting former Southwest Conference rivals Rice (Sept. 4) and Texas (Sept. 11).
Arkansas Spring Practice
WHEN March 9-April 17
WHERE Walker Pavilion and outdoor practice fields (closed to public)
WHAT 15 practice days, starting in shorts and helmets, with three scrimmages and other limited live tackling allowed
PRACTICE DAYS Today, Thursday, Saturday, March 16, 18, 20, 23; April 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17
RED-WHITE GAME 2 p.m. April 17 (SEC Network-Plus)