FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, making his first media appearance of training camp, said Friday the offense is on a good track steaming toward the season opener Sept. 4 against Rice.
"I feel like we're right where we need to be in camp," Briles said. "Obviously, there's always room to improve.
"The thing that you want is guys learning and then retaining. I feel like we're doing that offensively at all positions. And then staying healthy. That's what camp is all about. These guys already know us. They've been here, so they know what to expect."
The Razorbacks worked in modified "spider" pads in practice No. 13 on Friday after a heavy-hitting day Thursday. The final scrimmage of camp, a closed workout, will take place this morning at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Briles said he can feel the wealth of returning experience the Razorbacks have at tailback, at receiver and particularly the offensive line for new position coach Cody Kennedy.
"Up front, having that experience back is just huge," he said. "We had an O-line change with coach Kennedy. He was here in the spring and obviously knows the expectations and how he's going to coach those guys.
"He's done a tremendous job with them, and I think they really like the change with Coach Kennedy. I feel like that room is in a great spot right now."
The Razorbacks have to replace only wideout Mike Woods and quarterback Feleipe Franks on offense.
"We have a lot of returning guys," Briles said. "Obviously, when you lose a guy like Feleipe, you're going to feel that. It was great to have a spring without him to get those quarterbacks out there. Those guys are all chomping at the bit, and they're all ready to contribute. I feel like we have a host of guys who are very capable. We just have to continue to work this fall camp."
Better day
The top three offensive units had a better showing in the "fastball" starts early in practice inside the Walker Pavilion on Friday.
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Freshman tailback Raheim "Rocket" Sanders handled three of the four snaps taken by the first unit, led by quarterback KJ Jefferson. Sanders had a pair of run plays for moderate gains against "thud" tackling and caught a swing pass over the right side for what would have been a solid gain. Jefferson handled a high Shotgun snap from Ty Clary and ran up the middle on the first play of the rack.
Malik Hornsby went 3 for 3 with the second unit with the best completion coming on a slant route to John David White over the left side working against tight coverage from Hudson Clark. Hornsby also found running backs Javion Hunt and Donte Buckner on short pass plays to the right, and had a keeper around the left edge that would have gone for solid yardage.
Lucas Coley was the quarterback for the third rack, which opened with a pitch play to receiver Harper Cole, who made a strong cut at the line of scrimmage and took off for a 10-plus yard gain. Cole also ran on the second snap at left end for positive yards, then Buckner gained some yardage over the same side. Cole threw incomplete deep of Jaedon Wilson on the fourth snap into coverage from safety Zach Zimos.
Roster report
Top tailback Trelon Smith missed Friday's workout, but he is expected back soon and to be ready to start the season Sept. 4 against Rice. However, Smith is doubtful for today's scrimmage as the Razorbacks hold back several key players.
"Trelon will be out there tomorrow," offensive coordinator Kendal Briles said. "I don't know how much we're going to give him. We're going to back off on a couple of guys who have had some things nagging on them."
Running backs AJ Green and Donte Buckner were dressed out and in spider pads with their teammates after missing time earlier in the week. Safety Jalen Catalon was back in his red No. 1 jersey after wearing green for several days this week.
Players still wearing green (no-contact) jerseys Friday were center Ricky Stromberg, defensive backs Jermaine Hamilton-Jordan and Kevin Compton, and linebacker JT Towers.
Defensive backs coach Sam Carter, who wore a green jersey on Thursday, donned a No. 15 jersey on Friday.
NFL scouts representing the Bills, Browns, Cowboys and Lions were at practice Friday getting intelligence from head athletic trainer Dave Polanski.
'Nole knowing
Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles had a funny response when asked whether he "kind of" knows transfer receiver Warren Thompson, a 6-3, 205-pounder and former four-star from Seffner, Fla., who signed with Florida State out of high school.
"Ain't no 'kind of' to it," Briles replied. "I spent an entire year with him. I know Warren Thompson well, and there's a reason why he's here. Warren is an incredible athlete. A really good kid, soft-spoken person and really willing to learn. We're so happy to have him here."
Briles spent one season on the staff at Florida State in 2019 before joining the Pittman regime.
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Thompson opened camp with a tricky hamstring, but he's improved in recent days.
"He's now really starting to get healthy, and you see it," Briles said. "He's very hard to cover. He's got great quickness. He's a big-body guy with great range. He's got to get a little better blocking on the perimeter and knowing exactly what to do. I like where he's at, and he's going to definitely provide some depth for us."
Rogers at TE
Landon Rogers, a freshman from Little Rock Parkview, has moved from quarterback to tight end.
"Landon really came to us wanting to help the team," offensive coordinator Kendal Briles said. "He felt like with his physical ability and stature, he could help the team with a little bit of a stacked QB room. So, really excited about what he can do athletically for us."
Rogers is listed at 6-4 and 210 pounds.
"He's got a great frame," Briles said. "He can put on another 15, 20 pounds, I think can help us for sure."
Feel aggression
Defensive lineman Eric Gregory, who has worked at inside and outside positions in camp, said the weight and strength the offensive linemen have added is obvious.
"Oh yeah, most definitely," Gregory said. "Me just moving from different positions -- from nose, to end to tackle -- I feel it, man. I feel the aggression. I feel the strength they've developed over the offseason from [strength and conditioning coach] Jamil Walker.
"Those guys are definitely still moving [well with] increased weight. They're still moving good ... blocking, double teams, all this aggression. They've gotten way better, most definitely."
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At a recent practice, offensive line coach Cody Kennedy exhorted a couple of players executing a double-team block by shouting, "We wanna leave 600 pounds on 300 as long as we can."
Feleipe runs
Former starting quarterback Feleipe Franks, now a rookie free agent with Atlanta, provided an offensive highlight in the Falcons' 23-3 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 13 on a 52-yard run on a third-down play.
Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendal Briles said the UA quarterbacks watched Franks' big run while holding a late-night meeting.
"We'd FaceTimed him in the quarterback room earlier that week, showed him everybody, and he was all excited," Briles said. "And we were all ready [to watch Franks play]. We got done with all of our film, put it up, and we actually got to see that as quarterbacks.
"And then we were all talking about it, so we were extremely excited for him. I thought he got hampered with some penalties that hurt him. But I hear he's doing really good, and we've been in contact with him. Really proud of him."
Franks' longest run for the Razorbacks was for 28 yards against Texas A&M.