Arkansas Ends Off Week With Quick Tune Up

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas football practice for just under one hour on the practice fields south of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Thursday. They ended the off week with a quick tune up in the brisk Northwest Arkansas weather.

“We had a good day today,” head coach Houston Nutt said. “Most of our coaches are out recruiting. We had a good team period, ran about 42 plays, just getting in and out of the huddle.”

Nutt is giving his players Friday and Saturday off before returning to the Auburn game-week schedule on Sunday. While a few key members of the team sat out of Thursday’s tune up to rest or to help injuries heal, many of the younger plays participated in an hour’s worth of team drills.

“This was a good week,” Nutt said, “to get some people healthy. The other thing is to keep the guys that are having to step up on a fast learning pace, getting ready for Auburn. We’ll give them a couple of days of and come back Sunday for an extended practice.”

Nutt is also taking advantage of this off week to send his assistant coaches out on recruiting trips. This off week and recruiting visits couldn’t have come at better time from a recruiting stand point with last week’s nationally televised win over Alabama.

“There is nothing like recruiting after a win,” Nutt said. “We got some national exposure on CBS and that really helps. The conversations have been great. A lot of young men have watched us play. It’s good. We can capitalize on this a little bit. Our coaches are out beating the bushes right now.”

Keeping the intensity level high and focus on the Auburn game strong hasn’t been an issue for Nutt and he doesn’t see it becoming an issue.

“These guys know they are at the top of the conference right now,” Nutt said. “It’s about winning and we are going to be playing the No. 2 team in the nation. It’s easier now to keep their focus then ever before.”