Arkansas Focuses on Wisconsin at Thursday Morning Practice

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas football spent two hours Thursday morning at the indoor practice field at Willard and Pat Walker Pavilion to continue working on the Wisconsin Badgers. Thursday’s practice also gave many of the freshmen and newcomers a chance to get some quality reps under their belts.

“We had a good practice today and that’s two back-to-back,” head coach Houston Nutt said. “(We had) excellent enthusiasm, good concentration. We did a little bit more with Wisconsin. We’ll do much more starting the next two or three days. Our young players, this is what the benefit is. Andrew Norman, Carlton Salters, Marques Wade, DeMarcus Love, Ray Dominguez, Wendel and Adrian Davis have been playing throughout the year but they get a little bit more time, fundamental work. It has just been really good. I’m really proud of their attitude and the way they are going to work.”

With the departure of Damian Williams before Wednesday’s practice, Nutt is still concentrating on keeping his team together and focused.

“This is my first experience where things have gone a little bit astray,” Nutt said. “We feel like there is too much going on and not the full concentration on total academics, total football team. It was excellent to get everything out and I just feel like we are all together right now. The guys are looking forward to the bowl and they are practicing with a purpose. The purpose is to get better and prepare to beat Wisconsin.”

With loss of Williams at receiver, the hole opens up opportunities for Cedric Washington and Robert Johnson to receive more reps as the Razorbacks continue on advancing the passing game.

“We are getting a lot more reps, we are having full pass-skels,” Nutt said. “We haven’t had that in a few weeks. Our guys are getting a lot of reps with routes coming out of cuts. Our quarterbacks are throwing on time. There is nothing like over and over and over, repetition and that’s how you get better.”

Peyton Hillis was present at practice on Thursday but did not participate in drills. After giving it everything he had on Wednesday, he experienced some soreness and tightness on Thursday.

“He tried extremely hard yesterday,” Nutt said. “We have one more thing we are going to try but he has a really severe knot in his thigh and we just can’t get it out. He’s frustrated about that and he wants to be out here. He made a full effort yesterday and was back out here today wanting to practice.”