Arkansas football practice report
The University of Arkansas football team practiced Monday morning inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The following is a transcript of selected quotes from Head Coach Bobby Petrino’s media availability following the workout:
On Monday’s practice being the first in full pads:"It was up and down. We started off early with some good physical drills early in the practice. Guys were competing and running pretty hard. I thought we tackled pretty well in one of our tackle drills, but we didn’t finish the practice strong enough where we need to and that’s something we’ve got to keep working on. It was nice and hot and it was hard. We have to concentrate better and execute better late in the practice when they are tired."
On the young running backs:"I’m excited about Ronnie Wingo, Jr. I thought he showed he’s very tough and very eager to have contact. Obviously, he’s pretty fast and explosive so I was happy with what I saw from him. Dennis Johnson is doing an excellent job for us right now and understands what he is doing. Those are probably the two guys that stood out today besides Michael."
On Cobi Hamilton:"We wanted to take a look at Cobi and see how he catches the ball. I kind of like what I see. He’s very natural and has good hands and adjusts to it well."
On the defense:"Their experience is showing up. They’ve shown they can adjust and line up the formations quicker, which is a good thing. It is still early and we still have a lot to learn about our football team. I think the front seven is doing a pretty good job. The secondary is getting so competitive you can’t take a practice off or you’ll end up behind the guy that was behind you."
On De’Anthony Curtis:"I’ve been happy with De’Anthony. I think he’s made a commitment and worked hard. He’s been a guy who throughout the winter and spring made an emphasis to get more physical and finish out runs. I thought he did that a couple of times today."
On Alex Tejada:"He missed one today that he can’t miss. He’s had a lot of makes. He’s doing a nice job. Last year, we were changing holders and snappers and the consistency in the operation this year has helped him a lot. I like the field and it has been great. It is firmer than I thought it would be at this point. Usually it takes a while, but they did an excellent job on the install and he kicked the ball off the field well so that’s good.
