Razorback Football Gets Ready for Tennessee
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Razorback football team began its game-week preparations Tuesday inside the Willard and Pat Walker Pavilion with a 90-minute session. After their win against South Carolina, the Hogs have turned their attention to Saturday’s game with the Volunteers.
“The guys came out ready to practice,” head coach Houston Nutt said. “We got on the plan for Tennessee—offense, defense, special teams, the whole gambit.”
Arkansas will be looking to carry over the momentum from last weekend’s victory into its next game. Nutt said it will be important for his players to have a good week of practice which has led to success so far this season.
“There’s nothing like winning,” Nutt said. “I think they realize, and what we really try to make a point about, their preparation has been the key, their focus has been the key.”
Nutt said the coaching staff has also talked about maintaining a high level of play over the final three regular-season games.
“We put a lot of emphasis on how we got here,” Nutt said. “So the intensity is very good and we have to keep it that way.”
With three Southeastern Conference games remaining this season, Nutt knows Arkansas can’t look any further than the game penciled in next on the schedule. He is expecting a fired up Tennessee team that is athletic and physical.
“We’re going into a very hostile environment (at Neyland Stadium), over 100,000 people, so concentration has to be at an even higher level,” Nutt said. “They are trying to go to Atlanta, probably in the same position we were in last year this time, and they remember the score from last year, so we have to be ready to go.”
Senior receivers Marcus Monk and Robert Johnson did not practice Tuesday as Nutt will look to rest them as much as possible and still be ready to play this weekend.
“The best thing for us is to get (Marcus and Robert) to Saturday,” Nutt said. “They’re veterans so they don’t need to practice Tuesday and then sore for Wednesday and Thursday, so we’re trying to get those two days and the walkthrough on Friday.”
Kevin Woods also sat out of practice, but Nutt said the senior safety will see playing time against the Volunteers. Dallas Washington practiced in that safety position Tuesday. Offensive lineman Jose Valdez did not workout to rest his ankle which was injured late in the game against South Carolina.
Arkansas will return to practice Wednesday as they continue to prepare for Saturday’s road game against No. 22 Tennessee. The game will be televised by Lincoln Financial Sports with kickoff set for 11:30 a.m. CT. Log on to www.hogwired.com for more news about Razorback football.
