Random questions

[Biggus Piggus]

Damon Mitchell is 6-2, over 210 pounds. Besides throwing a lot, he scored 21 rushing touchdowns in his senior high school season in New Jersey. He played some safety as a junior, getting three interceptions. Is Mitchell going to adapt to being a receiver? Should he be a safety? Arkansas could use both.

Arkansas wanted Cornelius Floyd to add speed to the cornerback position. Floyd is 6-1 and likely will be well over 200 once he has a year in the weight room. He intercepted seven passes last season. That is great work for any high school player. Should he play now, or redshirt and make sure his strength is good enough next season?

Can Arkansas afford not to play Jojo Robinson? He probably is already the quickest receiver on the team. But SEC corners are strong. Ask Hunter Henry how far he made it into his freshman season before getting beaten up.

Denzell Evans could be the closest thing to a power back that Arkansas has, assuming Kody Walker has grown out of that role. Does Arkansas have any carries to spare?

Speaking of tall running backs like Walker, Juan Day is 6-2. Do tall running backs who lack world-class speed have a place in the SEC?

Strange thing I see on the 2014 roster. All these new linebackers. Randy Ramsey (6-4, 222). Dwayne Eugene (6-1, 236). Josh Williams (6-2, 240). Khalia Hackett (6-3, 231). Are these numbers real? How ready are they to play?

Nobody talks about freshman defensive tackle Armon Watts. Many assume he was recruited as part of the effort to get Brian Wallace. ESPN Insider has a scouting report on Watts. Makes it sound like he might have the ability to play as a freshman. Really? Similarly, Ke'Tyrus Marks is an inch taller and 35 pounds heavier than he was two years ago. Can he play?

Arkansas coaches raved about the rule change that allowed them to have some summer practice time with players. Does that help "recruit and develop" teams more than it helps the top-talent teams? Or does it make it that much easier for 4- and 5-star true freshmen to come in and play?

[Arkansas Fan]

Jonathan Williams can run with power...

[ricepig]

1) Mitchell may not want to move to safety, BB says he doesn't force moves and Mitchell had to be sweet talked into WR.
2) If he's good enough, play him.
3) JoJo plays.
4) Don't see many, depends on injuries.
5) Doubtful, but in the games I saw with Day and Tenpenny, Day was the better RB.
6) I doubt the numbers are real, we'll know soon enough.
7)Watts red shirts, Marks play some, especially when we have to rotate for depth.
Can't see were it hurts anyone, only helps.

[ldfergu]

Damon Mitchell is 6-2, over 210 pounds. Besides throwing a lot, he scored 21 rushing touchdowns in his senior high school season in New Jersey. He played some safety as a junior, getting three interceptions. Is Mitchell going to adapt to being a receiver? Should he be a safety? Arkansas could use both.

Arkansas wanted Cornelius Floyd to add speed to the cornerback position. Floyd is 6-1 and likely will be well over 200 once he has a year in the weight room. He intercepted seven passes last season. That is great work for any high school player. Should he play now, or redshirt and make sure his strength is good enough next season?

Can Arkansas afford not to play Jojo Robinson? He probably is already the quickest receiver on the team. But SEC corners are strong. Ask Hunter Henry how far he made it into his freshman season before getting beaten up.

Denzell Evans could be the closest thing to a power back that Arkansas has, assuming Kody Walker has grown out of that role. Does Arkansas have any carries to spare?

Speaking of tall running backs like Walker, Juan Day is 6-2. Do tall running backs who lack world-class speed have a place in the SEC?

Strange thing I see on the 2014 roster. All these new linebackers. Randy Ramsey (6-4, 222). Dwayne Eugene (6-1, 236). Josh Williams (6-2, 240). Khalia Hackett (6-3, 231). Are these numbers real? How ready are they to play?

Nobody talks about freshman defensive tackle Armon Watts. Many assume he was recruited as part of the effort to get Brian Wallace. ESPN Insider has a scouting report on Watts. Makes it sound like he might have the ability to play as a freshman. Really? Similarly, Ke'Tyrus Marks is an inch taller and 35 pounds heavier than he was two years ago. Can he play?

Arkansas coaches raved about the rule change that allowed them to have some summer practice time with players. Does that help "recruit and develop" teams more than it helps the top-talent teams? Or does it make it that much easier for 4- and 5-star true freshmen to come in and play?

These are all very good questions

[Biggus Piggus]

Jonathan Williams can run with power...

You think? Wasn't his role last season. He had three third- or fourth-and-short carries all season. Converted one.

Williams was a first-second down back. He worked best when the situation made the defense have to worry equally about the inside and outside run. Very few chances on other downs. I suppose there's a reason.

[ricepig]

You think? Wasn't his role last season. He had three third- or fourth-and-short carries all season. Converted one.

Williams was a first-second down back. He worked best when the situation made the defense have to worry equally about the inside and outside run. Very few chances on other downs. I suppose there's a reason.

Well, they just tweeted he squatted 425# with one leg, he's strong enough.

[Inhogswetrust]

A running back that happens to hold the record for the longest run from the line of scrimmage for the Hogs would definitely say yes to your tall RB question...........................

[Biggus Piggus]

A running back that happens to hold the record for the longest run from the line of scrimmage for the Hogs would definitely say yes to your tall RB question...........................

Surely you are not holding up Broderick Green's 99-yard run against Eastern Michigan as proof that tall running backs belong in today's SEC.

[bennyl08]

Safety is probably his highest ceiling, but you can't force him to play it. He looked good at receiver in the spring. George Wilson made the transition from receiver to safety in the NFL.

Either he or Toliver will likely get some PT this fall, but which one, if either, remains to be seen.

He plays day 1.

Why would Walker have grown out of that role? He's been at the same weight his entire career here at 240 and change. Give him 20-25 carries and I have full faith he can get 100+ yards vs most SEC teams. The better question is how well does he block?

Yes. I'm not a big fan of that style, but several LSU backs have seem to been in that mold. Big, powerful backs, that are quick, but not fast. Though, they also use a committee approach often. My ideal is probably around 5'10 220.

I imagine they are real. They've been putting on weight ever since being recruited for LB. So, 8 or so months to add 20 pounds sounds reasonable, especially with starting a new workout. Are they ready? For what? To start? No, not yet. To be possibly very effective on ST, likely. I hope at least 2 of them make the two deep by seasons end with real snaps.

Marks and Beanum are two guys I kind of shrugged off. Marks being a definite project at DT. He probably still has a ways to go before sig playing time but should see real playing time this year. Not sure about Watts, but throughout spring, Beanum was a name that kept popping up. We could probably rotate 6 DEs this year and see good play on the field.

Both. The R&D teams will improve at every position, whereas the other teams probably won't have too many true freshman come in and play.

[Inhogswetrust]

Surely you are not holding up Broderick Green's 99-yard run against Eastern Michigan as proof that tall running backs belong in today's SEC.

No. I just thought of him when you said it. However I do think he was a good RB. Not all-conference and what not but he did fine. He got tough yards sometimes when we needed them even against SEC teams. I'll forever be grateful he did.

[Theolesnort]

Ke'Tyrus Marks, 1 inch taller and 35 pounds heavier. Well my question is, does he still have that first step and quickness he seemed to have in high school? Inquiring minds want to know?

[MuskogeeHogFan]

You think? Wasn't his role last season. He had three third- or fourth-and-short carries all season. Converted one.

Williams was a first-second down back. He worked best when the situation made the defense have to worry equally about the inside and outside run. Very few chances on other downs. I suppose there's a reason.

True, but he also had the best receiving average of all of our RB's. Why didn't we get the ball to him more often where he had room to run? I think he averaged something like 10.3 yards per reception. We could have used more than 7 of those last year, especially with a QB that had an injured shoulder.

[(notOM)Rebel123]

These pretzels are making me thirsty....

[Oklahawg]

MHF, I would argue that Williams as a receiver was compromised by the fact so little worked he was an easy target. They ran simple, fast routes to avoid pressure on BA. They ran mostly outside the numbers due to the box being packed against the run. Max protect meant there was always a defender to find the RB out of the backfield.

Do anything better and you begin unpacking all of this.

[rusvegashog]

J Wills a beast.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

MHF, I would argue that Williams as a receiver was compromised by the fact so little worked he was an easy target. They ran simple, fast routes to avoid pressure on BA. They ran mostly outside the numbers due to the box being packed against the run. Max protect meant there was always a defender to find the RB out of the backfield.

Do anything better and you begin unpacking all of this.

Don't disagree with you, so maybe they should have gone there more often? I think he dropped one pass that was thrown to him last year and with an average of ten yards per reception, given that nothing else seemed to be working in the passing game, why not more? 7 catches on 8 passes to him in 12 games?

[Oklahawg]

Don't disagree with you, so maybe they should have gone there more often? I think he dropped one pass that was thrown to him last year and with an average of ten yards per reception, given that nothing else seemed to be working in the passing game, why not more? 7 catches on 8 passes to him in 12 games?

Agreed.

[PonderinHog]

Don't disagree with you, so maybe they should have gone there more often? I think he dropped one pass that was thrown to him last year and with an average of ten yards per reception, given that nothing else seemed to be working in the passing game, why not more? 7 catches on 8 passes to him in 12 games?

We know for a fact that the deep ball wasn't working for Brandon last year.  Had to be due to his shoulder injury.

[Arkansas Fan]

You think? Wasn't his role last season. He had three third- or fourth-and-short carries all season. Converted one.

Williams was a first-second down back. He worked best when the situation made the defense have to worry equally about the inside and outside run. Very few chances on other downs. I suppose there's a reason.

I've watched him enough to know he can run with power. How many RBs you know can run inside effectively when the defense is expecting it?

[Shorttimer]

Good questions.  Regarding Floyd and the new linebackers, when it comes to the back seven this year it has to be all hands on deck.  I think the coaching staff just has to assume that there will be incrementally more talent on campus each successive year.  The goal is to get to where some of these studs redshirt . . . but that goal hasn't yet been acheived.

[Biggus Piggus]

True, but he also had the best receiving average of all of our RB's. Why didn't we get the ball to him more often where he had room to run? I think he averaged something like 10.3 yards per reception. We could have used more than 7 of those last year, especially with a QB that had an injured shoulder.

[Biggus Piggus]

I've watched him enough to know he can run with power. How many RBs you know can run inside effectively when the defense is expecting it?

Holy crap. That's the job of the tailback in third and short. You think they are playing pass?

[Tim Harris]

Damon Mitchell is 6-2, over 210 pounds. Besides throwing a lot, he scored 21 rushing touchdowns in his senior high school season in New Jersey. He played some safety as a junior, getting three interceptions. Is Mitchell going to adapt to being a receiver? Should he be a safety? Arkansas could use both.

He wants to play offense so WR it is.  He has a great build for it so lets hop he buys in.

Can Arkansas afford not to play Jojo Robinson? He probably is already the quickest receiver on the team. But SEC corners are strong. Ask Hunter Henry how far he made it into his freshman season before getting beaten up.

Jojo has to play.  We don't have another WR with that type of skill set

Strange thing I see on the 2014 roster. All these new linebackers. Randy Ramsey (6-4, 222). Dwayne Eugene (6-1, 236). Josh Williams (6-2, 240). Khalia Hackett (6-3, 231). Are these numbers real? How ready are they to play?

The numbers are as real as they ever are on rosters....I just hope they are ready to play.

[Biggus Piggus]

I was surprised the guys who were safety-size in HS but recruited to play LB had gained so much weight in so little time.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Speaking of measureables, any idea about Watts?

[Dwight_K_Shrute]

Surely you are not holding up Broderick Green's 99-yard run against Eastern Michigan as proof that tall running backs belong in today's SEC.

I love watching Green play.  You could watch him in slow motion without it really being in slow mo.  His nickname should have been the sloth.

[RebelliousHog]

I was surprised the guys who were safety-size in HS but recruited to play LB had gained so much weight in so little time.

I think it Fla under Myer that recruited this way:

HS linebacker for D End
HS safety to LB
best and fastest HS athlete to DB.

[coastalrazorback]

1. We need both. Do you think that the moving to receiver might be a move to keep him happy? Maybe he would rather play offense than defense and he is just one of those athletes that you don't want to lose.

2. If he is ready, play him. IMO, we don't have the liberty to stock pile at the position.

3. I think this depends upon Keon Hatcher and Wilson. I wouldn't mind seeing him played in limited role.

4. Probably not.

5. Yes, but they usually aren't a centerpiece of the offense.

6. I hope so, and we will just have to wait and find out unfortunately. I want to be cautiously optimistic. I want to so bad.

7. With our depth at that position, we should find out, especially playing against teams like Auburn and A&M. With that being said, it will be tough to break in a true freshman in an opening game against a potent SEC offense.

8. I'd say that it is a wash.

+1 for the great questions

[bennyl08]

I was surprised the guys who were safety-size in HS but recruited to play LB had gained so much weight in so little time.

I was too. I figured they would be around 220 or so by the time the season started, not in the 230's.

Here are their current heights/weights followed by their heights/weights from 247.
Randy Ramsey (6-4, 222). (6'3.5, 210) +12 pounds, that is fully reasonable
Dwayne Eugene (6-1, 236). (6'1, 222) +14 pounds, same
Josh Williams (6-2, 240). (6'1, 225) +15 pounds, a bit harder to believe coming from JUCO
Khalia Hackett (6-3, 231). (6'3, 205) +26 pounds. That is a lot, lot, lot. The main way this happens is if he has never been in a weight program before. Then, 8 months of proper nutrition and hard work along with plenty of water before weigh in...

[Hawg_Thai'd]

Arkansas coaches raved about the rule change that allowed them to have some summer practice time with players. Does that help "recruit and develop" teams more than it helps the top-talent teams? Or does it make it that much easier for 4- and 5-star true freshmen to come in and play?

I have wondered how much impact last season had since Coach and his staff came in Dec. 2012. How much learning did the players get before playing against other teams? Sounds like the receivers were confused sometimes. Sounds like the secondary was confused sometimes. How much of that was because the coaches did not get to spend enough time with the players?

Also, how much classroom time can players and coaches spend with each other outside the allowable practice dates?

[secneahog]

I was too. I figured they would be around 220 or so by the time the season started, not in the 230's.

Here are their current heights/weights followed by their heights/weights from 247.
Randy Ramsey (6-4, 222). (6'3.5, 210) +12 pounds, that is fully reasonable
Dwayne Eugene (6-1, 236). (6'1, 222) +14 pounds, same
Josh Williams (6-2, 240). (6'1, 225) +15 pounds, a bit harder to believe coming from JUCO
Khalia Hackett (6-3, 231). (6'3, 205) +26 pounds. That is a lot, lot, lot. The main way this happens is if he has never been in a weight program before. Then, 8 months of proper nutrition and hard work along with plenty of water before weigh in...

I know RD talked about Hackett weight before he even made it to campus saying he's gained a lot of weight.

I know different people react to diet and weight training. Talking about 18 19 year olds.

Josh Williams is a lil but older..has worked out better than hs kids because he's at junior college. I can see someone a lil older and their body starts taking off.
Especially if your eating and hydrating the right way. Coming from juco he might be more mature than coming straight from high school.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Damon Mitchell is 6-2, over 210 pounds. Besides throwing a lot, he scored 21 rushing touchdowns in his senior high school season in New Jersey. He played some safety as a junior, getting three interceptions. Is Mitchell going to adapt to being a receiver? Should he be a safety? Arkansas could use both.

If Mitchell is as good of an athlete as they have said that he is, they need to find some way to get him involved, whether at WR, Safety or inserting him into some kind of package on offense where they can get him the ball. I'm sure the staff is trying to find a way to get him on the field.

Arkansas wanted Cornelius Floyd to add speed to the cornerback position. Floyd is 6-1 and likely will be well over 200 once he has a year in the weight room. He intercepted seven passes last season. That is great work for any high school player. Should he play now, or redshirt and make sure his strength is good enough next season?

I think that this all depends on how Floyd measures up right now in camp. Obviously the staff might prefer to be in a position where they could confidently redshirt him, but if they do that it would indicate that they feel we are both sufficiently improved and deep enough in the Secondary to the degree that they don't think that they will need him. I hope that he can be a R/S this season, but we will learn more as we get closer to the end of the 2nd week in August.

Can Arkansas afford not to play Jojo Robinson? He probably is already the quickest receiver on the team. But SEC corners are strong. Ask Hunter Henry how far he made it into his freshman season before getting beaten up.

If he has great hands, runs disciplined routes and is willing to cross the middle and make catches in traffic, how can they possibly sit him? Yeah, he might take a little bit of a beating at first while he learns how to counteract that to help minimize the effect of the contact, but we have other WR's and TE's that are experienced enough to run some "rub" routes to help Robinson come momentarily free of coverage. I think he'll play, on a limited and situational basis.

Denzell Evans could be the closest thing to a power back that Arkansas has, assuming Kody Walker has grown out of that role. Does Arkansas have any carries to spare?

With everyone that he has in front of him, it may be tough to get very many carries unless we build such a lead that Williams and Collins both take a seat, enabling him to get some carries along with Korliss Marshall.

Speaking of tall running backs like Walker, Juan Day is 6-2. Do tall running backs who lack world-class speed have a place in the SEC?

As Power backs? Maybe. As speed merchants who stretch defenses or find a crease and take it the distance? Not saying it can't be done, but how many of any size, in the absence of speed, have been able to do that. Do taller RB's have a place? Sure. All depends on their application in the offense.

Strange thing I see on the 2014 roster. All these new linebackers. Randy Ramsey (6-4, 222). Dwayne Eugene (6-1, 236). Josh Williams (6-2, 240). Khalia Hackett (6-3, 231). Are these numbers real? How ready are they to play?

I hope the numbers are real and that they are ready to play. Some may see some time on the field, I hope that Williams can contribute immediately.

Nobody talks about freshman defensive tackle Armon Watts. Many assume he was recruited as part of the effort to get Brian Wallace. ESPN Insider has a scouting report on Watts. Makes it sound like he might have the ability to play as a freshman. Really? Similarly, Ke'Tyrus Marks is an inch taller and 35 pounds heavier than he was two years ago. Can he play?

I think Watts is probably a R/S simply because he needs to bulk up a bit more, but who knows what has occurred this summer? As for Marks, he has been in the program for a year now and based on his offer sheet he didn't receive offers from too many major schools, really only Arkansas and Wake Forest. Does that mean he was viewed as a project or a diamond in the rough? Maybe, I'm not sure. He apparently has gained SEC DL size and it would be great if he turned out to be a stud on the DL.

Arkansas coaches raved about the rule change that allowed them to have some summer practice time with players. Does that help "recruit and develop" teams more than it helps the top-talent teams? Or does it make it that much easier for 4- and 5-star true freshmen to come in and play?

I think it helps all teams, not just the ones who rely on developing talent.

[Arkansas Fan]

Holy crap. That's the job of the tailback in third and short. You think they are playing pass?

Who's your best definition of a "power back"? I guarantee they've been stopped on a third and short before.

Williams ran quite hard last season, at times he was stopped, others he ran with physicality. He's bigger, stronger, and faster now, so he'll be able to convert those third and shorts much better this coming season.

[Oklahawg]

Who's your best definition of a "power back"? I guarantee they've been stopped on a third and short before.

Williams ran quite hard last season, at times he was stopped, others he ran with physicality. He's bigger, stronger, and faster now, so he'll be able to convert those third and shorts much better this coming season.

Knile Davis in 2010 comes to mind. LSU, playing for a BCS game, Knile pushed the pile every attempt on that game-preserving drive at the end. Williams is not Davis, at least that we've seen. Could he be this year? Time will tell - some of that comes from opportunities that matter.

[HogFanatic]

Jonathon Williams is still the best single-cut and explode type of running back I have ever personally viewed running the football.
This is what makes his inside AND outside game so effective. He is probably our best all-around back. Collins is our most effective "power-back", and Marshall will be our most explosive back.

[Arkansas Fan]

Knile Davis in 2010 comes to mind. LSU, playing for a BCS game, Knile pushed the pile every attempt on that game-preserving drive at the end. Williams is not Davis, at least that we've seen. Could he be this year? Time will tell - some of that comes from opportunities that matter.

I think Williams will be able to do that.

[ricepig]

I think Williams will be able to do that.

I thought JWill showed a lot of lower body strength last year, made a lot of yards after contact.

[WILL CLINTON]

Surely you are not holding up Broderick Green's 99-yard run against Eastern Michigan as proof that tall running backs belong in today's SEC.

Yes he was, and don't call me Shirley.

[alwaysnextyear]

Mitchell looked a little awkward to me at wideout in the spring. Hoping he can make an impact this season. Sure would love to see him at safety though. Between Arinze and Walker, one of them should be able to handle the power back role. If Floyd has those type of ball skills at over 200 pounds, he needs to play FS. Can't remember the last time we had a safety that could handle center field.