Razorbacks Grind Through a Good Thursday practice

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas football team worked out for an hour and a half on a hot Thursday afternoon in full pads on the grass practice fields south of Donald W. Reynolds Razorbacks Stadium.

With the season opener against sixth-ranked Southern California just over a week away, the Hog coaches are pleased with the progress made during fall camp and Thursday’s practice.

“Practice went very well,” Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt said. “We got off to a real good start with very good concentration. It was very hot today, and it was a grind. It’s the grind of two-a-days and they know it is coming to an end. They tried to fight through it the best they could, and overall they did pretty good.”

The Razorbacks’ depth chart for the USC game was released earlier in the day with freshman wide receiver Damian Williams sharing the No. 1 role at flanker with senior Cedric Washington.

“Damian Williams had a good camp,” Nutt said. “From the first day he couldn’t get off the line (of scrimmage), he figured it out and got better. He will have a significant role.”

Arkansas also decided on a place-kicker on Thursday, naming sophomore Stephen Arnold the starter after a heated battle with true freshman Dan Bailey.

“We named a kicker,” Nutt said. “Arnold is our guy right now with Bailey right behind him. Arnold has been the most consistent, and right now we will go with him.”

The decision on a starting kicker took longer than first anticipated with the impressive play of Bailey.

“Bailey really came out of left field,” Nutt said. “We didn’t really know how strong his leg was. We knew he a good leg, but we didn’t know how consistent he would be, or how he handled pressure. He did a very good job all of the way through camp.”

The Hogs are slated to practice for about an hour on Friday as they begin a game-week schedule on Sunday.