Razorbacks Push Pace in Thursday Practice

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.(UA Sports Information) - A fired of group of Razorbacks took the field on Thursday evening on the grass practice field just south of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium for Arkansas two-hour football practice. It was the last practice in shoulder pads and helmets before the Hogs breakout full pads on Friday. "Another good day today," Arkansas Head Coach Houston Nutt said. "I love their attitude, and the way they have been coming to practice. We still have a long, long, long way to go, but they are sure coming to work." The Razorbacks are in the middle of installing the 2005 offense, and seeing good results with a team that is finishing up the summer session academically. "Offensively, we are going through the playbook and giving them a lot," Nutt said. "In the running game we are giving them the powers, the counters, the zones and throwing it all at them right now. Then we are giving them a lot with the protections. We are three-stepping and five-stepping. We are working play-action, we are bootlegging a little bit and we are still going out of the shotgun. It is all coming along pretty good, but we still have to learn and get better." The Hogs hit another big screen play on Thursday at the expense of a hard-charging defense when running back Peyton Hillis got lost in the mix and busted a big play. "We had another good screen day today," Nutt said. Peyton Hill got lost in there and went against the grain a little bit for a big play. Robert Johnson did a great job of inviting the defense in. They were rushing hard and that play slowed them down a little bit." Freshman Michael Smith missed the practice with a strained hamstring, but is expected back in practice in the coming days. It is not considered serious. "The strained hamstring was nothing serious," Nutt said. "We just didnt want to push him too much. He didnt want to sit out; it wasnt his choice and that is what you love. He loves to play ball. We had to really sit him down, and say it is best for you if you dont practice today." The Razorbacks will conduct their first full-pads practice on Friday on the practice fields just south of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The preseasons first two-a-day practice is slated for Saturday.