FAYETTEVILLE — Down two of its headliners, Arkansas wide receivers had an opportunity to step up during a scrimmage Thursday.
Andrew Armstrong (hamstring) and Tyrone Broden (turf toe), who figure to play a major role this season, did not participate in the scrimmage due to minor injuries.
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman seemed unworried about the injuries his team is dealing with during a post-scrimmage news conference. He said none appear to be long-term issues and were largely precautionary.
A byproduct of Armstrong and Broden missing the nearly 150-snap scrimmage was increased reps for others in the largely unproven receiver room.
Pittman pointed to potential positives of holding players out.
“I’m not worried about any of [the injured] guys,” Pittman said, later adding, “You don’t want to put a guy in that’s a two that you’re looking at the first time against the ones in a live situation. We looked at it as much as we could as a positive and I felt like we came out of the scrimmage that way.”
Perhaps no player capitalized on the situation more than redshirt sophomore Isaiah Sategna, who has emerged as the likely slot receiver starting along Armstrong and Broden.
Sategna racked up 110 yards on two plays early in the scrimmage — a first-play, 45-yard post route before a 65-yard touchdown strike down the right sideline. He later caught a 20-yard pass.
The connection between Sategna and starting quarterback Taylen Green has appeared strong in fall practices. It may have taken some time to get that way.
“It’s always hard at first whenever I have a new quarterback just for him to get my speed right and stuff,” said Sategna, who was the nation’s No. 4 track and field prospect for the class of 2022. “Taylen has a really big arm, so it wasn’t a problem for him.”
Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino has long held a “feed the studs” coaching ideology. Sategna seems to have worked his name into that category.
But who’s behind Armstrong, Broden and Sategna has been a bit more mysterious leading up to the season. The receiver room has a batch of other players who could work their way into meaningful time on the field this fall.
Isaac TeSlaa started all 12 games a year ago and is being asked to play in the slot this season, receivers coach Ronnie Fouch said earlier this week. Jaedon Wilson has worked with the first team some in the preseason, along with freshman CJ Brown.
The minor injuries to Armstrong and Broden have allowed that group to get additional live reps with Green, something that could benefit long-term chemistry.
“In practice we do a great job of getting chemistry with everybody,” Green said. “I’m not going to sit here and say it’s not different [without Armstrong and Broden]. Of course there’s a difference, but our coaching staff does a great job of everybody getting reps.”
Two more wideouts may have gained some trust Thursday.
Pittman noted sophomore Davion Dozier had a strong showing, along with Monte Harrison, the former MLB player who on Saturday will turn 29.
Dozier had touchdown receptions of 35 and 12 yards on passes from back-up quarterback Malachi Singleton.
“Dozier, he made some big catches,” Green said. “What’s really stuck out has been his receiving after the catch and just knowing what to do with the ball and his opportunities.”
Later in the scrimmage Singleton found Harrison for a 55-yard touchdown on a busted play.
“Monte Harrison caught some balls today and turned up and ran pretty well with it,” Pittman said. “He’s going to help us. He’s a good kid, good young man.”
While seeing two playmakers sidelined is never a welcomed sight, it provided a chance for Green to gain confidence in additional receivers.
“With [Armstrong] and [Broden] out, our receivers did a great job of stepping up with the opportunities they had,” Green said. “That was pretty cool to see.”