Pittman: 'You can work hard and not be very good' surprising?

First scrimmage of fall camp doesn't exactly inspire lot of confidence some problems from last year are fixed

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Mike Washington runs during preseason practice at the indoor practice center in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs On SI Images

About the only positive thing we can take away from Arkansas' scrimmage Saturday is punter and kicker seem to be in good shape.

We got about as many answers to the many questions from a practice no one got to see. Exactly why teams close these things continues to remain a mystery.

Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman, now entering his sixth season, said Saturday's scrimmage was “a good first step,” but stressed improvement remains necessary before the team’s Aug. 30 opener against Alabama A&M.

Everybody is working hard, Pittman said. He has and what a lot of people were probably thinking silently.

“You can work hard and not be very good,” Pittman has said before. “We’re not near where we need to be.”

Nearly every time I've heard something like that in the last 60 years it usually didn't end up with a particularly good record.

Whether anybody should be concerned now or not will continue to be a mystery for everybody.

Quarterback Play Highlights Offensive Progress

Quarterback Taylen Green, a transfer expected to stabilize the position, drew praise for his composure and precision.

Green completed all four of his passes during a red-zone period, including a touchdown to receiver Raylen Sharpe. The effort marked a positive sign for an offense that struggled with consistency last season.

There really isn't much of a competition for the first two quarterback spots. Behind Green is KJ Jackson Grayson Wilson is just a true freshman. You don't throw those into the SEC unless everybody else has been carted to the dressing room.

Running Back Depth on Display

Senior transfer Mike Washington Jr., who is also making a case for a larger role after a strong camp performance, continued that with a 62-yard run on the second play of the scrimmage.

It's not the first time he's done that in drills in the preseason. Considering the defense still gave up too many big plays again is the thing that makes you wonder.

It's going to be almost impossible to gauge much off even the opening game because that is not an SEC team. They just simply don't have the same type of players.

Pittman said the competition at running back, along with improved depth at other positions, has created a more intense camp environment.

Roster Battles Set to Continue

As fall camp continues, the focus remains on position battles, building consistency, and preparing for the season opener against Alabama. Pittman said the scrimmage provided valuable feedback but stressed that roles remain unsettled. “Camp’s about building the team you want to see in the fall,” Pittman said. “We’ll keep working until we get there” (SI.com).

The Razorbacks are scheduled to hold additional scrimmages and practices leading up to the opener, with coaches evaluating every rep and adjustment.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect headline that changed when Sam Pittman said something. It has been corrected and apologize for the error.