What can fans expect from Razorbacks' scrimmage on Saturday?

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — For Arkansas fans, there hasn't been an awful lot of reasons for optimism in spring practice. There may be, but nobody has seen enough to prove it.

Razorbacks defensive coordinator Travis Williams didn't Thursday, either, when talking about what he's looking for in Saturday's scrimmage. It's called spring practice for a reason and nobody's keeping score.

"Getting better," Williams said. "So I hold dear, and I know you’re like, ‘Getting better? What in the world?’ Every day I go in there and I tell them, ‘Man, let’s get better.’"

Arkansas Razorbacks defensive back Jaheim Singletary (15) goes for a pass against Landon Phipps in Monday's practice in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

What he's not saying is really the biggest thing is avoiding injuries. Health issues are why coaches made the decision to move the scrimmage from Thursday to Saturday.

But he knows it's still just a practice.

"We play our first game in September, so spring ball is running, blocking, tackling," Williams said. "I want them to run to the ball like their life depended on it, and when they hit people, make sure they go backward and you can get them on the ground. Those fundamental things.

"If they run a power or a counter, let’s fit it up right. If you’re getting over routes, if you’re getting different route schemes, let’s cover it up. Let’s get better at getting better at the small things of getting better as far as a defense."

He's well aware it's not just on his side of the ball.

"I’m sure it’s the same thing offensively," Williams said. "Yes, we want to compete and we want to do well, but let’s leave spring ball and say, ‘Okay, when you have the cut-ups, we’ve got 100 reps of playing the power, 100 reps of playing the counter, zone-read, the mesh route.’ Whatever it is."

Spring practice is for evaluation. Coach Sam Pittman has said numerous times things that make it sound like he really doesn't know what kind of team he has until they start playing SEC games.

It doesn't really matter until they start playing those league games. But the spring is when the coaches figure out what they want to do based on what the players can do in practices. There's a reason it's called practice is the line always used.

"Then you start looking it up and say, ‘Okay, this is the type of defense we’re going to be. This is …’" Williams said. "Right now we don’t know. Are we going to be four-down, three-down, three-high?

"We really don’t know, so we’re putting it all together and then once we get those pieces (snaps fingers). This is what we’re going to be.

"Want to see them go out there, man, and play like their life depended on it and play like their hair is on fire and tackle well and be healthy, but tackle well."

The scrimmage will be Saturday morning in Razorback Stadium, but it is not open to the public. Hogs on SI will have reporters there, though, with photos and stories. The Hogs will continue practices concluding with the Red-White Game in Fayetteville on April 19 (that's next Saturday).

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