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August 6, 2012

Razorbacks survive media day, return to practice

Phoenix Staff Reports

— FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – John L. Smith was his usual exuberant self during his first media day as the Arkansas head coach.

The former Michigan State and Louisville coach cracked jokes on about his lack of hair, called the athletic ability of several of his players “pretty” and compared star quarterback Tyler Wilson to a rose that’s “started to blossom.”

Oh, and along the way, Smith left no doubt about what he and the Razorbacks expect on the field this season.

“Right now we’re talking about one thing, and that’s our expectation of winning a national championship,” Smith said in one of his few completely serious moments of the news conference.

It was just another day in paradise for Smith, who was hired by Arkansas in April following the sudden firing of former coach Bobby Petrino after a motorcycle accident revealed his affair with a football staffer.

On Sunday, the Razorbacks continued preseason practice on the UA intramural fields. The practice marked the first full-team session for the team during 2012 fall camp.

Smith met with the media after practice and said he was pleased with the team’s performance on Sunday.

“It was a good day,” Smith said. “We came back with a nice spark today, especially on the offensive side and much better on the defensive side.”

Smith commented on the performance of the newcomers in their first practice with the veterans.

“Their eyes are open, they are trying,” he said. “We wanted to get them in today prior to pads to get them in the shell and introduce them to the speed. It is going to take them a day or two, but we are just going to keep yelling at them and patting them on the tail and getting them going in the right direction.”

Practice will continue today at 6 p.m. with the full squad in full pads. All Razorback football practices held outside until Aug. 18 will be open to the public. Practices will be closed after Aug. 18.

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