All Hogs

STRAIGHT FROM ANDY'S MOUTH: Pittman Hopeful Morris Gets to Tampa, Can Play in Outback Bowl

Opt-outs Affect Everybody, but Razorbacks Will Put Whoever They Have on Field for Outback Bowl

Andy Hodges

Arkansas wide receiver Tyson Morris hasn't made it to Tampa, but nobody is ruling him out of the Outback Bowl.

The same apparently can't be said for Penn State's All-American safety, Jaquan Brisker, who didn't announce he was skipping the game until Monday afternoon.

All of this came after Arkansas coach Sam Pittman's press conference where he was hopeful Morris, who is one of two experienced wide receivers, will make it to Tampa.

"Just depends on different rulings and things of that nature," Pittman said. "We feel the latest would be Thursday. If everything goes well, we feel like he would be able to play in the game."

Morris is Arkansas’s leading receiver. He caught 21 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns during the season. Burks had 66 catches, which gives you an idea of the drop-off.

Pittman wasn't getting into why Morris isn't there, which would lead to a COVID-related issue considering the latest status in the pandemic these days.

"I can just tell you I think that’s a privacy for the kid," Pittman said. "I can tell you depending on different rulings we know this afternoon whether he can be here to practice on Wednesday or whether his first real-speed action will be on Saturday. We feel like — we’re hoping — and we feel like we can get him back."

Between players walking out on their teams after the season and paranoia over the virus, some bowls have cancelled games already. Others probably will.

Pittmanese on Opt-Outs, Bowl Cancellations

"It’s a lot to be said about Coach (James) Franklin and Penn State because I know he’s got some guys going to the NFL as we do," Pittman said. "The only way you can get better is play the game. And I believe — and this is me not saying anything negative toward any other program, I’m not their head coach and I don’t know what they’ve got going on in their building — but if we can play, just like LSU last year, we’ve got 110 that can play and Penn State feels the same way.

"I don’t want to speak for Coach Franklin, but they’re down here they’ve lost some guys to the NFL, but I feel like if there’s any way at all to play the game we should play the game. We owe it to our kids, our fans and our state. So that’s what we’re going to do."

Andy's Translation

What Pittman was saying in that rambling comment on the state of affairs is the Hogs had an 8-4 season and he's going to trot anybody that can play out on the Raymond James turf Saturday morning.

He will be sending them out there to win. No coach is going to try and lose a bowl game.

But getting ready for the 2022 season is the priority now and the extra bowl practices have been an evaluation for next year.

The game against Penn State is another step in that process.

How the Hogs Will Practice

There won't be any scrimmaging, even with the younger players like they've done through what essentially was a mini-spring practice the last few weeks.

"I’m still debating," Pittman said Monday. "The thing that worries you the most about your opening game, which this kind of is with a four-week layoff plus is the speed of the game. That’s what really worries you. You’ve got to get ready for the speed of the game."

The problem comes with the lack of contact that also tends to cause a few more turnovers in bowl games at times because they haven't been hit in a few weeks.

Sam Pittman-Practice
Hogs coach Sam Pittman on how they will be practicing for Outback Bowl against Penn State :: Andy Hodges/allHOGS

Pittmanese on Bowl Practices

"Usually you have to do that in some kind of physical manner," Pittman said. "We’re going to put shells on tomorrow, but I’m not going to go good on good which we do every Tuesday and Wednesday during the season except for the Missouri game which was a short week.

"If it goes well tomorrow and our scout team can give us the look we need without getting that good on good speed. Because usually on a Wednesday, not tomorrow because we’re not going tomorrow, usually we’ll have anywhere from 11 to 13 reps of good on good. As of now the plan is not to that.

"If it doesn’t go well then Wednesday we will do a few good on good reps just to make sure we’ve got the speed of the game down so we don’t get surprised on Saturday."

Andy's Translation

If the coaches like what they see in practices Tuesday, then they could go first team against first team for a few plays Wednesday to adjust to the speed of the game.

The bottom line is the Hogs' staff is figuring it out as they go along this week.

Kickoff for the game is 11 a.m. Saturday morning and it will be televised on ESPN2 and FuboTV.

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Andy Hodges
ANDY HODGES

Sports columnist, writer, former radio host and television host who has been expressing an opinion on sports in the media for over four decades. He has been at numerous media stops in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.