Sam Pittman feels offensive line much improved

FAYETTEVILLE — Sam Pittman has spent more time working with the offensive line this spring than any other time as head coach and it appears the unit is improved.

Eric Mateos was hired to coach the offensive line after Cody Kennedy left for Mississippi State. Pittman has worked with the offensive line each day in practice. In the two scrimmages the offensive line hasn’t allowed the defensive line to penetrate like it did last fall.

“Yeah, they’re seeing a lot of things from the defense as well,” Pittman said. “I think we’re pretty good on the D-line as trying to get to the quarterback and things like that. So yeah, I think it starts, any protection starts with your tackles. You have to be good at those positions. I feel god about our tackles situation. I think Eric’s done a really good job with their eyes and not cutting somebody loose. Eyes are so valuable pre-snap and if something surprises you, you can never get your body, normally, in front of it. You’re usually playing half of the man if you’re in a surprise (mode). I think his technique and the eyes that he’s teaching right now are really helping us and we’re covering those guys up a lot better.

“I think his technique and eyes he’s teaching right now are really helping us and we’re covering those guys up a lot better and they’re playing pretty good as a unit. I’ll be honest with you, we’ve done more crossover drills this spring with tight ends and running backs against linebackers. I think our linebackers are getting better rushing the quarterback and I think our running backs are doing a nice job of picking up blitzes, as well, along with the tight ends when we’re in a seven-man protection.”

The offensive line features newcomers Addison Nichols at center along with Fernando Carmona and Keyshawn Blackstock manning the tackle spots. Joshua Braun and Patrick Kutas, two returning starters, are at the guards. On issue Tuesday was some snapping problems.

“(Amaury) Wiggins played a little bit today and I think the only concern there was that we had a few snap issues today with Nichols and if you noticed, they were all when he was in the 2 group,” Pittman said. “Maybe there’s some reason to move guys in and out to make sure they’re comfortable with each other, but obviously that showed that he’s working with a different quarterback, so the cadence would be slightly different. We want them to all be the same, but maybe it was slightly different, maybe not quite as loud, things like that.

“Obviously the timing of the snap is important and with the second- and third-team quarterback, whom he worked with today, I think the timing was off, which would make your snap off, too. It hadn’t really been a problem since the very beginning of practice, when he’s working with (Taylen) Green. Just was a problem today. So obviously there’s a concern any time anything’s not going the way it should, but I think we can fix that real easy. Maybe give him a few more reps with those other guys, let him get comfortable with their cadence.”

Arkansas will return to the practice fields on Thursday. They will also practice Friday and then the spring game is Saturday at noon in Razorback Stadium. Admission is free.