By Nate Allen
Special to News-Times
FAYETTEVILLE - During last spring’s practices Arkansas receiver Dominique Reed didn’t perform like how he closed the 2015 fall.
And Keon Hatcher didn’t perform late like he performed early, catching 13 passes in Arkansas’ first two games of 2015.
That was Razorbacks receivers coach Michael Smith’s assessment discussing those two seniors last Friday with media at the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Club’s golf outing in Bella Vista.
Off this summer Smith expects better things from Camden native Reed and Owasso, Okla. native Hatcher as the Razorbacks begin their preseason practice Thursday leading into their Sept. 3 season opener against Louisiana Tech at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Easy to see with Hatcher. He was a senior this time last year but granted a 2016 hardship after missing Arkansas’ final 11 games with a broken foot. The foot apparently wasn’t completely well last spring as it required further surgery.
However by what he has been told by trainer Matt Summers and strength coach Ben Herbert, Hatcher this time is healed and excelling and with “just his resilience,” impresses Smith.
“He's a guy who last year at this time was expecting some great things,” Smith said. “But unfortunately as we all know he had his season cut short. But throughout the process, even when we got him back in practices last year, he went out and continued to work. Then he goes out in spring ball and has another little setback, but has killed it in the training room with Matt Summers and his staff and has continued to kill it with Herb and his staff in the weight room. He just continually impresses me with his resilience. I'm looking for Keon to have a great season.”
Smith said Hatcher is determined to make up for lost time, not only his Arkansas time, but those 11 games he missed last year trying to impress NFL scouts.
“Keon is definitely going to be motivated, especially coming off a season where he had to sit and watch the corps of receivers we have play the way they did and play well,,” Smith said. “And he's got a different motivation. He wants to go to the NFL. When you have a guy who's that hungry and he's still the leader of our corps, I believe great things are ahead for him.”
Reed took some early-season time adjusting transferring from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community before scoring touchdowns in six consecutive games, one rushing and six by receiving among his 28 catches for 535 yards.
Last spring Reed, the team’s fastest receiver, certainly didn’t do poorly. But the slender 6-3, 175-pounder found himself locked in tight competition with bigger, stronger, better-blocking fellow senior Cody Hollister, 6-4, 209.
“I am excited for Dominique because Dominique has put in the work,” Smith said.” After spring we sat down in our meetings and he didn't think he had, nor did I, think he had the spring that he was capable of having. But he's had a good summer. Still needs to continue to put on a little more weight. he's working hard, but the competition that we have at the position, with him and Cody right now, it's going to bring out the best in him. I'm looking forward to him having a big season.”
With Greenwood’s Drew Morgan, 63 catches, 843 yards and 10 touchdowns, returning as the senior leading receiver and versatile junior receiver-punt returner Jared Cornelius, “just a well-rounded player,” Smith said, returning from 24 catches for 393 yards and three touchdowns plus seven carries on reverses for 112 yards and two touchdowns, Smith says he starts preseason with the most proven “big four” receivers since joining Coach Bret Bielema’s first Arkansas staff in 2013.
“For the first time in my career it's been this way and I'm really excited about it,” Smith said. “The biggest challenge again is to keep them hungry. But I think I've got a group of guys that -- when you've got a senior coming back like Keon Hatcher. Drew Morgan coming back after the season he had, with all the confidence he has to play at this level. Jared Cornelius, again having the confidence he has. And we just talked about Dominique and Cody Hollister, it's a great problem to have and I’m excited to watch these guys go out and perform.”