This article originally appeared on September 30, 2013 on The Arkansas Traveler website, uatrav.com.
Three true freshmen got their first starts at Arkansas against
Texas A&M Saturday and head coach Bret Bielema said he was pleased with all
three.
“We had a lot of young players play extremely well,” Bielema
said in his weekly press conference Monday. “They really impressed me.”
Freshman offensive linemen Denver Kirkland and Dan Skipper
started at the guard positions, where they helped Arkansas gain 6.7 yards per
rush and held the Aggies to no sacks.
“They played with a lot of energy,” Bielema said. “We limited
what they had to do, but they’re both extremely large, physical, athletic and
play with a lot of energy.”
The other true freshman that got his first start was Korliss
Marshall. The coaches had intended to redshirt him after not playing him in the
first four games, but he started as the kickoff returner against Texas A&M.
He also saw action at running back, with one carry for 16 yards.
In the return game, he returned three kickoffs for 74 yards, including a
38-yard return that gave the Razorbacks good field position on their first
possession.
“(Marshall) is a guy that we’ve been excited about,” Bielema
said. “I almost played him at the beginning of the season and he just kept
getting better and better.”
With sophomore running back Nate Holmes still nursing an ankle
injury suffered last week, Bielema said that Marshall would have an expanded
role Saturday. He will continue working as a returner, as well as the
third-string running back.
Junior cornerback Tevin Mitchel suffered a head injury against
the Aggies, but will participate in a limited practice Tuesday and should be
able to play Saturday, Bielema said.
Despite not playing against Texas A&M because of a hip
injury suffered in the Rutgers game, senior linebacker Austin Jones will also
play Saturday. Bielema said that Texas A&M’s spread offense, as well as the
injury, played into the decision not to play him.
Arkansas’ next opponent, No. 18 Florida, is facing injuries of
its own. Junior quarterback Tyler Murphy made his first start against Kentucky
Saturday, after junior Jeff Driskel suffered a season-ending broken fibula
against Tennessee the week before.
Murphy completed his first 13 passes against the Wildcats and
finished 15-for-18 for 156 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also
had a rushing touchdown for the Gators.
“He is a very good player,” Bielema said. “You make your biggest
improvement from game one to game two and he gets to prepare the whole week as
the starter.”
The Gators will also be without senior defensive tackle
Dominique Easley, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last week in
practice.
The
game is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. and will air nationally on ESPN2.
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