FAYETTEVILLE - Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker has joined Penn State linebackers Brandon Smith and Ellis Brooks opting out of Saturday’s Outback Bowl game against Arkansas in Tampa, Fla. to declare he’ll instead prepare for the upcoming NFL Combine and NFL Draft.

Brisker announced his decision Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile with Arkansas first-team All-SEC receiver Treylon Burks, 61 catches for 1,184 yards and 11 touchdowns, opted to prepare for the draft, the Razorbacks had their first practice Monday in Tampa without their second-leading receiver.

Senior Tyson Morris, the Helena native and Fayetteville High grad second to Burks with 21 catches for 305 yards and two touchdowns, is not practicing in Tampa, Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said Monday.

Because of what he called privacy issues, Pittman said he could not reveal the cause for Morris’ absence but that it’s hoped he can play Saturday.

“Tyson is dealing with some issues back home,” Pittman said on a post practice video.  “It depends on different rulings and things of that nature.  He could get here anytime tomorrow afternoon all the way, the latest  we feel would be Thursday.  But if everything goes well we feel like he’ll be able to play in the game. I think this afternoon we’ll learn whether he can be here to practice on Wednesday or if his first real speed action will be on Saturday. We’re hoping and feeling like we’ll get him back.”

Pittman was asked about covid situations cancelling some bowl games thus far and its threat to playing Saturday’s game set to kick off at 11 a.m. CST on ESPN2.

“You have bowl situations with guys opting out to play in the league and you have covid in on that as well,” Pittman said. “I know there’s a lot to be said for Coach (James) Franklin and Penn State because he’s got guys going to the NFL as we do.

I believe the only way you get better is to play the game.  But we’ve got 110 that can play and I believe Penn State feels the same way though I don’t want to speak for Coach Franklin.  But they’ve lost guys, too, to the NFL.   I feel like if there’s any way to play the game we owe it to our fans, and our kids and our state so that’s what we’re going to do.”

Pittman said the Hogs will practice in “shells” Tuesday and if the scout team proves sufficiently competitive  not have their normal “good on good” session Wednesday of first offense vs. first defense.

“The thing about an opening game, which this kind of is after a 4-week layoff (the Nov. 26 victory over Missouri ended Arkansas’ regular season) is the speed of the game,” Pittman said.  “Usually you have to do that in some type of physical manner. If it goes well tomorrow and the scout team can give us the look that we need, the plan is not to do that (Wednesday’s dozen plays of good on good.”

Good on good is always a risk since every injury involves a starter.

“But if it doesn’t go well tomorrow we’ll have a few good on good reps just to be sure we have the speed of the game down,” Pittman said.