FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas was on the practice fields early again on Tuesday with the wide receivers the focus following drills.
Ronnie Fouch is in his first year coaching the wide receivers coming over from Missouri State. Fouch talked about how the transition from spring ball to six practices in preseason has gone.
"Most of the big difference with the guys is their knowledge of the game and the confidence and the alignments, the techniques that we need on each play within (Bobby) Petrino’s concept and what Coach (Sam) Pittman wants us to do with our splits and alignments," Fouch said. "Really seeing the knowledge of the offense growing with these guys and the leaders and the older guys really pushing each other to learn the playbook. They’re studying together and it’s really showing up in the start of camp in how advanced they are in the offense, so we don’t have to revisit a bunch of old things, it’s more so moving on to a bunch of installs now and then we’re going to taper back and review everything and just get good at what we’re good at."
The play still most talked about in the preseason happened very early in the first practice. Taylen Green threw a pass to wide receiver Tyrone Broden who made a tremendous one-handed snag over cornerback Jaylon Braxton, who had good coverage.
"Sky is the limit for him," Fouch said of Broden. "The best thing about him is how hard he works on learning the offense. He’s a leader and he just picks up the offense very quickly. His position, he has to move around a lot in the alignment, so inside, outside, maybe number three in the slot. He’s done a great job of picking up the concepts, because you could be number one in the concept or number two, number three in the three-man concept and he knows all of those positions which helps him play the position he’s at, the Z.
"Because he has to move around a lot. He’s been so impressive in his work ethic and his footwork for his size and his hands obviously. With his height, he can high point the ball way up there above the backboard. He’s just done a great job of working. This is a different year for him, we’re asking him to start on the outside. He’s taken that role and the leadership role, really working harder because this is going to be a different year for him."
Fouch was asked what maybe Broden needs to work on and improve the most?
"Just hid pad level, for a taller guy like that you’re always coaching pad level and just getting his pads down on his releases and stuff like that," Fouch said. "He’s so tall, he has to get a lot lower than other guys to get a jump on the corner and just release things. I’m really just trying to motivate him, because like you said he only had 15 or so catches last year and I’m trying to motivate him to, ‘Hey, this is going to be a different year for you, you’re going to have a bigger workload, so every day in camp you have to keep progressing and taking care of your body.'"
Fouch admitted that Broden has seemingly made a big leap from last season. Broden grabbed 15 passes for 109 yards and three touchdowns in 2023 including a winning score against Florida.
"I think just his confidence in his body," Fouch said. "He had a great summer in the weight room and he loves the offense. He loves the ability to move inside and outside and utilize his strengths. We throw the ball, like to spread people out and run the ball downhill. I think his ability to block, make plays in the slot, make plays outside has just motivated him to learn the offense as fast as he can and master the system so he can be out there in every situation and get the ball as much as he can."
Fouch talked about his first impressions of Broden on film before he actually met him.
"Obviously, you notice his size," Fouch said. "When I came here, I watched the film. You notice his size, his ability to high point the ball, but what I’ve been most impressed with as I’ve gotten to know him is, like I said, just his ability to pick up things fast. You can tell him something one time, and he’ll never forget it. You know what I mean? A lot of guys, maybe young freshmen, you’re pounding it in their heads, ‘hey, this is what you have on this play’. I tell him one time, or change something on a play, and he’ll never forget that. That’s what I’ve been most impressed with him is just picking up the offense and his ability to win at the line of scrimmage. People are afraid of his speed, so he gets a little more cushion sometimes, but he still trusts the detail and gets into his technique and wins on routes."
Arkansas will practice again Wednesday at 9 a.m. They open the season on Thursday, Aug. 29, in Little Rock against UAPB at 6:30 p.m. and on ESPNU.
Photos Courtesy of Craven Whitlow CW3 Sports Action
