They're playing a much more physical style of football at Arkansas and this week was proof. The Hogs are having horrible luck on the injury front as three potential starters are out.
Tight end Austin Tate suffered a shoulder injury on Wednesday. He's out for at least four weeks. Tate started eight games last year and was fighting for the job this year.
Linebacker Otha Peters broke his arm and is out six to eight weeks. Peters started three games last year and was also competing for the top job again. Although he has been listed as a back up heading into the fall.
Peters has a redshirt available if need be. However, that is yet to be determined.
Wide receiver Demetrius Wilson tore his ACL. He's out for the year and will have surgery on Wednesday. Wilson was a reserve player in 2012, appearing in all 12 games, and another guy who was hoping for a starting role in 2013.
Wilson will be able to redshirt this season.
Head coach Bret Bielema is not panicking. He says the team has depth at those positions.
“I think that we have established a lot better depth than I could have ever imagined at the beginning of fall camp just because of some of our injury situations,” said Bielema. “We did not have a lot of significant injuries, you know season ending, but a lot of guys may miss some time here and there and it really built depth.”
Starters Travis Swanson, Keiro Small, Byran Jones and Rohan Gaines were all sidelined with injuries last week, but have all returned to practice.