Arkansas finished practice not too long ago, and here are a few tidbits that stood out:

Nose tackle Ernest Mitchell spoke to the media for the first time in months, and he gave an update on his status. He said he’s feeling around 90 percent, which is a reason to be optimistic considering he has been limited since the spring because of offseason knee surgery.

Mitchell said he has a bit of a sinus problem at the moment, but expects to be fine for Saturday’s season opener against Western Illinois. The senior is listed as Arkansas’ starting nose tackle.

Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson, meanwhile, said he doesn’t expect any of his injured linebackers to return in time for Saturday. The list of injured linebackers includes senior Elston Forte and junior Wendel Davis.

Robinson said the first-team defense tackled much better in last Friday’s final preseason scrimmage. He noted that starting middle linebacker Jerry Franklin stood out when it came to hitting and making plays. But Robinson admits he’s still nervous about the overall inexperience and youth on defense.

That’s a quick rundown of what came out of practice, but there will be more in tomorrow’s Morning News.