Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino finished talking with reporters after an abbreviated practice Tuesday evening. The starters didn’t do much but run. However, some noteworthy items came out of practice.

  Petrino said running back Michael Smith will take the entire week off to let his injured shoulder, as well as several other aches and pains, improve. Petrino hopes the SEC’s leading rusher will be able to return to practice next Tuesday when Arkansas begins preparing for Mississippi State.

  “I think the rest will really help him. I think it will help him not only with his shoulder but his legs and getting everything back,” Petrino said. “But it’s an injury, there’s no question about it and it hasn’t come back as quick as you would like. So he definitely needs the week off.”

  Meanwhile, quarterback Casey Dick didn’t practice Tuesday as he continues to be bothered by a possible concussion. The senior was injured on a helmet-to-helmet hit late in last Saturday’s loss at South Carolina.

  “Casey would not have practiced today,” Petrino said. “He didn’t get the test passed, so he would not have practiced.”

  Redshirt freshman Nathan Dick will get reps with the first-team offense this week if his older brother remains out because of the head injury.

  Petrino did offer some good news, though. It appears that defensive end Adrian Davis, who missed the past two games because of a sprained left knee, will return to practice Wednesday and be ready for next week’s game.

  ”Adrian should be back. He’ll get some work tomorrow and Thursday, get some of the individual work and get some one-on-one work,” Petrino said. “(But we’ll) keep him out of the team drills. And then he should be full-go by next Tuesday when we come normal game day practice.”