It seems that “Nathan Dick to transfer” rumors have gotten hot and heavy as well.

We spent some time with Bobby Petrino earlier today and he spoke about Dick and his sore thumb, which the redshirt freshman injured against LSU. He also said Dick will be part of an interesting quarterback battle in the spring with Ryan Mallett and Tyler Wilson.

In addition, Petrino was on The Sports Animal tonight and asked straight up about the new rumors that Dick was leaving. I was able to catch what he said. Here it is:

“Nathan came in probably about three weeks before he started to play because there had been that rumor out there. I just brought him in and talked to him. He said there was absolutely no truth to it. He was real happy at the University of Arkansas. Certainly when I think Tyler went in in front of him in the Texas game you could see where maybe he thought, ‘Hey, I need to leave.’ But he stood in there and kept working hard. …

“He showed a different demeanor, I thought after that. He worked harder at knowing and understanding what we were doing each week and certainly came out and performed well the last two weeks.”

Does that mean Nathan Dick is staying? Not really. We still don’t have confirmation of anything other than what Petrino said on the radio show. We know things can change (wink, wink) real quick. Alex has been making a round of phone calls in hopes of finding out. If we hear something to confirm it, we’ll let you know.

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino had plenty of news at his afternoon press conference. Here it is:

• RB Michael Smith isn’t expected to play in the season finale because of a hamstring injury. If that proves true he finishes the year with 1,072 yards and 8 touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 2 scores. It was a great season for Smith, but the injuries took their toll.

• LB Wendel Davis probably won’t play, either, because of the leg injury. That means Jerry Franklin will likely start at middle linebacker and Elston Forte will get more time at the other spot. Just like Satuday. However, Davis’ absence will hurt a defense that couldn’t stop anyone without him.

• In other personnel issues, DT Ernest Mitchell and DE Antwain Robinson have played the final games of their careers. Both were suspended for team reasons against Mississippi State. Neither player will be reinstated for the LSU game. It ends a frustrating season and career for both players who had good moments and very, very bad ones for the Hogs. If we learn more we’ll let you know.

• One more thing, Petrino once again said that Nathan Dick will start against the Tigers. No word on whether he plans to play Casey Dick in his final game or not.

Arkansas has gotten off to a great start against Mississippi State.

Nathan Dick just threw an 87-yard touchdown pass to receiver Lucas Miller to give the Razorbacks a 14-0 lead midway through the quarter. It was a play-action pass. Miller was in one-on-one coverage with an MSU receiver, caught the ball at midfield and managed to pull away for a touchdown.

It was the longest play from scrimmage this season for the Hogs. It is tied for the second-longest touchdown pass in school history.

Dick led the Razorbacks to a 71-yard touchdown drive on their first possession, too. Michael Smith did most of the damage on that drive. He had five carries for 45 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown.

So far, Dick is 3-for-5 for 109 yards and a touchdown. Like I said, great start for the Hogs.

Arkansas has started its pregame warmups, and perhaps not surprisingly, redshirt freshman Nathan Dick is taking snaps with the first-team offense. It sure looks like he’ll make his first career start today against Mississippi State.

While Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino hasn’t announced the starter to the media, Nathan Dick ran the team’s walk-through on Friday and all signs are pointing to him getting the start over older brother Casey Dick.

Casey Dick is taking snaps with the second-team offense, but Petrino has said that both quarterbacks will likely play today. But at least for now, it looks like Little Brother has beaten out Big Brother for the starting job.

  All signs are pointing to redshirt freshman Nathan Dick getting his first career start at Mississippi State on Saturday. 

  A source close to the team told The Morning News that Dick ran the team’s walk-through on Friday, perhaps an indication that senior Casey Dick’s streak of 28 consecutive starts will come to an end this weekend.

  Nathan Dick made his debut two weeks ago in the final minutes of a 34-21 loss at South Carolina, and since then he has been getting a significant amount of work with the first-team offense.

  Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said Thursday that he’d wait until Friday to inform the Dick brothers as to which one will start against MSU, though he added that both quarterbacks will likely play in Starkville.

  The biggest question regarding Arkansas’ football team wasn’t answered Thursday evening.

  Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said he’ll wait until Friday to tell senior Casey Dick and redshirt freshman Nathan Dick as to which brother will be the starting quarterback for Saturday’s game at Mississippi State.

  Petrino said he has an idea about which one he’ll start, but he didn’t want say following Thursday’s practice. However, he added that he intends to play both quarterbacks this weekend.

  “I haven’t decided who will be the starter just yet,” Petrino said. “I kind of have it in my mind who it’ll be.”

  Nathan Dick has spent much of the week working with the first-team offense, and he might have the upper hand on the starting job with his older brother getting over a concussion. 

  “I think they’ve worked real hard to get themselves ready,” Petrino said. “That’s a reason why I’ll probably play both of them.”

  I guess we’ll just have to wait until Saturday to see which Dick brother takes the field for the first snap.

  In other quarterback news, Petrino said freshman Tyler Wilson has been cleared to take part in non-contact drills after being sidelined with mono. Wilson threw passes during Thursday’s practice, and Petrino said there is a chance the freshman will be able to get a medical redshirt this season.

  “He’s better. He’s improved. He got the (clearance) to start working out a little bit,” Petrino said of Wilson. “Obviously, he came out in his helmet and threw the ball around a little bit. He can’t be around any contact, so he just threw some routes.”

  Cornerback Jerell Norton, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, has also returned to practice. But Petrino said Norton won’t play again this season.  

  Along with the challenge of having to beat out his younger brother for playing time, Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick must get over the effects of a concussion suffered nearly two weeks ago.

  Dick spoke to the media Tuesday evening for the first time since he took a helmet-to-helmet hit that forced him to miss the final minutes of a 34-21 loss at South Carolina on Nov. 8.

  “Getting over a concussion basically just takes time. You’ve got to wait for your mind to heal,” Dick said after wrapping up his second consecutive practice after missing all of last week with the concussion. “I don’t really know the healing process, but it just takes a couple of days for everything to get back to normal, get back to the way it was.”

  Dick said he’s feeling better and doesn’t appear too concerned with having to compete against his younger brother, redshirt freshman Nathan Dick, to see which one will start Saturday’s game at Mississippi State.

  Nathan Dick took snaps with the first-team offense during the first three periods of Tuesday’s practice, which are opened to the media. Casey Dick worked with the second-team offense.

  “I felt great. It just felt good to get back out here on Sunday and today,” Casey Dick. “So I take it take it day-by-day and see what happens.”

Arkansas’ defense had to prepare for two quarterbacks in its last game at South Carolina.

It looks like the Razorbacks will have to prepare for two more at Mississippi State.

Arkansas might see this guy some on Saturday

Junior college transfer Tyson Lee has been running the Bulldogs offense for the second half of the season, but opening day starter Wesley Carroll saw time in one series against Alabama last Saturday. Carroll — who threw for more than 400 yards against Arkansas last season — was expected to play a much bigger role in the Bulldogs’ season than he has so far, but has had a disappointing year. He started the first four games, but was benched in favor of Lee and hasn’t seen much time since.

However, MSU coach Sylvester Croom didn’t rule out the fact that he could use Carroll in certain situations against the Razorbacks on Saturday. Then again, what coach would? It’s much more fun to make a team prepare for two quarterbacks whether you intend to use them both or not. However, Croom said he went with Carroll for the series against Alabama because he runs the option better than Lee.

Carroll, of course, told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger he’d be happy with more time.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to do a little more of that,” Carroll told the newspaper. “That way, defenses have to prepare for two quarterbacks. And it is tough whenever you’ve got two quarterbacks with different styles.”

We’ll have more on MSU’s two quarterbacks later this week. We’ll also have an update on Arkansas’ quarterback situation as well as Casey Dick and Nathan Dick try to get the starting nod.

  Turns out, Arkansas has both a quarterback competition and a sibling rivalry going on this week.

  Coach Bobby Petrino said during his news conference Monday afternoon that senior Casey Dick and redshirt freshman Nathan Dick will compete in practice this week to see which brother will start against Mississippi State on Saturday.

  Casey Dick, who’s two years older than Nathan, returned to practice Sunday night after missing all of last week’s work because of a concussion suffered at South Carolina on Nov. 8. But Petrino said the decision to open the quarterback job up is not just because of the senior’s injury.

  Casey Dick struggled through a dismal performance in the 34-21 loss at South Carolina, and after he got knocked out late with the concussion, Nathan Dick came in and moved the offense. The younger brother led the Razorbacks to their final touchdown.

  Nathan Dick took over as Arkansas’ first-team quarterback in practice last week, and he split reps with Casey Dick during Sunday’s practice. It should make for an interesting week.

  Meanwhile, Petrino said running back Michael Smith returned to practice Sunday and appears to be getting back to his old form after missing all of last week with a shoulder injury. Defensive end Adrian Davis and offensive guard Grant Cook also took part in practice after missing time because of injuries.

 

Just got done filing two stories from Wednesday’s football practice.

It was a defensive day, but the biggest news came from the offense.

Quarterback Casey Dick didn’t practice and wasn’t on the field. That probably wasn’t unexpected after coach Bobby Petrino said Dick didn’t pass the mandatory concussion tests Tuesday. It’s likely that he’ll miss most of this week. Nathan Dick filled in for his brother with the first-team offense Wednesday. Alex Mortensen, Ryan Mallett and Jim Youngblood also got some work.

Here are some other nuggets:

• DE Adrian Davis was in uniform and took part in some individual work after missing the past two games with a sprained knee. Davis said he feels good and plans to be ready for the MSU game. Arkansas is taking it easy with him this week, but Davis said he should be full speed by next Tuesday’s practice.

• DE Damario Ambrose and S Jerico Nelson were both out. But they were on the sideline for the first time since suffering their knee injuries. Nelson was riding a stationary bike, while Ambrose was jogging. There’s no word on their status for the MSU game, yet.

• Defensive coordinator Willy Robinson spoke today and said the defense was “soft” against South Carolina. Especially in the second half. It’s an area the Razorbacks are planning to correct with more physical practices this week. In fact, a couple players told me it had a preseason vibe to it. There was more hitting and more first-team vs. first-team work. We’ll see if it pays off.

The Razorbacks will be back on the field Thursday for their final practice of the week (I think). The offensive players will be available for comment along with coordinator Paul Petrino. We’ll let you know what they say.