Davis happy to return

FAYETTEVILLE — Knile Davis smiled when he recalled the conversation with his mother Wednesday night.

The running back said they spoke before Arkansas’ first spring practice. She told Davis how proud she was of his hard work. She also said she so glad it was being rewarded with a chance to return to the football field.

“My family is happy. I’m happy, too,” Davis said a few hours later after Arkansas had wrapped up its first of 15 spring practices. “I’ve been through a lot of stuff just to be able to get back out here. So this is great.”

Arkansas has a lot to sort out this spring at positions like linebacker, safety and wide receiver as it begins to prepare for the 2012 season, but Davis’ return to the backfield after sitting out in 2011 because of a fractured ankle remains the biggest storyline.

The Razorbacks opened two practices to the public this week, offering the first glimpses of Davis carrying the football since he suffered the injury last August. He has shared work with teammates Dennis Johnson, Ronnie Wingo and Kody Walker, but said the repetitions have been the most extensive work he has received since the injury.

“I felt good. I felt fast,” Davis said. “I was excited to be out there. I was thinking about this all week last week, just waiting for this day to get here.”

It’s impossible to say he’s game ready, but Davis showed promise during the workouts. There was the explosion through holes in the line of scrimmage during run drills. The vision to cut back when defenders — who aren’t tackling ball carriers to the ground — are near. And the burst of speed to outrun defenders to the end zone.

Teammates weren’t surprised by the potential in the first two practices. But they were impressed.

“Knile is an amazing human being,” Arkansas receiver Javontee Herndon said. “I just like to watch him.”

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said earlier this week Davis was “100 percent” and would be “full-go” during spring drills. Any question he was ready was answered during the program’s pre-spring strength and speed tests.

Davis, once again, recorded some of the team’s top overall marks. He had Arkansas’ fastest 40-yard dash time (4.33 seconds), third-best squat (570 pounds) and fifth-best bench press (415). Davis said he basically equaled every mark he achieved last spring, which is significant.

“It was good just getting back to it, because when I first started after the injury, it was low,” Davis said.

Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said the numbers make it clear Davis, who rushed for 1,362 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2010, has had a good winter.

“He’s the fastest and strongest guy on the team,” Paul Petrino said. “So I’d say it’s pretty darn good.”

Does it mean he’ll be in the huddle when Arkansas holds its first live scrimmage? That remains to be seen.

Petrino said may not be ready for contact. The plan is to play it by ear, gauge his confidence running in traffic, then make a decision about scrimmage work.

Davis said he hasn’t spoken to Petrino about going through tackling drills. He doesn’t plan on it, either.

“I’m just going to do what he tells me to do,” Davis said. “If he wants me to go live, then I’m going to be live. If not, I’ll do what he says.”

Either way, Davis’ primary goal is to get reacclimated in the offense throughout the spring. He wants to mesh well with the offensive line, which is replacing two starters. He admitted running behind them “felt funny” at first Wednesday, but became normal as the day went on.

Davis is expecting some soreness in the ankle this spring because of the work. He’ll deal with it, though.

“Sometimes it gets fatigued in the morning when I first wake up,” Davis said. “But if I do my little routine before practice, get in the hot tub, massage and all that, it’s pretty good for practice.”

Davis — who turned down a chance to enter the 2012 NFL Draft to return to Arkansas — is just happy to be back on the field this spring. He said the next 13 practices will be critical, too, as he prepares for the 2012 season.

“It’s just the first step to get to the season and just getting that confidence back,” Davis said. “That’s really what I’m looking for – to get in the groove of things, trying to get back to my old self, really.”

Four Notes From Spring Practice

1. Wright Moves — Arkansas lost Alonzo Highsmith for the spring because of a pectoral muscle injury Tuesday. But the Razorbacks gained a linebacker Thursday, when defensive end Tenarius Wright practiced at the position. Coach Bobby Petrino said Arkansas wants to look at Wright at linebacker this spring, believing he could help the Razorbacks at the spot. Wright came to Arkansas as a linebacker, but has played at defensive end throughout his career and is the team’s most experienced lineman.

“The defensive staff liked what they saw out of Tenarius,” Petrino said. “He’s played there before. He’s much faster now than when he did play there. He has a want to. He’d love to do it. So we’ll take a look at it.”

Wright spent Thursday getting adjusted to the new role and tired out by the end of the workout. He ended the day hovered over a trash can, vomiting after the full day.

“He definitely got the D-line out of his system, didn’t he?” linebacker Matt Marshall said with a laugh.

2. Better Day Defense — Petrino said he wasn’t impressed with the defense’s pursuit during Wednesday’s practice. But that changed Thursday, as Arkansas wrapped up its final workout before the team departs for spring break.

“There is no question the defense came out and ran to the football better and did the little things better up front with their hands and getting off blocks,” Petrino said. “I thought the coaches did a good job of emphasizing that. I wasn’t really happy with the way the defense ran to the ball (Wednesday) night.”

3. Dean Impressive — Arkansas is taking a look at plenty of new pass catchers this spring. One player that continues to stand out is TE Demetrius Dean, the former Fayetteville High star in his first semester on campus.

“I think he’s a real special talent when you see the way he can run and move after the catch,” Petrino said. “I am really impressed with the way he can open his hips and stay running down field and catch balls behind him. He makes it look easy. He’s got great hands.”

4. Time For Spring Break — The Razorbacks have completed two of 15 spring practices. Now they take a nine-day break before returning to the field on March 27. Petrino was asked if he was concerned his team would be sluggish when it returns. He said his concern was elsewhere.

“What I’m worried about is to make sure everybody does everything right and is very safe,” Petrino said. “Come back, travel correctly. We get back here and do some studying. We’ll have plenty of time to get ready for that Tuesday practice.”