By NATE ALLEN
Special to the Leader
FAYETTEVILLE – Including quarterback Casey Dick and wide receiver Cedric Washington, all but maybe one of the maximum allowed 105 Razorbacks expected to report Aug. 4 should participate in Arkansas’ first football practice on Aug. 5.
Offensive lineman Cody Green, coming off major back surgery, could be the exception, trainer Dean Weber said after initially asserting Monday, “We expect everyone to be here in the 105 to practice.”
Apparently compared to Green, Dick and Washington experienced far more minor back problems last spring.
Dick, whose spring drills didn’t match his solid four games as Arkansas’ starting quarterback as a true freshman finishing the 2005 season, didn’t report he was ailing until well after the spring practices.
He wasn’t with the other quarterbacks during the summer ongoing voluntary workouts which naturally prompted rumors about his injury’s severity.
“He’s doing great,” Weber said recently. “He’s really coming around. He’s making excellent progress. In all likelihood he’ll participate more and more in the month of July. All indications are his recovery is nearly complete. That’s not to say, that as in a lot of cases, he might not have a flareup occasionally.”
So far Dick’s progress seems to match Weber’s words. Dick has been throwing during the voluntary workouts this week.
Washington’s back bothered him throughout the spring, so the staff has been understandably cautious about limiting him during the June/July offseason.
“He’ll be fine,” Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said.
Junior quarterback Robert Johnson is throwing again and apparently recovering well from the hernia surgery he had earlier this summer.
While 105 is the maximum allowed in camp for August preseason drills, the numbers then swell with those, mostly walkons, allowed to report once UA classes begin later in August.
However, some late additions may be scholarship players.
Freddie Barnett, the Texarkana born defensive lineman transferring from Trinity Valley (Texas) Junior College, apparently is still going to be involved in summer school work mandatory for his eligibility while the Razorbacks report Aug. 4.
Defensive end Chris Wade, transferring from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College, also is taking summer school courses but is expected to have ever
