Arkansas Defensive Coordinator Paul Haynes said on Wednesday the Razorbacks have done some moving players around due to the season-ending injury to Alonzo Highsmith.
Tevin Mitchel, right, will return to action this week for the first since suffering injury against Louisiana-Monroe.
Cornerback Kaelon Kelleybrew will also play the back-up Star now while Jarrett Lake, who was doing that role, will now play inside linebacker. Lake will compete with freshmen A.J. Turner and Otha Peters there with Terrell Williams at the other inside linebacker spot. Haynes said he feels Turner is progressing well.
"He's doing good," Haynes said of Turner. "We moved Williams to our Mike so we've got Lake, Otha and A.J. all kind of spinning around with the Will and Mike spots. (Turner) is doing a good job for us. He's picking up on it. He's gotten a lot of reps so we're expecting good things out of him."
Williams is an example of someone who stays in the program and continues to work hard. In the spring, he was buried on the depth chart. He's now fourth on the team with 32 tackles including a team-high 12 last week against Auburn.
"As a senior, it's good to see he's playing good football for us," Haynes said. "He needed it and we needed him too. He's doing a good job for us. He has done a good job moving over to the other position for us. He has got to continue to do that for us and that leadership for us too."
Haynes has watched as the Razorbacks have suffered one injury after another, but he refuses to use it as an excuse.
"You know what, it's part of the game," Haynes said. "The next guy has got to get in there and play and produce. You can't sit around and talk about it too much and mope about it too much. You get the next guy in there and get him prepared. Our expectations have not changed. Being a young guy and a new guy isn't an excuse any more. These guys have played enough football for us. We just kind of expect those guys to go in, produce and be as productive as the other guys."
Haynes did get some good news on the injury front this week though with the return of cornerback Tevin Mitchel. Mitchel went out against Louisiana-Monroe in the second game of the season with an injury and hasn't returned since. He is practicing this week and will play, but may not start.
"Tevin will play a lot for us," Haynes said. "We haven't decided who is starting out for us, but you will see all those guys. (Will) Hines, (Davyon) McKinney and (Darius) Winston and Tevin, all those guys will be out there for us."
Haynes said that defensive end Chris Smith was fine and will play this week against Kentucky. Haynes did say he would be punished for his arrest earlier today on failure to appear for a speeding ticket, but didn't elaborate on what that punishment would be.
"He and coach talked and decided he would play," Haynes said. "It's something he will take care of and move forward. I don't know all the details of (the arrest) so I don't feel comfortable commenting on it."
As far as Saturday's opponent, Haynes said the Wildcats are a very well coached football team.
"They have gone through a lot of injuries at quarterback," Haynes said. "They're a very athletic team. Their running back runs hard. How much do they want to do with a young quarterback? I'm sure they're going to find out early what they are comfortable with him doing.
"He has played a lot of snaps for them. He got in there against South Carolina and did some good things for them. He also got in the Florida game and last week he played a lot for them. I'm sure the package won't be huge. They will try to establish the run and the quick passing game. They're also going to run him. It's an SEC game that we both have to win and so they're going to do whatever it takes for them to win it."
