Arkansas will be without three key players as they take on Auburn on Saturday at Auburn.
Arkansas defensive end Tenarius Wright will miss Saturday's game with a shoulder injury.
Arkansas Coach John L. Smith said on Thursday that defensive end Tenarius Wright, tight end Chris Gragg and cornerback Tevin Mitchel will all miss the game.
"Gragg is still not ready to go," Smith said. "We're knocking on wood maybe in a week. Tevin came out and ran some, but did not do contact this week so knocking on wood another week and he will be ready. (Kaelon) Kelleybrew is ready to go as is Eric Bennett. Tank's shoulder is not good so he will probably miss this week. Other than than I think we're good."
Wright's injury is the only new one announced by Smith, but wasn't anything he did this week.
"No, he has had that," Smith said. "That was part of the reason we moved him back down to defensive end to try and take some of the heat that hurting it any more than it has been. I think what we have to do is get him an MRI next week and finally out exactly where that is."
As far as practice, Smith liked what he saw from his team on Thursday.
"Perfect Thursday was more perfect," Smith said. "We had a good day. We had a good week of practice. Tuesday was really good and Wednesday wasn't quite as good. Today was much more perfect than it had been. I'm proud of the way we practiced and I think we're prepared. The coaches did a good job keeing these guys motivated this week. They want hard this week and fast, energetic and all of the above. Now, it's just a matter of going there and playing that way. Taking what we have done here to the game field. That was as good a Tuesday as we've ever had."
Smith hopes to add true freshman Nate Holmes to the patched-up secondary this week. Holmes is a former running back who also returns punts. He moved over to cornerback a couple of weeks ago. With Mitchel still out another week Smith said he may play Holmes some at corner this. Smith said both Holmes and Keante Minor will return punts this week.
"We hope to," Smith said of playing Holmes. "He is progressing all the time. It's not a lack of any physical skills, it's just a matter of learning it. Had we made this move in fall camp he would be going right now."
Smith was an assistant on Bobby Petrino's staff in 2010 that went to Auburn and played against quarterback Cam Newton and the eventual national champion Tigers. Newton and Auburn won that day 65-43 and Smith was obviously impressed with Newton, who went on to become the Heisman Trophy winner and first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
"My recollection of that game was when it came time that big guy back there said 'I'm going to go win this,'" Smith said. "We had guys bouncing off him. We couldn't get him down. We didn't get it done and he did that to a lot of people."
Two years after that game, Arkansas is now 1-4 and Auburn is 1-3 for the season. In 2010, not only did Auburn win the national title the Razorbacks played in the school's first BCS Bowl Game against Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.
"The field is level," Smith said. "I think it says moreso than anything. You do a good job and get out and do some recruiting. In 2010, they had a special guy who would go out and take it over. You don't see those guys come along very often. That made them a great football football team."
Smith was once again asked what it would take to break Arkansas' current losing streak that this week is up to four games.
"We can't afford to turn the ball over," Smith said. "Hopefully, we can get a turnover or two. If we can win the turnover battle it would be a step in the right direction. It's more though taking our game to the field and being more consistent. Consistency will prevent the turnover. Consistency when we get down and make the block and, of course, run the football a little bit better."
Former Razorback Bret Harris was was arrested on Tuesday and charged with felony terroristic threatening on Matthew Summers. Summers in Arkansas' head athletic trainer for football. Smith talked about Harris on Thursday.
"I love Bret," Smith said. "If he has some issues we have to do everything to help him. We have to try to do that. In coming back, I thought he was going to do some coaching. We've talked several times since I've been back. He's a good, young man. If he has some issues and problems we need to get him some help."
