Three 2 Watch: No. 2 — Receivers (offense)

The “Three 2 Watch” are the most intriguing players and situations on offense and defense as the Razorbacks enter a pivotal spring season.

The second-most intriguing story on offense this spring is the addition of Kris Cinkovich as the receivers coach and how it will affect the Razorbacks’ already strong receiving corps.

THREE 2 WATCH: OFFENSE

No. 2 — WIDE RECEIVERS

Position coach: Kris Cinkovich

LEADERS
Junior Joe Adams (5-11, 182) — 29 catches for 568 yards, 7 TDs
Junior Greg Childs (6-3, 217) — 48 catches for 894 yards, 7 TDs
Junior Jarius Wright (5-10, 180) — 41 catches for 681 yards, 5 TDs
Sophomore Cobi Hamilton (6-3, 209) — 19 catches for 347 yards, 3 TDs

The skinny

Kris Cinkovich

Arkansas had a huge hole to fill when receivers coach Paul Petrino left the Razorbacks before the Liberty Bowl to take the offensive coordinator job at Illinois. Petrino was one of the most hand-on coaches on the Arkansas staff and had crafted one of the best receiving corps in the nation out of three standout sophomores and a true freshman with speed, Cobi Hamilton.

Balls were rarely dropped, and at least one receiver had an eye-opening catch in each game. But with Petrino gone, the Razorbacks’ offense and receivers struggled in the Liberty Bowl. Several balls were dropped in the cold weather and what resulted was the receiving corps’ second-lowest output of the season (202 yards).

Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino hired a familiar face to replace his younger brother, Paul, in January. Kris Cinkovich, who has coached and played on the collegiate level previously with the Petrino Bros., promises to be hands on and fiery, much like Paul Petrino.

What 2 Watch

Arkansas receiver Greg Childs runs down the sidelines past Florida cornerback Joe Haden in the second quarter of the Razorbacks' 23-20 loss at Florida on Oct. 17, 2009. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/BENJAMIN KRAIN)

From Day 1, all eyes will be on Cinkovich. Is the receivers coach from UNLV all he’s said to be? Will he be hands on? Will the players react in as favorable a manner as they did when Paul Petrino lined up alongside receivers, ran routes and critiqued players during a fast-paced workout?

Also, can the trio of juniors — Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright — pick up where they left off in 2009? They were the most dominating sophomores in college football last season, combining for 19 touchdowns and more than 2,100 yards. Motivating Childs, the Razorbacks’ biggest target, may not be a problem after the team’s leader in catches and receiving yards was snubbed on several postseason awards lists in 2009.

And don’t forget about Adams, who still managed to turn in one of the best performances in the SEC after missing three games because of a minor stroke. He may just be the best receiver on the roster.

Meanwhile, can sophomore Cobi Hamilton become a reliable target down field and how will De’Anthony Curtis adjust from a move from running back to receiver in the spring? Curtis’ moves were once compared by Bobby Petrino to those of former Razorback Felix Jones, but Curtis’ fumbling problems in 2008 pushed him down the depth chart in the backfield.

Make sure to keep an eye on freshman Lance Ray, who ran the second fastest 40-yard dash (4.35 seconds) last week. Ray is listed No. 2 behind Childs at the X position.

What 2 Expect

Don’t be surprised to see some early hiccups from the receivers as they adjust to a new coach and new way of approaching practice. With two years of playing time under their belt, the juniors should lead by example and adjust quickly after the first week of practices.

The Razorbacks may also extend the field this spring, looking more to the sidelines for deep passes behind the secondary. Bobby Petrino has mentioned a desire to throw down field more and speedsters like Hamilton, Ray and Wright will flourish if that’s the case.

What 2 Say

I think the world of Cink. He’ll do a great job there. That was an excellent hire and Cink’s a great coach, motivator and teacher. … I consider him one of my good friends.

— Former Arkansas receivers coach/offensive coordinator Paul Petrino

VIDEO: Hogs win with Adams’ return

THREE 2 WATCH — OFFENSE

No. 1 — Wednesday
No. 2 — Wide receivers
No. 3 — Tight end Chris Gragg

THREE 2 WATCH — DEFENSE

No. 1 — Monday
No. 2 — Friday
No. 3 — Thursday

—–

Coming up Wednesday, the No. 1 player/situation with Arkansas’ offense on my Three 2 Watch list.

Make sure to check out WholeHogSports.com and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for more coverage. You can also follow us on Twitter for breaking news updates with @bmarcello and @wholehogsports.

— Brandon Marcello