Peyton Hillis carried 4 times for 15 yards and caught more than one pass, of which one was a 26 yard gainer from Mustain. QB Casey Dick was held out of it because of an injury.
Freshman Mitch Mustain did pretty well in his first Arkansas scrimmage. He was five-of-eight for 70 yards and a TD and Int. His TD was to white WR John Aaron Rees. Here is a description of the incredible pass and catch.
With Rees double covered over the top by the safety and to the inside by the cornerback, Mustain threw to Rees' back shoulder. Rees adjusted to the pass and made the catch in the end zone, just inside the front pylon.
Like the gunslingers at the next level, Mustain recognized that Rees' back shoulder was the only target the ball could be thrown to. Aware that the cornerback had sight of Rees but not of a potential pass, Mustain zipped the ball past the oblivious defender.
" We were in the red zone and the safety was coming over the top and the corner was right on [Rees ], " Mustain said. " It's just one those instinct things. It's natural to keep the ball away from the defender. We were just lucky that the corner wasn't looking. "
Earlier in the scrimmage, Mustain exhibited the inexperience of youth after junior free safety Matt Hewitt intercepted an underthrown pass intended for Damian Williams. Two plays later, freshman cornerback Ramon Broadway jumped an out route in the right flat and dropped what would've been Mustain's second interception.
Mustain redeemed himself on the next series, hitting Peyton Hillis for 26 yards on a bootleg right. Two plays later, he completed a quick slant to Williams for 8 yards. After runs by Felix Jones and Hillis, Mustain threaded the touchdown pass between two defenders and the boundary to Rees.
Rees said the throw to his back shoulder wasn't scripted. He and Mustain adlibbed it. By working together in practice, Rees said he and the receivers have an almost extra-sensory link with the quarterbacks.
" He had to throw it like that because it was the only place he could, " Rees said. " You try to make the throw where ever the [defensive back ] isn't. We've been working so much together that things like that are almost like a sixth sense. "
Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said he was impressed with Mustain and Rees' unspoken communication, considering how difficult it is for a quarterback to develop timing and chemistry with each of 18 different receivers.
" That's real special, " Malzahn said. " The thing that stands out is we have 18 receivers and those two are able to get something like that going. They had a touchdown in Friday's practice. They're starting to hook up pretty good. "
Here's some more on the future Mustain to Rees connection. I hope to see this a lot.
Rees said he expects the receivers' rapport with Mustain and the other quarterbacks to grow stronger by the time fall practice concludes.
" We're doing this only after one week, " Rees said. " I can't imagine how much we'll come together after working with each other for a month. "
Rees also caught an 18-yard pass from Robert Johnson, setting up a 2-yard Hillis touchdown run. Just as he did on the touchdown pass from Mustain, Rees adjusted to Johnson's low pass, away from two defenders.
" It was a skinny post and I split the safeties, " Rees said. " I slid down to catch it. Robert made a nice throw. Sometimes you just have to go to where the ball is and be an athlete. "
Rees was a special teams player last year as a freshman, playing in nine games. He recovered a blocked punt in the fourth quarter against Alabama, setting up a field goal.
Rees graduated from Pulaski Academy, where in 2003 he caught 75 passes for 1, 347 yards and 17 touchdowns to help the Bruins to their first state championship.
