Tag: Arkansas football

Hogs get quarterback Blake Boda from Coastal Carolina

Blake Boda won’t overtake Taylen Green, but he’ll compete with Singleton and Jackson for the No. 2 job. In theory.

Taylen Green is the unquestioned starting quarterback for the Arkansas football team going into the 2024 season. Who his No. 2 is remains one of the bigger questions the Razorbacks have to answer.

A new candidate emerged Tuesday night as former Coastal Carolina quarterback Blake Boda announced his commitment to Arkansas out of the transfer portal. Boda, who could be qualified as either a redshirt freshman or a sophomore, threw three passes in the 2023 season.

He was a three-star recruit out of the state of Florida in the Class of 2023 and may have ended up a starter for the Chanticleers in the future. However, injuries last year meant that Coastal Carolina used three quarterbacks with regularity, not including Boda, leading to a glut on the depth chart.

Such a glut may arise at Arkansas, too, eventually. Boda and Malachi Singleton are the same class and KJ Jackson is just behind.

That’s a problem for another day, though, as Green is locked into the role. Arkansas begins its season in late August against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Little Rock.

Ex-Hogs QB, Arkansas native Criswell transfer back to UNC

Good for Criswell, a Morrilton grad who clearly has foun a home in North Carolina.

Jacolby Criswell is a Natural State native, but it’s clear he is just as comfortable back east.

Criswell, the former Arkansas quarterback, committed to North Carolina out of the transfer portal this week. He previously served as the Tar Heels’ back-up for three seasons before exiting the UNC program for Fayetteville for the 2023 season. He served one year as back-up to KJ Jefferson.

Jefferson transferred to UCF in the offseason, leaving Criswell in competition with Boise State transfer Taylen Green for the starting role. Green quickly estbalished himself as the starter in spring practices. With freshmen Malachi Singleton and KJ Jackson on the roster, Criswell exited shortly after the spring game.

He played in four games with the Razorbacks, going 17 of 27 passing for 143 yards and three touchdowns. His most significant game action came in the season finale, a 41-14 loss to Missouri, during which he went 12 of 20 for 96 yards and a touchdown.

Criswell is expected to slide back into the No. 2 role with the Tar Heels behind former Texas A&M and LSU quarterback Max Johnson.

Arkansas running back Dominique Johnson enters transfer portal

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Dominique Johnson has entered the transfer portal.

Arkansas running back Dominique Johnson entered the transfer portal on Monday after spending four seasons in Fayetteville.

Matt Zenitz of 247Sports and CBS Sports first reported the news.

A member of the 2020 recruiting class, Johnson had 136 carries for 785 yards and eight touchdowns with the Razorbacks over the past three seasons. He also had nine catches for 75 yards and a touchdown in that span.

Most of those yards came during his sophomore season in 2021 before he suffered knee injuries. Johnson made six starts at tailback that year, finishing the season with 575 rushing yards and seven touchdown on 97 carries. He also added seven receptions for 71 yards and a score.

Last season, Johnson had 31 carries for 167 yards (5.4 per carry) and one touchdown in nine games. He had a season-high 62 yards on six carries in Arkansas’ 44-20 victory over FIU on November 18.

Both 247Sports and On3 listed Johnson as a three-star recruit coming out of Crowley (Texas) High School in 2020.

Al Walcott headed to Buffalo for training camp with Bills

Walcott was a star at Baylor and while he didn’t duplicate those numbers at Arkansas, the Hogs’ pass defense was still great with him at the back.

Alfahiym Walcott is trading the Natural and Lone Star states for western New York.

At least it’s almost summertime.

Walcott, the former safety for Arkansas and Baylor, receive an invitation to attend training camp for the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. He is one of six who played the 2024 season with the Razorbacks who were invited to such camps. Another two former Arkansas players, Beaux Limmer and Cam Little, were drafted.

Walcott finished fourth on the team with 56 tackles and had three interceptions, including one for a touchdown. Arkansas’ pass defense was one of the best in the country with Walcott teaming at the back with Jayden Johnson. The Hogs allowed just 202.8 yards per game, ranking 32nd in FBS.

Before transferring to Fayetteville, Walcott played three seasons with the Bears. He logged 82 tackles, including 10 for-loss with three forced fumbles in his final season in Waco. Arkansas used him in a different way.

McGlothern signs with Vikings, with something to prove

Gotta be honest, a little surprised McGlothern wasn’t selected in the draft.

Arkansas cornerback Dwight McGlothern was the most likely Razorbacks player to go in the NFL Draft who was not selected.

Instead, McGlothern signed with the Minnesota Vikings after the draft’s conclusion and undoubtedly will seek to prove his worth as one of 17 players the Vikes signed.

McGlothern played two seasons with the Razorbacks, both of which were All-SEC caliber. In those two years, McGlothern had 72 tackles, seven interceptions and 16 pass break-ups. The latter two statistics led the Razorbacks in the span.

He was one of four Arkansas players to sign deals after the draft resulted in just two former Hogs being selected. Kicker Cam Little went to the Jaguars and offensive lineman Beaux Limmer was taken by the Rams. Both went in the sixth round.

McGlothern played opposite Jaylen Braxton at cornerback for the Razorbacks in 2023. During spring camp, Braxton kept his starting gig, while McGlothern’s was largely split between Snaxx Johnson, Kee’yon Stewart and Jaheim Singletary. Johnson subsequently entered the transfer portal.

Defensive end John Morgan signs with Patriots

John Morgan didn’t get much run with the Hogs after transferring from Pitt, but New England liked his style.

John Morgan didn’t get too much a chance to crack Arkansas’ defensive line rotation in 2023 after transferring from Pittsburgh.

Apparently, New England like what it saw from him enough at Pitt and in the combine because the Patriots signed the one-year Razorback defensive to a rookie deal following the draft.

Morgan played just a season in Fayetteville and ranked 20th on the team with 15 tackles. Four came for-loss and he added two sacks and a forced fumble as he spent a bulk of the year on the team’s second unit.

At Pittsburgh, Morgan was much more productive. He had 11 quarterback hurries to go with 5 1/2 sacks during his junior season.

Morgan was one of four former Arkansas players to sign free-agent deals over the weekend after the Razorbacks saw two players – offensive lineman Beaux Limmer and kicker Cam Little – taken in the draft.

Taking Morgan’s place in the Arkansas depth chart this spring was redshirt freshman Quincy Rhodes. The Hogs open the season August 29 in Little Rock against UAPB.

Former Hogs linebacker Antonio Grier signs with Bucs

Grier was in Fayetteville just one season, but grew as that season went on.

Former Arkansas and South Florida linebacker Antonio Grier signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the weekend following the NFL Draft.

Grier was one of seven who played for Arkansas who had a shot at being taken in the draft. Only kicker Cam Little and offensive lineman Beaux Limmer were selected.

Grier played just one season in Fayetteville, largley as the team’s third linebacker following his transfer from USF. He finised third among his position and seventh on the team with 36 tackles, earning more playing time as the season progressed.

Arkansas lost almost its entire linebacking corps in the offseason, returning only freshmen. In the spring, the Razorbacks’ top four were Georgia transfer Xavian Sorey, returners Brad Spencer, Alex Sanford and Carson Dean.

The Razorbacks are set to open the 2024 season, coach Sam Pittman’s fifth at the helm, in Little Rock on August 29, a Tuesday, against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Beaux Limmer drafted in sixth round by Los Angeles Rams; late-round steal?

2024 NFL Draft: The Los Angeles Rams selected Arkansas’ Beaux Limmer in the sixth round of the NFL Draft Saturday.

Former Arkansas offensive lineman Beaux Limmer is headed west.

Limmer became the second Razorbacks player — behind kicker Cam Little — from this year’s draft class to be chosen in the 2024 NFL Draft when the Los Angeles Rams selected him with a sixth-round pick (217th overall) late Saturday.

A three-year starter on the Razorbacks’ offensive line who played all three interior positions, Limmer made 41 starts for Arkansas in his college career — including 36 straight. He moved to center ahead of the 2023 season.

Dane Brugler, an NFL draft analyst for The Athletic, had Limmer as a fifth-round pick ahead of the draft. Pro Football Focus (PFF) had also graded Limmer as the Razorbacks’ top-rated offensive lineman for 2023.

And our friends over at Rams Wire believe Limmer to be a steal for Sean McVay’s team.

Limmer was named to both the Rimington Trophy Watch List and Outland Trophy Watch List ahead of last season. He was also selected to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. back in February.

Cam Little is first Arkansas player chosen in 2024 NFL Draft

2024 NFL Draft: Arkansas kicker Cam Little was the first Razorbacks player chosen in the 2024 NFL Draft when he went in the sixth round to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The wait for an Arkansas Razorback to be selected in the 2024 NFL Draft is over.

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected kicker Cam Little in the sixth round (212th overall) of the draft Saturday.

Little opted to forgo his senior year of eligibility for a shot at the draft, a decision that paid off for him. The Moore, Okla. native finished his three-year Arkansas career as the most accurate kicker in program history.

For his career, Little made 53 of 64 field goal attempts for an 82.8 percent success rate and was a perfect 129-for-129 on extra points. He made seven kicks of 50 yards or more, including a career-best 56-yard kick in the Razorbacks’ 27-20 loss at Ole Miss last season. That kick qualified as the seventh-longest field goal in Arkansas history — and the longest since 1988.

Little added a 55-yard field goal the following week at Alabama. It marked the third straight game that Little had made a kick from 50-plus yards.

An All-SEC selection, Little connected on 20 of 24 field goals last season and was 33 of 33 on extra points. He also led the SEC and finished fourth nationally with a touchback percentage of 85.5 percent.

Little was the third kicker chosen in the draft behind Alabama’s Will Reichard (sixth round, 203rd overall by Minnesota) and Stanford’s Joshua Karty (sixth round, 209th overall by the Los Angeles Rams).

Switzer – no, not that one – commits to Arkansas out of transfer portal

This Switzer, just like the one you intially thought of, is an Arkansas native.

The man who goes by the first name Anthony should be a quick fan-favorite in Arkansas.

Anthony Switzer, a hybrid defensive back-linebacker from Utah State, committed to Arkansas out of the transfer portal on Friday. He is, of course, no relation to former Arkansas football player, Oklahoma Sooners and Dallas Cowboys head coach Barry Switzer.

But count on the references coming in the 2024 season.

Switzer was an All-Mountain West honorable selection last year. He had 85 tackles, incluing eight for-loss, three sacks, an interception and four pass break-ups for the Aggies in his lone season in Logan. Before transferring to Utah State, he played in 24 games at Arkansas State.

A graduate of Marion High, Switzer spent three years in Jonesboro after being named all-state. He was just a two-star recruit coming out of MHS, but impressed so much with Utah State last year, he was an easy offer during his visit to Fayetteville earlier in the week.

Switzer is the third player to commit to Arkansas since the portal re-opened in the spring, joining running back Rodney Hill and linebacker Larry Worth.