Tag: Arkansas Razorbacks

College Football News Preview 2020: Arkansas Razorbacks

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Arkansas Razorbacks season with what you need to know.

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Arkansas Razorbacks season with what you need to know.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Arkansas Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

2019 Record: 2-10 overall, 0-8 in SEC
Head Coach: Sam Pittman, 1st year
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 96
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 121
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 61

No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.

5. College Football News Preview 2020: Arkansas Razorbacks Offense 3 Things To Know

– The Hogs brought in a head coach who was supposed to be all about cranking up the offense, and Chad Morris could never make it happen in his two years. Now he’s the offensive coordinator at Auburn.

Enter Sam Pittman, a career assistant who mostly dealt with offensive lines in his 16 previous gigs, including at Arkansas under in the mid-2010s. He might not have any head coaching experience outside of the high school and community college level, but he brought in a few coordinators to help make up for that.

CFN in 60 Video: Arkansas Razorbacks Preview
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In comes Kendal Briles, who couldn’t get the offense rolling at Florida State last year as the OC, but will try to up the tempo and create something that can compete with the rest of the high-powered attacks in the SEC West.

Improving the nation’s 111th best offense that averaged 340 yards and 21 points per game – and failed to score more than 24 points ten times in 12 games – starts with getting more out of the passing game. Five different quarterbacks combined to miss more than half of their throws, connect on just 5.7 yards per pass, and threw 14 touchdown passes with 15 interceptions.

Fortunately, this could be a big plus area with Florida’s Feleipe Franks transferring in after throwing for 4,593 yards and 38 touchdowns with 17 picks and eight rushing scores before suffering a broken leg last year. He’s expected to be fine for the season, but redshirt freshman KJ Jefferson is another promising option who struggled as a freshman, but has the skills to grow into something dangerous.

– The rest of the skill parts are at least experienced. Rakeem Boyd was a bright spot with a team-high 1,133 rushing yards and eight scores, and Arizona State transfer Trelon Smith should be ready to go as a speedy all-around option in the mix.

The top seven wide receivers are expected back along with high-end tight end prospect Hudson Henry. Trelon Burks is a huge 6-3, 231-pound target who led the way with 475 receiving yards on his 29 catches, but he failed to score.

Mike Woods tied for the team lead with 33 catches and four touchdowns, and Trey Knox is a 6-5, 203-pound potential matchup problem who made plenty of plays – this is a very big, very young group that could blow up fast.

– Considering Pittman’s talent as an offensive line coach, there’s no reason to not be decent up front right away. This was a relative positive last season, with the line doing a decent job in pass protection while paving the way for Boyd. This group could be far more consistent and stronger, but four starters are back – only losing left guard Austin Capps – along with most of the key backups.

NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Arkansas Razorbacks Defense 3 Things To Know

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5

Nevada Football:First Look At Nevada Vs Arkansas

Nevada Football:First Look At Nevada Vs Arkansas An early preview of Nevada’s match-up against SEC opponent Arkansas Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire A Preview Of Nevada’s Contest Against Arkansas On September 5th 2020, the Nevada Wolf Pack …

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Nevada Football:First Look At Nevada Vs Arkansas

An early preview of Nevada’s match-up against SEC opponent Arkansas

Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire

A Preview Of Nevada’s Contest Against Arkansas

On September 5th 2020, the Nevada Wolf Pack travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks.

The contest between the Wolf Pack and the Razorbacks will be the first ever meeting between the two schools on the football field. However, the two schools do share some common history. The current head coach of the Arkansas men’s basketball team is Eric Musselman and Musselman was the former head coach of the Nevada Wolf Pack men’s basketball team. 

From 2015-2019, Musselman led the Wolf Pack men’s basketball team and his record during that time period was 100-39 while winning four conference championships (three regular season titles, one tournament title) and earning a Sweet 16 berth in 2018. Musselman left the Nevada job to take over as head coach of the Razorback men’s basketball program after the 2019 season. 

This is the third time Nevada has played an SEC opponent in the last six seasons. In 2015, the Wolf Pack played Texas A&M in College Station and lost 44-27. In 2018, the Wolf Pack faced Vanderbilt in Nashville and lost 41-10. Nevada is looking to snap a two game losing skid against SEC teams when they face the Razorbacks in Week 1.

This may be the best chance for Nevada to defeat an SEC team because this Razorback program is in bad shape. The Razorbacks have had three straight losing seasons and back to back 2-10 seasons in 2018 and 2019.

Arkansas is hoping new head coach Sam Pittman (formerly the associate head coach and offensive line coach at Georgia) can rebuild the program.  Pittman has a hard rebuilding job on his hands taking over for former Arkansas head coach Chad Morris. Last season, the Razorbacks were bad in almost every statistical category both in the SEC and in the country. 

Arkansas was last in the SEC in scoring defense (36.8 points per game-124th in the nation), run defense (221.5 rush ypg-122nd in the nation) and total defense (450 ypg-110th in the nation). Arkansas porous defense should provide an opportunity for the Wolf Pack offense to score plenty of points in Fayetteville .

This contest between the Wolf Pack and the Razorbacks is a great chance for Nevada to earn its first victory over an SEC opponent. Arkansas is a bad team that is breaking in a new head coach and its defense is terrible. Nevada does have the talent on offense to attack the abysmal Arkansas defense and come away with the victory and a 2-0 start.

Arkansas has had troubles playing against teams from the Mountain West recently. In 2018, the Razorbacks lost to the Colorado State Rams in Fort Collins 34-27. And last season, the Razorbacks lost at home to San Jose State 31-24. Safe to say that Nevada’s chances of coming away with a win over Arkansas are pretty good.

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Chargers TE Hunter Henry graduates from University of Arkansas

While being one of the league’s top tight ends, Hunter Henry still managed to get his education.

Hunter Henry has become one of the league’s most premiere tight ends since joining the Chargers.

His main focus has been helping out with putting the Chargers in the best position to succeed by doing what he does best on the field. While doing that, he still managed to prioritize his education.

Henry, 26, graduated from the University of Arkansas on Saturday, four years after leaving school early for the NFL.

Henry, the Atlanta native, played his college ball for the Razorbacks before being selected by the Chargers in the second-round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

“Thank you!” Henry said in his statement “Worked hard to get this. Promised my mom and my wife when I left that I would get my degree.”

Henry signed his franchise tag earlier this offseason. He said that him and the franchise were close to a long-term deal, but the coronavirus crisis put things to a halt and he’s hopeful that it’ll all work out soon.

Even though he’s battled injuries, Henry has been productive. In three seasons played, the former Arkansas product posted 136 receptions for 1,709 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Watch: Wild, scary video of ex-Dallas Cowboy RB Darren McFadden’s arrest

TMZ got its hands on the video of former Cowboys and Raiders RB Darren McFadden’s arrest in January.

Another crazy video uncovered by TMZ of a football player getting in trouble with the law.

This time the entertainment juggernaut got its hands on the wild scene and arrrest of former Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden in January.

McFadden was found asleep in his SUV outside a Whataburger fast-food restaurant in McKinney, Tx. Officers tried to wake up the former first-round pick by banging on the SUV and rocking it.

McFadden’s foot slipped and his vehicle hit the restaurant. Officers broke the windows open in a more intense effort to get McFadden to awaken. A fight then ensued between McFadden and the officers. The cops Tased McFadden and pointed a gun at him to stop the fight.

The 31-year-old Razorback was hit with two misdemeanor charges, including a resisting arrest or search infraction, following his arrest 40 miles north of Dallas. McFadden was booked into the Collin County jail and released after posting $2,000 bail.

Another power five conference school plans a return to football

Latest reports show that the University of Arkansas and Iowa are planning on a return to the practice field. How far away is football?

The COVID-19 situation has put a damper on things from a sports perspective and for good reason. All sports has been cancelled for the time being. A culmination of events led to a worldwide shutdown back on March 12th. The NBA suspended their season, MLB postponed the start of theirs and college athletics cancelled everything. Recent reports involving the NBA and MLB led many to believe that sports could be making a comeback into our lives in the very near future. The big question has been surrounding football.

Recently in the world of football, universities are putting plans in place for a return to the gridiron. The University of Iowa has reportedly planned to return to football practice effective on June 1, 2020. That was the first school to make it aware that football would be returning to the practice field. Now another power five conference school is planning for football to return on September 5th. The Arkansas Razorbacks are making plans to begin practicing mid July.

This is just another step in the direction for football to make a return to college campuses. With two major schools making their plans known, how many more will follow? It is hard to not have some excitement with the news of a Big Ten and Southeast Conference school taking the plunge that will likely create a domino effect across the landscape of college athletics.

The only question now becomes, if and when does the University of Texas and athletic director Chris Del Conte get involved?

Texans 2020 NFL draft target: Arkansas DL McTelvin Agim

If the Houston Texans are looking for a sleeper pick to help their defensive line, former Arkansas Razorbacks DL McTelvin Agim could be the answer.

The Houston Texans need to beef up their defensive line.

Three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt will be 31 years old when Week 1 kicks off in September, and the unit must replenish its lost talent with defensive tackle D.J. Reader now with the Cincinnati Bengals.

If the Texans want to find a sleeper, in the same way they landed Texas defensive end Charles Omenihu in the fifth round last year, then there is no one better than former Arkansas Razorbacks defensive lineman McTelvin Agim.

The Texarkana, Texas, native had a workout lined up with the Texans prior to the cancellation of private workouts and facility visits. Though the Razorbacks were bottom feeders in the SEC West under Chad Morris in Agim’s final two seasons, Agim impressed scouts at the East-West Shrine Game, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

Mark Schofield from the Touchdown Wire believes Agim can be a penetrating defensive tackle in the NFL.

What gives Agim the potential to stick at the next level is his explosiveness combined with what he brings to the table as a penetrating defensive tackle. Turn on any one of his games and you will see an impressive first step, with the quickness to penetrate gaps off the snap and give offensive lines immediate trouble. You will also see an array of pass rushing moves, as he put on film against Alabama:

Bear in mind, this came in the second half of a blowout loss to the Crimson Tide, and against Alabama’s starting offensive line. Agim uses a swat to rip combination that scouts would love to see from an edge defender, let alone an interior defensive lineman.

Houston’s day three picks include a fourth-rounder (111th overall), a fifth-rounder (171st overall), and three seventh-rounders (240th, 248th, 250th). If the Texans can get Agim in day three, preferably in the fifth round or later, he could develop into another solid, young defensive lineman.

Who will be this year’s surprise Day 2 pick for the Lions?

Every year during Day 2 of the NFL Draft, Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn surprises fans with selection most are unfamiliar with. Who will be this year’s player?

Every year during Day 2 of the NFL Draft, Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn surprises fans with a selection most are unfamiliar with.

In Quinn’s first season in Detroit, he played it safe, but year two of the Quinn era saw the addition of little known Northern Illinois’ wide receiver Kenny Golladay in the third round. The next two seasons saw Quinn target the defensive side of the ball and land two more lesser-known players in Louisiana safety Tracy Walker (third-round pick in year three) and Hawaii linebacker Jahlani Tavai (second round of last year’s draft).

Golladay and Walker are already two of the most important players on the Lions roster, while expectations are high Tavai steps into a much larger role in 2020.

So, who is this year’s player not enough Lions fans know about but could end up being selected on Day 2 by Quinn? Here’s my best guess:

McTelvin Agim, DL, Arkansas

Agim was a five-star defensive end in high school, winning the Arkansas player of the year award, and electing to stay in-state to attend college instead of accepting offers from several larger schools, including Alabama and LSU.

Agim started at defensive end as a Freshman at Arkansas and was named to the SEC Freshman All-American team. Over the next two seasons, Agim continued to start in Arkansas’ multiple front, racking up 11 sacks and 23 tackles for loss.

Entering his senior year, the Razorbacks asked Agim to add weight and shift inside to the 3-technique, filling a hole on their roster. He accepted the new challenge and went on to be named a captain.

After his senior season — adding another five sacks and eight and a half tackles for loss to his resume — Agim accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine game and dominated, earning a call up to the Senior Bowl.

At the Senior bowl, Agim was placed on the North squad and practiced under the tutelage of the Detroit Lions coaching staff. Here’s a picture of Agim (on the right) giving coach Matt Patricia a Gatorade shower after the victory.

AP Photo/Butch Dill

Because Arkansas operates a multiple defensive front, it’s common to see teams like the Lions — who run a similar scheme — tap into their system for defensive linemen. The Lions’ Trey Flowers and Patriots’ Deatrich Wise are great examples of how an Arkansas defensive lineman can find success in the NFL in this scheme.

Athletically, Agim fits the mold of what the Lions look for in a defensive lineman. At 6-3, 309 pounds, and 33.5″ arm length, Agim was able to add weight last season without losing any of his athleticism.

My Quinn Influenced Benchmarks (QIB) system looks for a defensive lineman to have high marks in the 10 yard-split, broad jump, and short shuttle. Agim (a FULL QIB qualifier) passes each with flying colors with a 1.76 10y/s, 9’1” broad jump, and 4.66-second short shuttle.

On the field, Agim continues to check the boxes the Lions prefer. Here are some of his positive attributes:

  • He is durable, never missing a game
  • Capable of 2-gapping
  • He is excellent against the run
  • Penetrating skills are improving with experience
  • Uses length to create leverage and hold ground at point-of-attack
  • Aggressive hands
  • Uses hands to hold gap and shed blockers versus the run and pass
  • 4-years starting experience in Arkansas pipeline
  • Team captain
  • Intelligent with high character

He does have some areas where he needs to improve:

  • Needs to get stronger, as he can get out leveraged when he gets upright too early in the rep
  • Struggled to shed double teams
  • Only one year experience inside which has led to him being behind in interior technique development

From a Lions perspective, Agim is one of only three defensive tackles to check every box both physically and athletically and is the only one capable of immediately contributing in year one in the NFL.

Agim’s positive attributes heavily outweigh the negative and all three negative areas can be improved/corrected with NFL coaching.

If Agim is Drafted by the Lions, he would fill a need as a rotational defensive tackle, alternating snaps at the 3-technique and as a BIG DE with Da’Shawn Hand, Nick Williams, and Kevin Strong.

Most NFL analysts have placed a fourth-round grade on Agim — though his agent Nicole Lynn notes the buzz surrounding him suggests his value is much higher — and as Quinn has shown in the past if he has his focus locked in on a player he’s not afraid to go get that player ahead of the curve.

College golf: Trick shots and togetherness, even when players are apart

Trick-shot, club-bounce and Zoom team meeting montages posted to Twitter on Thursday proved that college golf teams are still communicating.

College golf has shut down for the rest of the 2020 season and many players have packed up to return home. Still, this should be about the time of year players are ramping up for conference championships, not winding down into uncertainty.

It’s tough to take the “golf” out of a college golfer, though, no matter how far he or she may be separated from the rest of the team. A series of trick-shot, club-bounce and Zoom team meeting montages posted to Twitter on Thursday proved that.

Related: #roadtograyhawk college golf blog

PGA Tour players aren’t the only ones who can play the trick-shot game. Take a look at some of our favorites (and tag us at @collegegolf if your team has been inspired), led by Wake Forest’s women, who ended the season ranked No. 3 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings after a 26-shot win at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate.

Wake Forest women

Arkansas women

Oklahoma State women

Ball State women

Stanford men

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Longhorns Baseball: Texas-sized upset over No 6 Arkansas

The Texas Longhorns pulled off the upset of number six ranked Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday evening.

After falling to the number 11 ranked Louisiana State Tigers on Friday night, Texas was back at Minute Maid Park to take on an old Southwest Conference foe in the number six ranked Arkansas Razorbacks. Ty Madden took the mound looking to get back on the winning side in the second game of the Shriner’s Hospital for Children College Baseball Classic.

Madden was able to keep the Razorbacks at bay through the first four innings of scoreless baseball. The Longhorns offense went to work after being grounded in the final three innings of their loss to LSU. Zach Zubia started the scoring parade over the early innings with a single that drove in leadoff hitter Austin Todd. Cam Williams drove in the second run on a double play ball that brought Eric Kennedy home.

The offense would explode in the second inning against starter Patrick Wicklander who gave up six runs, four earned in one plus innings pitched. He would be pulled before recording an out in the inning. Kennedy hit a sacrifice fly to bring the score to 5-0 Texas, when Zubia came back to the plate.

The Longhorns finished a six-run second when Cam Williams scored on a throwing error by Arkansas. Madden would go to work with a 8-0 lead, Texas would need ever bit of those eight runs as the number six team in the nation would make a late inning push. Madden pitched six innings throwing 100 pitches. He finished with seven strikeouts, giving up three earned runs. Quality start from the Longhorns number two starter.

Cole Quintanilla lasted just 0.1 innings after giving up two runs allowing Arkansas to get within three runs of Texas after holding a commanding 8-0 lead. Pete Hansen came into the game and shut it down over the next 1.2 to get the game to the ninth. Hansen struck out two batters and allowed just one hit.

It was up to freshman pitcher Andre Duplantier II to close it out in the final inning for Texas to pull off the upset. Duplantier gave up two runs on a Matt Goodheart double that brought the Razorbacks within one, and the tying runner standing at second. The freshman rose to the challenge and got the final outs when Duplantier struck out Casey Opitz and Casey Martin to close the door.

Texas improved to 10-1 on the season. Zubia led all hitters with three RBIs while batting 3-4. The Longhorns look to close out the weekend against another former conference rival in the Missouri Tigers.