Tag: Arkansas

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 21, Arkansas OL Beaux Limmer

Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Arkansas OL Beaux Limmer.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers and Brian Gutekunst love versatile offensive linemen. Elgton Jenkins started games at left tackle, right tackle, center and left guard during his time at Mississippi State. Jon Runyan Jr started games at both tackle spots before kicking inside to guard when he landed in Green Bay. Royce Newman started games at left guard and right tackle. At Wake Forest, Zach Tom started games at left tackle and center.

That’s just a small glimpse of the versatile offensive linemen that Gutekunst has drafted during his time as Green Bay’s general manager. 

A lineman that offers versatility along the interior of the offensive line in the 2024 NFL Draft is Beaux Limmer. The Arkansas offensive linemen checks in at No. 21 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown. 

A three-star recruit out of Texas, Limmer finished his career at Arkansas with starts at all three interior spots along the offensive line. He started 28 games at right guard, 12 games at center and one game at left guard. This past season he started 11 games at center and one game at left guard. 

“Beaux Limmer was part of a core group of players under Sam Pittman who helped revive the Arkansas program over the past four years, but I think he leaves Fayetteville in a complex position,” Jackson Fuller, the Arkansas football beat writer for the Times Record, said. “The Razorbacks struggled during his final season and the offensive line was an issue. He proved enough over the past four years and is a very talented player, but fans expected more from him and the team in 2023.”

Limmer is as strong as a bull and creates a surge at the point of contact. He plays with a bully attitude and wants to get defenders on the ground. He’s a plus athlete with the easy movement skills to get out in space and hit his landmarks. 

“He’s a good athlete,” Fuller said. “I think he excels when he can get out in space. He was a foundational piece to the Hogs’ success running the football in 2021 and 2022. He’s a really good run blocker, especially in space. He also can make mid-play adjustments that are necessary to spring open holes.”

Limmer has quick feet and plays with good knee bend. He stays alert and has active eyes to not get fooled by any twists or stunts. Limmer has excellent grip strength. 

“He can be a little shaky against stronger guys on the interior, but he still holds up in pass rush,” Fuller said. “I think that’s why his ceiling is higher at center.” 

Limmer showcased his athleticism and strength at the NFL Scouting Combine when he put up 39 reps on the bench press, a 1.75 10-yard split, 4.57 short shuttle and a 7.47 3-cone.

Fit with the Packers

Dependable. That’s the word one could use to describe Limmer. The former three-star recruit was durable and never missed a game due to injury during his time at Arkansas. 

With his versatility, he could step in and challenge Sean Rhyan for the starting right guard spot and provide depth at center. 

“I would draft Limmer because you’re getting a smart, versatile lineman who could easily turn into a starter at multiple positions,” Fuller said. “I think he also presents good value. His play in 2021-22 was terrific, and he could be a steal if that kind of production returns at the next level.”

As it stands right now the Packers don’t have much depth on the interior behind Jenkins, Myers and Rhyan. It’s Newman and that’s about it in regards of depth. By adding Limmer, the Packers would be bolstering the depth at both guard spots and center.

 

Wisconsin basketball ruined John Calipari’s tenure at Kentucky

What’s your memory of Wisconsin’s win over Kentucky in the 2015 Final Four:

The headline may be a bit of hyperbole. But with today’s news that longtime Kentucky head coach John Calipari was leaving for the job at Arkansas, it’s time to revisit how Wisconsin basketball plays into his legacy.

Calipari is one of the more prominent figures in the sport. Head coach experience since 1988, 855 total collegiate wins, Final Four appearances with UMass and Memphis before moving to Kentucky, the catalyst behind the one-and-done era, four Final Fours at Kentucky and one national championship.

Related: Evaluating the Big Ten’s next targets for conference expansion

The resume speaks for itself. But it’s also entirely empty since Wisconsin’s Final Four win over undefeated Kentucky back in 2015 — which is a large part of the reason Calipari is leaving for Arkansas.

A win over Wisconsin that year likely means an undefeated 40-0 season for the Wildcats — which would have cemented Calipari and that team in college basketball history. It also would’ve made the head coach a two-time national champion, something not many can boast.

2015 was Calipari’s best Kentucky team — current NBA star Devin Booker was its sixth man, for reference. It was also the most important  team to his legacy as a head coach. The trophy case is empty for that season, which is a large reason why Kentucky fans have wanted change for the last several years.

Calipari still dominated the recruiting trail and sent stars to the NBA every season. Despite that, he’s somehow had little-to-zero March Madness success after 2015. For that reason, we’re connecting his departure from Kentucky with the biggest win in Wisconsin basketball history.

For anybody who wants to re-live that legendary night, here are some of the best photos:

Report: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones cited as lure for new Arkansas basketball coach

From @ToddBrock24f7: Jones is one of several power boosters who should be able to help Calipari woo basketball talent to Fayetteville through NIL dollars.

The owner of the Dallas Cowboys has so much gravitation pull within the world of sports that he’s causing a tidal shift within other sports, too.

The University of Arkansas has hired legendary men’s basketball head coach John Calipari away from Kentucky, and Jerry Jones’s status as one of the school’s A-list boosters reportedly helped seal the deal.

Jones attended Arkansas and, as an offensive lineman on the football team, was co-captain of the Razorbacks’ 1964 national championship squad. He remains heavily involved with his alma mater as a donor.

ESPN college basketball reporter Myron Medcalf points out that things had become strained recently between Calipari and Kentucky, perennially one of the nation’s top hoops programs. In Fayetteville, he’ll have access to deep pocketed “power boosters” like Jones, Tyson Foods chairman John Tyson, and the Walton family of Wal-Mart fame, all of whom have deep Arkansas ties.

Donations from Jones and other wealthy supporters will likely go a long way in helping Calipari attract top-tier talent to Arkansas in the new NIL age.

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Calipari’s Wildcats won the national title in 2012. He’s taken his teams to the Final Four six times, been named Naismith College Coach of the Year three times, and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.

The obvious irony is that Cowboys fans have grown well accustomed to Jones repeatedly not being willing to get out his checkbook when it comes to spending for the Cowboys, whether it’s for big-name free agents or longtime locker-room fixtures who are due for sizable new contracts. The Cowboys also fell in several categories on this year’s NFLPA report card, which grades teams and their owners in categories like cafeteria food, training staff, and travel accommodations.

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Arkansas portal exits raise hopes for USC under Eric Musselman

The Arkansas portal exodus has begun. How many players will ride the Muss Bus to USC?

Arkansas basketball players are entering the transfer portal. This raises the possibility that Eric Musselman could bring a number of players with him from Fayetteville to Los Angeles. Former McDonald’s All-American and Arkansas freshman center Baye Fall is one such potential target. Fall has entered the transfer portal. He announced his decision via X on Thursday.

Fall has not done much in his career to this point, but he has three years of eligibility left. The former Razorback big man averaged 0.8 points, 1.3 rebounds and had 6 blocks in his limited action this past season.

The freshman from Dakar, Senegal, was a four-star prospect coming out of high school. He chose Arkansas over Auburn, Rutgers, Missouri and Oregon State, Baylor, and several other power five conference programs.

Fall is the seventh Razorback to enter the portal, joining Joseph Pinion, Denijay Harris, Keyon Menifield, Layden Blocker, Khalif Battle, and Davonte “Devo” Davis, with Eric Musselman moving on to USC this week.

Fall has tons of upside. The Trojans could use size up front, too. Look out for USC to possibly be a major player in the recruitment of Fall and some of the other Arkansas players who have entered the portal. Be sure to follow Razorbacks Wire for more on Arkansas player movements in the transfer portal.

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Eric Musselman, viewed to be out of play for USC, might be back in the mix now

Many believed Eric Musselman had been given a contract extension and/or more money at Arkansas. Nope. Not true.

The USC coaching search should start with Eric Musselman of Arkansas or Brian Dutcher of San Diego State. At least, that’s what many college basketball insiders believe. If you accept that claim, Musselman’s status at Arkansas is highly relevant to this conversation after Andy Enfield left for SMU and created a job opening in Los Angeles.

Razorbacks Wire is following Musselman’s every move in Fayetteville. Several days ago, Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek released a tweet and video which seemed to indicate Musselman was staying put in Fayetteville and had been firmly retained by the school.

Monday afternoon, Razorbacks Wire published a story which basically said, “Not so fast, my friend.”

Here’s more on the story from Razorbacks Wire:

“As soon as the post hit X (Twitter), more rumors spread that Yurachek posted the video without the head Hog’s knowledge. But that’s all they were at the time, rumors. However, when no one on Eric Musselman’s staff, or Musselman himself, retweeted the post, it gave weight to the message board gossip.

“Yesterday, Kevin McPherson of Hogville.net joined Pig Trail Nation and revealed that his unnamed sources confirmed the rumors.

“’I have… multiple sources telling me that Eric Musselman was not expecting that and was not aware it was coming out,’ McPherson told KNWA sports reporter Evan Kamikow, ‘and there might have been some choice words related to the fact that it came out; when it did and how it did.’”

So, it seems that the situation at Arkansas is very fluid. Crucially, Yurachek and the Arkansas athletic department did not beef up, extend, or otherwise alter Musselman’s contract and his level of compensation. Some people speculated, reasonably enough, that Yuracheck’s tweet and video meant a contract extension and/or financial sweetener had been given to Musselman. Yurachek has said that is not the case.

Musselman can reasonably be viewed as being back in play for USC. Let’s see what happens. Follow Razorbacks Wire for continuing coverage.

Also read our USC basketball coaching search primer, which includes an update on Musselman’s status.

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Former Bulldog linebacker named as player running out of opportunities

Bleacher Report ranked a linebacker that transferred from Georgia among former elite recruits running out of chances

In the look ahead to the 2024 college football season, Bleacher Report compiled a list of players who were formerly top recruits but are running out of chances. Among the players listed was former Bulldog linebacker Xavian Sorey Jr.

A five-star recruit in the class of 2021, Sorey earned snaps in the rotation at linebacker last year for the Dawgs but was unable to win a starting job. He compiled 19 tackles and one sack in the 2023 season, including five total tackles against Alabama in the SEC championship game.

“If there’s one position group nationally where a super-athletic player could get lost in the shuffle, the Georgia Bulldogs linebacker room would be at the top of the heap,” said Bleacher Report’s Brad Shepard.

Sorey has found his second chance in Fayetteville, transferring to Arkansas, and he should start right away at the inside linebacker position. He named defensive coordinator Travis Williams, who recruited him in high school, as a key reason for his transfer. He joins former Georgia cornerback Jaheim Singletary as the second former Bulldog recruit to join the Razorbacks in as many years.

With spring football just starting, Arkansas looks to replace RB coach

After four years at Arkansas, running backs coach Jimmy Smith has decided to take TCU job.

Just two days into spring football practice and there is already more turnover on the Arkansas coaching staff.

Jimmy Smith, who has coached the Razorbacks’ running backs since Head Coach Sam Pittman hired him in 2020, has announced that he is leaving for the same position at TCU.

With the obvious connected between Smith and former Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendall Briles, who departed Fayetteville to fill the Horned Frogs’ OC position before last season, the move is understandable.

The loss of Smith is a setback for a Razorbacks program that went just 4-8 last season. But, expectation for an improved offense are rising heading into the 2024 season, as former head coach Bobby Petrino returned to Fayetteville as the offensive coordinator, and hand-picked 6-foot-6 Boise State transfer quarterback Taylen Green out of the portal.

But the value of Smith will be tough to replace, especially with his close ties to Georgia, where the Razorbacks have found success in recruiting the past four years. He is credited with bringing in the Hogs’ likely starting tailback, Rashod Dubinion, a 4-Star recruit out of Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove High School.

Smith also helped land two more 4-Star tailbacks, in redshirt-freshman Florida-native Isaiah Augustave, as well as the recently departed A.J. Green, out of Oklahoma. He was also key in helping develop former Razorback Raheem “Rocket” Sanders into one of the SEC’s top ball-carriers.

Pittman gave Smith his first Power 5 job, after he served one season as the running backs coach at Georgia State. He had previously been the head coach at Cedar Grove High School.

Arkansas will begin an immediate search for Smith’s replacement.

Hogs aim to keep head above water in regular-season finale at Alabama

The Razorbacks basketball team is fighting to stay above .500 in finale against Alabama.

It’s been 14 years since the Arkansas basketball team finished with an overall record below .500. Currently, at the break-even mark of 15-15, heading into Saturday’s regular-season finale at No. 16 Alabama, pride is still on the line.

The last time the Razorbacks finished with more losses than wins was under former Head Coach John Pelphrey, when they ended the season at 14-18 in 2009-10. The Mike Anderson-coached Hogs finished 16-16 in 2015-16.

A win against the Crimson Tide all be guarantees that Arkansas will finish at least 16-16, even with a first-round loss in next weekend’s SEC Tournament. A loss to Alabama on Saturday would force the Hogs into winning at least two games in the conference tournament, for a chance to break even. That could also change with any further postseason tournaments.

Arkansas, who is just 6-11 in SEC play, put on one of its best performances of the season in Wednesday’s 94-83 win over LSU, as the Razorbacks shot 60.8 percent from the field and senior Khalif Battle broke the SEC’s four-game scoring record.

Battle’s game-high 29 points left him one point short of being the first Razorback to ever score at least 30 points in four straight games. But it also game him 141 points over his past four outings, surpassing the previous four-game scoring total of 134, set by Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks in 2009.

Going into Wednesday’s game, Battle had put up a career-high 42 against Missouri, 36 against Vanderbilt and 34 in a slugfest loss to Kentucky.

“I always feel really confident,” Battle said following the LSU game. “I don’t think anyone can guard me one-on-one. Coach told me to go for those and-ones, where they had to make a decision whether to foul or just let me score.”

Although he is listed as a graduate senior, Battle still has two years of eligibility remaining after this season – thanks to COVID. Following the LSU win, he sounded like he was all in for at least one more season in Fayetteville, clarifying to the media that he had “another year left,” when asked about the Senior Night honors.

“I’m a Razorback,” he said. “I’m right here. I’m a Razorback. Ain’t nothing changed. I’m a Razorback until the end.”

Alabama (20-10, 12-5 SEC) comes in with three losses in its last four games, falling to No. 17 Kentucky, 117-95, before bouncing back with a 103-88 win over Ole Miss. But the Crimson Tide has dropped two straight – 81-74 at home to Tennessee and a 105-87 loss at Florida.

In the 68 previous meetings between the Hogs and Tide, Arkansas holds a slight 36-32 advantage in the all-time series. But the two programs are deadlocked at 29-29 since the Razorbacks joined the SEC in 1991.

The game will tip at 11 a.m. Saturday on ESPN, with Tom Hart and former Razorback Jimmy Dykes on the call.

Razorbacks to honor nine seniors, host LSU in home-season finale

Senior Khalif Battle will challenge scoring record as Razorbacks host LSU in Bud Walton Arena.

With a winning or losing record still in the balance, the Arkansas basketball team will look to return to the break-even mark Wednesday night when rival LSU comes to Bud Walton Arena for a 6 p.m. tip-off.

Arkansas (14-15, 5-11 SEC) nearly pulled off a huge upset at No. 15 Kentucky on Saturday, but got the short end of the foul parade and stumbled late to a 111-102 loss.

A win or loss against the Tigers (16-13, 8-8 SEC) won’t mean much in the big picture, as Arkansas would need a miracle run to win the upcoming SEC Tournament, regardless. But I win over their long-time adversary would at least be a feather in the cap.

It will be Senior Night, so all nine of the Razorbacks’ seniors will be recognized, led by four-year Hog, Davonte “Devo” Davis.

The only real question is whether senior Khalif Battle can become the first Razorback to ever score at least 30 points in his fourth straight game. The 6-foot-5 Temple-transfer has lit up the scoreboard of late, knocking down a career-high 42 against Missouri, followed by 36 against Vanderbilt, then 34 in Saturday’s loss to Kentucky.

He helped bolster his output by making an astounding 45-of-49 free throws – 91.8 percent – over those three games.

Battle and former Hog Mason Jones are the only two players to tally three straight 30-point games. Jones did it in 2020, while eventually being named SEC Player of the Year.

This will be the 79th time the Razorbacks and Tigers have met on the court, dating back to 1949, when LSU claimed a 62-46 win in Baton Rouge. The teams split their first 10 matchups, before Arkansas went on an 11-game win streak against the Tigers. The Hogs leads the all-time series, 42-36, including 38-31 since joining the SEC in 1991.

Arkansas has won four of the last six overall meetings, but did fall at LSU earlier this season, 95-74. The Razorbacks also hold a 23-8 advantage in games played in Fayetteville.

Wednesday’s game will air live on the SEC Network, with Mike Morgan and former Razorback Joe Kleine on the call.

Johnson plates a run in the eighth to lift Arkansas softball over SEMO

Sophomore leadoff hitter Reagan Johnson ends the 6-5 Razorbacks win with a sacrifice fly.

Arkansas sophomore Reagan Johnson continues to swing a deadly bat in crucial situations for the No. 16 Razorbacks’ offense. But the speedy leadoff hitter switched roles on Sunday, becoming the run-producer, instead of the run-scorer.

Johnson lifted a 1-0 pitch to center field, bringing home freshman pinch-runner Nyjah Fontenot for the winning run in a 6-5 win over Southeast Missouri State in the finale of the Wooo Pig Classic at Bogle Park.

The Razorbacks (17-4) fell behind 5-0 in the top of the first, before bringing a single hitter to the plate.

Sophomore left-hander Robyn Herron (6-4) enter the game with two out in the first inning and completely shut down the Redhawks, limiting SEMO to just two hits, and striking out seven, in the final 6.1 frames.

Junior Bri Ellis got the Hogs on the board with an RBI-single in the bottom of the first.

Senior Hannah Gammill’s led off the second with a solo home run to left, her fifth of the season. Sophomore Hannah Camenzind the scored junior Spencer Prigge with a single up the middle. Freshman Kennedy Miller then cut the Arkansas deficit to 5-4, when she knocked in Johnson with a ground-out.

Prigge tied the score at 5-5 in the third, with a liner to right field, scoring junior Raigan Kramer. From there, the score stayed the same until the eighth.

Cylie Halvorson got things going in the final inning, reaching second base on a throwing error. Following Halvorson, After Gammill was intentionally walked, Fontenot came in to run for Halvorson. After Prigge delivered a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance Fontenot, Johnson stepped up to end it.

Johnson and Ellis each finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The Razorbacks will continue their 17-game homestand Thursday, when the face Nebraska in the first game of the four-day Razorback Rumble at Bogle. The Hogs and Huskers will begin at 5 p.m. and be available to stream on SEC Network+.