Tag: Dalton Wagner

Hogs O-lineman Dalton Wagner one of 15 athletes signed by WWE

Arkansas’ starting right tackle just gained a foot in the door for a professional wrestling career.

Dalton Wagner once joked that when he was finished playing football, he might become a professional wrestler.

Well, it seemed like a joke.

Wagner, Arkansas starting right tackle, was one of 15 collegiate athletes signed to an NIL on Tuesday by WWE, the professional wrestling organization. An NIL is a Name, Image, Likeness agreement that provides college students an opportunity to enter a business relationship with a partner organization.

The most famous wrestling brand in the world is using “NIL” to stand for next-in-line, as it hopes to provide a pathway for the 15 athletes signed to the WWE.

Wagner, who is 6-foot-9 and 330 pounds, has been Arkansas primary right tackle for the past year and a half. He is one of six football players of the 15, which also includes six women.

Arkansas plays Penn State on January 1 in the Outback Bowl.

Wagner will return for a super senior season in 2022

Arkansas right tackle Dalton Wagner will return for a sixth season in 2022, head coach Sam Pittman announced on Monday.

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One player that Sam Pittman won’t have to worry about replacing on his offensive line for the next year is his right tackle.

Pittman announced to the media on Monday that Dalton Wagner would return in 2022.

“Dalton Wagner is not going to be out there (during Senior Day festivities), so that would maybe be a sign,” Pittman said.

Every player that was on a team during the COVID-shortened 2020 season has been given the option of an extra year of eligibility at their disposal.

For 2021, players that were on scholarship that had used that to their advantage didn’t count against the team’s 85 scholarships, but in 2022 this loophole is going away.

Other players that Pittman had talked to about possibly using the super senior route include linebacker Bumper Pool and defensive tackle John Ridgeway.

Could Alabama copy LSU’s formula to beat Arkansas?

Alabama saw a recipe for success against Arkansas’ offense last week in what LSU did.

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Alabama doesn’t often need help to win football games. They may not Saturday, either, considering the Crimson Tide have beaten Arkansas every year since 2005.

Bet your bottom dollar, though, that Alabama coach Nick Saban watched LSU last week. He watched the Tigers hassle and hound the Arkansas offense. Whether it was KJ Jefferson on his drop backs or Dominique Johnson going up the gut, LSU was there, blitz after blitz.

Alabama has its formula for success. Arkansas had just 283 yards of total offense against the Tigers. Of course, the Tide haven’t allowed even that many to the Hogs since 2018. Alabama will do what Alabama wants to do defensively.

“That’s not truly their style,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “Bama’s Bama. You know they’ve been beating people for a long time doing what they do. Certainly they will look at what LSU did against us, obviously.”

What worked against Arkansas was simply out-gunning them up front. Starting right tackle Dalton Wagner said the blame was himself and his unit. They have to communicate and figure out how to get six or seven guys blocked with just five, even if only temporarily. If not, quarterback KJ Jefferson is going to have another long day running for his life.

“Coach Kennedy has made a tremendous emphasis, and so has Coach Pittman, on making sure our eyes are up, our eyes are on the right backer, we’re communicating the right way and everyone is on the same page,” Wagner said.

More shakeups on offensive line as Dalton Wagner undergoes surgery

Arkansas right tackle Dalton Wagner will likely miss Saturday’s game against Auburn, and more, after undergoing surgery on his finger.

Arkansas will almost assuredly be without its usual starting right tackle Saturday against Auburn.

Coach Sam Pittman said Dalton Wagner suffered a finger injury that kept him out of the team’s Week 6 loss to Ole Miss and subsequent surgery on the finger will keep him out indefinitely.

“It went out on him and they couldn’t get it back in place,” Pittman said. “He had surgery on that finger this morning. His status is not going to be available for a while.”

Fifth-year senior Ty Clary actually started for Wagner at the spot in the Ole Miss game. Wagner had been dealing with an injury, an undisclosed injury, before the game with the Rebels, which led to Clary’s start. He had started the previous five games at the spot.

As for who Clary’s back-up is, that question remains. Last week, Pittman moved tackles Jalen St. John and Ty’Kiest Crawford from the outside to the inside as Pittman wanted have a look at bigger bodies at guard. The coach he Monday he wanted to keep them inside.

Luke Jones, who was in consideration for the starting job at right guard during fall camp, is the likeliest candidate to be Clary’s back-up at right tackle now.

The No. 19 Razorbacks (4-2, 1-2) and Tigers (4-2, 1-1) are scheduled to kickoff at 11 a.m. CT from Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday.