Tag: Jadon Haselwood

After strong sophomore season, Sooners WR Jalil Farooq headed for huge 2023

After a strong performance in 2022 where he was third on the team in total yards, Sooners WR Jalil Farooq is set to have a huge season in 2023.

A freshman during the 2021 season, Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] didn’t see much playing time. That was until the Alamo Bowl after [autotag]Mario Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Jadon Haselwood[/autotag] departed via the transfer portal, and [autotag]Michael Woods[/autotag] declared for the 2022 NFL draft.

That left [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag], [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag], and Farooq, then a true freshman for the Sooners, to lead the way for Oklahoma in their matchup against the Oregon Ducks.

Mims and Stoops did what they do, each recording a touchdown reception from then-quarterback [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag]. But it was Farooq’s performance that provided a glimpse of the future at wide receiver.

In his first extended action in the Alamo Bowl, Farooq caught three passes for 64 yards in the win over the Ducks. He had 48 yards after the catch, and each of his three receptions went for a first down.

That led to an opportunity for him to earn a feature role with the Sooners in 2022. And he didn’t disappoint.

Operating on the outside, opposite Marvin Mims, Farooq became the do-it-all option for the Sooners in 2022. He had 37 receptions for 466 yards and five touchdowns. He also ran the ball 12 times for 121 yards, averaging 10.1 yards per carry on the season.

Only Eric Gray and Marvin Mims had more total yards than Farooq’s 606 in 2022. Farooq was also the Sooners’ best kick returner, averaging 22.9 yards per return on 12 opportunities for 275 yards.

He was a threat in the run game on reverses and helped the Sooners in the intermediate part of the field. He ran hard and with purpose with the ball in his hands and is a perfect fit in Jeff Lebby’s offense. An offense that wants to run a lot of wide receiver and bubble screens and jet sweep action.

Jalil Farooq’s after-the-catch ability will make him a huge threat in Oklahoma’s offense in 2023. With Marvin Mims gone and doubt as to who will replace him, Farooq should see a huge uptick in touches both as a receiver and a runner. With more of a focus on getting the ball in his hands, Farooq will push for 1,000 total yards next year in Lebby’s fast-paced offense.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Ranking Oklahoma’s last 10 recruiting classes

Ranking the Oklahoma Sooners last 10 recruiting classes.

The Oklahoma Sooners closed the early signing period of the 2023 cycle with a ton of momentum, earning a last-second flip of five-star safety [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. Bowen joined Guyer teammate [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and edge rusher [autotag]Adepoju Adebawore[/autotag] in the 2023 class to give the Sooners three five-star players for the cycle.

It was a huge recruiting haul for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff, who worked their way into the top five of the 247Sports recruiting class composite. This class has Venables fingerprints all over it with a heavy emphasis on the defensive side of the ball.

The Sooners ended up with 16 four- and five-star signees, and 10 of those came on the defensive side. Six were defensive backs, two were linebackers, and two were defensive linemen. The three-star players they signed on defense can play. [autotag]Taylor Wein[/autotag], [autotag]Markus Strong[/autotag], [autotag]Ashton Sanders[/autotag], [autotag]Phil Picciotti[/autotag] and [autotag]Erik McCarty[/autotag] are athletic players with high motors. Each has a chance to outperform his recruiting status.

It was an historic class for the Sooners, marking just the second time in the 247Sports database (since 2000) that they signed multiple five-star defensive players, and only the second time they had three five-star signees. Looking back, let’s take a look at how it stacks up with the last 10 recruiting classes for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Sam Pittman: The transfer portal is a gift and a curse

The transfer portal has reshaped college sports for better and for worse, depending on who you ask. 

The transfer portal has reshaped college sports for better and for worse, depending on who you ask.

During his Monday press conference with the media in preparation for Ole Miss, Arkansas coach Sam Pittman extensively responded about the transfer portal and how it shapes his mindset in finding players.

“Everybody wants to win now. Yes, I think it certainly has changed the way that I’ve looked at the transfer portal, too,” Pittman said.

Some of the top players on the Arkansas roster are from the transfer portal. Jadon Haselwood was high-profile transfer from Oklahoma. Drew Sanders, who is on his way to being an All-American, likely, came from Alabama. And for Pittman, going out to get these guys was not an easy decision because it affects the current guys he recruited out of high school.

“Now I think if you have a really good player, regardless of what position he is, if he wants to come, you take him,” Pittman continued. “Before I wouldn’t do that. Before I was like ‘No, no, I’m going to be loyal to these guys. They’re plenty good enough for us to win the SEC.’ But part of that has become, with all the injuries that we’ve had this year, your backup better be as good as your starter or close to it.”

The best symbol for the gift and the curse effect is recruiting. Because of the portal, another element has been added to the overwhelming experience of picking the right school. Talent is being more scattered out, which could be a reason why Alabama hasn’t looked so dominant since the portal opened.

There has never been a time when talent is spread across the country like today.

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Photo Gallery: Best images from Arkansas vs LSU

Arkansas may want to forget Saturday’s game against LSU happened, but re-living the game can be cathartic.

Arkansas playing the No. 7 team in the nation was little consolation Saturday. In fact, it may make things worse.

Arkansas lost its third game of the year by single digits, falling to LSU, 13-10, on Saturday in Fayetteville.

The Razorbacks had a chance on their final drive, but Harold Perkins Jr. strip-sacked Cade Fortin and the Tigers recovered to all but end the game. Perkins had four sacks and two forced fumbles.

Fortin, Arkansas’ third-string quarterback, replaced Malik Hornsby in the third quarter. He threw a touchdown pass to Matt Landers with 13:12 left to trim LSU’s lead to three points.

Arkansas’ defense limited LSU to 284 yards, but Josh Williams’ 1-yard touchdown run in third quarter proved enough of a difference. Williams had 117 yards along with his touchdown.

Sam Pittman talks recruitment and impact of Razorback WR Jadon Haselwood

Sam Pittman opens up about wideout Jadon Haselwood’s recruitment and impact in first year at Arkansas.

Arkansas wideout Jadon Haselwood is having a solid first season in Fayetteville. The junior transfer from Oklahoma has amassed 36 catches for 467 yards and three touchdowns this season.

Haselwood was a highly coveted five-star prospect in the 2019 recruiting class out of Atlanta, and was recruited by Georgia, Auburn and Oklahoma among others. At the time, Pittman and current Arkansas wide receivers coach Jimmy Smith were coaching at Georgia.

This was when, as Sam Pittman recalled on Wednesday, he first remembers learning about Haselwood through his recruitment to Georgia.

“I remember more about that when I was at Georgia because he came over all the time,” Pittman said. “He had a great relationship with Jimmy (Smith) there because I had recruited a couple of offensive linemen from Cedar Grove, Georgia.”

Despite missing out on Haselwood initially, Pittman and Smith had a second chance this past offseason when the wideout announced he was transferring from Oklahoma.

“This process here (at Arkansas) was really fast,” recalled Pittman. “We found out he was in the (transfer) portal. Obviously, Jimmy had a relationship there. I went to Jim once that happened and said, ‘Do we have an opportunity?’ Jim said ‘Oh, yeah.’ To be perfectly honest with you, we went out there to Atlanta and it was over about as soon as it started. It was a very fast process.”

The move from Oklahoma to Arkansas has paid off for Haselwood, as he’s posted the best numbers of his career this season, with four games still left to play. The move also helped the Hogs fill a major need after losing star wideout Treylon Burks to the NFL last season.

“I think he’s really helped the wide receiver room,” Pittman said. “I think we’re a better room because Haselwood is here. I would say the same thing with Burks a year ago. I think we’re a better room.”

“He’s just got that ‘it’ factor and has as long as I’ve known him. He’s done a wonderful job of being a team leader when it’s very, very hard to be that way in one year.”

Haselwood put up another stellar performance against Auburn a week ago, catching five passes for 61 yards and a touchdown despite fumbling early in the first quarter. He looks to continue to build on a good first season with the Hogs on Saturday against No. 23 Liberty.

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Jalil Farooq continues his ascension as he leads Oklahoma in receiving vs Iowa State

Oklahoma wide receiver Jalil Farooq starting to put it all together in his second season with the Sooners. via @thatmanbryant

[autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] didn’t see the field often during his freshman year. However, he saw it enough not to receive a redshirt and made his best impression in the Sooners’ bowl game win over the Oregon Ducks.

He had an excellent performance in the game and entered the offseason with a lot of momentum and a real opportunity to make an impact in year two. With the losses of [autotag]Mario Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Jadon Haselwood[/autotag] in the transfer portal and Michael Woods to the NFL, snaps were available, and Farooq earned an opportunity to star in [autotag]Jeff Lebby[/autotag]’s offense.

He started out slow in the first few games until an early touchdown in the road opener against Nebraska.

An injury to starting QB [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] pushed the passing game to the side for a few games, but Farooq still found a way to have an impact. Against the TCU Horned Frogs, Farooq had four kickoff returns for 123 yards, nearly breaking several opportunities for touchdowns. In the loss to Texas, Farooq carried the ball five times for 60 yards.

Since Gabriel’s return against Kansas, Farooq has started to ascend into the number two role supporting star receiver Marvin Mims. Prior to the bye week versus Kansas, Farooq tallied four catches for 42 yards and caught every single pass that came his way. He followed that up with Saturday’s performance against Iowa State with four receptions on four targets for 74 yards and a touchdown. That’s two consecutive games with a 100% catch rate.

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Farooq has also seen an uptick in his usage in the run game. Jeff Lebby hasn’t shied away from finding a variety of ways to get his playmakers at receiver the football. It’s about getting the ball in their hands and letting them be athletes. Ultimately, that’s where Farooq’s value may be at its highest. With the ball in his hands, he’s fast, powerful, and hard to bring down. For good measure, he’s also not afraid to put his body on the line to make a catch.

Game by game, he’s becoming a reliable option for Dillon Gabriel and coming into his own as a receiver. For a guy buried on the depth chart this time last year to picking up the slack when the team’s number one receiver had one of his worst days, things have come full circle for Jalil Farooq.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Ranking Arkansas’ 10 best football players this season

KJ Jefferson or Rocket Sanders? Maybe Drew Sanders? Ranking Arkansas’ best players this season.

The halfway point is was technically over before Arkansas’ last game, a 52-37 win over BYU. But bye weeks are traditionally thought of as the resting point of college football seasons, so we’re taking a ‘halfway point’ approach.

Arkansas’ 4-3 record puts the Razorbacks exactly where they were one year ago at the same time. The difference is how each season felt and who has contributed.

Last year’s team had arguably the best wide receiver the school has ever had in Treylon Burks. He provided first-year starter KJ Jefferson a consistent threat and, when things were stick, an out.

Experienced defensive lineman John Ridgeway, Tre Williams and Markell Utsey solidified a defensive line that may have lacked start power, but not discipline.

Montaric Brown, Joe Foucha and Greg Brooks Jr. were stablizing forces in the secondary after the loss of Jalen Catalon halfway through the season.

Those players are all gone in 2022. Arkansas has sought replacements but varying degrees of success. It’s all but certain, though, someone in the final five games will begin to take that next step the same way all of them once had to take theirs.

Let’s examine the 10 best players on the Arkansas roster this season (and for this season only).

Best Player? Biggest Disappointment? Best Moment? Arkansas’ football midseason awards

KJ Jefferson is Arkansas’ clear MVP. You’re wrong if you think otherwise.

Well, you win some, you lose some.

No, literally. Arkansas has lost three games and won three games at the midway point of the 2022 football season. If you’ve been a regular around here, you’ll know that’s the record the Hogs were predicted to have by Razorbacks Wire editor E. Wayne before the season.

The way its happened – predicted or not – has caused distress among those both inside and outside of the program. With a road game at BYU on Saturday to start the back-half of the season, everything is on the table for the Arkansas and coach Sam Pittman. A fourth straight loss would be devastating ahead of a bye week and could, in theory, lead to changes.

But that’s ahead of us. For a moment, just a brief moment, let’s look behind. Let’s pick Arkansas’ offensive and defensive players of the year, the biggest offensive and defensive plays of the year, the team’s best unit so far this season and – sorry, but it has to go to someone – the biggest disappointment of the year.

Agree? Disagree? Let us know.

Lots of choices (or no choices?) for Player of the Game in Arkansas’ loss to Mississippi State

No one on the Arkansas roster had a great day against Mississippi State.

The old phrase Bill Parcells used was “If you have two quarterbacks, you have no quarterbacks.”

Apply that to Arkansas’ Player of the Game winners on Saturday.

Between the three Razorbacks Wire staffers – editor E. Wayne and contributors Taylor Jones and Kendall Hilton – they selected five different players for the, uh, honor against Mississippi State.

The Razorbacks were never in the game in Starkville, falling 40-17, as coach Sam Pittman lost to Mike Leach and Mississippi State for the first time in each of their three seasons at the helm.

Several Arkansas players had decent numbers, but none of them were great enough to be game-changers. As such, Malik Hornsby, Rocket Sanders, Jadon Haselwood, Bumper Pool and Drew Sanders all received votes for Player of the Game.

The Sandersers have led Arkansas in PotG honors this year, with five each. Here’s a complete list from our staff on Saturday.

Arkansas misses Treylon Burks, so do the Tennessee Titans

Former Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks is on injured reserve and will miss at least four weeks for the Tennessee Titans.

Arkansas could have used a bit more offense Saturday against Mississippi State. The wide-receiving corps has missed Treylon Burks, who left one year early to the NFL.

Now, his team, the Tennessee Titans, will be without him for an expected four weeks, too.

The Titans placed Burks on injured reserve Saturday because of a turf toe injury. The minimum stint for the IR is four weeks.

Burks, who was picked at No. 18 in the first round of the NFL draft in April, is second on the team in receptions (10) and receiving yards (119) for the 2-2 Titans.

Burks led the Razorbacks with 66 catches for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns last year. Jadon Haselwood has 27 catches for 364 yards and two touchdowns through five-plus games this season to lead Arkansas.

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