Tag: Rocket Sanders

Most intriguing transfer portal options at running back for Ohio State

We dive into the five most interesting options for Ohio State at running back in the transfer portal. #GoBucks

We already broke down our expectations for how Ohio State handles the transfer portal regarding the quarterback position. Now I want to dive into the running back position.

So far there has been very little news or noise surrounding portal activity for the backfield, but much of that is due to the focus on TreVeyon Henderson and whether he is staying in Columbus.

Even if Henderson decides to stay, which is highly unlikely, the once full stable of horses is depleted with the departure of Chip Trayanum and Evan Pryor to the portal and Miyan Williams to the NFL. Only Henderson and Dallan Hayden remain viable options for the starting role next season.

It would not be surprising to see the Buckeyes make a move to add another back to the roster with a bit more experience than a possible incoming true freshman. The following are not the top backs in the portal, but the top five guys I believe would be an excellent fit.

Former Arkansas All-American Rocket Sanders expected to land in South Carolina

Sanders ran for 1,400 yards and 10 scores two years ago. Injuries and an ineffective offensive line hampered him and Arkansas in 2023.

Rocket Sanders was an All-American at Arkansas in 2022. In 2023, injuries limited him to just about 200 yards.

In 2024, he’ll be a Gamecock, it appears.

The former Razorbacks running back entered the transfer portal after Arkansas’ loss to Missouri at the end of the regular season and on Wednesday morning On3 reported his next destination: South Carolina.

Sanders ran for more than 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore for the Hogs two seasons ago. The season earned him preseason All-American honors heading into 2023. But he ended up playing in just six games, rushing 62 times for 209 yards and two touchdowns.

South Carolina could use him. The Gamecocks will have to rebuild their offense in 2024 with the loss of quarterback Spencer Rattler and running back Mario Anderson.

Arkansas’ running back room is one of the team’s biggest question marks. Sanders and last year’s leading rusher, AJ Green, both entered the portal, leaving Rashod Dubinion (260 yards) and Isaiah Augustave (202 yards) as the team leaders.

Opinion: Don’t blame Rocket Sanders, other players, for transferring

Your yearly reminder the transfer portal is a good thing for college sports. So is NIL.

Rocket Sanders told On3 during suppertime Tuesday that he intended to leave Arkansas via the transfer portal. A preseason All-American hitting collegiate free agency, so to speak, is massive.

It is, in fact, collegiate free agency. It should be, too. The players deserve everything they’re getting. This author only wishes the dollar figure was more and that more athletes received such money and benefits.

Some players will leave their schools because unfair or unfit NIL programs. He, and we’re talking football specifically here, may think he can make more elsewhere.

Some players will leave their schools because of a bad fit, program-wise. A disasterous season before or a new coach going forward is often the impetus for exit. Always has been.

And that last line is the kicker. The phenomenon of players leaving their schools is not a new one. Quantity has increased, but why do so many Joes and Janes treat the increased number as a negative? Think about how many people you have heard say “The portal is ruining college football.” Like it wasn’t already a shambles. Remember this? Or this? You can pick your employer. Players should be able to, too.

Besides, you know as well as I do that if Joe Jr. were playing college football, your encouragement as a parent would be to maximize your worth (in addition, hopefully, to choosing a quality education) because football isn’t going to last forever.

Look in the room around you right now, find an adult, ask him or her whether they think the economy is in good shape. It’s irrelevant whether it actually is or not, if you’re reading this in Arkansas or most SEC country, there’s a good 75% chance that adult is going to say yes. If grown people are supposedly having a hard time finding a job – employers have cut back on hiring to save costs – and we know that most college football players aren’t going to go pro, begrudging them the opportunity to maximize exposure and, in turn, their net-worth is selfish.

Usually it’s done out of some misplaced loyalty to a school that fan didn’t even attend. But’s a whole ‘nother story.

So when Sanders – or AJ Green or Devon Manuel or Chris Paul or whoever – announce their destination, don’t hassle them. You’d do the same thing if you thought it would help.

Arkansas running back Rocket Sanders to enter transfer portal

Sanders was a preseson All-American for the Razorbacks, but injuries and a porous offensive line limited him in 2023.

A year ago, Rocket Sanders was coming off the best regular season an Arkansas running back had put together since Alex Collins, the school’s second all-time leading rusher.

Now, Sanders is leaving.

The junior from Florida declared his intention Tuesday night to enter the transfer portal.

Sanders ran for just 209 yards on 62 carries over six games as injuries kept him out for half the year. The other half of the year, fighting through those troubles, his offensive line let him down as Arkansas ran for its fewest rushing yards per game since 2012.

In 2022, Sanders rushed for more 1,440 yards with 10 touchdowns on the ground, a year that saw him earn preseason All-American honors going into 2023. Things never jelled, though, and the Razorbacks struggled to a 4-8 record.

Still, expect the suitors to be plenty and powerful when Sanders does hit the portal considering his first two seasons of college football.

Sanders will join fellow running back AJ Green and starting left tackle Devon Manuel as Razorbacks offensive players who have or will have entered the portal since the season ended.

Multiple players questionable for Arkansas against Florida International

Two starters are iffy, as is a top reserve cornerback. Rocket Sanders and Antonio Grier should be good to go, though.

Two starters, both freshmen, with one on offense and one on defense, are questionable for Arkansas in the Razorbacks’ Week 12 game against Florida International on Saturday.

Offfensive tackle Patrick Kutas (ankle) and cornerback Jaylon Braxton (shoulder) could be unavailable, coach Sam Pittman said. Reserve cornerback Jaheim Singletary is also questionable after he did not play against Auburn, while running back Rocket Sanders (knee) and linebacker Antonio Grier, who is dealing with an undisclosed injury, are probable against the Panthers.

Kutas and Braxton are likely to return in 2024 as a sophomore and freshman, while Sanders, a junior, was a preseason All-American running back. Because it’s an ankle and in rough shape, Kutas is probably the most questionable.

“He was in a boot last week. He has progressed,” Pittman said. “We’re going to be smart with him because a beat-up him is not better than what we have.”

Andrew Chamblee played tackle in Kutas place against the Tigers. Pittman said, specifically, Arkansas struggled control Auburn on the edge, so a healthy Kutas would be paramount, at least against Missouri in the season finale.

Sanders has run for 194 yards on 60 carries in five games this year as he has dealt with the knee injury since Week 1.

Kickoff on Saturday against Florida International is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Auburn at Arkansas: Players to Watch on Saturday

Quarterback KJ Jefferson and running back Rocket Sanders will look to keep the Razorback offense in gear against Auburn on Saturday.

After finally getting off the schneid with a 39-36 overtime win at Florida last week, the Arkansas football team (3-6, 1-5 SEC) will try to keep the momentum headed in the right direction, as Auburn comes to town on Saturday.

Razorback kicker Cam Little came up big with four field goals in the win over the Gators, including a pair of fourth-quarter three-pointers to help send the game to overtime.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson had a 25-yard scoring run in the fourth, then hit Tyrone Broden with a 4-yard TD strike in overtime to end the game. The offense also benefitted with the return of all-SEC running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders, who came back to give Arkansas its first 100-yard rushing performance of the season–103 yards on 18 carries.

Auburn (5-4, 2-4 SEC) is riding the arm and legs of junior quarterback Payton Thorne on offense, and the instincts and aggression of junior linebacker Eugene Asante on the defensive side.

Here are 12 players to watch in Saturday’s game between the Razorbacks and Tigers:

Players of the Game: Jefferson, Little headline Arkansas’ best in Hogs win

It’s safe to say Kenny Guiton’s first game as Arkansas’ offensive coordinator was a success.

KJ Jefferson had the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime. Cam Little kicked four field goals.

Arkansas’ quarterback and kicker were, accordingly, easy choices as RazorbacksWire Players of the Game in Arkansas’ 39-36 win over Florida on Saturday. A win, by the way, that snapped a six-game losing streak and gave the program its first-ever victory in Gainesville.

Jefferson and Little were hardly the only players that shined, though. New offensive coordinator Kenny Guiton’s offense was dynamic througout, especially as it had a healthy Rocket Sanders at running back.

On defense, Arkansas has had better games this year, but the defensive backs were especially aggressive, providing a showcase for Dwight McGlothern, Jaylen Braxton and Snaxx Johnson.

In all, we have five Players of the Game, but on a day like Saturday, to say it was a team effort is wholly accurate.

Darren McFadden: Arkansas will respond to “a coach bringing great energy”

McFadden has been more vocal about Arkansas football, the staff and its fans this year.

Darren McFadden isn’t afraid of a little combat with the fans.

The Arkansas legend took to social media earlier this year when some Razorbacks fans were going what he deemed as too far in attacks against coach Sam Pittman, then-offensive coordinator Dan Enos and the program as a whole. On Thursday, McFadden gave his first public thoughts on Enos’ replacement, new OC Kenny Guiton.

“If a coach is bringing great energy out there, I think that just kind of trickles down on the players,” McFadden said. “When you’re around a coach that’s I guess more laid back, or not as intense about the game or however you want to call it, that trickles down on the players. I think a lot of that showed this year when you see the offense out there on the field.”

Pittman, who fired Enos the day after Arkansas lost to Mississippi State, 7-3, said one of the things that stood out to him was the lack of fire the roster had with Enos in command. He isn’t as much of a rah-rah guy, whereas Guiton is a bit more gregarious.

Little will matter, though, if Arkansas’ offense doesn’t actually improve. The staff hopes limiting the playbook and the return of preseason All-American running back Rocket Sanders will show concrete results against Florida on Saturday. Sanders is expected to play for the first time in almost a month and it will come in Guiton’s first game.

That may not be a coincidence.

“Coaches like that, you really want to go out there and play hard for them and put it on the line for them,” McFadden said. “I think the guys kind of feel that from Coach Guiton and I think that’ll be something great for them.”

Another step forward: Rocket Sanders bumped to likely for Florida game

Sanders was a preseason All-American for Arkansas but a knee injury has meant he’s played just one game truly healthy all year.

On Monday, Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said junior running back Rocket Sanders was back at practice for the Razorbacks after missing five of the team’s first eight games. Sanders’ status for Arkansas’ ninth game was to be determined.

Things are trending up for the preseason All-American.

Pittman met with the media again Wednesday and said he felt more confident midweek that Sanders would play against Florida on Saturday.

“Flashes that I’ve seen, I feel really good about him being able to play, but just another couple of days of consistency,” Pittman said.

Sanders likely won’t return to his 20-carry workload against the Gators, healthy or not. He needs time to get back into so-called game shape. But if the man who ran for almost 1,400 yards last year en route that preseason All-American status entering this can give Arkansas, say, seven carries and 45 yards or so, it will be a huge step in the right direction for the Razorbacks.

Of course, assuming other things on offense go right, too.

“Today (Wednesday) is a big third down day for us. How is he going to protect, and things of that nature?” Pittman said. “Just the whole week, of what the whole Monday through Thursday encompasses, but the first two days, I feel confident that he will be able to go out there and help us.”

Arkansas running back Rocket Sanders could return against Florida

A preseason All-American, Sanders has a total of 94 yards rushing this year.

Arkansas running back Rocket Sanders returned to practice for the Razorbacks after the team’s bye, perhaps signaling a return to game action for the preseason All-American.

Sanders has been limited to just three games this season for Arkansas as a knee injury has hampered his playing time. Even in the three games Sanders did play, he was ineffective, running 34 times for 91 yards with two touchdowns. The numbers have been shocking for a player who earned such high honors before the season began.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman wasn’t sure of Sanders’ status for the game against Florida, Arkansas’ opponent Saturday. But the fact that Sanders is back on the field is a positive.

“How much he can do, I don’t know,” Pittman said. “I’ll know more about that when I talk to y’all Wednesday. I’ll know more then because I don’t know where he is physically.”

Pittman was asked whether Sanders targeted the game against the Gators for his return. The running back is a Florida native.

“Man, I don’t know. That’s a good thought. I really don’t know,” Pittman said. “I think he was just hurt and this was good timing or ended up being good timing being able to go back to Florida.”