Tag: Trelon Smith

Former Razorback Trelon Smith is on the move again

The Razorbacks’ second-leading rusher from 2021 is headed to UTSA months after committing to transfer to TCU.

Arkansas’ second-leading rusher from last season has announced his second transfer destination since January.

[autotag]Trelon Smith[/autotag], the premier back of the Razorback offense in 2021, announces that he will be transferring to UT-San Antonio after originally committing to TCU in January, he tweeted on Wednesday.

Smith saw significant playing time during his two seasons as a Razorback. In two seasons, Smith rushed for 1,308 yards and ten touchdowns. He rushed for 598 yards in 2021, which was second-best on the team behind KJ Jefferson. He was a dual-threat in the Hog offense in 2020, rushing for 710 yards and five touchdowns, and caught 22 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown.

Prior to his time in Arkansas, Smith played in 13 games over two seasons at Arizona State, where he rushed for 60 yards on 12 carries.

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Is Rocket Sanders ‘Tom Brady-ing’ Dominique Johnson’s job?

Dominique Johnson ended the season as the team’s starter, but his injury has led to Rocket Sanders getting a long look there in spring.

[autotag]Dominique Johnson[/autotag] finished the 2021 season as Arkansas’ starting tailback. His 5.9 yards per carry and seven touchdowns led the Razorbacks and earned him the right to keep the gig heading into 2022.

Behind him, however, are knockings, most notably from sophomore [autotag]Rocket Sanders[/autotag].

“I said, ‘You’ve turned out where you’re making cuts and you’re getting vertical and you’re seeing things before it happens,'” Pittman said. “He has some athletic ability to make you miss and run over you, but what he says is he understands everything now.”

Sanders has taken advantage of the extended reps he has received during Arkansas’ spring practices. Johnson has missed camp recovering from injury and hasn’t been able to defend his billing at the top, leading to potential Sanders could enter the season as the starter.

Ultimately, the way Arkansas runs the ball, it’s irrelevant. Arkansas “starter” would be in name only and not a reflection of best, necessarily. Consider last season when four players all ran for more than 500 yards. Three of them came from running back, where [autotag]Trelon Smith[/autotag] began the season as starter.

The carry split between Smith, Johnson and Sanders was 119, 114 and 97. The differences were negligible as Smith ran for 598 yards, Johnson 575 and Sanders 578.

However it rolls, Sanders knows there is a bit of increased expectation on the guy who is labeled as the No. 1. He’s ready for it.

“Becoming a 1, just seeing different holes and just really seeing it from last year playing from the second and third sting, it actually helped me to become a 1 and see better things,” Sanders said. “Being a 1, I feel like it’s a big role. That right there makes me want to be a leader not just for the running back room, but for everyone else, as well.”

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Trelon Smith Announces Transfer Destination

The Razorbacks’ second-leading rusher from 2021 has announced his intentions to transfer to TCU, he announced via Twitter Sunday. 

A former Arkansas running back has found his new home.

Trelon Smith, the Razorbacks’ second-leading rusher from 2021, has announced his intentions to transfer to TCU, he announced via Twitter Sunday.

 

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TCU will be the third college program that Smith has been apart of. He joined the Arkansas program in 2020 after spending his first two seasons at Arizona State, where he was used sparingly.

Smith saw significant playing time during his two seasons as a Razorback. In two seasons, Smith rushed for 1,308 yards and ten touchdowns. He rushed for 598 yards in 2021, which was second-best on the team behind KJ Jefferson. He was a dual-threat in the Hog offense in 2020, rushing for 710 yards and five touchdowns, and caught 22 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown.

Smith is the seventh former Razorback to announce their transfer destination since the offseason began. The biggest names joining Smith are Joe Foucha and Greg Brooks Jr, who announced earlier this month that they are heading to LSU.

Arkansas running back Trelon Smith hits the transfer portal

Arkansas’ starting running back for a bulk of the 2021 season has entered the transfer portal.

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As much as two of the most recent Arkansas players hitting the transfer portal was a surprise, the latest Hogs footballer to do it was less of a shock.

Trelon Smith, who spent three-quarters of the season as Arkansas No. 1 running back, officially entered the transfer portal on Wednesday. Smith had indicated weeks ago he would not be back with the Razorbacks for a super senior season, but did not indicate in what form he would exit.

Smith led all Arkansas running backs in carries and yards rushing with 119 for 598. Those totals trailed only quarterback KJ Jefferson’s 146  rushes for 664 yards for the team lead. Smith also ran for five touchdowns.

Sophomore Dominique Johnson and freshman Rocket Sanders began to usurp Smith of his spot at the top of the depth chart following Arkansas’ bye week. Smith didn’t have more than nine carries or more than 42 yards in any of Arkansas’ final six games.

He is the 16th Arkansas player to hit the portal since the end of the regular season, though he’s just the regular in the lineup to do so.

Safety Joe Foucha and nickel back Greg Brooks Jr., both starters for Arkansas last year, announced their transfers to LSU last week. Both are Louisiana natives.

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Beyond the box score: Why Arkansas beat Penn State in Outback Bowl

Arkansas used a massive running game, a stout defense and KJ Jefferson to dispatch Penn State in the Outback Bowl.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman wasn’t going to change horses midstream. He was going to dance with the girl he brought. He was, well, all of those other cliches.

The Razorbacks stuck to what they did best all throughout the 2021 season and made Penn State pay in the Outback Bowl, 24-10.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson, like he was all season long, was the biggest reason why. But he was hardly alone. Wide receivers like Tyson Morris and De’Vion Warren stepped up in their final games as Razorbacks players in the stead of Treylon Burks. Arkansas’ running back balance, which had all year long, continued in dominant fashion. And the Hogs defense made Penn State one-dimensional and took advantage late.

It all added up to one of the most complete games of Arkansas’ season and a nearly perfect capper to Arkansas’ best season in a decade.

Arkansas running game ready to explode against Penn State

Arkansas wants to run all over a Penn State defense lacking four starters.

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The difference between confident and cocky is all about the delivery. Arkansas’ running game has a reason to be either.

For now, the Hogs are confident. And why not. Arkansas has the No. 12 rushing attack in the nation after averaging more than 217 yards a game on the ground during the regular season.

Combine that with Penn State’s loss of four defensive starters because of opt-outs and starting Hogs running back Dominique Johnson thinks he and his mates have a big opportunity in the Outback Bowl against the Nittany Lions on New Year’s Day.

“I’m very confident coming into this game, knowing that I have the other backs behind me,” he said. “I feel like we’re going to come in and dominate this game just because of all the talent we have in that room.”

Anyone who may try to glean how good the Razorbacks are by simply looking at individual totals are going to be misled. Trelon Smith, the starter for about three-quarters of the season, leads the team with 592 yards. It’s the lowest individual total for a team leader since Broderick Green ran for 443 yards in 2009.

But look closer and it makes more sense. Just behind Smith is quarterback KJ Jefferson with 554 yards. Rocket Sanders has 499. Johnson has 498. Even freshman AJ Green chipped in 201 yards. Arkansas has the sort of balance few teams in college football can manage.

“We all run the ball a different way, all different styles,” Johnson said. “I don’t think as a defense you can prepare for all the different run styles we bring to the table, so I feel that’s a plus for us.”

As many as six Arkansas football starters have decision to make about 2022 season

Jalen Catalon, Bumper Pool, John Ridgeway, Montaric Brown and others could all return for Arkansas in 2022 or they could leave the program.

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Arkansas football in 2022 is going to look different. The question is just how much.

National signing day is Wednesday, so an influx of high-schoolers will be on the team come the fall. Seniors like linebacker Grant Morgan are out of eligibility and need replacing. Wide receiver Treylon Burks, too, won’t return after declaring for the NFL draft as a junior.

But a number of players waiting to make a determination.

Linebacker Bumper Pool, safeties Joe Foucha and Jalen Catalon, defensive tackle John Ridgeway, cornerback Montaric Brown, long snapper Jordan Silver, running back Trelon Smith, wide receiver Kendall Catalon and offensive lineman Shane Clenin could return because of the NCAA’s COVID-19 stipulation that allows player who played through that season an extra year of eligibility.

As for when a decision will be made about any of them, the timetable is in the air. Each player will have to decide individually. They could announce on their own or the program could announce en masse.

Pool, Foucha, Catalon, Ridgeway and Brown were all defensive starters during the 2021 regular season. Catalon was lost for the year in the front half of the season, however, and is the likeliest NFL pick among the bunch. Smith started for the first three-quarters of the regular season, too.

Center Ricky Stromberg, a likely NFL pick, albeit in a lower round, announced his return for the 2022 season on Friday.

“I think it’s a no-brainer to come back and go up from there,” Stromberg said.

If the others join him, Arkansas would almost certainly be in line to repeat this season’s success, if not expand on it. But if the losses stack up, the depth chart may be an unfamiliar one when spring practice rolls around.

Bye-bye, kitty: Arkansas zaps Missouri to snap five-game skid

Arkansas put its foot on the gas and blasted Missouri on Friday, 34-17.

It was only a matter of time before Arkansas showed its true self against Missouri on Friday. By the time the Tigers knew what hit them, the Battle Line Rivalry was all but done.

Arkansas beat Missouri, 34-17, on a chilly day-after-Thanksgiving from Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium to snap a five-game losing streak to the Tigers and keep the Battle Line Trophy in the Boston Mountains.

The Razorbacks blew the game open in the second half, scoring on four consecutive drives thanks in large part to the big play. Arkansas had six plays go for more than 30 yards to Missouri’s zero. In fact, the Tigers won the battle of time-of-possession, had more first downs and ran 23 more plays.

But Treylon Burks, De’Vion Warren and KJ Jefferson had too much gas.

Jefferson threw for 262 yards on 15-of-19 passing and found Treylon Burks for his lone touchdown pass of the game. Burks finished with seven catches for 129 yards and became Arkansas’ fourth receiver in school history to break the 1,000-yard mark in a single season. 

Trelon Smith started the scoring in the second half, going in from four yards. Burks’ 52-yard touchdown catch followed. And after a Missouri field goal, Arkansas countered with one of its own and a final rushing touchdown by Rocket Sanders, who had two in the game.

Arkansas now awaits its bowl destination. The Razorbacks (8-4) finished with their best regular-season record since 2011 and are likely to play in one of the SEC’s upper-tier bowls in Florida.

WATCH: De’Vion Warren shows off his wheels to set up Arkansas’ second touchdown

De’Vion Warren’s dead sprint through the Missouri defense helped put Arkansas up by two scores Friday.

De’Vion Warren has long been known as the one of the fastest players on the Arkansas roster. With 12 catches this season, though, he hasn’t had much opportunity to showcase his speed.

Missouri was just the solution.

Warren hauled in a wide receiver screen and dead-sprinted 55 yards through the middle of the the field to set up Arkansas’ second touchdown of the game with 11:13 left in the second quarter.

Warren was tripped at the Missouri 6 and Trelon Smith, two plays later, went in from four to put Arkansas ahead, 17-6.

Warren now has 12 catches for 209 yards this season. Quarterback KJ Jefferson, through the touchdown, was 8 of 11 for 149 yards against Missouri.

Beyond the box score: 5 biggest takeaways from Arkansas-Alabama

Arkansas did almost everything it needed to beat Alabama, but a valiant effort was just a bit shy.

It was one of the most entertaining games of the week, if not the season. Arkansas gave Alabama everything the Crimson Tide wanted, but Heisman Trophy favorite Bryce Young’s record-setting game was too much in a 42-35 Alabama win.

Arkansas limited its penalties. It had big plays. It slowed the Tide’s running game. It had trickery. The Hogs did almost everything they needed to leave Tuscaloosa with a victory for the first time in almost 20 years, but Alabama is still Alabama.

Still, the Razorbacks have nothing with which to be ashamed. Let’s take a look behind the stats and see just why the game played the way it played.