Gameday Extra

11.21.2020 PITTMAN KNOWS SOME RECRUITS WILL BE SIGHT UNSEEN As a veteran gridiron coach, Sam Pittman has seen just about everything when it comes to college football recruiting. But the first-year Arkansas head coach could never have liked what the covid-19 pandemic and the year 2020 would bring into the dynamics. Several of his current 2021 commitments have not stepped on campus and he's not sure how many current seniors will take advantage of a free year given to them by the NCAA and stay around. A recent recommendation from the NCAA oversight committee to push the dead period back to April 15 means those recruits who have not seen campus likely won't until the spring of 2021 at the earliest. So how's that stated intent of bringing in a 2021 recruiting class that would make his team bigger and stronger? "I wish I could answer about the bigger and stronger, but we ain't seen half of them," Pittman said. "We don't know what half of them look like. We have an idea, but it is all on film." A class that has 20 of 25 spots taken with 19 commits and redshirting Oklahoma wide receiver transfer Jaquayln Crawford is ranked 21st nationally by 24/7, 23rd by Rivals and 26th by ESPN. But the only defensive tackle in the class so far is Vian, Okla., star Solomon Wright (6-0, 270). That is an area of concern as Pittman has watched his team be overwhelmed at times in the interior line. "Obviously on the defensive line, we have got to bigger over there and on the O-line," Pittman said. "Those are where teams that we are playing are so powerful. They are just big and physical in the O and D lines as well as every other position, but those stick out." Pittman makes no secret of his plan to acquire more players on the defensive line be it a high school prospect, a junior college player or a transfer. The high school/junior college defensive line prospects Arkansas is known to be pursing are headlined by Atlanta (GA) Tri Cities three-star defensive tackle Cameron Ball (6-5, 300), who has Arkansas in his top five and is set to announce his decision on Dec. 16. His list also includes Georgia Tech, Arizona State, Tennessee and Illinois. There's also Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College defensive tackle Isaiah Iton (6-4, 290), who might be a mid-term graduate and early enrollee. Arkansas, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Missouri are among the schools Iton is considering. Two other offers the Razorbacks have interest in are Pasadena (Texas) Sam Rayburn defensive end Je'lin Samuels (6- 7, 228) and Gaithersburg (MD) Quince Orchard defensive tackle Marcus Bradley (6-3, 270). Acquiring a player via the transfer route does not have to be a graduate to play immediately. It appears that a one-time transfer rule with immediate eligibility will be in place by August. "Obviously there is a a transfer world out there," Pittman said. "We we would take a D-lineman. We might even take, who knows, a linebacker. It just depends on if we can talk some of these guys into staying or not. "But we are going to save some for transfers, for immediate need. Obviously everybody can see that the transfers we took last year, most of those have really helped us this year." Quarterback Felepie Franks (Florida), kicker Scott Reed (Duke), defensive tackle Xavier Kelly (Clemson) linebacker Levi Draper (Oklahoma), cornerback Jerry Jacobs (Arkansas State) were the graduate transfers brought in for this season. Franks, Reed and Kelly have all had impact roles, Draper has been injured and Jacobs opted out early in the season. "Number one right off the top of my head is Feleipe Franks," Pittman said. "He certainly has helped us along with other guys so we are going to save some to have the opportunity to do that again." COMMENTARY DUDLEY E. DAWSON HOW WE SEE IT ARKANSAS VS. LSU Sam Pittman wants the Razorbacks to be bigger in both the offensive and defensive lines. Charlie Kaijo/NWA Democrat-Gazette Visit wholehogsports.com/alerts to recieve daily and breaking newsletters with the latest updates from Whole Hog Sports. CLAY HENRY HAWGS ILLUSTRATED This is a beat-up Arkansas team running short on depth, but the Hogs still have the fight. That's the main ingredient in holding off LSU. The Tigers got a covid- 19-induced bye, but don't have enough defense to slow Feleipe Franks. Arkansas, 31-18 MATT JONES WHOLE HOG SPORTS Arkansas' defense can bounce back against an LSU offense that is expected to start a freshman QB, and the Tigers have the SEC's worst defense. This game has historically meant more to the Razorbacks' players, and one has to wonder how motivated a 2-3 LSU team is a year after going 15-0. Arkansas, 38-27 DUDLEY E. DAWSON HAWGS ILLUSTRATED Last season at this time, there is no way I would have thought I would be offering up this prediction about the defending national champion against what was then a downtrodden program. But it's 2020 and up is down so. Arkansas, 28-21 SCOTTIE BORDELON WHOLE HOG SPORTS I don't see a Kellen Mond or Kyle Trask type on the LSU sideline, so advantage Arkansas. Feleipe Franks continues his impressive play and tosses a couple more deep-ball scores. The Razorbacks also become the fifth team to run for 150-plus yards on LSU this season. Arkansas, 31-21 BART POHLMAN THE HOG POD It turns out that losing passing game coordinator Joe Brady, Heisman winner Joe Burrow and defensive coordinator Dave Aranda was a bad mix for LSU. The Tigers are woeful defensively, and haven't been able to score enough to make up for it. Without a proven threat at QB and one of the league's worst rushing attacks, LSU will see a four-game winning streak vs. the Hogs come to an end. Arkansas, 35-30 SETH CAMPBELL WHOLE HOG SPORTS The Hogs haven't had the boot in Fayetteville since a 31-14 shellacking of LSU in Baton Rouge in 2015. This is the year the Hogs get it back. The defense regroups by getting three turnovers after a less than average showing against Florida, and Treylon Burks leads the Razorback receivers with over 100 yards against the LSU defense. Arkansas, 35-14 TYE RICHARDSON THE MORNING RUSH Kyle Trask isn't suiting up for the Tigers. No Myles Brennan either? No problem. Arkansas, 38-21 TOMMY CRAFT THE MORNING RUSH LSU hasn't played in 3 weeks, and they haven't looked real interested in playing the 5 weeks before that. This game is between the two most changed football programs compared to last year in Power 5 football. 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