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9.4.2021 RECRUITING BIG PART OF FOOTBALL WEEKEND Not only will Saturday's Arkansas football season- opener with Rice mark the return of a full house of fans to Reynolds Razorback Stadium, but for recruits as well. Now that the over-year long covid-induced NCAA recruiting dead period is over, Arkansas prospects will be able to attend games via both official and unofficial visits. This weekend's 1 p.m. game will mostly feature local guys while next week's 6 p.m. contest with future SEC foe Texas will have numerous visitors, including a pair of Razorback commits taking their official visits and at least one Sam Pittman's staff hopes to have locked down in couple of weeks. Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove tailback Rashod Dubinion (5-10, 190) and Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes Eli Henderson (6-5, 300), a couple of Arkansas pledges, were both in Fayetteville on unofficial visits this summer. But they will get the full treatment as the Razorbacks and Longhorns clash. Pittman, the second year UA coach, is gearing up for one of his favorite aspects of college football. "Well, coaches have to go to work again," Pittman said. " I mean, it's going to be great. Before the games last year, you just sat around waiting on the game, go out there and talk to the players. Now, you have to go to work again. That's going to be a lot of fun." Pittman has always loved the recruiting part of college football and made it clear that his staff would be full of those who felt the same way. "Any good coach loves recruiting, so it'll be fun to see the families, see how excited they are to get on campus and watch the Razorbacks," Pittman said. "So, we're looking forward to it." One senior prospect who will be getting his second look at Fayetteville on Sept. 11 after taking his official visit in June is Milan, Tenn., defensive back Anthony Brown (6-2, 190). Brown, a close friend of Razorback pledge Jaylon Lewis of Brownsville (Tenn.) Haywood, is planning on making his college choice public on Sept. 14, just a few days after visiting Arkansas. Arkansas enters the 2021 season with 17 commits in its 2022 recruiting class and two pledges for 2023. That 2022 number and quality is good enough to be ranked 21st nationally by 247 Sports composite rankings, which also factors in ESPN and Rivals placements. The class is currently ranked seventh out of the 14 SEC teams, ahead of South Carolina, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Auburn, the teams at the bottom of the rankings. In addition to the two official visitors in for the Arkansas-Texas weekend, the Razorback staff is expecting to have at least eight other 2022 commits on campus. Pittman brought five new coaches aboard in the off- season, all young and primed for recruiting. "That's really how it played out," Pittman said. "I was trying to bring in recruiters. Most of the time if you're a good recruiter, you're a good coach. Because recruiting is work, and coaching is work. "To get Arkansas where we all believe that it should be and where it's going to be, we have to continue to improve our recruiting. So that was a big part of all these hires, along with their coaching ability. If you want to change your room, you've got to go get the players to do that." COMMENTARY DUDLEY E. DAWSON HOW WE SEE IT ARKANSAS VS. RICE CLAY HENRY HAWGS ILLUSTRATED The strength of the SEC is in the defensive line. Is Arkansas heading in that direction? It would be a great sign that year two of the Sam Pittman era is going to be a step forward. Arkansas, 33-13. DUDLEY E. DAWSON HAWGS ILLUSTRATED After having its first four games canceled last season due to the coronavirus and only getting to play five total, Rice will be thrilled to have its 2021 season opener. But the Razorbacks look to have more weapons. Arkansas, 31-17. MATT JONES WHOLE HOG SPORTS Arkansas' defense should be opportunistic against a team likely breaking in a new quarterback and with a new offensive coordinator. The Razorbacks need to be able to beat Rice comfortably to instill confidence in the coming games against Texas and SEC teams. Arkansas, 33-14. SCOTTIE BORDELON WHOLE HOG SPORTS KJ Jefferson picks up where he left off in his last start against Missouri and has a solid day in the passing game. But he makes his biggest mark running the ball. Arkansas' improved pass rush and depth up front wears down Rice's offense and creates a few takeaways. Excitement for the Texas game might hit by halftime. Arkansas, 41-14. TOMMY CRAFT ESPN ARKANSAS It's time to find out what a second-year program under Sam Pittman is all about. Can this team make it uninteresting in the second half against the Owls? Let's hope a veteran team does just that. Arkansas, 31-13. TYE RICHARDSON ESPN ARKANSAS KJ Jefferson's first start inside of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium results in a win. Hog fans leave happy and hungry awaiting the arrival of Texas. Arkansas, 45-20. BART POHLMAN SPORT & STORY Year one of the Sam Pittman era was viewed by many as a great success, and year two will start the same way. Arkansas just has too much for the Owls, who haven't finished with a winning record since 2014. Arkansas, 45-13. Second-year Arkansas coach Sam Pittman is excited to host recruits for the first time. NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe Download the Whole Hog Sports app for all the latest Razorback's news and coverage Visit wholehogsports.com/alerts to recieve daily and breaking newsletters with the latest updates from Whole Hog Sports. THE ONLY ONE-PIECE COVERED GUTTER 479-234-4147 | 1-800-LEAFGUARD www.leafguardandmore.com Fall = Clogged Gutters Football LeafGuard brand by Englert is the original and only one- piece gutter system, with a built-in hood that covers the gutter bottom and deflects leaves and other debris. This unique, seamless design keeps debris from collecting in your gutters which: • Prevents clogs from forming • Keeps water flowing freely • Eliminates leaks and the threat of water damage • Makes climbing ladders to clean gutters unnecessary Say Goodbye to CloGGed GutterS! Get leafGuard gutters, a unique patented system designed to stay clog free. leafGuard is the only seamless, one-piece leaf protection gutter system on the market. C A L L T O D AY Best BestNWA.com of Northwest Arkansas the "I've always said the most important thing in the draft in the NFL, take players who care," he said. "You hear someone say they must draft someone with all the abilities. If they don't care, you are foolish to draft them. "There are a lot of coaches who missed their opportunity to become bona fide head coaches because they drafted only the ones they saw jump high and run fast. If they didn't care if they won or lost, it always shows. "If you take the ones who care, you are going to be fine. That's been my belief through 54 years of coaching." DEFENSIVE LINE I have not talked to Brasher about the current Razorbacks, but will in coming weeks. I think he'll like the look of this defensive line. I'm not sure there are a bunch of NFL players, but I think they will play like they care. There are three transfers who look the part in scrimmages: John Ridgeway from Illinois State, and Tre Williams and Markell Utsey from Missouri. Ridgeway will probably miss this game because of an appendectomy. The key for the game is how well the Hogs dominate up front with a deep and physically improved defensive line. They are three deep in most places and have benefitted from a wonderful buildup in the weight room with strength coach Jamil Walker. Team insiders think this may be one of the best transformation jobs done in the offseason at Arkansas in ages. Dorian Gerald, a sixth-year defensive end, has added about 20 pounds to 270 and has regained the quick twitch that made him the nation's top junior college pass rush target three years ago. Williams has wreaked havoc in practice. Pittman reminded when his offensive tackles struggled with Williams in two scrimmages, that he coached first-round draft picks at Georgia who could not handle Williams. Zach Williams is another who has made a magnificent transformation. He's ready for a breakout season, as is Eric Gregory, now a 300-pounder capable of playing end or tackle. THE FRONT This is still a defensive line thought, but it's something to watch on both sides of the ball. Barry Odom was hired as defensive coordinator mainly because Pittman said he couldn't block a moving front that was the constant at Missouri. The Tigers moved just ahead of the snap, sliding a gap, or changing from a three to a four front. Are they are over or under front? That is determined by where the nose guard plays. Odom has the capability of changing from one to the other, but it was rarely used last year because there wasn't depth and Jonathan Marshall was best at nose tackle. Rice plays a fast-moving front, too. The Owls are hard to pin down before the snap. To say this may be a rare opener where defenses are in multiple looks might be an overstatement. Expect lots of movement up front in an effort to confuse blockers and quarterbacks. It's one of the games within the game. Can Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson figure out who he's reading with the run-pass option? Can he avoid bad plays by making sure he makes the right reads in quick fashion? MULTIPLE QBS There is a good chance both teams play more than one quarterback. The Owls have three quarterbacks with big-time experience numbers, although summer transfer Luke McCaffrey got his experience at Nebraska. McCaffrey is expected to split time with Wiley Green. Both are slick runners, although McCaffrey is probably has the most wiggles. Jefferson is the clear starter for the Hogs. At 6-6, 245 pounds, he's more physical than slick, but has decent speed. Backup QB Malik Hornsby flashed in August scrimmages with superb breakaway speed. Cunningham, the right tackle and a captain, called Hornsby "a show." How much Hornsby plays could depend on the score, but don't be surprised if offensive coordinator Kendal Briles has some goal line packages for Hornsby. Keys n Continued from Page 2 See KEYS, Page 4

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