Arkansas Recruiting Speculations and Updates: Hogs Add Louisiana Linebacker to Class

The Times-Picayune reporter Ted Lewis is reporting that 4-star linebacker Otha Peters from Covington, LA has flipped his commitment from University of Tennessee to the Razorbacks. Peters has been a Vols verbal commitment since July 21.

Peters, 4-star, 6’1”, 221 pounds, is considered the sixth best inside linebacker in the nation per Rivals.com.

Lewis noted in his report that Covington Coach Malter Scobel was worried about the instability of the Tennessee program in the upcoming years. Scobel added that Arkansas did not have the same challenges ahead of them as Tennessee.

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino and new defensive coordinator Paul Haynes have been searching for top talent to replace departing seniors Jerry Franklin and Jerrico Nelson in their linebacker unit.

Early speculation centered on mid-term enrollee Austin Flynn and his ability to play linebacker for the Hogs in 2012. Flynn may still get a chance to switch from his defensive end position to linebacker for the Razorbacks but the signing of Peters should help Haynes depth at linebacker for the upcoming season.

Peters is the third linebacker verbally committed to the Hogs 2012 recruiting class joining A.J. Turner (Lepanto, Ark.) and Vin Ascolese (New Bergen, N.J.).

Razorback Recruiting Speculation

Word is 4-star junior college wide receiver Courtney Gardner may flip from Arkansas to Oklahoma due to the restrictions the SEC places on incoming JC players. Gardner would have to take extra classes if he were to enroll in any SEC school not just at Arkansas.

The Big 12 does not have the same enrollment standards as the SEC.

Recent junior college verbal commitment Demetrius Wilson is reported to not have any class restrictions delaying his ability to enroll at Arkansas once his spring semester is completed.

If Gardner de-commits the Hogs still have two possibly three scholarships remaining. Which recruits will receive the final two or three scholarships? The possibilities are debatable.

Despite the false reporting of one of the Razorbacks top recruiting prospects, Dorial Green-Beckham of Springfield, MO, committed to Missouri, the Hogs still remain in the running as his college of choice. He is still a strong possibility.

DGB is scheduled to announce his decision Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m. EST on ESPNU.

Five-star offensive tackle Jordan Diamond is reportedly giving his private decision Tuesday night to the school of his choice but not making an official announcement until Friday, Feb. 3. The Hogs are among his favorites.

Diamond has taken official visits to Michigan, Auburn, Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Arkansas.

Bobby Petrino and staff will hold a spot for Diamond if he privately commits. If the Hogs only sign 24 players on Wednesday chances are Diamond will be a Razorback come Friday.

With the verbal commitment of Otha Peters the likelihood of linebackers Reggie Northrup (4-star, Jacksonville, FL) or Seth Jacobs (4-star, Arroyo Grandee, CA) coming to Arkansas looks slim. Jacobs played linebacker in high school but is being looked at as a safety for the Hogs.

Four-star cornerback Davont’e Neal from Scottsdale, AZ, three-star cornerback Chris Humes from Hoover, AL, or three-star cornerback Gary Simon from St. Petersburg, FL could end up taking one of the remaining scholarships. If Jacobs chooses to play safety in college he could end up back in the conversation taking one of these final scholarships.

Should DGB choose Missouri or Texas over the Hogs, speculation is 4-star wide receiver Javon Williams from Chandler, AZ or 3-star wide receiver Brad Culp from Fayetteville, AR could take that scholarship.

Here’s a list of the 23 verbally committed Razorbacks recruits:

OG Cordale Boyd, 3-star, 6’3”, 290 pounds, Memphis, TN

OG Jeremy Ward, 3-star, 6’4”, 275 pounds, Pottsville, AR

WR D’Arthur Cowan, 3-star, 6’1’, 175 pounds, Olive Branch, MS

WR Keon Hatcher, 4-star, 6’1”, 195 pounds, Owasso, OK

WR Eric Hawkins, 3-star, 6’5”, 220, Longview, TX

WR #Demetrius Wilson, 3-star, 6’2”, 170 pounds, Glendale, AZ

RB Nathan Holems, 3-star, 6’1”, 180 pounds, Port Arthur, TX

RB Donovan Roberts, 3-star, 6’0”, 200 pounds, Norman, OK

TE Jeremy Sprinkle, 3-star, 6’6”, 215, White Hall, AR

RB Jonathan Williams, 4-star, 5’11”, 205 pounds, Allen, TX

WR #Courtney Gardner, 4-star, 6’3”, 215, Rocklin, CA

CB Ray Buchanan Jr., 3-star, 5’10”, 170 pounds, Suwanee, GA

CB Jared Collins, 3-star, 5’11”, 170 pounds, Tulsa, OK

DE Brandon Lewis, 3-star, 6’5”, 220 pounds, Memphis, TN

SS Defonta Lowe, 3-star, 6’2”, 180 pounds, Bearden, AR

LB A.J. Turner, 3-star, 6’3”, 200 pounds, Lepanto, AR

LB Vin Ascolese, 3-star, 6’2”, 215 pounds, New Bergen, NJ

LB Otha Peters, 4-star, 6’1”, 220 pounds, Covington, LA

DE JaMichael Winston, 3-star, 6’6”, 230 pounds, Prichard, AL

DE Deatrich Wise Jr., 4-star, 6’5”, 220, Carrolton, TX

FS Will Hines, 3-star, 6’1”, 175 pounds, Waco, TX

DE Taiwan Johnson, 4-star, 6’3”, 230 pounds, Manvel, TX

DE *#Austin Flynn, 3-star, 6’4”, 250 pounds, Los Angeles Harbor CC

*Already enrolled at University of Arkansas

# Denotes junior college player

Position by position breakdown of Arkansas 2012 verbal commitments:

Offensive line: two

Running backs: three

Wide receivers: five

Quarterbacks: none

Tight ends: one

Defensive line: five

Linebackers: three

Safeties: two

Cornerbacks: two

Kickers: none

Arkansas jumped in the recruiting rankings from No. 17 to No. 15 on Scout.com while Rivals.com moved the Hogs from No. 30 to No. 28 with the verbal commitment of Peters.

All verbal commitments are non-binding until a letter of intent is signed. 

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UCLA Recruiting Updates: Bruins Get No. 3 Quarterback in Nation

Jim Mora Jr. may have pulled the biggest recruiting catch in his early tenure as head coach of the Bruins, with all due respect to 5-star commitment Ellis McCarthy, when quarterback Devin Fuller announced his intentions to sign with UCLA.

Sunday, Jan. 29 could go down in history for UCLA fans because the third highest ranked dual-threat quarterback in the nation choose to attend school in Westwood. Mora now has a centerpiece to build his team around going forward.

Fuller, from Old Tappan N.J., has the ability to influence games with his arm and his legs while bringing wins to the storied Bruins program for years to come.

The Bruins are getting a true leader with years of experience under center. Due to injuries Fuller was forced into the starting quarterback spot as a freshman. He started eight games for Old Tappan High School in 2008 finishing the season with 1,203 yards passing and 10 touchdowns.

By his junior year he was a force on the gridiron, rushing for 2,306 yards with 32 touchdowns and passing for 1,844 yards with 20 touchdowns. He was the only junior to be selected first team all-state while leading his team to an 11-1 record.

During his senior campaign he rushed for over 1,300 yards with 17 touchdowns and improved upon his junior passing numbers by throwing for 2,247 yards with 20 scores.

He finished his high school career with 4,589 net yards rushing with 60 touchdowns and 38 passing touchdowns along with 6,184 yards passing. He is rated the state’s second best player.

There’s no question that Mora is getting a true dual-threat quarterback to run his offense.

Mora received more good news on Monday when 3-star offensive lineman Simon Gaines from Keller, Texas announced that he was changing his commitment from the Missouri Tigers to the Bruins.

Gaines, 6’8”, 295 pounds, is considered the 37th best offensive tackle in the nation.

Mora may not be done adding to his No. 10 ranked recruiting class per Scout.com. Four-star wide receiver Javon Williams from Chandler, Ariz. has narrowed his decision to UCLA and Arkansas.

Williams is the No. 4 prospect in the state of Arizona and is considered the 36th best wide receiver in the 2012 recruiting class. Williams took an official visit to UCLA on Jan. 27.

Other recruits on official visits to UCLA with Williams the weekend of Jan. 27 include:

DT Aziz Shittu, 4-star, 6’3”, 275 pounds, Atwater, Cal

LB Seth Jacobs, 4-star, 6’2”, 215 pounds, Arroyo Grande, Cal

CB Randall Goforth, 3-star, 6’0”, 175 pounds, Long Beach, Cal

WR Malcom Lewis, 3-star, 6’0”, 180 pounds, Miramar, FL

OT *Alexandru Ceachir, 3-star, 6’5”, 300 pounds, Santa Monica, Cal

LB Henry Aldelman, not rated, 5’11”, 220 pounds, Arroyo Grande, Cal

FS Marrell Jackson, not rated, 6’1”, 177 pounds, Miramar, FL

*Denotes junior college player

National Signing Day is Feb. 1. All verbal commitments are non-binding. 

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Arkansas Razorback Recruiting: Hogs Set to Win In-State Recruiting Battles

The majority of the top players in the state of Arkansas have made their verbal commitments in preparation for National Signing Day on Feb. 1. Without any major changes come Wednesday, the Razorbacks will be the college of choice for four of the top eight in-state recruits that have made their verbal announcements.

Three-star safety Defonta Lowe from Bearden, Ark. tops the list of in-state players committed to the Razorbacks. Lowe committed to the Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino in September becoming the 14th recruit in Arkansas’ class.

Lowe was a quarterback for Bearden High School but will move to safety in college. Rivals.com ranked Lowe the third best prospect in the state of Arkansas.

Jeremy Ward, a 3-star offensive lineman from Pottsville, Ark., was the second player to commit to the Hogs in February of 2011. Before the 2011 recruiting class had a chance to fax in their letters of intent 4-star wide receiver Jalen Cobb from Warren, Ark. choose to be a Razorback.

By mid-April 3-star East Poinsett County linebacker A.J. Turner added his name to the Razorbacks list with 3-star defensive end Jeremy Sprinkle from White Hall following suit in June of 2011.

In all, the Razorbacks collected verbal pledges from five of the top seven players in the state. Unfortunately for the Hogs, Cobb’s scholarship offer was reportedly withdrawn because of possible academic issues. Cobb has not committed to another team to date.

The Hogs will lose out on the top rated player in the state for the third year in a row as 4-star running back Zac Brooks from Jonesboro will sign with Clemson. He received clearance to enroll in classes on Jan. 13.

In all fairness to the Razorback coaching staff, Brooks transferred from the east coast finishing out his college prep career in Arkansas. He has family in Georgia and let it be known early that he wanted to attend school closer to his family.

The last top ranked player from in-state to sign with the Hogs was 5-star cornerback Darius Winston from West Helena in 2009.

The exodus of 5-star quarterback Kiehl Frazier in 2011 and 5-star running back Michael Dyer in 2010 to Auburn can be directly linked to current Arkansas State Red Wolves head coach Gus Malzahn.

Malzahn, a former high school head coach in Springdale, was the offensive coordinator for the Tigers from 2009-2011. His influence weighed heavily on both prospects to join him at Auburn. So much so that Michael Dyer, a sophomore with two 1,000-yard rushing seasons in the SEC, transferred from Auburn after the fall semester to follow Malzahn to Arkansas State.

Malzahn, a first year head coach on the collegiate level, has ASU in line to reap the benefit of the rest of the in-state talent not offered by the Razorbacks. Of the 22 Arkansas players set to sign with Division 1-A schools, the Red Wolves have verbal pledges from 10.

Louisiana Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Purdue, and SMU have all grabbed Arkansas recruits.

Brad Culp, a 3-star wide receiver prospect from Fayetteville and the states No. 10 ranked player, has not made a verbal commitment to date. He visited North Carolina on Jan 25. and Arkansas State on Jan. 27. ASU, Memphis and Ole Miss have reportedly offered Culp a scholarship.

Here’s a list Arkansas recruits that have a verbal commitment to Division 1-A schools:

Recruit/Rating/Location/School

RB Zac Brooks, 4-star, Jonesboro, Clemson

FS Defonte Lowe, 3-star, Bearden, Arkansas

LB A.J. Turner, 3-star, Lepanto, Arkansas

OL Jeremy Ward, 3-star, Pottsville, Arkansas

OL Jemar Clark, 3-star, McCrory, Arkansas State

DE Jeremy Sprinkle, 3-star, White Hall, Arkansas

RB Kenneth Dixon, 3-star, Louisiana Tech

QB Neal Burcham, 3-star, Greenbrier, SMU

CB Marquis Walker, 3-star, Rison, Arkansas State

OG Jason King, 2-star, Pulaski Academy (Little Rock), Purdue

LB Quanterio Heath, 2-star, Rison, Arkansas State

DE Jeff Savage, 2-star, Smackover, ULM

SS Quincy Hardwell, 2-star, El Dorado, ULM

QB Fredi Knighten, 2-star, Pulaski Academy (Little Rock), Arkansas State

CB Derek Keaton, 2-star, Camden, Arkansas State

WR Warren Leapheart, 2-star, Morrilton, Arkansas State

QB Dezmond Stegall, 2-star, Searcy, Louisiana Tech

OG Colton Jackson, 2-star, Ozark, Arkansas State

WR Ajalen Holley, 2-star, Lakeside (Hot Springs), ULM

RB DeKeathan Williams, not rated, Central (Little Rock), Arkansas State

OG Austin Moreton, not rated, Southside (Fort Smith), Arkansas State

DE Darrius Rosser, not rated, Marion, Arkansas State

National Signing Day is Feb 1. All verbal commitments are non-binding. 

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Razorback Quick Hits

As National Signing Day nears all college football fans begin to worry about this recruit or that recruit. They also worry about how many stars a player has per the usual recruiting services.

Recruiting stars do not always equate to talent on the field.

Razorback fans may be shocked to find out that Arkansas tight end Chris Gragg was considered a 2-star prospect per Rivals.com in the 2009 recruiting class.

Go Hogs!!!

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Vanderbilt Recruiting Updates: Franklin Drops One adds Two

Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin continues to work miracles on the recruiting trail for the Commodores. After years of relative futility attracting SEC caliber talent, Vandy has 22 verbal commitments, all with a 3-star ranking or better.

With only one year of head coaching experience under his belt, Franklin caught college football by surprise in 2011 and made a statement to all SEC teams that Vanderbilt will no longer be an easy win for any team.

The Commodores are a team on the rise and recruits from all over are jumping on board.

Franklin’s message has helped recruits like 3-star quarterback and Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year Patton Robinette from Maryville, TN to switch his commitment from North Carolina to Vandy.

Former Arkansas commitment Jakarri Thomas, a 3-star linebacker from Tallahassee, FL committed to the Commodores on Jan. 26.

Reports are former Razorback defensive coordinator Willy Robinson was high on Thomas. Once Robinson was released from his duties the Hogs cooled on Thomas.

A loss for Arkansas becomes a valuable gain for Vanderbilt.

Chris Moody, a safety and quarterback prospect from McDonough, GA, committed to the Commodores on Sunday Jan. 22, after taking an official visit to the campus the weekend of Jan. 20.

Moody is taking his last official visit to South Carolina before National Signing Day on Feb. 1. He visited University of Central Florida and South Florida previously.

The lone recruit no longer committed to Vanderbilt is 3-star wide receiver Andre McDonald from Minnetonka, MN. McDonald, rated as the third best prospect in the state of Minnesota, committed to the Golden Gophers on Jan. 26.

The only known soft verbal commitment on the Commodores list is 4-star defensive end Josh Dawson from Tucker, GA.

University of Georgia has aggressively recruited Dawson over the past weeks after he officially visited the Bulldogs on Jan. 13.

Minnesota is not ranked in Rivals.com top 50 while Scout.com has the Gophers ranked No. 62.

With three scholarships remaining Franklin hosted Dawson, 3-star linebacker Harding Harper from Montgomery, AL, 3-star offensive tackle Andrew Jelks from Paris, TN, Vanderbilt commitment Will Holden, 3-star wide receiver Herbert Waters from Homestead, FL, and Vanderbilt commitment Jaborian McKenzie the weekend of Jan. 20.

3-star offensive tackle Kevin McCoy from Seffner, FL is scheduled to visit this weekend.

Scout.com has Vandy ranked No. 33 in the nation which places them No. 10 out of the current 12 SEC teams with Kentucky at No. 34 and Ole Miss tied for No. 60.

Rivals.com rates Franklin’s haul much higher- No. 25. The bump in rankings on Rivals.com places Vandy at No. 9 in the SEC ahead of Mississippi State at No. 30, Arkansas at No. 31, Ole Miss No. 41, and Kentucky which is not ranked.

New SEC members Texas A&M and Missouri, come this summer, are ranked nationally at No. 10 and No. 49 respectively.

Here’s a list of the 22 current verbal commitments:

QB Patton Robinette, 6’5”, 200 pounds, 3-star, Maryville, TN

RB Jaborian McKenzie, 5’9”, 180 pounds, 3-star, Natchez, MS

RB Brian Kimbrow, 5’9”, 165 pounds, 4-star, Memphis, TN

WR Cory Batey, 5’11”, 180 pounds, 3-star, Nashville, TN

OT Andrew Jelks, 6’6”, 260 pounds, 3-star, Paris, TN

OT Will Holden, 6’6”, 271 pounds, 2-star, Green Cove Springs, FL

OT Blake Fromang, 6’8”, 280 pounds, 3-star, Orlando, FL

OT Barrett Gouger, 6’4”, 275 pounds, 3-star, Chattanooga, TN

OG Adam Butler, 6’5”, 285 pounds, 3-star, Duncanville, TX

CB Torren McGaster, 6’0”, 180 pounds, 2-star, Daphne, AL

CB Brandon Banks, 5’11”. 170 pounds, 3-star, Brandywine, MD

FS Chris Moody, 6’0”, 197 pounds, 3-star, McDonough, GA

SS Paris Head, 5’10”, 170 pounds, 3-star, Buford, GA

DE Ladarius Banks, 6’2”, 263, 2-star, Dallas, GA

DE Stephen Weatherly, 6’4”, 190 pounds, 2-star, Atlanta, GA

DE Josh Dawson, 6’4”, 225 pounds, 4-star, Tucker, GA

DE Caleb Azubike, 6’5”, 240 pounds, 3-star, Nashville, TN

DE Torey Agee, 6’4”, 250 pounds, 3-star, Opelika, AL

LB Jakarri Thomas, 6’1”, 195, 3-star, Tallahassee, FL

OLB Jacob Sealand, 6’1”, 220 pounds, 3-star, Tucker GA

OLB Darreon Herring, 6’2”, 195 pounds, 3-star, Stone Mountain, GA

K Colby Cooke, 6’3”, 175 pounds, 2-star, Goochland, GA

All commitments are verbal and non-binding. National Signing Day is February 1. 

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Ferris Bueller's Day Off Part 2?

Fans of the iconic 80's movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off can only hope this clip will lead to something bigger. Unfortunately for now the closest thing to a sequel will come during a Honda Super Bowl commercial.

Check out the teaser:

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Arkansas Razorback Recruiting: Hogs Add another Verbal Commitment

Linebacker Vin Ascolese from North Bergen, New Jersey made an official announcement on Friday that he will be calling the Hogs on National Signing Day.

Ascolese is listed at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds and runs a 4.5 40-yard dash. He was the only New Jersey high school player that made the Parade All-American list this season.

Ascolese played in the Semper Fidelis All-American Game in Phoenix, Arizona January 3. He was one of 100 players selected for the game.

Vin Ascolese reported offers from South Carolina, Illinois, Cincinnati, and Michigan State. Texas A&M offered a scholarship on Jan. 24 but to no avail.

The Illinois coaching staff did an in-home visit on Thursday with Ascoles followed by an in-home visit from Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino.

The Razorbacks have four scholarships remaining. Speculation is the Hogs have four private commitments waiting to announce on National Signing Day.

Edward Pope, a 4-star athlete from Carthage, Texas was scheduled to visit Fayetteville this weekend but the coaching staff canceled his visit. Chances are the Hogs would not have canceled his visit if they did not think they were set come Feb. 1.

Pope committed to TCU on Feb. 27, 2011.

Here’s a list of the 21 verbally committed Razorbacks recruits:

OG Cordale Boyd, 3-star, 6’3”, 290 pounds, Memphis, TN

OG Jeremy Ward, 3-star, 6’4”, 275 pounds, Pottsville, AR

WR D’Arthur Cowan, 3-star, 6’1’, 175 pounds, Olive Branch, MS

WR Keon Hatcher, 4-star, 6’1”, 195 pounds, Owasso, OK

WR Eric Hawkins, 3-star, 6’5”, 220, Longview, TX

RB Nathan Holems, 3-star, 6’1”, 180 pounds, Port Arthur, TX

RB Donovan Roberts, 3-star, 6’0”, 200 pounds, Norman, OK

TE Jeremy Sprinkle, 3-star, 6’6”, 215, White Hall, AR

RB Jonathan Williams, 4-star, 5’11”, 205 pounds, Allen, TX

WR Courtney Gardner, 4-star, 6’3”, 215, Rocklin, CA

CB Ray Buchanan Jr., 3-star, 5’10”, 170 pounds, Suwanee, GA

CB Jared Collins, 3-star, 5’11”, 170 pounds, Tulsa, OK

DE Brandon Lewis, 3-star, 6’5”, 220 pounds, Memphis, TN

DB Defonta Lowe, 3-star, 6’2”, 180 pounds, Bearden, AR

LB A.J. Turner, 3-star, 6’3”, 200 pounds, Lepanto, AR

DE JaMichael Winston, 3-star, 6’6”, 230 pounds, Prichard, AL

DE Deatrich Wise Jr., 4-star, 6’5”, 220, Carrolton, TX

FS Will Hines, 3-star, 6’1”, 175 pounds, Waco, TX

LB Vin Ascolese, 3-star, 6’2”, 215 pounds, New Bergen, NJ

DE Taiwan Johnson, 4-star, 6’3”, 230 pounds, Manvel, TX

DE *Austin Flynn, 3-star, 6’4”, 250 pounds, Los Angeles Harbor CC

*Already enrolled at University of Arkansas

Arkansas has five 4-star and 16 3-star commitments.

Position by position breakdown of Arkansas 2012 verbal commitments:

Offensive line: two

Running backs: three

Wide receivers: four

Quarterbacks: none

Tight ends: none

Defensive line: six

Linebackers: two

Safeties: two

Cornerbacks: two

Kickers: none

Arkansas fell in the recruiting rankings from No. 13 to No. 17 on Scout.com. Rivals.com dropped the Hogs one spot from No. 29 to No. 30.

All verbal commitments are non-binding until a letter of intent is signed. 

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UCLA Recruiting: Mora puts the Pac-12 on Notice

A new head coach can generate excitement and hope for the future of any program. Expounding on the team’s new philosophy and enthusiasm from within can be hard to translate in the living rooms of players on the recruiting trail.

This has not been the case for UCLA’s new head football coach Jim Mora.

Mora has hit the road preaching change, competitiveness, and ultimately a winning program. In the process he has indirectly renewed the cross-town rivalry with USC that has remained primarily dormant for much of the past fifteen years.

Mora’s NFL head coaching experience with the Atlanta Falcons (2004-2006) and Seattle Seahawks (2009) commands instant respect from top recruits. The perspective players are listening and he even has top recruits flipping their verbal commitment to the Bruins, taking talent away from in-conference rivals.

With less than a week remaining before National Signing Day, Mora has wrapped up 25 verbal commitments from as far away as Hawaii, New York, and Florida while snagging 11 of the top 100 in-state high school seniors.

His biggest haul may be 5-star defensive tackle Ellis McCarthy from Monrovia, CA.

On Jan. 7, at the U.S. Army Bowl, McCarthy was committed to University of California. In nine short days McCarthy officially announced he was changing to UCLA.

McCarthy is not the only verbal commitment Mora has convinced to change from another Pac-12 school. On Sunday Jan. 22 four-star linebacker Jeremy Castro from Murrieta, California switched from Oregon to UCLA.

On that same day Colby Cyburt, a 3-star offensive tackle from Mission Viejo, California choose the Bruins as well.

3-star quarterback T.J. Millweard from Fort Worth, Texas switched his school of choice from Arizona State to the Bruins on Jan. 17.

Marcus Rios, a 4-star cornerback from Elk Grove, California de-committed from Boise State choosing to play for Mora instead.

The influx of talent has moved UCLA higher in the recruiting rankings. Rivals.com has UCLA ranked No. 18 while Scout.com has the Bruins at No. 10. Even with the impressive list of current players ready to head to Westwood, Mora may not be finished.

Arik Armstead from Elk Grove, California could turn a great UCLA class into a possible consensus top 10 college football recruiting class for Mora.

Armstead, a 6’8”, 285 pound offensive tackle with the ability to play defensive tackle in college, is considered the second best high school player in the nation by Scout.com.

Notre Dame, USC, Auburn, Oregon, and UCLA are all vying for Armstead’s signature come Feb. 1. Each school has arranged an in-home visit or visited him at school over the past week.

Armstead has taken official visits to Notre Dame, Alabama, Oregon, and California.

They lure of playing one season with his older brother could swing Arik’s final decision.

Armond Armstead was a starting defensive tackle for USC until an undisclosed illness kept him off the field in 2011. Armond has one more season of eligibility left. Since Armond has graduated from USC he can transfer to any school without having to sit out a year.

The Armstead brothers officially visited Auburn the weekend of Jan. 13. Will some lucky team get both of the Armstead brothers come fall 2012?

Arik was committed to USC until changing his mind in November. He is a mid-term graduate ready to enroll in the school of his choice.

If Mora could land both Armstead brothers not only would that boost the overall talent of UCLA’s recruiting class but it could mean he has added two players that can contribute instantly.

Perhaps the more important emphasis is UCLA could keep two quality players away from USC or Cal.

Due to NCAA violations USC can only sign 15 players and they can not carry more than 75 scholarship players on their roster. Any attempt to lessen the overall talent on Lane Kiffin’s USC squad can only help Mora and his staff in the future.

USC has 12 verbal commitments officially listed with an offer on the table to Arik Armstead.

Rivals.com current has five Pac-12 teams ranked in their top 25 starting with No. 12 Stanford, No. 13 Cal, No. 17 USC, No. 18 UCLA, and No. 19 Oregon with Oregon State hovering at No. 27.

Mora’s first recruiting class has the attention of every other coach throughout the Pac-12. UCLA has sent a message that times have changed in Westwood.

The race for the top talent in the Pac-12 is far from over but Jim Mora has UCLA right in the thick of the race.

Here’s a list of the remaining 20 verbal UCLA commitments:

OL Lacy Westbrook, 4-star, 6’5”, 300 pounds, Compton, CA

OL Alexandru Ceachir, 3-star, 6’5”, 300 pounds, Santa Monica, CA

OL Carl Hulick, 3-star, 6’2”, 285 pounds, Anaheim, CA

WR Taylor Lagace, 3-star, 6’0”, 176 pounds, Arcadia, CA

TE Ian Taubler, 3-star, 6’4”, 235 pounds, Fresno, CA

RB Steven Lakalaka, 3-star, 5’10”, 200 pounds, Honolulu, HI

RB Fabian Moreau, 3-star, 6’0”, 180 pounds, Davie, FL

RB Tairen Owens, 3-star, 5’9”, 165 pounds, Pasadena, CA

DB Ishamael Adams, 4-star, 5’10”, 185 pounds, Westlake Village, CA

DB Justin Combs, 2-star, 5’9”, 170 pounds, New Rochelle, NY

DB Shannon Edwards, 3-star, 5’10”, 175 pounds, Bakersfield, CA

DB Jerico Richardson, 2-star, 6’1”, 180 pounds, Mission Hills, CA

LB Aaron Porter, 4-star, 6’2”, 230 pounds, La Habra, CA

LB Kenny Orjoke, 3-star, 6’3”, 215 pounds, Marietta, GA

DE Eli Ankou, 3-star, 6’3”, 255 pounds, Bear, DE

DE Nate Iese, 3-star, 6’5”, 240 pounds, Elk Grove, CA

ATH Paul Perkins, 3-star, 5’10”, 180 pounds, Chandler, AZ

ATH Christian Powell, 3-star, 5’11”, 250 pounds, Upland, CA

ATH Trayvon Watson, 2-star, 6’1”, 190 pounds, Los Angeles, CA

K Ka’imi Fairbairn, 2-star, 6’0”, 165 pounds, Honolulu, HI

National Signing Day is Feb. 1. All verbal commitments are nonbinding. 

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Arkansas Razorback Baseball Team Starts Preseason Ranked No. 4

The Arkansas Razorback baseball team will begin practice for the 2012 season Friday Jan. 26 at Baum Stadium with high and lofty expectations.

After the Hogs finished the 2011 season 40-22, ranked No. 14, and winners of the SEC West Division, they were voted preseason No. 4 this week by Baseball America.

With 19 lettermen returning including 10 pitchers with game experience, all eyes will be on how head coach Dave Van Horn handles his deep rotation and talented team.

Aiding the Hogs preseason No. 4 ranking are three Arkansas players listed on College Baseball Daily’s Top 100-  right-handed junior pitcher DJ Baxendale is ranked No. 25, RHP sophomore pitcher Ryne Stanek No. 57 and 3B/1B sophomore slugger Dominic Ficociello rated No. 75.

Stanek (Overland Park, Kan) finished the 2011 season 4-2 with one save while posting a 3.94 ERA. He saved his best stuff for last throwing a complete game against Nevada in Regional play and shutdown Alabama in the SEC Tournament earning a win for the Hogs.

Ficociello (Fullerton, Cal) was awarded a spot on the 2011 Freshman All-American team after finishing the season with a .335 batting average and 50 RBIs. He led the Razorbacks in several major hitting categories last season including RBIs, doubles (15), and hits (75).

“Fic” was a 2010 draft pick of the Detroit Tigers.

Baxendale (Sylvan Hills High School, Ark) was the Friday starter for the Hogs much of last season. He finished the year 10-2 with a 1.58 ERA and earned All-SEC honors.

The scouting report on Baxendale is a great fastball with a lot of movement while mixing in a great breaking ball.

Contributing to Arkansas No. 27 ranked 2011 pitching staff (3.20 ERA) was two more Freshman All-Americans- Nolan Sanburn and Barrett Astin.

Sanburn worked as a closer for the Hogs earning eight saves and compiling a 2-4 record with a 3.62 ERA. Astin appeared in 27 games, starting three, and finished with a 5-2 record with a 2.71 ERA.

The Hogs will face an uphill challenge in the SEC as always. Seven SEC teams are preseason Top 25 including No. 1 Florida and No. 3 South Carolina. Stanford is ranked No. 2.

Other SEC teams in the Top 25: No. 8 LSU, No. 10 Vanderbilt, No. 11 Georgia, and No. 22 Mississippi

Arkansas opens their baseball season Feb. 17 against Villanova at Baum Stadium.

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Arkansas State Recruiting: Gus Malzahn’s First Class Taking Great Form

As the offensive coordinator for Auburn less than a year ago Gus Malzahn was helping build a highly ranked recruiting class for the BCS defending national champion Tigers.

Now the first year head coach at Arkansas State is trying to build a highly ranked recruiting class for the defending Sun Belt Champion Red Wolves.

Oh, how times have changed.

Malzahn’s 2011 recruiting class with SEC West power Auburn was ranked No. 7 by Rivals.com and No. 2 by Scout.com. Of the 12 high school players designated for offense, two were considered 5-star prospects- offensive guard Christian Westerman and quarterback Kiehl Frazier. Seven 4-star players were signed along with three 3-star recruits.

With one week left in before National Signing Day, Malzahn has 23 verbal commitments and has the Red Wolves ranked No. 78 in recruiting.

Without a closer look into the ASU recruiting situation, one may feel bad for the new head coach. The rankings do not tell the entire story. Malzahn appears to be building a winner in Jonesboro.

In 2011 Arkansas State finished the recruiting season tied for the 101st best or worst class, depending on one’s outlook, out of 120 Division 1-A college football teams. The Red Wolves signed 24 players in total. 10 of those signees were out of the junior college ranks. None scouted higher than a 3-star.

Arkansas State finished recruiting ranked No. 106 with the third best talent haul in the Sun Belt Conference in 2010.

Do not pity Gus Malzahn. If you are an opposing coach you should fear him.

ASU currently leads the Sun Belt in recruiting per Scout.com, highlighted by six 3-star players who have verbally pledged their college careers to Malzahn. Still a far cry from his time at Auburn but with two scholarship spots left ASU is within current striking distance of named schools like Wake Forest, Iowa State, and Connecticut.

Not impressed yet? ASU is ranked ahead of teams like Kansas State, Kansas, and Memphis; teams with much greater tradition and name power than the defending Sun Belt champs.

Breaking Down the Class

Two junior college transfers should help the Red Wolves defense next season. 3-star defensive tackle Dexter Blackmon, 6’2”, 285 pounds, from Coffeyville, Kansas and middle linebacker Eddie Porter, 6’3”, 235 pounds, from Blinn College.

Blinn College defensive ends John Gandy, 6’0”, 245, pounds and Ishmael Hayes 6’6”, 245 pounds will via for playing time next season. Lawrence Cayou, 6’5”, 265 pounds, from Highland, Kansas is another junior college transfer looking for playing time at defensive end.

ASU took a couple of in-state 3-star players to help out, offensive tackle Jemar Clark, 6’6”, 280 pounds, from McCrory and cornerback Marquis Walker, 6’0”, 170 pounds, from Rison.

What good is a potent offense without a quarterback to run it? Malzahn has two quarterbacks on his list to help build his program around with Jalen Whitlow, 3-star from Prattville, Alabama and Fredi Knighten, 2-star from Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The following is a complete list of the 14 remaining verbal commitments:

RB Kendrick Daniels, 3-star, 5’7”, 150 pounds, Sulphur Springs, Texas

RB Quintavius Burdette, 2-star, 5’10”, 179 pounds, Senatobia, Miss

RB DeKeathan Williams, 2-star, 6’2”, 205 pounds, West Helena, Ark

RB Todd Mays, 2-star, 5’11”, 205 pounds, Olive Branch, Miss

RB Michael Gordon, 2-star, 5’11”, 180 pounds, Camden, Miss

WR Warren Leapheart, Not Ranked, 6’5”, 205 pounds, Morrilton, Ark

WR Bralon Roberts, 2-star, 6’5”, 185 pounds, Dallas, Texas

C Bryce Giddens, 2-star, 6’0”, 265 pounds, Moultrie, Georgia

OG Colton Jackson, 2-star, 6’4”, 250 pounds, Ozark, Ark

OG Michael Flint, 2-star, 6’4”, 303 pounds, Oxford, Alabama

OT Devin Mondie, 2-star, 6’6”, 300 pounds, Olive Branch, Miss

LB Quanterio Heath, 2-star, 6’2”, 200 pounds, Rison, Ark

CB Derek Keaton, 2-star, 5’11”, 165 pounds, Camden, Ark

DT Tevin Bryson, 2-star, 6’4”, 285 pounds, Humboldt, Tenn

National Signing Day is Feb. 1. All commitments are verbal and non-binding. 

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Arkansas Sports Quick Hits

Five players with ties to the state of Arkansas will be playing in this year’s Super Bowl in Indianapolis.

The New York Giants have three players on their roster: OT Stacy Andrews (Camden, Ark), Mitch Petrus from Carlisle High School (University of Arkansas) in his second season, and Tony Ugoh (University of Arkansas) in his fifth season in the NFL.

The New England Patriots have two players with Arkansas connections with rookie quarterback Ryan Mallett (University of Arkansas) and practice squad linebacker Markell Carter (University of Central Arkansas).

Mallett is listed as the Pats third string quarterback behind Tom Brady and Brian Hoyer.

Carter was a 2011 sixth round draft pick of the Pats.

A Transfer for the Razorbacks Basketball Team

According to Hot100Hoops.com 6’2” guard Fred Gulley has transferred from Oklahoma State to the Hogs.

Gulley, a redshirt sophomore from Fayetteville, Ark., enrolled at mid-term and will be allowed to play for the Hogs after the fall semester is completed in 2012 once he is cleared by the NCAA.

To date Gulley has not been officially offered a scholarship by Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson.

Gulley averaged 16.4 points per game on the 2009 Fayetteville High School team that went 30-0 and won the state championship.

Long Time Coming for Jeff Long

After a Top Five finish for the Razorbacks in football what else could athletic director Jeff Long hope for with Arkansas’ athletic program?

Long can boast that the gymnastics team that is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation, the men’s track team that is ranked No. 1 (first time since 2009), the women’s track team that is ranked No. 3, men’s golf is No. 3, and the baseball team preseason No. 4.

Congratulations to Jeff Long, the Arkansas athletic department, the coaching staffs, and the players.  

Arkansas College Football Recruiting Update

Arkansas commitment defensive end JaMichael Winston, 3-star, is scheduled to visit Michigan State this weekend. He visited Clemson this past weekend. Clemson has not officially offered Winston a scholarship, Michigan State has.

Defensive tackle Tyler Nero is not visiting Arkansas this weekend.  

4-star defensive end Tawain Johnson was visited at school by Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino and offensive line coach Chris Klenakis on Monday. Johnson visited Clemson this past weekend.

Dalton Santos is scheduled to make an official visit to Texas next weekend. Santos, a University of Tennessee commitment, visited the Hogs this past week.

3-star Arkansas wide receiver commitment Eric Hankins was reported to have an in-school visit from Petrino and cornerbacks coach Bobby Allen on Tuesday.

Quarterback Nick Schuessler may only visit Arkansas on Friday. He is scheduled to visit Mississippi State on Saturday. 

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Mississippi State Recruiting: The Bulldogs Fall in Rankings

The volatile and ever changing landscape of college football recruiting can be best represented by the situation in Starkville. Less than a week ago the Bulldogs’ 2012 class was ranked No. 20 by Rivals.com giving fans hope for the future.

Now Mississippi State has fallen to No. 30 with one week left before National Signing Day on Feb. 1. How far will the Bulldog’s recruiting class fall?

Head coach Dan Mullen’s early recruiting success has given way as the rest of the pack seems to be catching up to the Bulldogs. The only change on the verbal commitment list is the loss of 3-star linebacker Lelland Ducksworth from Hattiesburg, Miss and the addition of 3-star defensive end A.J. Jefferson from Summit, Miss.  

Per the state rankings on Rivals.com Jefferson is ranked No. 6 while Ducksworth is ranked No. 14. The thought upgrade in overall talent has not kept the Bulldogs ranking secure.

Of the 25 scholarships available three have already been claimed by junior college players. 3-star offensive linemen Dylan Holley and Charles Siddoway have signed their letter of intent.

East Mississippi Community College standout Denico Autry has signed his letter of intent as well. On Sout.com Autry is considered a 5-star recruit. Per Rivals.com Autry was the second best junior college player in the nation during the 2011 season.

With 22 available scholarships left Dan Mullen appears to be eager to sign a quarterback to this year’s class. Steven Bench, a 3-star Penn State verbal commitment from Cairo, Georgia as of Jan. 24, received an in-home visit from Mullen on Monday. Bench verbally committed to Rice in December. Mullen and his staff can only hope that Bench flips again.

Also on the Bulldogs radar is Nick Schuessler, a 2-star quarterback prospect from Loganville, Georgia. Schuessler does not have any reported offers to date. He was scheduled to take his first official visit to Arkansas this weekend but has changed his trip to MSU instead.

With the hard cap rule of only 25 recruits allowed to sign for any given SEC team, one of Mullen’s current verbal commitments may end up losing their scholarship offer if Schuessler’s visit goes well in Starkville.

Five other recruits are scheduled to join Schuessler on the MSU campus this weekend including:

OT Demitric Camiel, 2-star, 6’6”, 285 pounds, Houston, Texas

QB Forest Williams, Not Ranked, 6’1”, 175 pounds, Amory, Miss

TE Hunter Bradley, Not Ranked, 6’4”, 220 pounds, Collierville, Miss

K Michael Mordecai, Not Ranked, 6’4”, 185 pounds, Jackson, Miss

K Evan Sobiesk, Not Ranked, 5’9”, 185 pounds, Hattiesburg, Miss

Here’s a list of Mississippi State’s 22 verbal commitments:

DT Quay Evans, 6’3”, 295 pounds, 4-star, Morton, Miss

DT Nick James, 6’4”, 335 pounds, 3-star, Long Beach, Miss

RB Xavier Grindle, 5’10”, 190 pounds, 3-star, Columbia, Miss

RB Deonte Evans, 5’11”, 198 pounds, 3-star, McComb, Miss

S Adarrius Perkins, 6’2”, 185 pounds, 3-star, Brooklyn, Miss

OL Devon Desper, 6’4” 295 pounds, 3-star, Madison, Miss

DB Cedric Jiles, 6’0”, 180 pounds, 3-star, Clinton, Miss

DE Nelson Adams, 6’5”, 260 pounds, 3-star, Brandon, Miss

ATH Adairius Barnes, 5’11”, 180 pounds, 3-star, Port Gibson, Miss

WR Frederick Brown, 6’1”, 166 pounds, 3-star, Jackson, Miss

OT Justin Senior, 6’6”, 280 pounds, 3-star, Chatham, Virginia

DT Jordan Washington, 6’2”, 275 pounds, 3-star, Suwannee, Georgia

CB Kivon Coman, 6’1”, 190 pounds, 3-star, Florence, Alabama

RB Brandon Holloway, 5’9”, 165 pounds, 2-star, Tampa Bay, Florida

TE Gus Walley, 6’4”, 215, 2-star, Leakesville, Miss

DE Ryan Brown, 6’5”, 240 pounds, 3-star, Marrero, Louisiana

OG Cole Carter, 6’6”, 270, 3-star, Caledonia, Miss

DE Torrey Bell, 6’5”, 225, 2-star, River Ridge, Louisiana

S Quadry Antoine, 5’11”, 210 pounds, 3-star, Belle Chasse, Louisiana

P Devon Bell, 6’3”, 190 pounds, 3-star, Vicksburg, Miss

DE A.J. Jefferson, 6’4”, 240 pounds, 3-star, Summit, Miss

K Devon Bell, 2-star, 6’3”, 180 pounds, Vicksburg, Miss

To show the discrepancy in recruiting services, Rivals.com has MSU ranked No. 30, Scout.com No. 18, ESPN.com does not have MSU ranked in their top 30, while 247Sports.com has the Bulldogs ranked No. 24. 

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Arkansas Recruiting Update: Razorbacks hosted 18 Top Recruits over the Weekend

The Arkansas Razorbacks had perhaps their most impressive list of official visitors during the Bobby Petrino era when the Hogs hosted 17 top high school seniors and one junior college player over the weekend.

Springfield, Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham and Spring, Texas running back Trey Williams were two of the four 5-star recruits among the official visitors the Hogs hosted. Green-Beckham and Williams are considered Top 15 players in the nation per Rivals.com.

Green-Beckham, widely considered the top recruit in the 2012 class, has not made a verbal committed to date. Williams is considered a solid Texas A&M commitment.

Offensive tackle Jordan Diamond from Simeon Vocational High School in Chicago was another 5-star that visited the Hill. Diamond has offers from seemingly every Division 1-A school possible including Alabama, Illinois, Oregon, Miami, Auburn, Florida State, Ohio State, and Notre Dame along with one from the Razorbacks.

Diamond has taken official visits to Auburn, Ohio State, and Michigan. He is scheduled to visit Wisconsin next weekend.

Athlete Davonte Neal from Scottsdale, Arizona was another 5-star on campus. According to ESPN.com Neal is the eighth best player in the nation. Neal’s offer list is a “whose who” list of top programs. Among the schools to offer are LSU, USC, Auburn, Florida State, UCLA, and North Carolina.

Neal has taken official visits to Notre Dame and Ohio State and will receive in-home visits from both schools on Thursday. He is scheduled to take an official visit to North Carolina this weekend and Arizona on February 10, 10 days after signing day.

Will the Hogs hold a scholarship spot open for him 10 days after LOI Day?

The weekend was complete for the recruits with a visit to the Catfish Hole for dinner on Saturday night instead of the usual Friday night to accommodate for late arrivals, watching the Hogs beat No. 20 University of Michigan 66-64, and the traditional Arkansas pre-game experience for the recruits at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

No players officially verbally committed over the weekend.

Here’s a list of the recruits that took an official visit this past weekend:

(Position, Player, Ranking, Location, Commitment)

WR Dorial Green-Beckham, 5-Star, Springfield, Missouri, not committed

RB Trey Williams, 5-Star, committed to Texas A&M

WR Davonte Neal, 5-Star, Scottsdale, Arizona, not committed

OT Jordan Diamond, 5-Star, Chicago, Illinois, not committed

OL Jeremy Ward, 4-Star, Pottsville, Arkansas, committed to Arkansas

LB A.J. Turner, 4-Star, Lepanto, Arkansas, committed to Arkansas

LB Dalton Santos, 3-Star, Van, Texas, committed to Tennessee

RB Donovan Roberts, 3-Star, Norman, Oklahoma, committed to Arkansas

LB Kenny Orjioke, 3-star, Marietta, Georgia, committed to UCLA

CB Gary Simon, 3-star, St. Petersburg, Florida, not committed

OG/TE Joey Warburg, 3-star, Louisville, Kentucky, committed to Illinois

WR *Demetrius Wilson, 3-star, Glendale, Arizona, not committed

OG Cordal Boyd, 3-star, Memphis, Tennessee, committed to Arkansas

DE Jeremy Sprinkle, 3-star, White Hall, Arkansas, committed to Arkansas

ATH Nathan Holmes, 3-star, Port Arthur, Texas, committed to Arkansas

FS Dafonta Lowe, 3-star, Bearden, Arkansas, committed to Arkansas

WR Keon Hatcher, 3-star, Owasso, Oklahoma, committed to Arkansas

WR D’Arthur Cowan, 3-star, Olive Branch, Mississippi, committed to Arkansas

*Denotes Junior College Player

Possible Official Visits that did not Visit

WR Bralon Addison, 4-star, Sugar Land, Texas, committed to Texas A&M

DE Darius English, 3-Star, Powder Springs, Georgia, committed to South Carolina

OL Germain Ifedi, 3-Star, Houston, Texas, committed to Texas A&M

DT Tyler Nero, 3-Star, Atmore, Alabama, committed to Auburn

TE Sean Price, 4-Star, Citra, Florida, committed to South Florida

Tyler Nero may visit this upcoming weekend. Nero is the son of former Arkansas Razorback player Norman Nero.

Possible Official Visits for weekend of January 27

ATH Edward Pope, 2-star, Carthage, Texas, committed to TCU

OLB Jakarri, Thomas, 2-star, Tallahassee, FL, committed to Arkansas

DB John Gibson, 3-star, Missouri City, Texas, committed to Arkansas

DE Brandon Lewis, 3-star, committed to Arkansas

CB Jared Collins, 3-star, Tulsa, Oklahoma, committed to Arkansas

Collins, Lewis, Gibson, and Thomas have all verbally committed to Arkansas but have not officially visited.

Recruiting Updates

Beau Hankins, a 3-star linebacker from Birmingham, Alabama, was offered by Penn State last week. Hankins has taken official visits to Arkansas, Florida International, and went to University of Central Florida during this past weekend with best friend Harding Harper, 3-star linebacker.

Arkansas is thought to be leading for Hankins signature on National Signing Day. No word how Penn State’s offer may affect his decision.

Another Missouri Commitment De-commits then Recommits Somewhere Else

Will Hines, a 3-star cornerback from Waco, Texas verbally committed to the Hogs after his visit to Arkansas over the weekend of Jan. 13. The No. 35 ranked cornerback in the nation will join one of his best friends, running back Jonathan Williams, at Arkansas for the 2012 season. 

Hines and Williams were both previously verbally committed to Missouri.

Whatever Happened to…

Former Arkansas commitment defensive tackle Mike Pennel, 6’5”, 340 pounds, of Scottsdale Junior College took a recruiting visit to Kansas State this past weekend. He visited Hawaii the weekend of Jan. 13.

Pennel has used four of his five official visits and remains uncommitted- Arkansas, Texas A&M, Hawaii, and Kansas State.

When Just One In-Home Visit Won’t Do

Linebacker Reggie Northup had an in-home visit from defensive coordinator Paul Haynes and receivers coach Kris Cinkovich on Monday Jan. 23. He will receive another in-home visit from new linebacker’s coach Taver Johnson this week.

Northup was committed to Miami but has reopened his recruiting due to the NCAA investigation into Miami’s program. He visited Arkansas for their home game against Tennessee in November. He visited Florida State this past weekend and is scheduled to visit Ohio State this weekend.

Another Possible Verbal Commitment

3-star linebacker Vin Ascolese from North Bergen, New Jersey let it be known on Twitter that he will announce his decision publicly at his high school on Jan. 25. Ascolese visited Illinois this past weekend after visiting the Hogs the prior weekend.

Ascolese is a Parade All-American.

Still Solid?

Razorback commitment Courtney Garner, a 4-star Junior College wide receiver from Sierra Community College in California, was supposed to visit Florida State this past weekend but did not go. Garner is scheduled to visit Oklahoma this weekend.

When a commitment continues to take visits there is always a chance that recruit may flip. Razorback fans have their fingers crossed that Garner will stay a solid commitment. He is the No. 12 ranked junior college player in the nation per Rivals.com.

The 2013 Class

North Little Rock junior running back Altee Tenpenny, 5’11”, 200 pounds, was visited by Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino and running back coach Tim Horton on Tuesday. Also visiting Tenpenny on Tuesday was the new head coach for Arkansas State, Gus Malzahn.

Tenpenny reports offers from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Auburn among others.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban visited Tenpenny on Wednesday.

Remember Me before You Go

University of Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel tried to make a lasting impression on Dorial Green-Beckham before his visit to Arkansas. In an effort to one-up Bobby Petrino’s visit to DGB at school earlier in the day on Wednesday, Pinkel landed on the school’s Birmingham Field at the end of the school day to visit with the top recruit. 

Speculation has Green-Beckham’s schools narrowed down to Arkansas and Texas with an outside chance of Missouri winning his signature. DGB has not made an official announcement to date. 

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