Arkansas Sports News Updates

After Sylvan Hills senior guard Archie Goodwin was picked to be one of 10 players on the Junior National Select Team on Friday, he followed that up with a MVP performance in the 5A state championship win over Little Rock Mills on Saturday.

Goodwin, a signee with University of Kentucky in November, scored 27 points in the championship game and ended his prep career with a dunk.

Sylvan Hills made it to the 5A championship game in 2011 but lost to Alma.

This is the first state championship for the Bears.

Not a bad weekend for Mr. Goodwin.

Let the Madness begin!

Several teams have been upset on their way to the NCAA Tournament. The biggest team to be knocked off was No. 1 Kentucky by Vanderbilt (71-64).

How the rest faired:

No. 4 UNC lost to No. 17 FSU 85-82, FSU beat No. 6 Duke 62-59 on Saturday

Unranked Colorado won the Pac-12 championship in their first year as a member

No. 18 San Diego State was upset in the MWC Tournament by New Mexico 68-59

Unranked Louisville beat unranked Cincinnati 50-44 to win the Big East Tournament

Cincinnati beat No. 2 Syracuse 71-68 on Friday

Unranked St. Bonaventure beat unranked UMass in the A-10 Tournament- No. 21 Temple was knocked out of the tourney by UMass on Friday

Lamar won the Southland Conference Tournament marking the first time a Pat Knight team has made it to the Big Dance. Only 27 appearances left to tie his father, Bob Knight.

Closed Spring Practices for Red Wolves

New ASU head coach Gus Malzahn has closed spring practice to the public and media as he prepares his group for Sun Belt Conference play. The only game that will be open to the public is the spring game on April 14 at 1:00 p.m. CST.

Spring practices begin Wednesday at 7:30 a.m.

Arkansas vs. Missouri, Petrino is game

At the West Memphis Razorback Club Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino said he was all for the Razorbacks playing Missouri as their permanent SEC East opponent.

The strategy for the Boss Hog makes sense; the Hogs have slowly made headway into Missouri recruiting waters since Petrino took over as head coach. Being able to beat the Tigers on the field can only help the Razorbacks beat Missouri for in-state talent on National Signing Day.

Aaron Ross Commits to Texas Tech

2011 Arkansas Razorback signee Aaron Ross committed to Texas Tech last week. The 6’7”, 220-pound forward played for St. John’s Academy in Wisconsin after academic issues did not allow him to play for the Hogs.

Ross is the second Arkansas product headed to Tech to play for head coach Billy Gillispie, a near Razorback head coach before he took the Kentucky Wildcats job in 2007. Pulaski Academy guard Dusty Hannahs, 6’0”, 165 pounds (2-star per Scout.com) signed with Tech in November. 

View more Arkansas Razorback sports information at Razorbackers.com! 

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NFL Draft: Greg Childs Impresses at Arkansas Pro Day

Former Arkansas Razorback wide receiver Greg Childs continued to show healthy improvement on his injured knee from the end of the Hogs 2011 regular season through the NFL draft combine to Arkansas’ Pro Day.

Childs improved his forty-yard scout combine run of 4.55 to 4.41 in front of NFL scouts Tuesday in Fayetteville. His forty-time would have tied him for seventh best at the combine, the same time as former Baylor quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III.

Childs, listed at 6’3”, 219 pound, recorded a long jump of 10’7” at the pro day, besting his 10’5” at the combine, which would have tied him for sixth best among all players. His 40.5” vertical jump would have been the second best during the Feb. 22-28 event.

Childs benched 225 pounds 19 times placing him sixth best among all receivers at the combine. He graded out at 53.5 put in one week’s time has shown improvement in all areas. Some NFL team will take notice.

All-American punt returner Joe Adams tried to improve upon his 4.55 forty-yard dash at the combine but ran the same time at 4.55. He graded out at an 82.5 in front of scouts in Indianapolis.

The 2011 Arkansas Razorback media guide listed Adams at 5’11” 190 pounds. At the combine he weighed 179 pounds. He projects to be a slot receiver at the next level so being undersized is not as big of an issue. The big question is will the increased weight gain teams will put him through slow his explosiveness on the field in the return game.  

Jarius Wright turned in a top 10 performance in the shuttle 20-yard shuttle run during the combine at a timed 4.03. His 4.42 forty-yard dash run was tied for 14th best among all athletes and 9th best among wide receivers. His impressive display of speed and agility during the combine allowed him to sit out of speed drills Tuesday.

Wright graded out at 68.7 during the combine. His speed and quickness are a noted plus as a slot receiver at the next level, his strength off press coverage and ability to sustain blocks worry NFL scouts.

Wright’s vertical jump of 38” was ninth best for his position at the combine.

All receivers participating in receiving drills got help from an old friend. Former Arkansas quarterback and 2011 third round draft pick Ryan Mallett was on hand to throw to his former teammates.

Jake Bequette was a top performer in the three-cone and 20-yard shuttle runs at the combine posting a 6.90 and 4.07 respectively. His 20-yard run was second best among defensive ends (Bruce Irvin, West Virginia, 4.03) while his vertical jump was tied for 11th best (34.0”).

Bequette’s 4.82 40-yard dash was well below his previously listed 4.5 timing. He did not participate in speed drills during the pro day. Reports are he will hold a private workout for scouts in the upcoming weeks.

Recording a grade of 53.7 at the combine had to be frustrating for the first team All-SEC defensive end. In post season all star games and during his pro day scouts have looked at Bequette as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Bequette’s ability to show scouts he can drop into coverage could be the deciding factor on where he ends up in the draft.

How NFL.com projects the grades of all players regardless of position:

100-96, top pick, future Hall of Fame player

95-85, first round pick, immediate starter

84-70, 2nd to 3rd round pick, eventual starter

69-50, 4th to 7th round pick, draft worthy

49-20, free agent player, not draft worthy

Notable 2012 Combine Grades:

Quarterbacks:

Andrew Luck, Stanford, 97

Robert Griffin III, Baylor, 95

Russell Wilson, Wisconsin, 68.5

Darron Thomas, Oregon, 55.0

Case Keenum, Houston, 53.5

Kellen Moore, Boise State, 51.0

Jordan Jefferson, LSU, 40

Running Backs:

Chris Polk, Washington, 86.0

LaMichael James, Oregon, 78.5

Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M, 75.5

Doug Martin, Boise State, 74.2

Chris Rainey, Florida, 73.7

Fozzy Whittaker, Texas, 51.2

Vick Ballard, Mississippi State, 50.5

Wide Receivers:

Michael Floyd, Notre Dame, 89.5

Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma, 84.0

Tight Ends:

Colby Fleener, Stanford, 85.2

Orson Charles, Georgia, 79.0

Cornerbacks:

Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama, 92.0

Morris Claiborne, LSU, 91.5

Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina, 84.0

Offensive Linemen:

Matt Kalil, Southern California, 94.0

David Decastro, Stanford, 92.5

Cordy Glenn, Georgia, 72.5

Donald Stephenson, Oklahoma, 53.5

Adam Gettis, Iowa, 52.2

Linebackers:

Luke Kuechly, Boston College, 91.0

Dont’a Hightower, Alabama, 85.0

DeMario Davis, Arkansas State, 51.2

Defensive Linemen:

Melvin Ingram, South Carolina, 90.5

Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State, 77.0

Whitney Mercilus, Illinois, 72.5

Safety:

Charles Mitchell, Mississippi State, 54.7

Kelcie McCray, Arkansas State, 51.5

For more college sports news check out http://razorbackers.com/!

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Arkansas Razorback Football: Petrino gets Second 2012 Verbal Commitment

The Hogs picked up their second class of 2013 verbal commitment from the state of Texas on Saturday when three-star wide receiver and defensive back prospect Austin Bennett announced he will sign with the Razorbacks.

Bennett (6’1” 170 pounds, 4.41 40-yard dash) is from Manvel, Tex. and was a teammate of 2012 Arkansas signee defensive end Taiwan Johnson.

According to Scout.com Bennett has scholarship offers from TCU, SMU, Ole Miss, and Utah.

Rivals.com lists Bennett’s 2011 receiving statistics: 41 receptions, 772 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns, for an 18.8 yard per catch average.

Bennett confirmed his announcement via Twitter Saturday night.

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino also has a verbal commitment from Katy, Tex. running back Jamel James (6’0”, 210 pounds). 

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Arkansas Razorback Football: Petrino Looks to Complete 2012 Recruiting Class

Arkansas Head Coach Bobby Petrino has one scholarship offer left to give to complete his 25-player 2012 recruiting class. His new target is athletic wide receiver Mekale McKay from Moore High School in Louisville, Kentucky.

McKay is listed anywhere from 6’4” to 6’6” between Scout.com and Rivals.com but both recruiting services agree on his 4.4 forty-yard dash speed.

The three-star prospect on Scout.com and Rivals.com took official recruiting trips to Ole Miss, Houston, and Arkansas after being offered by Kentucky, Louisville, West Virginia, Michigan State, Illinois, and Indiana among other schools.

His final two choices are reportedly between the Hogs and Ole Miss. McKay is to make his final decision within a week to two weeks.  

Scout.com ranks McKay as the 110th best wide receiver in the 2012 recruiting class.

In October McKay committed to University of Texas El Paso before de-committing and continuing the recruiting process.

Wherever McKay ends up enrolling for college he plans on taking his two-sport star abilities of football and basketball in high school to his new team.

McKay must like to know that Petrino has been supportive of his high-profile backup quarterback Brandon Mitchell’s role with the Razorback basketball team during the 2012 season. 

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2012 NFL Draft: Former Razorbacks Prepare for Grueling NFL Combine

Every year around this time 300 plus former college football players eligible for the NFL Draft close in on a six to eight week workout process in preparation for the combine in Indianapolis.

During the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine held from Feb. 22-28, former Arkansas Razorback players Jake Bequette, Joe Adams, Greg Childs, and Jarius Wright will participate before the league’s 32 teams, their coaches, and key personnel in hopes of improving their draft status and in some cases getting drafted period.

An invite to the combine does not assure a player the opportunity of being drafted but the opportunity certainly enhances their chances.

At the 2011 NFL combine, four Razorbacks showcased their talents. Quarterback Ryan Mallett, tight end D.J. Williams, and offensive lineman DeMarcus Love were drafted in the third, fifth, and sixth round respectively.

Offensive lineman Ray Dominguez went undrafted after attending the combine but signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers after the draft.

Each combine invitee can choose to participate in the series of mental and physical tests, physical drills, and in some cases interview with perspective teams.

The interview process allows each team to meet with up to 60 different players for a maximum of 15 minutes. Topics of conversation during the interviews range from football knowledge to character concerns centered on the individual player.

Made even more popular by the Madden NFL video game is the Wonderlic Test. The assessment shines the spotlight on those players that perform well and those that test poorly.

The Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test is a 12 minute timed aptitude test with 50 questions. The word test is designed to gain a better idea of an individual’s ability to problem solve and their overall intelligence level.

The common score of most football players is 20 denoting average intelligence. A testing performance of 10 means the person is considered literate.

A score of 24 is the median national average. A high test score of 31 corresponds with chemist and related fields.

According to Paul Zimmerman’s The New Man’s Thinking Guide to Pro Football the average Wonderlic test scores are broken down per positions:

• Offensive tackle- 26
• Center- 25
• Quarterback- 24
• Offensive guard- 23
• Tight end- 22
• Safety- 19
• Linebacker- 19
• Cornerback- 18
• Wide receiver- 17
• Fullback- 17
• Running back- 16

Over the last 10-15 years the medical tests players endure have been a subject of controversy.

Most NFL teams throw up a red flag on players with an injury history. Even if a player has been productive at the collegiate level and scored well on the physical performance tests during the combine, said players tend to slide down team’s draft boards once their doctors are able to perform orthopedic and MRI exams.

In the past medical information was traded freely between college team doctors and NFL teams. Now, due to medical privacy laws college teams can no longer hand over personal medical information on any given person.

What happens on the field during a game can be observed and documented most of the time. What happens on the practice field cannot. For this reason over 600 MRI are performed yearly at the combine. That is an average of 2 MRI per player each year.

The physical and speed drills tend to grab the headline attention at the combine. Fans drool over 40-yard dash times and player bench press reps while teams focus on 10-yard and 20-yard split times, vertical jumps, and three cone drills.

Heading into this week’s combine Joe Adams is listed as the seventh best wide receiver on Draftcountdown.com. Adams stock has risen over the past two months from a thought fifth round draft pick to a possible second rounder.

Adams is listed at 5’11”, 190 pounds with 4.39 40-yard dash speed.

The second fastest wide receiver among the 66 compiled in the 40-yard dash is Jarius Wright. Wright is listed at 5’10”, 180 pounds with a 40-yard dash time of 4.33 just two one hundredths off Connecticut’s Kashif Moore’s 4.31.

Wright is ranked No. 25 out of the 66 receivers attending the combine.

Greg Childs is the bigger receiver of the Razorback bunch and the bigger prospect of the group until he hurt his knee during the 2010 season. After a slow start Childs picked up his pace in the LSU and Kansas State games at the end of Arkansas’ 2011 season.

Childs has a great opportunity to improve his draft stock at the combine. He is ranked No. 35 on the board. His 6’3”, 217 pound frame along with his production early in his Razorback career will attract attention.

If he can improve upon his 4.55 40-yard dash and show explosiveness in his breaks while running routes he could see his name called during the NFL Draft.

Childs will get to answer his fair share of questions about his knee during the scouting combine. Perspective teams will poke, prod, and examine his knee before the week is through to make sure he has fully healed from his injury before risking a draft pick on him.

After Jake Bequette’s first team All-SEC performance in 2011 it is hard to understand why he is not listed higher than the 14th best defensive end in the draft.

Bequette’s hamstring injury aside, he posted 10 sacks during the season tying him for the SEC lead with South Carolina’s defensive end Marvin Ingram. Both players were tied for the ninth best sack total during the 2011 season.

Ingram is ranked as the second best defensive end.

Bequette enters the combine as the fastest defensive end among the 42 invitees having run a reported 4.59 40-yard dash. His 6’5”, 271 pound frame makes him an ideal 4-3 defensive end in the NFL.

When the combine announced their list of invitees for 2012, a couple of Razorbacks were surprisingly missing- linebacker Jerry Franklin and safety Tramain Thomas.

Franklin led the Hogs in tackles in each of the past four seasons compiling 100 or more tackles during his senior and junior years.

Thomas was tied for 13th in Division I with five interceptions during his senior campaign. He also was second on the team and tied for 10th in the SEC with 91 tackles while playing through a shoulder injury much of the season.

Razorback players attending the combine and those that were not invited will have one last opportunity to showcase their abilities before the NFL Draft at Arkansas’ pro day on March 6.

Last year 18 former Razorbacks performed at Arkansas’ pro day including quarterback Ryan Mallett. This year senior offensive linemen Grant Cook and Grant Freeman, linebacker Jerrico Nelson, cornerback Isaac Madison, safety Elton Ford, running back Broderick Green, and defensive lineman Zach Stadther along with others will get their chance to perform combine drills for the NFL scouts on hand.

If the combine tells fans and future NFL hopefuls anything, it’s no matter where you attend college that if one works hard enough and plays well enough the scouts will find you.

One of the more shocking 2012 combine players scheduled to attend is Shawn Loiseau, a former linebacker at Merrimack. Loiseau’s invite is not shocking because of his ability to play but due to the size of Merrimack’s college.  

Better known for their hockey teams, Merrimack is a small school in North Andover, MA with an undergraduate enrollment of 2,064 students. The Warriors compete in the Northeast 10 Conference, a Football Championship Subdivision conference formerly called Division II.

In-state Arkansas football fans will be happy to know that safety Kelcie McCray and linebacker DeMario Davis of Arkansas State are scheduled to attend the combine as well.

McCray is listed as the 14th best safety at the combine while Davis is ranked as the 16th best linebacker.

Arkansas State will hold their pro day on March 27.

The 2012 NFL Draft is April 26-28. 

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