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Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman met with the media on Wednesday for the first time since the Razorbacks’ victory over Kansas in the Liberty Bowl 55-53 in triple overtime on Dec. 28.
Wednesday marks National Signing Day across the country, and it was a quiet day for the Razorbacks’ 2023 class, which is ranked 21st nationally on Rivals.
Four-star Shamar Easter from Ashdown was the only freshman to sign with the Hogs, as the remaining 19 signed during the early signing period in December. Easter is one of eight incoming freshmen who will enroll after the spring semester, and the other 12 have enrolled early and are already on campus.
“We brought in 20 high school students, I think that should be about our minimum,” Pittman said. “Times change. I think the portal, the signing date and all those things, we still have to look at that, but we need to recruit players from high school. So we were lucky enough to sign 20 there.”
Arkansas also announced the signing of five transfers: Bowling Green WR Tyrone Broden, Hillsdale College (DII) WR Isaac TeSlaa, Missouri DL Trajan Jeffcoat, Baylor S Alfahiym Walcott and Baylor CB Lorando ‘Snaxx’ Johnson.
A trio of players will also officially return for their super senior seasons in Fayetteville: DE Zach Williams, TE Nathan Bax and DB LaDarrius Bishop.
The Easter signing and the five transfers combined with the three returning super seniors puts the number of scholarships in Arkansas at 76, leaving nine open spots.
Here’s more from Pittman on the Class of 2023, what positions they’re looking to tackle with spots remaining, the start of spring football, and much more:
Keeping top in-state targets at home
The Razorbacks have done a good job keeping the in-state talent at home. Three of the 20 incoming freshmen are from Arkansas and they are three of the top four in-state prospects at Rivals – three-star DE Quincy Rhodes Jr., three-star OL Joey Su’a and Easter.
“Well, our number one goal each year is to keep everyone we’ve presented in the state,” Pittman said. “We’ve done that pretty well. I think we lost one maybe a year or two years ago, but our high school coaches in the state have been great to us. We want to be good to them too.
“But guys, I just feel like when the fourth quarter comes around, I think it means a lot to everyone, maybe a little bit more to a guy who maybe was born and raised as a Hog fan. We definitely have a lot in the next year’s class we’re looking at. Seems to be a pretty good class in the state. It means everything to us.”
Remaining portal needs
Pittman has nine scholarships to work with after the spring semester. He said they would now go for the best players available.
“I’m talking about the stock, in other words, I’m not necessarily saying the need for the position; I’m talking about the number of people in the position,” Pittman said of the “best available” statement.
The Head Hog then moved into positions where they could use a few more men.
“We could use another bigger guy on the line,” Pittman said. “Linebacker, may need another one because of numbers. Secondary, we’ve signed eight so far and we’d definitely entertain others there.”
Arkansas lost starting center Ricky Stromberg to the NFL Draft and Beaux Limmer filled in nicely during the Liberty Bowl. While Limmer is expected to be the starting snapper, Pittman said he would like another person to play center.
“I’d like to watch another kid who can break the ball offensively,” Pittman said. “We might have to find one more. When we lost guys last year, some of those guys could break. Obviously Ricky played in the middle, but (Luke) Jones could break. And so we have to keep looking at that in offense .”
Pittman added that the team would also take another “dynamic” wide receiver and older tight end.
Securing Easter
When Arkansas lost former coach Dowell Loggains to South Carolina, Easter made an official visit to the Gamecocks. The Hogs then hired former Stanford coach Morgan Turner to fill the same role in Fayetteville, and he had to develop a relationship with Easter.
After a visit in mid-January, Easter tweeted that he was “100% locked in” with the Hogs.
“Well, Coach Turner did a great job — I mean, really — building a relationship,” Pittman said. “I think Shamar wanted to come to Arkansas. You’d have to ask him, (but) I think he wanted to come to Arkansas for a very, very long time.”
Turner did a good job developing NFL tight ends like Austin Hooper, Dalton Shultz, Zach Ertz, and Coby Fleener. That seems to have done his pitch to Easter well.
“Coach Turner has a way of dealing with him,” Pittman said. “Obviously he’s got a lot of guys that went to the NFL so he had that but as a person, knowledge, coach he’s really really good and I think Shamar thought when he went to another school and came back I I think he thought he would benefit from staying home a bit more.”
Overall thoughts about the class
According to Rivals, Arkansas’ latest ranking, No. 21, is the best it’s had since ranking No. 20 in 2019. Pittman said he really likes the group, especially the attitude of those who signed up early.
“I really like this class,” Pittman said. “Now there’s eight not here. And I’m talking about the high school boys. And I like the college boys too. -needy, class. It’s only 12 now. You’ll have to ask me again when the other eight are here. But just a group that wants to work. I really like this. It’s a grown group of guys.”
The class features eight four-star, 11 three-star and one two-star.
Thoughts in transfer broad receivers
Arkansas had to focus hard on the receiver position in the transfer portal with only one incoming freshman, Davion Dozier, and the departure of four starting receivers: Jadon Haselwood (draft), Matt Landers (ineligible), Ketron Jackson Jr. (portal) and Warren Thompson (portal).
Pittman and curatorial coach Kenny Guiton signed TeSlaa from the Division II level, Broden from a Mid-American Conference school, and Andrew Andrew Armstrong from Texas A&M-Commerce, which is at the FCS level. The lack of Division I experience, let alone SEC experience, could be cause for concern.
“Well, there wasn’t with us or all those other SEC offerings they had,” Pittman said. “Yeah, of course there’s a problem. I played at Pittsburg State, you know. If I went through the portal, I would have stayed in the portal. But there are several guys who play D2 ball. You know, we brought the nose inside guard of (John Ridgeway) and it seemed to work fine.”
Pittman said every man has their own story of why he played football at the particular level they were, but that doesn’t detract from their current level of talent.
“There’s always a concern about why they went there in the first place,” Pittman said. “And each of them has their story of why they went there. But talent-wise, no, not talent-wise. And training. I’m excited for you all to come and see them in the spring, because they’re very talented and they’re hungry .”
Start spring ball
Pittman ended his press conference by telling the media that the Razorbacks plan to begin spring football on March 9.
“We’re going off the 9th, 10th, Saturday (the 11th), and then Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday,” Pittman said. “That’s the first five before spring break. I’m not trying to come back and do a four-week deal like we always do after spring break. I’m honestly trying to finish the spring ball when the portal opens back up.”
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