No surprise in three Razorbacks going to SEC Media Days

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — There wasn’t much surprise Monday when the announcement came down about who Sam Pittman is taking with him to SEC Media Days this week. But they did wait until almost the last minute to let anybody know.

All three players come from Texas and two from the Dallas area.

Talking Season kicks off next Monday at SEC Media Days in Dallas in the Omni Hotel downtown. The Razorbacks will take the stage at the end, Thursday, July 18 with wide receiver Andrew Armstrong, quarterback Taylen Green and defensive end Landon Jackson accompanying fifth-year head coach Sam Pittman.

Armstrong returns for his second season on The Hill after leading the Hogs in receptions (56), receiving yards (764), receiving yards per game (63.7) and receiving touchdowns (5) a year ago.

The Dallas native started all 12 games and caught at least two passes in every game, including a career-best nine vs. BYU for 98 yards.

He logged 103 yards on three catches in the Razorbacks’ first-ever win at Florida and hauled in a pair of touchdowns in the victory vs. Kent State early in the season. He landed on Phil Steele’s All-SEC fourth team following the season and opens this season on Steele’s preseason All-SEC fourth team.

Green transferred from Boise State prior to spring practice and quickly won the starting quarterback job. The Lewisville, Texas, native spent three years with the Broncos, playing in 28 games with 22 starts and passing for 3,794 yards and 25 touchdowns.

He led Boise to the program’s first Mountain West Conference title since 2019 last season capping a season that saw him pass for 1,752 yards and 11 touchdowns with 226 yards passing and a pair of touchdown passes to go with 90 yards rushing and two more scores on the ground in the win over UNLV.

Jackson, who represented Arkansas at SEC Media Days last season, enters his senior year as one of the best defensive linemen in the country. He was named a second-team preseason All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation earlier this summer coming off First-Team All-SEC recognition from the league’s coaches in 2023.

The Texarkana, Texas, native led the Hogs with career-highs in tackles for loss (13.5), sacks (6.5) and tackles (44). He earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week and Bednarik Award Player of the Week for a performance at Alabama that saw him record a career-best 11 tackles with 3.5 sacks.

For Pittman, it will be his fourth appearance at SEC Media Days after the event was canceled due to the pandemic prior to his first season. His fifth season leading the Razorbacks puts him in elite company with only six other coaches serving as head coach longer in the program’s 130 seasons.

Arkansas opens the season at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock against UAPB on Aug. 29 at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.