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Knox goes against trend in college sports, staying with Hogs

If Trey Knox’s quiet confidence translates to the field, the Hogs could be set up with one of the top wide receiver groups in the country.

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In today’s world of college athletics where too many players bail at the first sign of problems, Trey Knox stayed put at Arkansas.

If Knox had chosen the revolving door of the transfer portal, nobody would have been surprised.

“It’s just best to stick it out,” Knox said after Thursday’s practice where the Hogs again worked in shorts and no pads. “That goes through a lot of people’s minds. I want to be here, I want to help this program go back to the top, be at the top.”

Like noted earlier, that’s a refreshing change of pace in today’s world.

Knox started fast as a freshman, actually a faster start than Treylon Burks, who was the highest-rated of a talented group of wide receivers that came in before the 2019 season.

He had 21 catches in the first four games, then a hip pointer slowed him and he finished with seven catches in the last eight games. But he started all 12 games.

Last year was a disaster for the rising junior.

“Last year, I had a lot of problems,” Knox said. “Last season didn’t go the way I wanted it to.”

Part of it was being sick, although he didn’t hit that it was covid-related.

“I don’t know … just throwing up and losing weight,” he said. “I lost 10 pounds before fall camp started and was just not feeling myself.”

That wasn’t all of it, he admitted later.

“I was thinking (too much) on the field, but this year I just find myself going and playing,” Knox said. “That’s coach’s (Kendal Briles) biggest thing … he doesn’t care if you mess up, just go fast, play fast.”

Coaches can usually tolerate errors of commission much better than omission. The translation is, simply, make mistakes at full speed.

“I finally figured that out,” Knox said. “I’m fitting in very well, moving a lot better, not thinking as much and just going out there and playing.”

While Knox’s illness may not have had anything to do with covid, a bigger problem for him was not having the regimen of a spring practice. That’s been a question not many people have answered honestly, but Knox did.

“Not having that spring and then being not 100 percent at the beginning of fall camp really put me at a step behind everyone else,” Knox said. “I need repetition, repetition because I want to know exactly what I’m doing play in and play out.”

What he’s done is work on every area.

“This offseason I’ve been focused on getting faster, putting on weight,” Knox said. “I’ve already gained, like, eight pounds. Just trying to better myself, keep my head down and work because I’ve got faith in myself … the coaches have faith in me.”

Other players have noticed, too.

“He’s worked his butt off,” safety Simeon Blair said. “He’s gotten better at running routes, just trying to take his entire game to the next level.”

For an offense that’s going to has questions at quarterback adding an experienced, talented wide receiver that has shown he can make plays will be a welcome addition.

Knox is confident he’s gotten his wagon out of the ditch it sailed into sometime last spring and summer and his words sounded quietly confident Thursday afternoon.

“We’re going to be alright,” he said with a quiet confidence.

If that translates to the field, Knox could form the nucleus of one of the best wide receiver groups in the country with Burks and Mike Woods.

Which will help anybody playing quarterback.

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2024 Razorbacks Football

Thu, Aug 29vs UAPB (Little Rock)W, 70-0
Sat, Sep 7@ Oklahoma StateL, 31-39 2OT
Sat, Sep 14vs UABW, 37-27
Sat, Sep 21@ AuburnW, 24-14
Sat, Sep 28vs Texas A&M (Arl)L, 21-17
Sat, Oct 5vs TennesseeW, 19-14
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Sat, Oct 26@ Mississippi StateW, 58-25
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2024 High School Rankings

Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll:
OVERALLRecordPtsPrv
1.Bryant (18)8-02521
2.Conway (6)8-02302
3.Greenwood (2)8-02103
4.Little Rock Parkview7-11714
5.Bentonville5-31416
6.Benton7-11265
7.Fayetteville6-21008
8.Pulaski Academy6-2757
9.Rogers5-3459
10.Shiloh Christian6-24010
Others receiving votes: Marion 13, Valley View 9, Joe T Robinson 8, Mountain Home 4, Cabot 3, Elkins 3.
CLASS 7A
1.Bryant (20)8-01241
2.Conway (6)8-01052
3.Bentonville5-3753
4.Fayetteville6-2455
5.Pulaski Academy6-2354
Others receiving votes: Rogers 5.
CLASS 6A
1.Greenwood (26)8-01301
2.Benton7-11022
3.Shiloh Christian6-2713
4.Marion7-1524
5.Mountain Home7-131
Others receiving votes: Little Rock Catholic 4.
CLASS 5A
1.Little Rock Parkview (23)7-11271
2.Joe T Robinson7-1902
3.Valley View (3)8-0803
4.Hot Springs Lakeside7-1484
5.Farmington7-130
Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 4, Maumelle 4, Morrilton 3, Greenbrier 2, Harding Academy 1.
CLASS 4A
1.Elkins (19)8-01161
2.Arkadelphia (5)6-2792
3.Little Rock Mills (1)8-0703
4.Warren6-2404
5.Malvern (1)8-0315
Others receiving votes: Dardanelle 22, Southside Batesville 11, Mena 8, Bauxite 7, DeWitt 4, Highland 2.
CLASS 3A
4.Bismarck (15)8-01054
5.Fordyce (4)8-0765
Prescott (3)7-1531t
1.Osceola (2)6-149
3.Mayflower (1)8-036
Others receiving votes: Booneville (1) 31, Rivercrest 19, Mansfield 14, Charleston 4, Rison 3.
CLASS 2A
1.Carlisle (21)8-01211
2.Conway Christian (4)8-01042
3.Des Arc7-1663
4.Bigelow (1)6-2455
5.Murfreesboro6-230
Others receiving votes: Marked Tree 10, Mineral Springs 6, Junction City 5, Cross County 1, Mount Ida 1, Poyen 1
8-MAN SANCTIONED
1.Strong-Huttig (25)5-0761
2.Midland (1)7-0502
3.Cedar Ridge7-1253
Others receiving votes: Rector 5.

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ESPN ARKANSAS 99.5 IN FAYETTEVILLE, 95.3 IN THE RIVER VALLEY, 96.3 IN HOT SPRINGS, 104.3 IN HARRISON-MOUNTAIN HOME.