???? Halftime Pod presented by Jeff’s Clubhouse — w/ Scottie Bordelon
Phil & Tye discuss the most important player (not a QB) on the team, Scottie Bordelon, and more!
Razorbacks to host Horned Frogs in Big 12-SEC Challenge
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas renews a rivalry with one of its oldest opponents when TCU comes to Bud Walton Arena on Jan. 25 as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge, ESPN and the SEC announced today.
The Arkansas and TCU rivalry dates back to the Razorbacks’ first season of basketball, 1923-24.
The Horned Frogs are the fourth-most common opponent for Arkansas with 142 previous games played in the series, trailing only Texas A&M (159. Arkansas leads series 103-56), Texas (155; Arkansas leads 87-68) and SMU (154; Arkansas leads 96-58).
They have not met since 1991, the Razorbacks’ final season as members of the Southwest Conference.
Arkansas owns a 104-38 advantage in the series versus TCU, including a 54-15 mark in games played in Fayetteville.
Arkansas was able to take a large lead in the series thanks to a 25-game win streak spanning from the 1972-73 season until 1982-83. After the streak was snapped, Arkansas won nine of the final 16 games — including two straight wins — to close out the rivalry in 1991.
Arkansas will be playing in its sixth straight Big 12/SEC Challenge.
The Razorbacks are 2-3 in the annual event, defeating Texas Tech (2015-16) and Oklahoma State (2017-18) at home with road losses to Iowa State (2014-15), Oklahoma State (2017-18) and Texas Tech (2018-19).
Big 12/SEC Challenge Schedule (Jan. 25, 2020)
Kansas State at Alabama
TCU at Arkansas
Iowa State at Auburn
Baylor at Florida
Kentucky at Texas Tech
LSU at Texas
Mississippi State at Oklahoma
Missouri at West Virginia
Tennessee at Kansas
Oklahoma State at Texas A&M
Smith named to watch list for award for service, athletics, academics
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ T.J. Smith has been named to the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy watch list, presented to the college football player who best combines exemplary service with athletic and academic achievement.
Smith is the seventh Razorback placed on a preseason watchlist this summer, joining McTelvin Agim (Bednarik), Rakeem Boyd (Doak Walker) and Devwah Whaley (Doak Walker), Cheyenne O’Grady (Mackey), De’Jon Harris (Butkus) and Connor Limpert (Groza).
Originally from Moultrie, Georgia, Smith played in all 12 games for the Razorbacks as a junior in 2018. He started 10 of the 12 games at defensive tackle, recording 26 tackles, 10 solo, with 3.5 tackles for loss (10 yards), including 1.5 sacks (6 yards).
Smith had a tackle in all but one game in 2018, with multiple stops in 9 of those appearances. He posted a season-best four stops during the homecoming game against Tulsa, including a half-a-sack in the contest.
Off the field, Smith has stayed busy with his work in the community.
He has participated in multiple Lift Up America events, helping sort food for the various volunteer groups across Northwest Arkansas, worked with the Boys & Girls Club, packed meals for families in need for the Fearless Food Fight and has visited sick children at the Arkansas Children’s Northwest Hospital, among other things.
He is also involved with the Arkansas Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and represented the Razorbacks in Birmingham, Alabama, as part of the SEC Leadership Council.
Smith was also recognized on the SEC Community Service Team.
The 51st Annual Wuerffel Trophy, presented by the Chick-Fil-A Foundation®, recognizes the semi-finalists for the award on Nov. 5, finalists for the award on Nov. 18, and the winner of the award will be presented on Dec. 10, in New York, New York at the National Football Foundation’s Press Conference.
On Dec. 12, 2019, the winner is invited to be a guest of the ESPN Red Carpet Show and the Home Depot College Football Awards Show at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.
On Feb. 14, 2020 the award recipient will also be presented at the 51st Annual Sports Association Trophy Awards Dinner in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Smith and the Razorbacks will open the 2019 campaign Aug. 31 against Portland State at 3 p.m. at Razorback Stadium.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Thursday
John & Tommy discuss Arkansas’ 2020 recruiting class, take Lisa from NEA’s call and Richard Davenport!
???? Halftime Pod presented by Jeff’s Clubhouse — w/ Kelli Stacy
Phil & Tye discuss the worst Arkansas SEC losses, interview Kelli Stacy, and more!
Limpert named to watch list for national kicker’s award
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ Connor Limpert has been named to the Lou Groza Award watch list by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, which honors the nation’s best kicker.
Limpert is the sixth Razorback placed on a preseason watch list this summer, joining McTelvin Agim (Bednarik), Rakeem Boyd (Doak Walker) and Devwah Whaley (Doak Walker), Cheyenne O’Grady (Mackey) and De’Jon Harris (Butkus).
Limpert was a semifinalist for the award last year.
From Allen, Texas, Limpert connected on 19-of-24 field goal attempts over the course of the 2018 season, good for 79.2 percent.
His clip was tied for sixth-best in a season by a Razorback, even with Bruce Lahay’s performance in 1981. His 19 field goals made also matched Lahay and Steve Little’s (1977) total for fourth-most in a single year by an Arkansas kicker.
Included in his total was a streak of 10-straight field goal attempts made from Sept. 22-Oct. 27, which ranked as the third-longest in school history.
His top performance of the season came on a cold, rainy night against Ole Miss in Little Rock on Oct. 13, where he proceeded to successfully convert all four of his field goals.
In doing so, he became the first Razorback since Alex Tejada in 2007 to go 4-for-4 in a game and tied for third-most FGM in a game with Kendall Trainor in 1988.
On top of his streak, Limpert also nailed the seventh-longest kick in school history with a 55 yarder against Vanderbilt on Oct. 27.
It was his second field goal from over 50 yards in 2018, also connecting on a 54-yard FG against North Texas, making him the first Razorback kicker with multiple 50-yard plus field goals made in a season since Zack Hocker in 2013.
Limpert also finished the year with a perfect 29-for-29 mark in extra point attempts, rounding out his junior campaign with an 86.0 grade from Pro Football Focus.
The 28th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl Committee, recognizes the three finalists during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a gala awards banquet at West Palm Beach’s Kravis Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 9.
Limpert and the Razorbacks will open the 2019 campaign on Saturday, Aug. 31, against Portland State at 3 p.m. at Razorback Stadium.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Wednesday
John & Tommy discuss the best football position groups the last few years, interview Hutch, and more!
Hogs also gaining momentum recruiting Tennessee, adding LB
All of the talk of Chad Morris’ recruiting focus is Texas, but he’s fully aware of Tennessee and grabbed another player from there Tuesday morning.
Memphis Whitehaven four-star linebacker Martavius French announced his commitment to Arkansas with a video on Twitter:
Thanking God for every moment of this opportunity ??….COMMITTED pic.twitter.com/aEfMFsTJjv
— F R E N C H I E?? (@ypcjuice2) July 23, 2019
It’s the fourth Tennessee four-star player Morris and his staff have picked up. Before Morris arrived in December 2017, the Razorbacks had signed 15 players from Tennessee in the last 19 recruiting classes.
Morris and his staff have now signed seven players total in what will be their third recruiting class.
According to the 247Sports composite ratings, French (6-2, 240) is a four-star player and the No. 14 inside linebacker in the 2020 class.
Leading the recruiting effort was defensive coordinator John Chavis along with defensive line coach Kenny Ingram and assistant director of football operations SJ Tuohy.
After the announcement was made it didn’t take long for another commitment from the 2020 class to send his welcome:
Yessirrr! Welcome to the family!#DiamondGangXX @ypcjuice2 https://t.co/Oq10HyaiUQ
— Chandler Morris (@Chandleram4) July 23, 2019
Arkansas now has 14 players committed with three of them four-stars, according to the composite rankings, which is from all the major recruiting services.
???? Halftime Pod presented by Jeff’s Clubhouse — w/ RJ Hawk
Phil & Tye hit on Jerry Jones’ influence with the football program, interview RJ Hawk, and more!
