Jones’ commitment no surprise to big QB group
John Stephen Jones has committed to play for Arkansas and nobody should really be surprised.
Considering he will be a third generation Razorback, has a Hog on his keychain and has always been a fan, it may be the least drama-filled player that is expected to sign Wednesday.
“The biggest factor was that the (Arkansas) coaches were awesome,” Jones told Dudley Dawson of WholeHogSports.com after making the announcement via Twitter.. “I’ve always been a big Razorback fan, but was able to get up there and spend some time with them and that was really the deciding factor for me.
“They are both incredible coaches and I got some time to spend with them this weekend and really get to know them and their families.”
Done deal! pic.twitter.com/k7QgmhRqd9
— John Stephen Jones (@JohnSJones15) February 4, 2018
At Dallas Highland Park, Jones threw for 4,911 yards with 61 touchdowns and just four interceptions his senior season, leading the Scots to their second straight Texas High School Championship in the Class 5A Division I.
He committed to Arkansas coach Chad Morris and offensive coordinator Joe Craddock on Sunday afternoon after an official visit to Fayetteville this weekend.
“The biggest factor was that the (Arkansas) coaches were awesome,” Jones said. “I’ve always been a big Razorback fan, but was able to get up there and spend some time with them and that was really the deciding factor for me.
“They are both incredible coaches and I got some time to spend with them this weekend and really get to know them and their families.”
He also had offers from Texas Tech, SMU, Kansas and some others, but they came later after seeing his performance through his senior season.
Jones passed for nearly 8,000 yards and 90 touchdowns the past two seasons while leading Highland Park to back-to-back championships.
As if that wasn’t enough, he capped it off completing 37-of-58 passes and throwing for 564 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for another in the state championship game at the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium.
He led the Scots from 10 points down with three minutes left and threw a 16-yard touchdown pass with 34 seconds left for a 54-49 win. Jones was the first quarterback to throw for over 500 yards in a Texas high school title game.
He was named the offensive MVP of the state championship game, the Dallas Morning News SportsDay Area offensive player of the year and the Class 5A player of the year.
He is the 15th player who has either signed or committed to the Hogs ahead of national signing day Wednesday.
He will join a crowded quarterback room of potentially eight players and is the second quarterback in this signing class (Greenwood’s Connor Noland signed in the December early signing period).
He was greeted warmly by the only quarterback for the Hogs with any significant playing time this year, Cole Kelley.
My man!! https://t.co/qSZBgPWbrq
— Cole Kelley (@ColeKelley10) February 4, 2018
For the one or two people that don’t already know, he is the grandson of former Hog and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. His father played for the Hogs under Ken Hatfield and is the chief executive officer of the Cowboys.
“My dad wanted what was best for me, but he is obviously a big Hog fan and is very happy I picked Arkansas,” Jones told Dawson at WholeHogSports.com.
Eagles’ Peters injured, but still part of Eagles’ win
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — One of the best tackles of this generation, Jason Peters finally became a Super Bowl champion Sunday night following the Philadelphia Eagles’ 41-33 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
Despite being unable to play in the game due to a season-ending injury earlier in the season, Peters will still receive a ring. The 36-year old tackle had never been a part of a playoff win in his first 13 seasons in the NFL.
A nine-time Pro Bowl and six-time All-Pro offensive tackle who is vying for a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Peters’ season was cut short on Oct. 23 against the Washington Redskins when he sustained a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee early in the second half of the game.
A native of Queen City, Texas, Peters played in 36 games and caught 28 passes for 300 yards and four touchdowns as a tight end at Arkansas from 2001-03. In 2003, he earned All-SEC second team honors after starting every game at tight end and ranking third on the team with 21 receptions for 218 yards and four TDs.
Following his collegiate career, Peters signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2004 as an undrafted free agent tight end. Peters made the transition from tight end to tackle in 2005 and went on to earn Pro Bowl selections in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, the Philadelphia Eagles acquired Peters in a trade with Buffalo. Since then, Peters has made the Pro Bowl seven times, marking the second-most Pro Bowl berths in franchise history.
Razorbacks fall on road at No. 18 Oklahoma State
STILLWATER, Okla. — Arkansas won the doubles point for the fifth straight match, but No. 18 Oklahoma State stormed back in singles play to win 4-2 on Sunday at the Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center.
After doubles, the Razorbacks (2-3) and the Cowgirls (5-1) split the first two singles matches.
Oklahoma State erased its 2-1 deficit with wins at the No. 1, 6 and 4 spots for the team victory.
“Congrats to Oklahoma State on a hard-fought match tonight,” coach Michael Hegarty said. “Both teams really competed with a ton of heart, and I was extremely proud of our efforts. A few close shots could have gone our way and we would’ve had a better outcome for sure.”
Senior Peyton Jennings and sophomore Natsuho Arakawa were first off the court in doubles with a 6-4 win at No. 3. The Cowgirls won the second match 6-4 at No. 2. Junior Ana Oparenovic and freshman Tatum Rice clinched the opening point, winning 7-5 at the top spot.
The Razorbacks’ lone singles win came at No. 2, where sophomore Giulia Pairone improved to 5-0 on the season with a dominant 6-2, 6-0 victory.
Up Next
Arkansas will return home Saturday for a pair of matches against Wichita State (11 a.m.) and Southeast Missouri State (2 p.m.).
No. 18 Oklahoma State 4, Arkansas 2
Singles Competition
1. No. 21 Vladica Babic (OKST) def. Ana Oparenovic (AR) 6-0, 6-4
2. Giulia Pairone (AR) def. Megan McCray (OKST) 6-2, 6-0
3. Katarina Stresnakova (OKST) def. Mia Jurasic (AR) 6-1, 6-2
4. No. 63 Marina Guinart (OKST) def. Tatum Rice (AR) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3)
5. Sofia Blanco (OKST) vs. Natsuho Arakawa (AR) 3-6, 6-3, 1-1, unfinished
6. Shir Hornung (OKST) def. Peyton Jennings (AR) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles Competition
1. Tatum Rice/Ana Oparenovic (AR) def. Vladica Babic/Megan McCray (OKST) 7-5
2. Marina Guinart/Katarina Stresnakova (OKST) def. Giulia Pairone/Mia Jurasic (AR) 6-4
3. Peyton Jennings/Natsuho Arakawa (AR) def. Sofia Blanco/Shir Hornung (OKST) 6-4
Hogs avenge earlier loss to Tide behind Cosper’s 21
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Arkansas’ Devin Cosper led four Razorback women’s basketball players in double figure scoring in a 74-66 SEC win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Sunday.
The game was won in the first half for the Razorbacks. Alabama put together a 6-0 scoring run but Arkansas answered with a 9-0 run after the media timeout.
They held the Crimson Tide without a field goal for the final 3:07 of the first quarter to take a 19-14 lead after the first 10 minutes of play.
It is the sixth time that Cosper has scored 20 or more points this season. Junior Malica Monk added 17 points followed by junior Bailey Zimmerman with 11 and 10 points for sophomore Kiara Williams.
The win by Arkansas (12-11, 3-7 SEC) avenges an earlier season loss to the Crimson Tide (14-9, 4-6 SEC).
The Razorbacks won the second quarter 21-12 and finished the half on an 8-0 run including back-to-back 3-point field goals by Cosper and Raven Northcross-Baker.
The Razorback defense held the Crimson Tide scoreless for the final 2:13 of the frame taking a 40-26 lead into the locker room.
The teams were even in the third quarter with Arkansas outscoring Alabama 18-16 and the Razorbacks started the fourth quarter strong, stretching their lead to as many as 19 early in the frame.
Bama mounted a comeback and forced Arkansas into some foul trouble — similar to the first meeting in which the Tide hit 20-of-25 free throws in the fourth quarter.
The Tide went 9-for-14 from the bonus line and were not able to overcome the strong and balanced play by Arkansas.
Notes
• Arkansas’ 40 first-half points is the second-best total in an SEC game this year and the fifth time they have scored 40+ in the first 20 minutes.
• Devin Cosper had 10 first half points. It is the fifth time she has scored in double digits in the first half. She finished with 21 points. It is Cosper’s 17th double figure game of the year and the 39th of her career. It is the sixth 20+ point game of the season and her seventh career 20+ point game.
• Malica Monk finished with 17 points. She has scored in double figures in 22 of 23 games this year and has 38 career double figure games.
• Devin Cosper had three made 3-point field goals. It is the second consecutive game with 3 made 3-pointers.
• In two games against Alabama this year, Devin Cosper has scored 45 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, gone 14-for-14 from the line and shot 43.8% from the field.
Up Next
There are just six regular season games remaining for the Razorbacks.
Arkansas returns home hosting No. 12 Tennessee on Feb. 8 and welcomes No. 15 Missouri on Feb. 11.
The Razorbacks have another rematch, this time at Kentucky, on Feb. 15 followed by home games with LSU, who is getting votes in the national poll, and No. 14 Texas A&M.
The regular season concludes with a trip to Vanderbilt on Feb. 25.
What can Anderson do to save Razorbacks’ season?
If Mike Anderson had any hair, it wouldn’t be that surprising to see him trying to pull it out.
Saturday’s 94-86 loss in Baton Rouge to LSU was just another one of those games where you look at the stat sheet and go, “What the …?”
Arkansas didn’t play that bad against LSU when you look at the numbers, but they never could seem to grasp the Tigers were shooting the way Pete Maravich used to in the building that bears his name.
LSU was 15-of-30 in 3-pointers, nearly half of their point total. The Razorbacks tried just eight shots behind the arc (making three of them).
The Hogs shot 55 percent from the field. They couldn’t quite seem to keep the Tigers from appearing to be wide open most of the afternoon for 3-pointers that they were hitting almost at will.
Arkansas won the field goal shooting percentage battle, they out-rebounded LSU on both ends of the floor and had one less turnover.
Much like looking at the stat sheet from the Hogs’ win over Oklahoma State last week, you had to wonder how LSU won this game … until you look at the 3-point shooting.
Fans are starting to get a little restless. The guess here is Anderson is, too.
Many don’t understand that Anderson is not Nolan Richardson and can’t do things like he did. Shoot, with the changes in NCAA rules and modern-day society, even Nolan wouldn’t be able to do things he used to do.
At the beginning of the season, Anderson didn’t bother trying to hide his enthusiasm for this team. It was easy to get the idea he thought this team was going to be something special down the stretch.
The way things are going, they will be special, but not the direction everyone thought back in October.
Arkansas is now 4-6 in the SEC. They have eight games left on the schedule and it’s going to be a tough, tough road stretch.
Five of the remaining games are at home. South Carolina and Vanderbilt, next week’s opponents coming to Bud Walton, are lower than the Hogs in the SEC standings.
Also coming to Fayetteville will be Auburn and Kentucky, two of the front-runners in the league this year.
Then there are road games against Ole Miss, Alabama and Missouri.
Unless this team makes a turnaround, these Hogs won’t be playing anywhere in March.
That’s not what folks expected back in October.
Which affects what folks will think in March.
And causes long offseasons for coaches.
Razorbacks sweep past Wichita State, Saint Louis
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas improved to 4-3 on the year, picking up wins over Wichita State and Saint Louis Saturday at the Billingsley Tennis Center.
Arkansas opened with a 4-3 win over the Shockers, despite getting behind and losing the doubles point.
In singles, Arkansas won three straight courts to take a 3-1 lead, before the Shockers made it interesting.
Up 4-1 in the third set on court three, freshman Josh Howard-Tripp fell to Murkel Dellien 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) to tie the match at 3-3.
Freshman Pedro Alonso earned a 6-4 third set win on court four to give Arkansas the match.
In the second match of the evening, shorthanded, the Billikens started the match forfeiting court three in doubles, giving Jose Salazar and Howard-Tripp the win.
Arkansas won 6-1 on court one and 6-4 on court two to take the doubles point.
In singles, the Billikens forfeited court six, allowing Arkansas to go up 2-0.
The Razorbacks won four straight courts to take the 6-0 lead and the match. Saint Louis got a 7-5, 7-5, win on court five to make it 6-1.
Pedro Alonso picked up his first two collegiate wins Saturday, defeating Wichita State’s Miroslav Herzan 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, before defeating Saint Louis’ Kenji Yanaba 6-2, 6-1.
Freshman Alex Reco extended his winning streak to three straight matches, picking up a win on court five against Wichita State’s Andrea Trapani 6-3, 6-1.
Senior Jose Salazar has a team-best four match winning streak, after earning a 6-1, 6-0 victory against Marius Frosa (Wichita State) and a 7-5, 6-4 win over David Ferragut (Saint Louis).
Arkansas 4, Wichita State 3
Singles Results – Order of finish (1,5,6,2,3,4)
1. #113 Jose Salazar (AR) def. Marius Frosa (WSU) 6-1, 6-0
2. Haru Inoue (WSU) def. Adam Sanjurjo (AR) 7-5, 6-4
3. Murkel Dellien (WSU) def. Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Pedro Alonso (AR) def. Miroslav Herzan (WSU) 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
5. Alex Reco (AR) def. Andrea Trapani (WSU) 6-3, 6-1
6. Jose Alonso (AR) def. Eddie Stoica (WSU) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles – Order of Finish (1,3)
1. #27 Murkel Dellien/Marius Frosa (WSU) def. Adam Sanjurjo/Pedro Alonso (AR) 6-2
2. Jose Salazar/Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) def. Eddie Stoica/Haru Inoue (WSU) 5-3 uf
3. Andrea Caligiana/Miroslav Herzan (WSU) def. Alex Reco/Branch Terrell (AR) 6-4
Arkansas 6, Saint Louis 1
Singles Results – Order of finish (6,4,3,1,2,5)
1. Jose Salazar (AR) def. David Ferragut (SLUM) 7-5, 6-4
2. Adam Sanjurjo (AR) def. John Nogalski (SLUM) 0-6, 6-1, 6-4
3. Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) def. Oscar Pachon (SLUM) 7-6, 6-1
4. Pedro Alonso (AR) def. Kenji Yanaba (SLUM) 6-2, 6-1
5. Justin Nogalski (SLUM) def. Josh Bortnick (AR) 7-5, 7-5
6. Jose Alonso (AR) def. No player (SLUM), by forfeit
Doubles – Order of Finish (1,3,2)
1. Adam Sanjurjo/Pedro Alonso (AR) def. John Nogalski/Justin Nogalski (SLUM) 6-1
2. Branch Terrell/Alex Reco (AR) def. David Ferragut/Oscar Pachon (SLUM) 6-4
3. Jose Salazar/Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) def. No player/No player (SLUM), by forfeit
Razorbacks’ dominant day closes meet at Texas Tech
LUBBOCK, Texas — Top-ranked Arkansas closed out the weekend at the Texas Tech Open in Lubbock, Texas on Saturday with a dominant day on the track, while senior Nikki Hiltz placed in the top-10 at the Millrose Games Women’s Wanamaker Mile in New York City.
Arkansas began the day with the 400 meter dash, as junior Payton Chadwick made her 2018 debut in the event with a time of 53.74 to place her in the top 25 in the 400.
It’s the first time she’s appeared in the event since the Arkansas qualifier in 2016. The Razorbacks had the top-three collegiate finishers in the event, with Morgan Burks Magee and Sydney Hammit finishing third and fifth, respectively. Burks Magee’s time of 53.77 set a new personal record for the third time this season in the 400 meter dash.
Sophomore Jada Baylark was Arkansas’ lone event winner Saturday, taking the title in the 200 meter dash with a time of 23:52. Junior Kiara Parker finished third in the event to join Baylark as the top two collegiate finishers in the race. Burks Magee finished fifth and set a new PR with a time of 24.07.
Millrose Games Women’s Wanamaker Mile
Senior Nikki Hiltz finished ninth in the Millrose Games Wanamaker Mile in New York Saturday, finishing with a time of 4:33.44. Hiltz set a new personal record in the mile in New York, cutting over a second off of her previous personal record of 4:34.57.
Texas Tech Open
February 3, 2018
Sports Performance Center (Lubbock, Texas)
400 Meters
2. Payton Chadwick – 53.74
3. Morgan Burks Magee – 53.77
5. Sydney Hammit – 55.35
9. Sydney Davis – 55.98
14. Joy Ripslinger – 57.50
800 Meters
2. Ruth Wiggins – 2:13.12
200 Meter Dash
1. Jada Baylark – 23.52
3. Kiara Parker – 23.66
5. Morgan Burks Magee – 24.07
9. Janeek Brown – 24.24
11. Tamara Kuykendall – 24.37
Up Next
The Razorbacks return home for the Tyson Invitational next Friday and Saturday inside the Randal Tyson Indoor Track Center.
