Hogs tie program record, lead at TPC Sawgrass tournament
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — No. 20 Arkansas tied its lowest round in program history Monday afternoon and holds a four-shot lead on a loaded field in the 10th Sea Best Invitational at TPC Sawgrass.
After opening the day with a 2-over 282 to sit in seventh place overall, the Razorbacks regrouped and came out firing in the afternoon round, posting a 13-under 267 to tie the program record originally during the 2003 TaylorMade Intercollegiate.
The 267 is also the second-lowest score in the 10-year history of the Sea Best Invitational, sitting only behind a 15-under 265 by Florida two years ago. Arkansas now holds two of the three lowest scores in the history of the event after posting a 272 last year.
In a loaded field that features six of the top 30 teams in the country, Arkansas (-11) leads South Florida (-7) by four strokes and Liberty (-6) by five shots. The Razorbacks are nine strokes clear of No. 28 Tennessee (-2), the only other team in red figures.
Entering the day with two of the top 25 stroke averages in the country, senior Alvaro Ortiz and sophomore Mason Overstreet put on a show in the afternoon. Both players fired 5-under 65’s as Ortiz tallied one eagle and five birdies, while Overstreet recorded six birdies, including four on the back nine.
Luis Garza had the most consistent day, opening the tournament with a 3-under 67 and following that up with a 1-under 69 to sit T-4th overall and lead the team. William Buhl is tied with Ortiz and Overstreet at T-10th overall after rounds of 70-68 – 138 (-2) that featured four birdies in the afternoon.
Tyson Reeder and Landon Ernst are T-49th at 6-over, with Ernst competing as an individual.
The Razorbacks will tee off Tuesday morning in the final round, paired with South Florida and Liberty starting at 8:30 a.m. Live Stats will be available at Golfstat.com or via the Golfstat Live app.
Anderson on Hogs’ defensive struggles lately
Arkansas coach Mike Anderson met with the media Monday ahead of the Razorbacks’ game with South Carolina on Tuesday night.
Razorbacks stay in Top 10 nationally for fourth straight week
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas held steady in the top-10 for the fourth-consecutive week, coming in at No. 10 in this week’s Road To Nationals weekly rankings with an average score of 196.310.
The Razorbacks recorded its fourth-straight score over 196 at Alabama, posting a 196.350 in Tuscaloosa.
It’s the fifth time in program history that Arkansas has had four-straight scores over 196, joining such streaks during the 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016 seasons.
Arkansas remained one of the top beam squads in the country, coming in at No. 5 in the nation on the event with an average of 49.230. The Razorbacks have been ranked in the top 5 on the event since the start of the season.
Freshman Sophia Carter continues to lead the team, averaging a 9.880 as Arkansas’ highest individual ranked No. 14 on the event.
In total, five Razorbacks are in the top-100 individual rankings, including Freshman Sarah Shaffer (No. 99), who recorded a 9.900 at Alabama on beam.
The Razorbacks come in at No. 14 on each of the other three apparatus’, averaging a 49.100 on floor, a 49.000 on vault and a 48.980 on bars.
On vault, senior Braie Speed continues to be the Razorbacks best athlete, ranking No. 24 with an average of 9.860. Senior Amanda Wellick and Junior Sydney McGlone rank tied for 67th with an average of 9.820 each to round out the top-100.
Speed is also ranked No. 55 as the Razorbacks’ best on bars with an average of 9.825, while Wellick and freshman Sydney Laird are tied for No. 95 with an average of 9.795.
Shaffer is the highest-ranked on floor, coming in at No. 57 with an average of 9.845. The freshman recorded a 9.900 on floor at Alabama, becoming the only freshman in the SEC to score a 9.900 on two events over the weekend.
Arkansas has matchups with No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 5 Florida, No. 12 Denver and No. 15 Auburn left this season, along with the Mardi Gras Invitational meet in St. Louis that includes rematches against No. 2 LSU and No. 24 Missouri on Feb. 16.
The Razorbacks began the year as the preseason 19th-ranked team, and moved up to No. 11 following its week one score of 195.350 at LSU. Arkansas was ranked its highest this season at No. 8 following its 197.175 score against Georgia.
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.
