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Jones flips from Razorbacks to Notre Dame

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Pulaski Academy offensive lineman Luke Jones flipped his commitment from Arkansas to Notre Dame on Wednesday afternoon via Twitter.

Jones, 6-5, 290 pounds, originally committed to Arkansas and former coach Bret Bielema in July over scholarship offers from Oregon, Arizona State, Missouri, Virginia, Iowa State, Tulane and several others.

He made an unofficial visit to South Bend for the USC game Oct. 21 and an official visit to South Bend on Dec. 8-10.

He unofficially visited the Hogs several times and made an official visit to Fayetteville on Dec. 15-17.

Jones told Hogs coach Chad Morris, Dustin Fry and Barry Lunney of his decision before going public with his pledge.

Bruins coach Kevin Kelley was one of the first to send well-wishes to his player, but with a twinge of unhappiness.

Jones is at least the third Razorback target to choose to go out of state in this recruiting cycle.

Earle quarterback Gerry Bohanon decided to go to Baylor, Charleston athlete Sean Michael Flanagan flipped from Arkansas to Oklahoma State and now Jones.

 

KNWA VIDEO: Neighbors on Grambling, game notes

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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VIDEO BY KNWA

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas returns from the holiday break hosting Grambling State in the final non-conference game of the 2017-18 season.

The Razorbacks (8-4) and Tigers (3-7) meet in Bud Walton Arena on Thursday for a 7 p.m. tip and the game will air on the SECN+.

The Razorbacks lead the league and rank fourth in the country with just 11.4 turnovers per game. They are also first in the SEC and 11th in the nation with 340 3-point field goals attempted this season.

Scouting Arkansas

The Razorbacks are coming off a tough loss at Arizona State before the holiday and are looking to bounce back before starting Southeastern Conference play.

Malica Monk continues to lead the team. The North Little Rock native is averaging 17.8 points per game and ranks in the top five in the SEC for field goal attempts, minutes played and free throw percentage.

Monk has made 18 consecutive bonus shots.

Scouting Grambling State

The Tigers are 3-7 on the year with three players averaging double figures. Shakyla Hill leads the team with 13.3 ppg and is also the team’s leading rebounder with 6.6 boards per contest.

GSU has lost four in a row heading into the contest with Arkansas.

Up Next
The Razorbacks open SEC play hosting Ole Miss on Dec. 31, at 2 p.m.

The home SEC opener snaps a three-game streak of road league openers and is only the 10th time since joining the conference that Arkansas opens at home.

Is Chavis ‘best’ defensive coordinator Hogs can get?

Andy Hodges
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When Chad Morris officially took over at Arkansas on Dec. 7, he told folks he was going to get the best defensive coordinator in America.

Give him this, he hasn’t backed off that statement. That is a big reason many Razorback fans have held out hope he was talking about his good friend Brent Venables.

Sorry, folks, that ain’t gonna happen. Venables likes the job he has at Clemson and is not going to make a sideways move, even for a couple of hundred thousand extra dollars. Unless the money is stupid high, good coaches don’t make lateral moves for some extra bucks.

Which is why Texas A&M defensive coordinator John Chavis is usually the next name mentioned and he’s the one we’re hearing will be the next defensive coordinator.

Speculation is an announcement could be coming as soon as next Tuesday. He is coaching the Aggies defense in the Belk Bowl (11 a.m. Friday on ESPN).

It is assumed he is not going to be retained by new A&M coach Jimbo Fisher, but it’s a ticklish situation with the contract extension he signed prior to this season, according to a story last week in The Dallas Morning News:

It also elaborates on what happens if A&M fires Chavis without cause.

Under those circumstances, the defensive coordinator is still required to look for another job to offsets the remaining amount of the contract that A&M owes him. However, the new deal specifically states Chavis has agreed to make “reasonable and diligent efforts to obtain employment with compensation at market value.”

A&M also has the right to request evidence of Chavis’ efforts to find another job, a stipulation that was mentioned in the original deal. Mediation to any potential disputes between both sides regarding a future buyout was also added.

That one clause could open the door for the Hogs to openly talk with Chavis or his representatives.

But many fans question if Chavis is the right choice, mostly because his defenses with the Aggies never ranked higher than 41st in his first season there.

Over a 23-year career as an SEC defensive coordinator at Tennessee (1995-2008) and LSU (2009-14), Chavis’ defenses stacked up, well, an average of 21st prior to going to A&M.

He had defenses ranked in the Top 5 three times, in the Top 10 six times and 14 defenses ranked in the Top 20.

His highest ranked defense was in 2008, when the Vols finished No. 3 in his last season on Rocky Top.

That may or may not satisfy your qualification as the best defensive coordinator in America.

Some want the Hogs to find the best up-and-comer in coaching, which is a valid point, but the guess here is unless something derails it, Chavis will be the next defensive coordinator.

 

Anderson on facing old friend Barnes, Roadrunners

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas coach Mike Anderson talked about Wednesday night’s matchup with Cal State-Bakersfield, coached by former Ole Miss coach Rod Barnes.

Razorbacks compete for chance in Commonwealth Games

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Two current Razorbacks and a 2018 signee competed in trials for the 2018 Commonwealth Games over the past week.

Senior Chloe Hannam and 2018 signee Anna Hopkin each competed at the Swim England National Winter Championships last week at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield, England.

Hannam competed in the 400m individual medley and the 100m and 200m backstroke. The Lincolnshire, England, native finished fifth in the 400m individual medley prelims at 4:55.33, qualifying for the A-final, where she touched in 4:52.15, holding her fifth-place showing.

She touched 15th in the 100m backstroke prelims in 1:03.87 to qualify for the B-final. There, she touched second in a personal-best 1:02.82. In the 200m backstroke, she touched first in the prelims in 2:13.48. In the finals, she touched fourth in 2:12.95.

“It’s always exciting when we have our team members trying to make their national teams for upcoming international competition,” said Razorbacks coach Neil Harper. “Chloe had a great showing and proved to everyone that she has successfully come back from her major surgery. By going a personal best, she has proven all the doubters wrong and is continuing one of her best years ever.”

After signing with the Razorbacks in November, Hopkin competed at the Winter Championships, representing the University of Bath in the 50m and 100m freestyle and the 50m butterfly. Hopkin finished first in the 50m freestyle prelims in 25.39.

In the finals, she claimed a podium finish, touching second in 25.33. In the 50m butterfly, the 2018 signee touched sixth in the prelims, finishing in 27.69. In the finals, she touched fourth in 27.24.

She touched second in the 100m freestyle in 55.14. In the A-final, she held her second-place showing with a time of 54.76 for her second podium finish of the week.

“Anna was the fastest English woman in the 50 and 100 and hopefully has gained selection for the English Team which will be announced soon,” said Harper.

Senior Razorback diver Nicole Gillis competed at her respective trial for the games, finishing third on both the 1m and 3m springboards.

“Nicole traveled all the way back to South Africa and placed in the top-three in both 1m and 3m. We will know more about her selection in the near future.”

 Arkansas’ next dual meet is Saturday, January 13, when the Razorbacks host the Tennessee Volunteers at 10 a.m. in the HPER Natatorium. Razorback divers will be in action prior to that in Knoxville, competing at the Tennessee Diving Invite from January 3-5.

Don’t worry over worthless Top 25 rankings

Andy Hodges
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Arkansas is not in The Associated Press weekly Top 25 rankings.

Again.

Many Razorback fans are ticked off. They see it as a lack of respect, which is probably true in a certain way, but it’s not personal.

Arkansas received the the 26th most votes (85) for a second consecutive week while three SEC opponents fall inside the top 20 with Texas A&M (5), Kentucky (16) and Tennessee (19).

Oklahoma, who the Razorbacks defeated at the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland, has won eight in a row since the loss and sits at No. 12.

Now the question of what does this mean?

Absolutely nothing.

If anything, when Mike Anderson is asked about it at a press conference Tuesday before Wednesday night’s game with California State-Bakersfield, the guess here is he will dismiss it.

Coaches tend to not worry a whole lot about things they can’t control and they certainly can’t control The AP voters.

He’s right. Fans shouldn’t be worrying about it, either.

Right now it means absolutely nothing other than to provide a little extra motivation to some opponents. And, based on what we’ve learned in the last few years with more transparency in the NCAA Tournament process, it means nothing coming tournament time.

Now, what Anderson won’t mention is the benefits the Hogs could get from being ranked in terms of publicity.

A lot of media outlets do not get information on college teams that are not ranked in the Top 25. Right or wrong, that’s the way it has been for decades.

When I started in the business over 40 years ago, if the Hogs weren’t ranked, well, you didn’t get any information from the wire services about their games other than in the mile-long list of scores.

Getting ranked could possibly provide some additional publicity in places outside the state of Arkansas.

But how much is anybody’s guess.

Don’t worry about it, though.

A win over Tennessee on Saturday will shoot the Hogs into the Top 25.

Probably into the top 20 or even higher.

Hogs return from break to face Roadrunners

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Following an eight-day break for the holidays, Arkansas looks to extend its winning streak to five games Wednesday evening, hosting CSU Bakersfield in Bud Walton Arena.

The Rundown
Opponent: CSU Bakersfield (7-7)
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 27
Site: Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Tip-off: 7 p.m. CT
TV: SEC Network
Live Stats: Click Here

The #Fastest40 Facts

• For the first time since the National Championship run in 1994, Arkansas has scored 90-plus points in seven of its first 11 games.

• Arkansas is one of three teams in the nation to rank in the top 10 in points per game and assist-to-turnover ratio, joining No. 4 Duke and No. 25 Creighton.

• The Razorbacks lead the SEC and rank No. 7 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio thanks to 91 assists and just 29 turnovers in the last four games.

• The Razorbacks have four straight games with fewer than 10 turnovers for the first time in the last 20 years.

• Arkansas is the only team in the SEC to have five players scoring in double figures in points, led by 18.5 points per game by Jaylen Barford.

• During the Mike Anderson era, Arkansas is 114-7 in games it led at the half, including 29 consecutive victories. This year, the Razorbacks have led by an average of 17.5 points at the break in their nine wins.

• In six games in Bud Walton Arena this year, the Razorbacks are 6-0 with a +152 scoring margin, including a +119 scoring margin in the first half.

• Jaylen Barford is the only player in the SEC to rank in the top 5 in scoring (4th), field goal percentage (5th) and three-point field goal percentage (5th).

• Arkansas is 9-0 this year when Daniel Gafford records at least one dunk. He has 26 dunks, which is more than six teams in the SEC.

Time Is Money

In 440 minutes of play this season Arkansas has …

• Led for 341 minutes and 26 seconds.

• Led by double digits for 231 minutes and 53 seconds.

• Led for at least 32 minutes in all nine wins.

• Trailed for only 89 minutes and seven seconds.

• Recorded three wire-to-wire victories.

• Trailed for fewer than two minutes in six games.

• Led by 40-plus points in three different games.

Jones’ grandson leads epic comeback for state title

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Jerry Jones’ grandson went out in epic fashion Friday night, again leading his Dallas high school to a state championship while becoming the first quarterback to throw for more than 500 yards in a UIL Texas state title game.

But that was only icing on the cake for Highland Park senior John Stephen Jones in a 53-49 win over Manvel in the Class 5A Division I finale at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, the home of his grandfather’s Dallas Cowboys.

“We beat some great football teams to get here, and this was probably the best one tonight,” Highland Park coach Randy Allen said, according to The Dallas Morning News. “John Stephen is a great competitor, and he kept telling everybody on the bench that we’ve just got to keep coming back.”

Highland Park was down 49-39 with three minutes to play.

“It shows we have no quit. We’ll never count ourselves out,” Jones said, according to The Morning News. “It’s really special.”

Jones, a 5-foot-10, 180-pounder who has received scholarship offers from Texas Tech, Arkansas and SMU, finished with 564 yards and four touchdowns on 37-of-58 passing, capping it with a thrilling 16-yard touchdown pass to Cade Saustad with 34 seconds left. That play was only possible because of Jones’ 28-yard completion on fourth-and-15 from the Manvel 39-yard line.

“I knew the corner was playing off and that I would have room inside,” Saustad said. “The coaches gave me a slant. I caught the slant, and I expected to get blown up. I looked up, and it was a clear lane to the end zone, and I dove in. It’s a dream come true.”

Highland Park left just enough time on the clock to give Manvel a chance for their own heroics.

Enter Under Armour All-American Jalen Preston.

Preston, a receiver committed to Texas A&M who ranks 62nd in the ESPN 300, took Manvel to the 1-yard-line with a 30-yard reception. But he was tackled as the clock ran out.

It was the second state championship for Jones and Highland Park and the fifth overall for the school.

Jerry Jones greeted Manvel coach Kirk Martin after the game, offering him congratulations.

“He just told me what a great job we did,” Martin said, according to The Morning News. “One second and 1 yard short. That was the difference.”

Arkansas announces SEC opener as a sell-out

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Currently riding a four-game win streak and averaging a league-leading 89.5 points per game, Arkansas opens the SEC schedule against No. 21 Tennessee in front of a sold-out crowd at Bud Walton Arena on Saturday, Dec. 30.

It marks the second sellout in as many weeks, as the Razorbacks delivered a convincing 88-63 win over Troy in front of a raucous capacity crowd at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock on Dec. 16.

The first of four Saturday home games at BWA over a five-weekend span, Arkansas enters its showdown with No. 21 Tennessee riding a five-game win streak against the Vols. The game will tip at noon CT on the SEC Network.

After a weekend trip to Auburn on Jan. 6, the Razorbacks will be back at Bud Walton three straight weekends for a pair of SEC Saturday showdowns against Missouri and Ole Miss followed by their Big 12/SEC Challenge game against Oklahoma State. All three games are within range of selling out with the three opposing teams currently holding a combined 26-9 record.

Head coach Mike Anderson’s club has been at its best at Bud Walton Arena this season, sporting a 6-0 record with an average margin of victory over 25 points thanks to its average of 95 points per game.

Hogs add Fuldwider to wrap up early signing class

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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As expected, defensive end Nick Fulwider signed Friday to wrap up the early signing period for Arkansas.

Fulwider, a 3-star defensive end from Tyrone (Ga.) Sandy Creek, had previously been committed to North Carolina, but changed Tuesday night after an official visit in Fayetteville last weekend.

He had committed to North Carolina on Nov. 2.

“This official was amazing,” Fulwider told Otis Kirk of Hawgs247.com on Sunday. “I could not ask for anything more really. It was everything I expected plus more.

“Considering we don’t know who the D-line coach is and everything like that, I kind of came in with an uncertainty of like ‘oh, I don’t really know these coaches and I am going to feel like a stranger.’ But they showed me so much love from the time we walked in. I just appreciate the whole coaching staff. The coaches that Coach Morris brought in.”

Fulwider had 33 tackles, one sack and four quarterback hurries during his senior season and chose the Hogs over 27 other offers.

Kim finishes fourth at Dixie Amateur in Texas

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Arkansas junior Dylan Kim posted a four-round 281 leading a trio of Razorbacks at the Dixie Amateur at the Woodlands Country Club this week.

Kim carded rounds of 73-71-69-68 for a 7-under 281 to finish fourth overall. Kim tallied 17 birdies and 46 par holes over the four-day event.

Junior Razorback teammate Maria Fassi finished seventh overall with a 4-under 284 (72-68-70-74) and junior Cara Gorlei tied for 23rd overall with a 292 (72-68-79-73).

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