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Exhibition matchup with Memphis officially announced for Razorbacks
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coach John Calipari will return to the FedEx Forum sidelines on Oct. 27 when the Razorbacks face the Memphis Tigers as part of the St. Jude Tip Off Classic, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The exhibition game will be a doubleheader with the Memphis women’s program, which hosts Vanderbilt at 5:30 p.m. Tipoff for the men’s game is set for 8 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on ESPNU.
“The Tip Off Classic is more than a game. It’s a powerful expression of what can happen when a community unites to hoop for hope,” said Ike Anand, President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “It’s deeply meaningful to witness these incredible college programs take the court not just to compete, but to champion the mission of St. Jude.”
Calipari, who is entering his second season as the Arkansas head coach, served as head coach of the Tigers from 2000 to 2009 and led Memphis to a 252-69 record over his nine seasons.
Memphis won seven league titles — posting a 117-25 conference ledger, reached six NCAA Tournaments — including a national runner-up and a total of four Sweet 16s – and a pair of NIT berths, winning the event in 2002 and reaching the Final Four in 2005.
Calipari had a 153-19 record in games played in Memphis during his tenure with the Tigers (one of the 19 losses came at the hands of the Razorbacks.) Memphis called The Pyramid home for Calipari’s first four years and went 60-9 in the facility.
The Tigers moved to the FedEx Forum for the 2004-05 season and Calipari led Memphis to a 93-10 scoresheet over the five seasons. In addition, while the coach at Kentucky, Calipari played two games in the FedEx Forum and went 1-1, beating UCLA in the NCAA Sweet 16 before falling to North Carolina in the Elite 8.
Among his 57 players coached over nine seasons at Memphis were the likes of #1 overall NBA pick Derrick Rose as well as first rounders Dajuan Wagner, Rodney Carney, Shawnee Williams and Tyreke Evans.
Calipari produced seven All-Americans while at Memphis as well as three conference players of the year (Antonio Burks, Rodney Carney and Chris Douglas-Roberts), six conference freshmen of the year (Wagner, Sean Bankes, Darius Washington, Williams, Rose and Evans) and a total of 22 all-conference selections.
This game will not count towards the all-time series record. However, Arkansas and Memphis have each won 11 games in the 22-game series. The Tigers won the last meeting, 84-79, in the semifinals of the Battle for Atlantis on Nov. 23, 2023.
The last time Arkansas played in Memphis was the 2002-03 season, which was Coach Calipari’s first year as head coach with the Tigers. Arkansas won, 90-73.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
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Razorbacks’ depth chart for Saturday’s game against Arkansas State
Arkansas Razorbacks Depth Chart — Arkansas State Week
Offense
| Position | 1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team / Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Taylen Green | KJ Jackson | Trever Jackson, Grayson Wilson |
| RB | Mike Washington Jr. | Braylen Russell | Rodney Hill, AJ Green |
| FB | Maddox Lassiter | — | — |
| WR-X | O’Mega Blake | Monte Harrison | Ja’Kayden Ferguson |
| WR-W | CJ Brown | Raylen Sharpe or Kam Shanks | — |
| WR-Z | Jalen Brown | Andy Jean or Courtney Crutchfield | — |
| TE-H | Rohan Jones | — | — |
| TE-Y | Andreas Paaske or Jaden Platt | — | — |
| LT | Corey Robinson II | Kavion Broussard | — |
| LG | Fernando Carmona Jr. | Blake Cherry | — |
| C | Caden Kitler | Kash Courtney | Brooks Edmonson |
| RG | Kobe Branham or E’Marion Harris | Marcus Dumervil | — |
| RT | E’Marion Harris or Shaq McRoy | — | — |
Defense
| Position | 1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team / Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE | Quincy Rhodes Jr. | Charlie Collins | Frank Mulipola |
| DT (interior) | Cam Ball | Keyshawn Blackstock | Kevin Oatis |
| DT (interior) | Ian Geffrard | Danny Saili | — |
| DE | Justus Boone or Phillip Lee | Kavion Henderson | — |
| LB | Stephen Dix Jr. | Bradley Shaw | Wyatt Simmons or Andrew Harris |
| LB | Xavian Sorey Jr. | Trent Whalen | Tavion Wallace |
| HOG (NB) | Jordan Young | Shakur Smalls | — |
| CB | Julian Neal | Selman Bridges or Keshawn Davila | — |
| CB | Kani Walker | Jaheim Singletary | — |
| S | Larry Worth III | Quentavius Scandrett | — |
| S | Miguel Mitchell or Caleb Wooden | — | — |
Special Teams
| Position | 1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| K | Scott Starzyk | Blake Ford | — |
| P | Devin Bale | Gavin Rush | — |
| H | Devin Bale | Gavin Rush | — |
| LS | Ashton Ngo | Zach Haber | — |
| KO | Blake Ford | — | — |
| KR | Rodney Hill | Markeylin Batton | — |
| PR | Kam Shanks | Raylen Sharpe | — |
Green earns Shrine Bowl QB honor after six-touchdown Arkansas opener
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green opened the 2025 football season with a performance that quickly earned national recognition.
Following a six-touchdown, 322-yard showing in a 52–7 win over Alabama A&M, Green was selected as the East-West Shrine Bowl Monday Morning Quarterback, a weekly honor.
The senior transfer, now entrenched as the Razorbacks’ offensive leader, completed 24 of 31 passes with no interceptions in his first start of the year. He added 41 yards on the ground, showing the dual-threat ability that made him one of the most intriguing quarterbacks entering the season.
“It’s always exciting when you start the year strong, but this was a team win,” Green said. “The guys around me made plays, and we set the tone for what we want to be.”
Receivers set the pace
Much of the credit, Green emphasized, belongs to his wide receivers. He singled out O’Mega Blake and CJ Brown for their work habits and ability to maintain tempo in practice and games.
“I wasn’t surprised,” Green said. “If you see how much work they put in, but at the same time, how fast they practice, especially O’Mega and CJ. Just the way that they work every single day, they could be tired but you wouldn’t know it.”
That chemistry was clear in the opener. Blake hauled in two touchdown passes, while Brown added another, giving Arkansas a versatile passing attack that stretched the field early and often.
Record-setting start
Green’s six touchdown passes tied the second-most in program history, joining former Razorback quarterback Brandon Allen, who threw six against Mississippi in 2015. The mark trails only the school record of seven.
It also marked the most passing touchdowns for an Arkansas quarterback in a season opener. The performance positioned Green among the early national leaders in passing efficiency. His completion rate of 77.4 percent is the highest by a Razorback starter in an opener since the program joined the SEC.
Building off last year’s momentum
Green transferred to Arkansas ahead of the 2024 season after beginning his career at Boise State. In his first season with the Razorbacks, he threw for 3,154 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 602 yards and eight more scores.
His play helped Arkansas close with a Liberty Bowl victory, where he earned Most Valuable Player honors.
That finish set expectations for 2025, when Green was named to preseason watch lists for the Manning Award, honoring the nation’s top quarterback, and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, which recognizes the top offensive player from Texas.
Head coach Sam Pittman noted during camp that Green’s leadership and experience brought consistency to an offense looking to rebound from early struggles a year ago.
“He’s taken command of the huddle and the locker room,” Pittman said last month. “That’s what you want from your quarterback.”
Looking ahead
Arkansas continues its nonconference schedule at Razorback Stadium before diving into SEC play later this month.
The opener against Alabama A&M gave Green and the Razorbacks a chance to test their pace and execution.
National recognition from the Shrine Bowl adds momentum, but Green has stressed that the focus is week-to-week.
“One game doesn’t define a season,” he said. “We’ll celebrate the win, learn from it, and move on to the next challenge.”
If the opener is any indication, Arkansas may have the veteran quarterback capable of guiding the program through a challenging SEC slate.
With Green’s efficiency, a deep receiver group, and an offensive line returning multiple starters, the Razorbacks’ offense appears set for a productive 2025 campaign.
Three Takeaways
• Historic opener: Green tied the second-most passing touchdowns in school history with six.
• Receiver depth: O’Mega Blake and CJ Brown highlighted a receiver group praised for pace and consistency.
• Momentum builder: The Shrine Bowl honor reinforces expectations for Green as Arkansas enters a demanding SEC schedule.
