Five-day event at the Branson Convention Center kicks off this week to determine the best in the world tossing bags.
Bud Light Next Morning Rush Podcast: 40 Days from Arkansas Football!
Tye and Tommy are live from Branson for the ACO Championship as they talk the Tennessee violations with Adam Sparks, Hogs with Tom Murphy, Hog Update and more.
Rocket named to watch list for Doak Walker honors as top running back
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas sophomore Raheim Sanders has been named to the watch list for the 2022 Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Wednesday.
Sanders is just one of a group of running backs being counted on to carry a big load at running back this year for the Razorbacks.
The others, Dominique Johnson and AJ Green, aren’t on the list.
The Doak Walker Award is presented annually to the nation’s top college running back.
Named for SMU’s three-time All-America running back Doak Walker, the award also requires candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.
Sanders earned SEC All-Freshman honors from the league’s coaches after playing in all 13 games and finishing with 578 rushing yards (5.2 ypc) and five touchdowns on the ground while contributing 11 receptions for 109 yards and a score.
A native of Rockledge, Fla., Sanders was part of a Razorback rushing attack that saw four different Hogs gain over 500 yards for the first time since 1975.
The tailback registered 706 all-purpose yards on the year and ranked second on the team in rushing yards. His 139 rushing yards against Ole Miss (Oct. 9) were the most by an Arkansas rusher during the season.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced in November.
The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.
The recipient of the 2022 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards.
Arkansas opens the season at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, against Cincinnati on ESPN.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Stromberg, Catalon named to All-SEC first team from Media Days
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas offensive lineman Ricky Stromberg, defensive back Jalen Catalon, linebacker Bumper Pool and offensive lineman Brady Latham were named to the All-SEC Team on Friday morning.
Stromberg, who earned first-team honors at center, anchored Arkansas’ offensive line last season, starting all 13 games and blocking for an offense that led all Power 5 schools in rushing with an average of 227.8 yards per game. Behind his blocking, four Razorbacks rushed for at least 500 yards in 2021 – a feat that had not been accomplished at Arkansas since 1975.
Stromberg totaled 873 snaps at center on the year, allowing only three sacks and getting penalized just eight times all season. He was part of an offensive line that blocked for three games of 300+ yards of rushing (Texas, Ole Miss and Penn State) and two games of 600+ yards of total offense (Georgia Southern and Ole Miss).
Catalon, who carded first-team praise at defensive back, remains one of the nation’s top defensive backs despite missing most of last year due to a season-ending injury. The Mansfield, Texas, native finished eighth on the team in total tackles (46) with 1.5 tackles for loss despite playing in only six games. His four pass breakups tied for third most on the Razorbacks.
Pool earned second-team honors at linebacker. The Lucas, Texas, product led the Hogs in total tackles with 125 (45 solo), his second consecutive season with 100+ total tackles. He is one of college football’s premier tackling machines, totaling the second-most stops (320) among all FBS defenders since 2019, and enters the 2022 campaign with 349 career tackles – ninth most all-time at Arkansas – to his name.
Latham, who grabbed third-team recognition on the offensive line, started all 13 games, lining up primarily at left guard. The Jenks, Okla., native played in 890 snaps and held an 81.7 pass blocking grade throughout the season, posting seven games with a pass blocking grade of 80.0 or higher according to Pro Football Focus. Blocking alongside fellow All-SEC Team honoree Stromberg, he helped lead the way for four Razorbacks to rush for at least 500 yards.
The Razorbacks, meanwhile, were picked to finish third in the SEC West, receiving one first-place vote. Under head coach Sam Pittman, Arkansas won nine games in 2021, including all three of the program’s trophy games for the first time in history in addition to the Outback Bowl. The Hogs rose to as high as No. 8 in the AP poll – the team’s highest ranking since 2011 – and checked in at No. 21 in the final College Football Playoff rankings, tying Arkansas’ highest-ever ranking from the committee and marking its first time finishing the season in the Top 25 since the CFP’s inception in 2014.
Arkansas kicks off the season at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, against Cincinnati on ESPN.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Aaron Torres on news from SEC Media Days and more
SEC Media Days, Greg Sankey’s position of influence in college sports, California Governor demanding explanation from UCLA.
Halftime Pod Presented By Eastside Liquor- July 22, 2022
Jimbo/Harsin Sound; Phil’s at the Beach; MLB Second Half Starts; Golden Hour
Guest: Aaron Torres
Blue Chew: bit.ly/3xVa2tA
Halftime is LIVE.Wrapping up SEC Media Days thanks to Arvest Bank
11:30 – Aaron Torres
Jimbo/Harsin Sound; Phil’s at the Beach; MLB Second Half Starts; Golden Hour Call or text, 877-377-6963
Bud Light Next Morning Rush Podcast: Recap of SEC Media Days!
Tye and Tommy recap the long week at SEC Media Days with Clay Henry. Also joined by Laura Rutledge and Brad Nessler.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey on new things in college athletics
It’s a changing world and the SEC has to make changes to go along, commissioner says on Halftime on Thursday.
Former Hogs’ pitching coach Dave Jorn on new book
Talking with Phil Elson, Drew Barrett, Matt Travis on Halftime about how developing the book and more on ESPN Arkansas.
