Morris lands seven
Arkansas, Texas supply all of Hogs’ early signings.
FAYETTEVILLE — Instate signees and the Texas connection, with a splash of Rome for color, highlighted Coach Chad Morris’ first signing day with the Arkansas Razorbacks on Wednesday.
Two weeks after Morris took his first Power 5 head coaching job, he announced a group of seven signees at the Fred Smith Center at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
The small class is expected to be supplemented by a couple of more players during the three-day signing window that closes at the end of the day Friday, followed by another group during the traditional signing period that begins on the first Wednesday in February.
“It’s unique to have the early signing period, and to say we were gonna hit the ground running 13 days ago would probably be an understatement,” Morris said. “We did have seven members join us for what we call our ‘RazorFast’ 18 group. Four defensive players, three offensive players, and we definitely feel like we addressed some of the speed and the size and the length we were going after.”
The group included four Arkansas-based signees, highlighted by Greenwood quarterback Connor Noland, who posted a photograph to social media of him signing his national letter of intent at The Colosseum in Rome while on a family vacation. He signed 19 days after earning MVP honors for leading the Bulldogs to the Class 6A state championship.
“I was just on TV a little bit earlier, and I said that would be hard to top across the country,” Morris said. “I don’t know if anybody could top that one. But to have Connor Noland sign from that venue was pretty special.
That will be one we talk about for a long time.”
Noland, a 6-3, 205-pounder, is rated the No. 2 player in Arkansas by ESPN and 247Sports and the No. 14 pocket passer in the country by ESPN.
The other in-state signees were Springdale defensive lineman Isaiah Nichols, Ashdown cornerback Ladarrius Bishop and Fordyce defensive lineman Billy Ferrell.
Morris promised a bigtime recruiting presence in his home state of Texas, and the Razorbacks landed three
from there, exceeding the two Arkansas signed from Texas in a huge 2017 class.
The signees from Texas are linebacker Bumper Pool of Lucas (Lovejoy), Silas Robinson of Yoakum and receiver Michael Woods of Magnolia.
Morris made sure to point out “we don’t star-recruit a guy” and added that making sure players fit his vision for the Razorbacks is the biggest key in his recruiting.
“I want someone that is excited, that will come in and make a difference and to change the dynamics of a program,” he said. “I have said this many times sitting in many living rooms. This is a sleeping giant. And I firmly believe with the right fit and the right combination and the momentum and energy that we’re going to bring that we are going to wake it up.”
Pool, the highest-rated commitment in the group at No. 236 nationally by 247Sports.com, has been a longtime commitment for the Razorbacks. His sister attends the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Robinson and Woods had both been committed to SMU during Morris’ tenure there before flipping to the Razorbacks on the same day last week. Morris promised during his introductory news conference Dec. 7 he would be “100 percent recruiting, recruiting, recruiting.”
“It seems like I’ve been in homes just about every night,” Morris said. “It’s been nonstop up until last Friday, and we had an official visit weekend. It’s been pretty wild.”
The Razorbacks, coming off a 4-8 season in Bret Bielema’s fifth year as head coach, are expected to attack Texas recruiting under Morris, who had two consecutive classes of all-Texas signees during his three-year tenure at SMU.
Arkansas signed 15 players from Texas during Bielema’s five seasons, topped by four signees each in 2015 and 2016. Prior to that, Bobby Petrino’s coaching staff landed 25 signees from Texas in five seasons, and Houston Nutt’s staff signed 36 players out of Texas in his final five years.
Morris said securing the best talent in Arkansas is critical for his recruiting game plan, and he began by landing a handful of in-state players,
including a couple of late gets in Bishop, who flipped from his commitment to Mississippi State, and Ferrell, who had offers from Alabama, Wisconsin, Louisville and others.
Bishop will join his cousin Montaric Brown in the Arkansas secondary.
“We felt like we had to have some speed and athleticism at cornerback,” Morris said. “Obviously he was committed to another school. Right here in our own state, we had to go get that guy, and I think he’s gonna bring a lot to our program.”
Ferrell, ranked as the No. 7 player in Arkansas by Rivals, was a quick offer by Morris upon his arrival.
“I’m really excited about him and his size and athleticism from Fordyce,” Morris said. “We saw clips of him playing running back.”
Nichols, rated the No. 6 player in Arkansas by ESPN, had 43 tackles for loss in his past two seasons.
“Isaiah Nichols from right here in Springdale is really excited to be part of this,” Morris said.
Morris said he liked the idea of Noland, who also excels as a pitcher, being a twosport star.
“I’m really excited about his competitive background that he brings,” Morris said. “I think he’s gonna be a great player for us.”
Morris described Pool,
the No. 12 ranked inside linebacker in Texas by 247Sports, as having a “hard-nosed approach” at linebacker that will be a welcome addition.
Robinson, a 300-pounder who is the No. 80 offensive guard in the nation by ESPN, had been committed to SMU for a long time.
“He comes from a coaching family and is big, athletic,” Morris said. “As a matter of fact, he played quarterback just a few years ago, so he’s got a lot of athleticism that will help us out on the offensive line.”
Woods, a 6-2, 180-pounder ranked as the No. 58 prospect in Texas by 247Sports, had 1,000-yard receiving seasons as a junior and senior, and was also an ace return man.
“Very dynamic and explosive,” Morris said. “He’s got great size.”
Morris began an evaluation of the Razorbacks’ current roster Sunday that stretched into late last night.
“I’m very, very intrigued,” he said. “There are a lot of young players that played on both sides of the ball last year. The overall team speed, I was surprised in a good way in some of the areas, and some other areas we definitely have to do a good job on.
“We’re going to do some things a little bit different as far as the conditioning approach. That’s going to be a big emphasis for us moving forward.”