Arkansas’ Franks could rewrite record book
FAYETTEVILLE — If Feleipe Franks doesn't take another snap for the University of Arkansas this season, his 2020 stat line will go down in the record books as the highest single-season completion percentage in Razorback history.
The man whose record he's on the brink of breaking is A-OK with that.
“You know it's been 41 years since I played, which is hard for me to admit and say,” said Kevin Scanlon, whose 66.2% completions in 1979 is the UA record. “But that's a long time for a record to stand. Records are there for other people to shoot for and to break, so I'm pulling for him.
“I hope he does it. I think it indicates how Arkansas' offense is advancing and how the game is progressing and how we're participating in that. I think that's important.”
Franks is battling through an injury to his ribs that makes his status questionable for Saturday's 11 a.m. finale against No. 1 Alabama. The grad transfer Franks and redshirt freshman KJ Jefferson are both taking reps with the first offense in practice this week.
Franks' presence has been a huge factor in the Razorbacks notching three conference wins in coach Sam Pittman's first season, triple the SEC win total for the 2017-19 Hogs combined.
The 6-6 Franks has completed 155 of 228 passes for 2,017 yards, with 17 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. His completion rate of 67.98% stands just ahead of Scanlon's record.
Scanlon, the first transfer quarterback to start at Arkansas after coming over from North Carolina State in 1977, completed 92 of 139 passes for 1,212 yards, with 9 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in a more run-heavy offense under coach Lou Holtz.
“I'm a fellow transfer quarterback … so I feel a kindred spirit with Feleipe,” said Scanlon, an executive vice president with Stephens Inc. in Little Rock. “And I understand how challenging it can be to re-locate and
re-establish yourself in a new state at a new school with your teammates and coaches. That alone is tough. I had a redshirt year. He didn't even have that. That alone is pretty remarkable, how well he's done and the leadership he's showing.”
Franks was asked last week how his statistics matched up to what he expected to produce with the Razorbacks.
“Good question,” he said. “The numbers, I mean, I wanted to, obviously, personally, first and foremost help get wins. Help Arkansas just get wins in the first place.
“My personal goals were obviously not a number, just always be at the top. So, as of right now, I'm short of that. But, I think it's good. … Just being the best version of me I can be.”
Pittman has repeatedly praised Franks' maturity, skill and decision-making.
“He has done a nice job of throwing it to our guys and not the opponent,” Pittman said. “He's had a really good year and it's certainly helped him, in my opinion, towards the NFL Draft.”
Scanlon's record has held up through a series of challenges over the years from some of the most productive quarterbacks in Arkansas history.
Ryan Mallett made a run at it in the high-octane Bobby Petrino schemes of 2010, but his 266 of 411 passing for a school-record 3,869 yards came up short at 64.7%.
The following year, Tyler Wilson put in another bid to topple Scanlon's mark, but his 277 of 438 passing for 3,638 yards (second to Mallett's 2010) was also a few percentage points off at 63.2%.
Both of those guys had serious incentive to break the record starting them in the face.
Scanlon was seated next to Petrino at a banquet prior to Mallett's first season as a starter when the subject of Scanlon's record came up.
“So he turns to me and says, ‘Hey, you've got the completion percentage record, right?'” Scanlon said.
Scanlon said he did and asked Petrino why he wanted to know.
“He says, ‘ Because we're gonna break it,'” Scanlon said.
“He gets up in front of the crowd and he says, ‘Our goal is to break Kevin Scanlon's record this year. That's the team goal and I'm telling Mallett that.'
“I'm telling you how fired up and competitive Bobby was. He put my picture on the quarterback room door. In the old Broyles Complex, the quarterback door, there was a full-length picture of me. He said it was a reminder every day that we're beating this guy's record.”
After those near misses, along came another native son in Brandon Allen in 2015 in his first season under offensive coordinator Dan Enos. Allen was supported by a strong offensive line guided by Pittman and a talented group of pass catchers, led by Drew Morgan, Dominique Reed, Jeremy Sprinkle, Keon Hatcher (injured in week 2), and Jared Cornelius (injured in Week 3).
Allen made the strongest bid yet to surpass Scanlon's standard, completing 244 of 370 passes for 3,440 yards (4th in UA single-season history) for 65.9% completions, just a fraction shy of the record.
“I just felt like Ryan and Tyler, as great as they were, would do it,” Scanlon said. “But Bobby threw the ball downfield a lot and they were aggressive. Both of those guys were great quarterbacks, but it's a tough conference.
“I think at that time the game hadn't evolved to where there's all these 70 percent passers.”
Scanlon noted that 10 FBS quarterbacks currently have 70% completions or better, whereas his 66.2% in ‘79 led the Southwest Conference, was third in the nation and is still the second-highest in SWC history.
“I did think it would get broken before this,” Scanlon said. “Brandon had a great senior year. I thought he was going to do it. It's just one of those things that you're pulling for them. You hope it happens.”
Scanlon broke the mark of 62.5% set by Jack Robbins in 1935, meaning the record has changed hands just once in 85 years.
Scanlon raved about Franks' ability to throw both long and short and put the proper touch on his passes.
“The one thing I've noticed about Feleipe, you know he's a strong-armed guy, but on his deep throws, it's really remarkable how he's been able to what I call ‘control' his strong arm,” Scanlon said.
“He's showing accuracy. He's showing patience. He's showing touch and giving his receiver's a chance and that's really been remarkable to watch.”
Scanlon said he's pleased the Arkansas offense is allowing the quarterback to rack up nice numbers.
“I'm proud for Coach Pittman and I'm proud for Coach [Kendal] Briles and that offense, and I'm pulling for Feleipe,” he said. “It's been fun, but 41 years is a long time. I don't know how long other records last up there, but I'm OK with this, just as I would have been for Ryan or Tyler or Brandon. We've had a lot of great quarterbacks at Arkansas and Feleipe has earned his piece in that.”
Scanlon's final thoughts were about Jefferson, who appears to be aiming for his piece of Arkansas history as well. The 6-3, 236-pounder completed 18 of 33 passes for 274 yards and 3 touchdowns and also ran for a touchdown at Missouri last week.
“I saw a quarterback evolve in that game,” Scanlon said. “You could see him. Having done it myself, having gone through that process, there's just a moment in time where you can see the progression from a great athlete, talented, but all of a sudden confident.
“You could see in that game confidence setting in. Just the way he approached the line of scrimmage, his throws becoming more confident.
“I don't know what they'll do with the two of them this week. Certainly Feleipe has earned the right to be the guy if he's healthy, but KJ showed he's got a lot of talent and that quarterback group has a lot of promise in it.”