Arkansans dot college football scene

While your focused on the Razorbacks and guys like Treylon Burks from Warren, I’m checking on some other former high school stars from Arkansas four weeks into the college football season.

Please follow along if you’re interested.

BRANDON THOMAS (North Little Rock/Memphis)

If you watched Thomas play in high school, you knew this bull of a running back possessed the skill to do great things at the college level.

Memphis knew it, too, and Thomas is now a budding star as a redshirt freshman for the Tigers, who were 3-0 heading into Saturday’s game with Texas-San Antonio, where Barry Lunney, Jr., is the offensive coordinator for the Roadrunners. Thomas (5-11, 200) entered the game with 421 yards rushing and three touchdowns on only 50 attempts, which translates to an incredible 8.4 yards per carry.

Memphis struck gold years ago when the Tigers snagged DeAngelo Williams from Wynne High school in northeast Arkansas. Williams went on to play 10 years in the NFL and was selected second-team All-Pro in 2008. No one will be surprised if Thomas follows the same path into the pros.

TAYLOR POWELL (Fayetteville/Troy)

Leaving Missouri for Troy paid off for Powell, who’s guided the Trojans to a 2-1 record after he was named the starting quarterback following spring and fall drills.

The junior from Fayetteville was completing 68 percent of his passes heading into a game Saturday night with Louisiana-Monroe. Powell’s big test arrives on Oct. 2 when he returns to SEC play against South Carolina.

GERRY BOHANNON (Earle/ Baylor)

Bohannon was named starting quarterback at Baylor the same week Powell was named starting quarterback at Troy.

The Duke of Earle showed his coaches made the right decision by guiding the Bears to a 3-0 start heading into Saturday’s showdown with Iowa State. Baylor coaches love the resiliency and temperament shown by Bohannon, who’s thrown for 664 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions heading into Saturday’s game.

Bohannon waited patiently for three years as a backup to Charlie Brewer, who left Baylor for Utah as graduate student.

And Brewer?

He left Utah after three games when he was replaced in the second half of an overtime loss to San Diego State.

BARRETT BANNISTER (Fayetteville/Missouri)

Bannister has registered 71 careers catches for over 600 yards after, basically, tagging along as an invited walk-on when Fayetteville teammates Taylor Powell and Akial Byers signed with Missouri in 2017.

Bannister was eventually awarded a scholarship and he’s prove his worth after catching 27 passes for around 250 yards in each of the past two seasons. On Saturday, he had five catches for 44 yards and one touchdown in Missouri’s 41-34 overtime loss at Boston College.

Bannister is another example of an athlete whose belief in himself and relentless work ethic proves doubters wrong.

AKIAL BYERS (Fayetteville/ Missouri)

Missouri is also thrilled to have Byers, so much so that he accompanied coach Eli Drinkwitz to the SEC Media Days in July.

Byers had to put in extra work just to become eligible at the Division I level after high school. He’s now a starting defensive lineman in the SEC and he’ll likely to get a shot in the NFL after his final season this fall with the Tigers.

How’s that for overcoming adversity?

HUNTER WOOD (Springdale Har-Ber/Missouri State)

Oh, what fun it will be when former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino brings his Missouri State Bears into Reynolds Razorback Stadium in 20222.

Petrino’s 2021 team includes Hunter Wood, a sophomore receiver who is currently contributing on special teams. But the son of HarBer coach Chris Wood is a talented athlete who caught 68 passes for 1,103 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior for the Wildcats in 2019. He’ll be greeted warmly by family, friends, and former teammates in his return to Northwest Arkansas.

The question is how Arkansas fans will react to their former coach being back on the sidelines in Fayetteville. More cheers than jeers, I suppose.

JACOLBY CRISWELL (Morrilton/North Carolina)

North Carolina coach Mack Brown came in and swept away Criswell, another talented quarterback from the Arkansas high school ranks.

Criswell is stuck right now behind Sam Howell, a three-year starter for the Tar Heels. But the former Morrilton star is only a sophomore and he’ll receive plenty of opportunity to win the job next year when Howell turns pro, as expected.