Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Newcomers abound for UA football
FAYETTEVILLE — Starting with Felipe Franks via the University of Florida quarterbacking the 2020 Razorbacks it seems Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman and his staffs strike transfer portal gold far more often than striking out.
They need that Midas touch more than ever. At Tuesday’s Little Rock Touchdown Club Pittman projected “nine or 10” newcomers from the transfer portal starting next Saturday’s season-opener against Western Carolina at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
This year’s by far biggest Arkansas crop of transfers range from defensive back Jaheim Singletary looking up a long depth chart at national champion Georgia, SEC starting defensive end Trajan Jeffcoat via Missouri, offensive guard Joshua Braun of Florida, Big 12 Baylor defensive backs Al Walcott and Lorando “Snaxx” Johnson, linebacker Jaheim Thomas, Cincinnati, defensive linemen John Morgan, Pittsburgh, Tank Morgan, Maryland, Keivie Rose, Louisiana Tech, receiver Tyrone Broden, Bowling Green, to up from FCS school receivers Isaac TeSlaa of Hillsdale College and Andrew Armstrong, Texas A&M-Commerce and backup quarterback Jacolby Criswell, the Morrilton native transferred from North Carolina.
What has kept Arkansas’ transfer portal stock generally high with relatively low incidents of disenchanted newcomers infecting the team?
Pittman believes it starts with knowing most entering the portal already know where they are going. So starting with director of player personnel Brian Overton monitoring the portal, they hone in the obvious ones interested in Arkansas, often through past recruiting relationships with staff, and others they believe truly weighing options.
Evaluating the football potential from tape usually is the easiest part though Pittman acknowledges of course some get misevaluated.
Evaluating character, especially with NIL now part of most everyone’s package, is more complex.
“We want to call as many folks as we can from the school that he’s transferring from,” Pittman said. “Obviously, character becomes the No. 1 concern. If they’re looking just for an NIL deal, a lot of times we don’t have great success with those guys. But if they’re looking for some NIL, not necessarily the highest bidder, if they’re looking for a team, we do real well with those guys.”
So far, and that’s just with players on a stage speaking to media, the incoming Razorbacks transfers and returning Razorbacks vets say all is “love and open arms” and pulling together.
Of course you wouldn’t expect them to say anything else.
But the transfer portal has enough years to it that players indeed are more apt to accept mixing the new and the old.
Braun, the Florida reserve become Arkansas starting guard, explained.
“I was fortunate enough to be on the other end of this,” Braun said. “My three years at Florida, I played behind two transfers — Stewart Reese and O’Cyrus Torrence. I was able to learn from them how to transition to a new space while still achieving your goals, not to step on any toes and fit into a culture that was already established. When I got here, I really just wanted to fulfill that role to the best of my abilities.”