Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
New Hogs QB Green shows potential
FAYETTEVILLE — After three years of K.J. Jefferson quarterbacking every game, Razorbacks fans needed to see game day prowess in his successor with Jefferson transferred.
They got it in Saturday’s RedWhite game at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Taylen Green, the thirdyear sophomore transfer last season quarterbacking Boise State to the Mountain West championship, lived up to his billing.
Fans were confident as 20082011 former Arkansas Head Coach Bobby Petrino, renowned for his offensive mind and coaching quarterbacks, as Coach Sam Pittman’s new offensive coordinator, immediately designated Green his starting quarterback.
Still nothing more reassuring than seeing the new QB perform well in a game even if just quarterbacking the first offense against the second defense for a half. Green quarterbacked five touchdown drives out of six. He completed 17 of 23 passes for 3 touchdowns and 243 yards and no interceptions, inspiring Arkansas’ offensive line and orchestrating a running game led by transfer back Ja’Quinden Jackson, 9 carries for 68 yards and 2 touchdowns plus a 15-yard touchdown catch from Green.
“I think [Green] had a good day today,” Pittman said. “Obviously he’s a great leader and the kids playing around him believe in him.”
Remove the no tackle scrimmage jersey and he’ll help the running game, too. On 78 carries for Boise State last season Green averaged 5.6 per yards with 436 yards and 9 touchdowns.
“I thought Taylen, [without the quick whistles to avoid injuring the quarterback] some of those runs could have been a lot further,” Pittman said.
Green already sounds like a Petrino quarterback, confident but not satisfied.
“I feel like it was definitely efficient,” Green said. “But as Petrino said, ‘Definitely can get better.’ He got on to me a couple of times on some reads, so he expects perfection out of me and whole the offense.”
DEAN’S CELEBRATION OF LIFE
It appeared most of the estimated 450 players attending the annual spring Razorback Reunion that Dean Weber started decades ago stayed two hours after the RedWhite game’s completion stayed to attend Dean’s Celebration of Life at Walton Arena.
Dean, 78, passed away from lingering illnesses in February, but the Razorbacks’ celebration of his life was saved for the Red-White weekend.
Organized informality rank among the many adjectives that could apply to Dean, hired as head trainer by Frank Broyles in 1973 and through the 2008 spring serving eight head football coaches, becoming equipment manager and finally a representative of the Razorback Foundation, especially adept at keeping up with former players who knew and loved him.
Organized informality described the celebration emceed by Associate Athletic Director Kevin Trainor, with a speakers procession often highlighting Dean’s humor and caustic wit.
Speakers Saturday that Dean treated included Houston Nutt, the 1976-77 quarterback returned from 1998-2007 as head coach, fullback Marvin Caston, and Razorback Foundation colleague, quarterback Kevin Scanlon, a of the 1979 senior class endowing a UA scholarship in Dean’s name, and Darren McFadden, the two-time All-American and Doak Walker Award winning running back.