Road work winding down for Arkansas coaches
Arkansas’ football coaches just finished up their third week on the road during the evaluation period for recruits.
The NCAA allows seven coaches on the road at one time during the period, which started April 15 and will end May 31. The head coach is prohibited from leaving the campus to recruit during the period. Coaches are allowed one visit to a school to evaluate a prospect’s athletic ability and one visit for an evaluation of the athlete’s academic standing.
“We’re going to go 24 days on the road, which will be 168 evaluations,” said Tim Horton, Arkansas’ recruiting coordinator and running backs coach. “Our evaluation period will end for us on May 24. The first week was primarily focused on junior colleges because junior colleges tend to get out the first week in May, so we wanted to make sure we got into the schools that we might want to look at certain kids. “
The coaches stuck to visiting high schools the second week.
“Just like always, you’ll hit all the schools in your home state,” Horton said. “Then each coach will go to their designated areas and hit the schools in their area.”
Arkansas offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Paul Petrino will visit the school of every quarterback the Hogs are recruiting.
“Paul has been jumping around a little bit just to go see quarterbacks,” Horton said. “We’ve been well-received there.”
Horton said the Razorbacks will sign the maximum of 25 prospects for the 2013 class.
“Probably the position we’ll sign the highest number will be the offensive line,” Horton said. “We’ll sign four, possibly five offensive linemen. We want to sign two quarterbacks, and we’ll sign at least one at every other position and some of those will have multiple guys.”
Arkansas’ coaches, in the aftermath of Bobby Petrino’s sudden and unexpected firing, have received a positive response from recruits, Horton said.
“Arkansas still has a really strong name out there, and in some ways, stronger than ever,” Horton said.
Coaches can not talk to recruits in person while visiting a school, but they can communicate with the school’s coaches. College coaches are allowed one phone call per prospect during the evaluation period, but players can call the coaches at any time.
Horton said Razorbacks Coach John L. Smith has been talking to recruits.
“The phone conversations have been very good,” Horton said. “Coach Smith has done a good job of being in that process and reaching out to a lot of our recruits, so that’s been very positive.”
Arkansas’ coaches also are visiting the schools of each 2012 signee and are allowed to talk to them.
“It does appear, at least right now, all of them will be in good shape grade-wise,” Horton said. “So at this point in time, we do not foresee anyone not making it academically, which is huge.”
The Hogs have two oral commitments for the Class of 2013 from high school prospects, but Horton said he expects that number to grow in the coming months.
“We’ll have 8 to 10 commitments, or possibly more, before the season begins,” Horton said. “We know some are close to committing right now. The No. 1 selling point has always been and will always be the University of Arkansas. We have a great program to sell.”
FCA COMBINE
The 15th annual FCA Combine will be Saturday at the North Little Rock High School stadium. Approximately 130 of the state’s top high school juniors will be tested in the 40-yard dash, the pro-shuttle, the L-drill, the vertical leap and the bench press. Testing will begin at 9 a.m.
Big names such as Matt Jones, Darren Mcfadden and Cedric Houston have taken part in the past.
“We’re the oldest, and we still have the reputation as being one of the better-organized combines,” said B.J. Maack of Arkansas Sports Performance, which is organizing the event. “This is one that people trust.”
The morning session is by invitation only and is full, but there will be an open combine at approximately 12:30 p.m. for any junior high and high school athletes wishing to participate.
More information on the combines is available at www. fcacombine.com.
E-mail Richard Davenport at
rdavenport@arkansasonline.com