Roberts leaving UA football team

Freshman running back Donovan Roberts said Tuesday he isn’t returning to Arkansas’ football team.

Roberts made the announcement on his Twitter account, writing, “Attention followers. I will NOT be attending the University of Arkansas this coming semester. Salute to the real the rest can deal.#new-slate.”

Roberts, 6-0, 200 pounds, signed with the Razorbacks last February and redshirted this season while fellow true freshman running backs Jonathan Williams and Nate Holmes played. He rushed for a school-record 5,394 yards and 76 touchdowns during his high school career at Norman, Okla., and was rated the No. 5 prospect in the state by The Oklahoman as a senior.

Roberts did not indicate other schools he might be interested in, but coming out of high school he also was offered scholarships by Kansas State, Michigan, Tulsa, Iowa State, Indiana and Pittsburgh.

Arkansas will lose its top two rushers in senior Dennis Johnson (137 carries, 757 yards) and junior Knile Davis (112377), who declared early for the NFL Draft, as well as senior Ronnie Wingo Jr.

Williams, who rushed for 231 yards, Holmes and Kody Walker, who sustained a broken leg early this past season, are the top returning scholarship running backs. The Razorbacks are looking to obtain more running back talent with the 2013 signing class and are pursuing a number of prospects, including North Little Rock’s Altee Tenpenny, Alex Collins of Plantation, Fla., Corey Clement of Glassboro, N.J., and Terrell Newby of West Hills (Calif.) Chaminade.