Hogs make an offer to Jonesboro sophomore
Jonesboro running back Denzel Mitchell on Tuesday became the second in-state sophomore to receive a scholarship offer from Arkansas.
Mitchell, 6-0, 200 pounds, called and talked to Arkansas tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. and Coach Bret Bielema about 3 p.m. and found out about the offer. He also has offers from Ole Miss and Arkansas State.
“I was talking to Coach Lunney and then he let me talk to Coach B., and we were talking for a little bit and he said he watched film on me last week and then he offered me,” Mitchell said. “I was real thankful for the offer.”
Mitchell, who moved to Jonesboro from Alabama after his eighth-grade year, has rushed for 1,285 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. He was timed at 4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash in July at Arkansas’ prospect camp.
“They were talking about how they run the ball, and they think I would fit in well down there,” Mitchell said of Lunney and Bielema.
Jonesboro Coach Randy Coleman said he is not surprised by the early offers Mitchell has received from Ole Miss, Arkansas and Arkansas State. Coleman, in fact, said he thought Mitchell might have also already received an offer from Auburn, considering the close ties Coach Gus Malzahn and assistant Tim Horton have to Arkansas.
“But getting SEC offers? No, I’m not surprised,” Coleman said.
Mitchell’s lead recruiter, Lunney, has scored points with Mitchell.
“He’s been great,” Mitchell said. “He’s a great guy. I have to call him, and if he misses a call he’ll ask Coach Coleman to call him back. We keep in touch.”
Star City defensive lineman Austin Capps received an offer during the summer.
FORD ON RADAR
Bentonville Coach Barry Lunney Sr. said he believes sophomore Kasey Ford has the tools to be a highly recruited quarterback over the next two years.
“I think his future in football is unlimited,” Lunney said.
Ford, 6-5, 237 pounds, has completed 72 of 124 passes for 1,246 yards and 13 touchdowns. But Lunney said Ford, who plays baseball, didn’t participate in spring football last season.
“That kind of put him behind a little bit not having those 10 days with him, and he had some baseball commitments during the summer,” said Lunney, noting Ford has a lot to learn.
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema attended Bentonville’s home game against Springdale Har-Ber. Alabama and Memphis visited the school Friday.
Bentonville hosted a team camp during the summer that included Springdale Har-Ber , Jenks, Okla., and Jefferson City, Mo., and Lunney said he realized then that Ford, 15, was loaded with potential.
“I threw him into the fire with Jenks, just to see how he would react,” Lunney said of Ford, who will turn 16 in January. “I told my coaches either he’s too young to know who he’s going against or he’s really good. He’s calm. He doesn’t get rattled.”
DECISION TIME
One of Arkansas’ top remaining recruiting targets, tight end DeAndre Goolsby of Derby, Kan., will announce his college decision at 1:15 today at his school.
Goolsby, 6-5, 232 pounds, has 16 scholarship offers but will choose between Arkansas, Oklahoma, Florida, Kansas State and Ohio State. Arkansas and Kansas State are the favorites.
Goolsby officially visited Arkansas for the South Carolina game and made visits in May and July.
Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com