UA gets FCS foe for 2019
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas has reached an agreement to host Portland State in its 2019 football opener.
Arkansas will host the Vikings on Aug. 31, 2019, in either Fayetteville or Little Rock according to terms of the contract, which was obtained through an open records request by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The financial terms of the contract were redacted. The game will be worked by an SEC officiating crew.
The Razorbacks are still working to secure an opponent for their 2018 season opener, an unexpected hole in the schedule that occurred when Michigan pulled out of a two-year contract in July that would have pitted the Razorbacks and Wolverines in season-opening games in 2018 and 2019.
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema indicated on his radio show in November that the Razorbacks were getting closer to nailing down an opponent of note for the 2018 season opener.
Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long and then-Portland State Athletic Director Mark Roundtree agreed to the deal in late October and the contract was drawn up on Oct. 20. Roundtree is departing on Dec. 16 to become a deputy AD at Georgia Tech, while Valerie Cleary has been named as his replacement.
Portland State, a member of the Big Sky Conference of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivsion, finished 3-8 last season. Portland State Coach Bruce Barnum earned FCS national coach of the year accolades in his first season in 2015 after leading the team to a 9-3 record with two victories over FBS opponents. The Vikings’ best known football alumnus is former NFL quarterback Neil Lomax.
Arkansas has other games against FCS competition scheduled, including the 2017 season opener against Florida A&M in Little Rock next year and a game against Missouri State in 2021.
Hogs a ‘dog’
Arkansas opened as a 6-point underdog to Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl, which will be played on Dec. 29 in Charlotte, N.C.
The No. 22 Hokies (94) won the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division before losing 42-35 to No. 2 Clemson in the ACC Championship Game.
Arkansas (7-5) has alternated victories and losses for 10 consecutive games, starting with a 42-3 victory over Texas State on Sept. 17 that made the Razorbacks 3-0.
Early arrivals
Bret Bielema said he couldn’t go through the names, but he expects to have some early enrollees who will be eligible to participate in a few bowl practices this month.
“I just can’t announce it, but yes, there are a handful of guys,” Bielema said on Sunday.
Bielema said a new rule this year will allow junior college players who have wrapped up their requirements and are certified through the SEC to come in for bowl practices.
“There are a few that are planning on doing that,” Bielema said. “A little depends on when they get done and when we leave.”
The Razorbacks plan to depart for the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, N.C., on Dec. 24 or Christmas Day.
Arkansas is expected to sign a large number of players who will enroll early and be able to participate in spring drills.
“It’s the largest number I’ve had if everything holds true,” Bielema said.
New York trip
Linebacker Brooks Ellis, a senior from Fayetteville who leads the Razorbacks with 78 tackles, is in New York with his parents to be honored as one of 12 finalists for the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame’s William V. Campbell Trophy presented to the nation’s best scholar-athlete.
The winner will be announced at an awards banquet tonight.
“Brooksie is up for basically the academic Heisman,” Coach Bret Bielema said.
Bielema said NCAA rules allowed Arkansas to pay expenses for Ellis and his parents, Kelly and Shelly, to travel to New York.
Weird to watch
Coach Bret Bielema had Arkansas’ seniors sit out when the Razorbacks returned to practice last Friday for the first time since the regular-season finale against Missouri.
It’s something Bielema said he likes to do so the younger players get used to the idea of not having the seniors around next season.
“We were really surprised how we felt, just sitting back and watching,” senior cornerback Jared Collins said. “It was really weird.”
The entire team practiced Sunday.
“It was pretty light,” Collins said. “We got our feet back under us.”
Arkansas Hokie
Virginia Tech sophomore receiver Henri Murphy is from White Hall and played at Pine Bluff Dollarway, where he was a high school teammate of Arkansas safety Josh Liddell.
Murphy has played in all 13 games this season and returned 10 kickoffs for 262 yards, caught 3 passes for 29 yards and has 1 rushing attempt for 3 yards.
Rookie rave
Sophomore tailback Rawleigh Williams was impressed by one redshirting freshman during work for developmental players at Sunday’s practice.
“Jordan Jones made a big play [Sunday],” Williams said. “That kid can run. It’s exciting to see those younger kids play and exciting to see us go good against good.”
Ex-Hog
James Shibest, a former Arkansas receiver (19831987) and Arkansas assistant coach, is in his first season on the Virginia Tech staff as special teams coordinator.
Shibest was a Razorbacks wideout for Lou Holtz and Ken Hatfield, and he served on Coach Houston Nutt’s staff at Arkansas from 2000-2007.
Shibest went with Nutt to Ole Miss and worked for the Rebels (2008-2011), then was at Memphis (2012-2015) under Justin Fuente, who is now the Hokies’ coach.