Woods leaving Hogs
No. 2 WR enters transfer portal 3 days after spring camp ends.
FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas senior receiver Mike Woods announced Tuesday morning that he is putting his name in the transfer portal as a graduate transfer.
Woods’ surprising move came three days after the conclusion of spring drills, dealing a blow to an Arkansas offense that was returning 10 starters around sophomore quarterback KJ Jefferson, a first-year starter. Woods caught 2 passes for 40 yards in Saturday’s Red-White Game, including a 33-yard touchdown on the fourth play of the scrimmage.
Woods posted a message on social media thanking the UA, his coaches and teammates, the state of Arkansas and Razorback fans.
“I love you all and I am very thankful for the love I have been shown over the past 3 years,” he wrote. “You guys mean so much to me. With that being said, I am entering the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. WP4L [Woo Pig For Life].”
Contacted by text message, Woods said he had no further comment.
There had been message board chatter Monday evening about Woods, a 6-1, 198-pounder, contemplating the transfer portal prior to his public decision.
Sources with knowledge of the situation said several members of the Arkansas coaching staff met with Woods to talk over the situation, but Woods was set in his decision.
He took to Twitter to defend criticism on social media platforms of first-year receivers coach Kenny Guiton regarding Woods’ decision.
“Want to make one thing clear,” Woods wrote. “Coach Guiton and the coaching staff were nothing but great to me. Showed nothing but love.
“Me and coach Guiton actually go back further than y’all think. He is my guy! Great coach, better man. So stop throwing hate his way. This was not personal.”
Pittman declined to comment on Woods’ departure to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette after a request through a UA spokesperson.
Woods started all 10 games last season and his streak of 23 consecutive starts is the longest among current Razorbacks. He ranks 24th in Arkansas history with 1,248 receiving yards.
He was expected to be one of the top playmakers on the Arkansas offense again this fall. Prior to his decision, Arkansas was set to have the only pair of returning 600yard receivers in the conference with Woods and junior Treylon Burks.
Woods had shown no public signs of unhappiness with the Razorbacks. Last Wednesday, he recorded a video for his YouTube channel, Woodville, with the title “Day in the Life of a Division 1 Athlete.” In the video he interacts with several teammates, including roommate De’Vion Warren, while ordering and receiving his breakfast and lunch meals at the Jerry and Gene Jones Center.
Woods ranked second on the team behind Burks with 32 receptions for 619 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2020, and his receiving yardage ranked 13th in the SEC. He excelled on deep balls with Feleipe Franks at quarterback, with his 19.3 yards per catch ranking second in the SEC behind Ole Miss tight end Kenny Yeboah (19.4), and eighth in the country among players with 30 or more receptions.
The three-star prospect from Magnolia, Texas, was the first commitment of the Chad Morris regime in the winter of 2017. He chose the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from Vanderbilt, SMU, Washington State, Colorado State and others, and switched from the Mustangs to Arkansas within a week after Morris left SMU for the Razorbacks.
His recruiter and position coach Justin Stepp left the Razorbacks after the 2020 season to take the same position at the University of South Carolina in his hometown of Columbia, S.C.
Pittman hired Guiton, a former Ohio State quarterback who had worked previously with Razorbacks offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, in January.
Woods has a possible interest in transferring to Oklahoma, according to sources, and some media reports listed the Sooners as a potential destination for him.