UA’S pitch hit with defensive end

Arkansas’ focus on academics separated them from other schools, according to defensive end Frank Herron, who visited Fayetteville on Feb. 24.

Herron, 6-5, 240 pounds, 4.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Memphis East High School reports 17 scholarship offers, including Arkansas, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Clemson.

“I think the academic program will really help me,” said Herron, who has visited Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Alabama. “Most coaches, when you get there it’s football, but when we went to Arkansas it seemed like it was more than football. They want you to be successful while you’re there for the four years.”

Herron also had kind words for his lead recruiter, running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Tim Horton.

“He’s straightforward guy,” Herron said. “He’s straight to the point. He keeps it realistic.”

TRACKING HIM DOWN

Georgia cornerback Brendan Langley was on his way to track practice last week when he learned Arkansas was offering him a scholarship.

Langley, 6-1, 187, 4.39, of Marietta Kell High School, was told by his coach to call defensive coordinator Paul Haynes and heard he was wanted in Fayetteville. He called Haynes again after practice.

“He seems like a pretty down-to-earth kind of guy,” Langley said. “I don’t want to say he doesn’t speak on the football level because he does, but he also speaks on the personal level. I like that we can have a conversation about things other than football.”

Langley, who has best times of 10.75 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.9 in the 200, plans to visit the Hogs.

“We haven’t set any particular date,” said Langley, who has eight other offers, including Alabama, Georgia and Florida. “But, however, we did discuss coming up there. All we have to do is set a date and I’ll be up there.”

FEELING THE LOVE

Texas cornerback Maurice Smith said he celebrated when he received a scholarship offer after calling offensive line coach Chris Klenakis about two weeks ago.

Smith attended Arkansas’ game against Auburn last October on an unofficial visit.

“That’s one of the offers I have been waiting for,” Smith said. “They’ve been one of my top schools. I just feel blessed that he gave me the offer. My family is very excited.”

Smith, 6-0, 185, 4.41, of Sugar Land Dulles High School, has eight other scholarship offers, including Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Baylor and Utah. He said the people at Arkansas were friendly.

“They treated me and my family well,” said Smith, who plans to visit the Hogs in April. “I never felt that kind of love. That was my first invited unofficial visit.”

WILLING TO TRAVEL

Offensive tackle is a position of need, and Arkansas is hoping to sign a national recruit like Laremy Tunsil, who has more than 20 scholarship offers.

Tunsil, 6-6, 287, 5.2, of Lake City (Fla.) Columbia said he likes Arkansas’ winning ways and plans to come for a visit.

“They’re a powerhouse team,” Tunsil said. “That’s what I like. I’ll probably come in the spring or when the season starts for an unofficial .”

He has scholarship offers from Florida State, Miami and Florida but is considering leaving the state.

“I’m open to leaving the state because my mom said any college I go to she’ll follow me,” said Tunsil, who’s being recruited by receivers coach Kris Cinkovich. “That’s all I needed to hear.”

Tunsil, who has a 515-pound squat and 31-inch vertical, plays post in basketball. He described his favorite dunk.

“I throw it off the glass and dunk with two hands,” he said.

GETTING A LEG UP

Arkansas was the first school to offer a scholarship to Arizona defensive end Marcus Farria, and that sits well with him.

“It’s pretty big,” Farria said. “They’re going out on a limb to give me an offer and they want me at their school, and they’re wanting to recruit me and I appreciate that.”

Farria, 6-5, 235, 4.6, of Peoria Centennial High School, also has offers from Notre Dame, Arizona and Colorado, among others. Farria said his lead recruiter, offensive line coach Chris Klenakis, is “real cool.”

“There’s no awkward moments with him,” said Farria, who’s planning to visit Arkansas. “He’s a coach that makes you feel comfortable.”

VISIT PLANNED

Demarus Walker, one of the nation’s top defensive end prospects, plans to make an official visit to Arkansas.

“I don’t know when, but I am,” Walker said. “I want to check things out and see how it is.”

Walker, 6-4, 269, 4.64, of Jacksonville ( Fla.) Sandalwood, has approximately 24 scholarship offers, including one from Arkansas. Receivers coach Kris Cinkovich is his lead recruiter.

“He said they have a great program and they have one defensive end coming out for the draft,” Walker said. “He said I can help out at defensive end.”

Walker, who bench presses 375 pounds and reports a 475-pound squat, said he was urged to visit Arkansas.

“An old friend of mine, Reggie Northrup, visited and he said I should go up and check it out,” he said.

E-mail Richard Davenport at:

rdavenport@arkansasonline.com