Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Older Players Out To Make An Impact
BIELEMA VALUES EXPERIENCE
Most college head football coaches would love to fill their roster as much as possible with high school kids they can mold, develop and get four years of action out of on the field.
But there are also roster spots that can be best filled by older players from junior colleges or ones that are graduate transfers that can make a significant impact right away.
Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has brought in 18 junior college players or grad transfers — including four in the 2016 class — during his time with most of them contributing to the success of the program.
“There are times when it is best for your program to bring in an older guy, someone with more seasoning that can play right away and make you football team better,” Bielema said. “We have done that in the past and we will continue to do it in the future in certain situations.
“The best of those situations is when a kid has three years left to play and that is certainly someone that enhances his value.
“I feel like that most of the kids we have signed from junior college or as graduates have made a significant, positive impact on our program both on and off the field and that’s exactly what we are looking for when we decided to go that route.”
As the Razorbacks take the field at 3 p.m. today to host Louisiana Tech in the season opener, at least four junior college signees and one grad transfer should see considerable action.
That list is headed by starting defensive tackle Jeremiah Ledbetter, wide receivers Dominique Reed and Cody Hollister, linebacker Josh Williams and Texas grad transfer Jake Raulerson, who will start on the offensive line.
Razorback cornerback signee Britto Tutt (6-foot-2, 190 pounds) would certainly have been in the mix in the secondary this season, but a knee injury in fall camp will have him out this season.
“He’s got a redshirt year available to him, so we’ll redshirt him and he’ll have three years of eligibility remaining,” defensive backs coach Paul Rhoads said of Tutt.
Ledbetter, who had 55 tackles, 2 sacks and 7 ½ tackles for last yardage last season, is expected to be one of Arkansas’ main forces on defense.
Reed, who had 28 catches for 535 yards and six touchdowns last season, showed the ability to spread the field last season and will also be this season’s main kick returner after piling up 222 yards in a few returns last season.
Hollister ( 4 catches, 65 yards last season) is coming off a season in which he missed eight games due to an early season injury as did Williams, whose return from what many thought might be a career-ending injury has been inspirational for his team.
Arkansas has a pair of junior college players among its 19 pledges in the 2017 with Arizona Western tight end Jeremy Patton (6-5, 248) and Mississippi Gulf Coast wide receiver Jonathan Nance (61, 180).
The Razorbacks are also known to be pursuing Arizona Western cornerback Keisan Nixon (6-0, 200) and Cisco, Texas, College defensive end Michael Clemons (6-6, 245).