Dwight McGlothern going off on Pittman on Twitter tonight.

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Login to view embedded media Yeahhh this dude is the next great OL at Arkansas

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This guy want to coach the Razorbacks anytime soon?

At least he'll have the ballz to call out Lane Kiffin.

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From Brandon Marcello off of Mississippi State's 247 board:

"Hey guys. I'm hearing tonight that Arkansas offensive line coach Cody Kennedy is in play for a spot on Mississippi State's staff. I'm still digging but I thought I'd share the possibility.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the guys Jeff Lebby brings aboard. That offense is gonna be somethin'."

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The Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2, 0-0 SEC) have one game remaining in the 2024 calendar year and will host the Oakland Golden Grizzlies (4-9, 1-2 Horizon) on Monday at Bud Walton Arena.

The Razorbacks are on a five-game win streak and most recently took down the North Carolina A&T Aggies 92-67 last Saturday. The team then took time off for the Christmas break and returned to practice on Dec. 26 to prepare for the final non-conference game of the season.

The Razorbacks and Golden Grizzlies have met on two separate occasions, and Arkansas has won both times. The first matchup came in 2006 and the Razorbacks took a 71-57 victory. The next meeting came in 2011, a game Arkansas won 91-68.

Oakland is led by head coach Greg Kampe, who is the longest-tenured active college basketball coach and has been with the program for 41 years. He has made four trips to the NCAA Division I Tournament in that time and also had four trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament before Oakland made the jump to Division I.

Arkansas head coach John Calipari has his own recent history with Oakland as well. The Golden Grizzlies defeated the Kentucky Wildcats — led at the time by Calipari — 80-76 in the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament behind 32 points from Jack Gohlke, who hit 10 threes to win the game.

Below are details on how to watch, links to stream and links to all of our coverage leading up to the game...
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How to Watch/Listen​

Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2, 0-0 SEC) vs. Oakland Golden Grizzlies (4-9, 1-2 Horizon)
When: Monday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Bud Walton Arena — Fayetteville, Arkansas
TV/Stream: ESPN2 / Watch ESPN (Dave Neal and Pat Bradley)
Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
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BetSaracen Odds​

Below are details on the betting odds for the game and Double R Prop bets. To get in on the action, visit BetSaracen.com and click on the Arkansas Specials tab.
(Lines and odds are subject to change at any point after the publishing of this story. HawgBeat does not guarantee any bet as a winner or loser. You must be at least 21 years of age to use BetSaracen. If you have a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net)
*All odds accurate as of the publishing of this story. They are subject to change.*
Spread
Arkansas (-19)
Oakland (+19)
Total Points
Over/Under 143.5 points
Double R Props (more available on BetSaracen app)
- Adou Thiero over 1.5 offensive rebounds and over 2.5 three-point attempts (+165)
- Boogie Fland and Johnell Davis over 19.5 field goal attempts and over 11.5 field goals made (+140)
- Jonas Aidoo over 10.5 points and over 4.5 rebounds (+175)
- Trevon Brazile over 1.5 blocks and over 7.5 field goal attempts (+150)
- Zvonimir Ivisic over 10.5 points and over 3.5 rebounds (+220)
- Karter Knox over 11.5 points and over 3.5 rebounds (+250)

Catch Up On HawgBeat's Arkansas Basketball Coverage​

- Arkansas basketball back in AP Top 25
- Takeaways from Arkansas' win over North Carolina A&T
- Hoop Hogs focusing on defense ahead of conference play
- Jonas Aidoo logs best game as Razorback in win over North Carolina A&T
- HawgBeat Hoops Show: Razorbacks gearing up for SEC play

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The Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2, 0-0 SEC) have one game remaining in the 2024 calendar year and will host the Oakland Golden Grizzlies (4-9, 1-2 Horizon) on Monday at Bud Walton Arena.

The Razorbacks and Golden Grizzlies have met on two separate occasions, and Arkansas has won both times. The first matchup came in 2006 and the Razorbacks took a 71-57 victory. The next meeting came in 2011, a game Arkansas won 91-68.

Arkansas head coach John Calipari has his own recent history with Oakland, and it's not a big stretch to say that game was a catalyst for his decision to leave Kentucky at the end of last season to come to Arkansas. The Golden Grizzlies defeated the Kentucky Wildcats 80-76 in the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament behind 32 points from Jack Gohlke, who hit 10 threes to win the game.

Oakland is led by head coach Greg Kampe, who is the longest-tenured active college basketball coach and has been with the program for 41 years. He has made four trips to the NCAA Division I Tournament in that time and also had four trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament before Oakland made the jump to Division I.

This season hasn't gone well for Oakland, as the Golden Grizzlies are 4-9 on the season and 1-2 in Horizon League play. They most recently played in the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii, where they beat Loyola Chicago 72-71 before an 80-74 overtime loss to Oregon State and a 73-70 overtime loss to Hawaii.

Here's HawgBeat's preview of what you need to know about the Oakland Golden Grizzlies ahead of Monday's contest, including analytics, players to watch for and more...

Oakland players to watch for​

The Golden Grizzlies lost Jack Gohlke at the end of last season, but brought in another guy who is more than capable of shooting the three. Malcolm Christie played last season for Dalhousie University in Canada and is in his first year with Oakland this year.

He averages 11.2 points per game, but the one stat that pops out the most is his three-point shooting. Almost all of his production comes from beyond the arc; he's taken a total of 118 shots this season, and 109 of those are from deep.

Christie had a slow start to the season and only averaged six points through the first eight games, but he's exploded in recent contests. He started every game of the Diamond Head Classic and averaged 21.7 points in those games. He scored 27 points in the loss to Hawaii on 8-of-24 shooting — with seven of those eight baskets coming from three.

Manning the point guard spot for the Golden Grizzlies is D.Q. Cole, a 6-foot-3, 222-pound senior from Pontiac, Michigan. He is the second-leading scorer on the team and averages 11.4 points per game on 32.3% shooting.

Cole brings a veteran presence to the Oakland lineup and is physical when he gets to the rim. He outsizes both D.J. Wagner and Boogie Fland, and while he's not super effective at shooting the three, he does it 8.2 times per game and makes them 28% of the time.

Oakland's leading scorer is Allen Mukeba, a 6-foot-6, 247-pound transfer from Missouri-Kansas City. He has started every game for Oakland this season and averages 13.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
The Golden Grizzlies typically run a zone defense and Mukeba is efficient in it down low. He blocks 1.6 shots per game and while he gives up size to Arkansas' bigs, he makes up for it with a strong motor and good physicality.

The other threat down low Arkansas will need to watch out for is Buru Naivalurua, a 6-foot-6, 239-pound forward who is the team's leading rebounder with 7.8 per game. He is in his second year at Oakland and while he only started one game last season, he's been a solidified piece of Kampe's lineups this season with 12 starts in as many games.

The Sydney, Australia, native scores 11.3 points per game and his rebounding numbers are the result of good anticipation and tracking where the ball goes when it bounces off the rim.

One returner who has made his mark in recent games for Oakland is Isaiah Jones, who is in his second season with the Golden Grizzlies. His season averages don't pop off the screen much — 5.7 points 0.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds — but he scored 10 points against Oregon State and eight points against Hawaii. He's not a sharpshooter from deep, but he's good at getting into the lane and creating his own shot at times.

Analytics preview​

Taking a look at the analytics, Arkansas has several advantages over its opponent in Monday's game, but the Hogs cannot afford to take Oakland lightly.

The Golden Grizzlies rank No. 200 in the KenPom rankings overall and are No. 173 in offensive efficiency and No. 219 in defensive efficiency. From a NET rankings standpoint, this game will likely stay as a Quad 4 game. Oakland currently ranks No. 223 in the standings.

As a team, Oakland shoots 50.3% from the field and just 28.5% from three, but they average 7.2 makes from deep per game. The Golden Grizzlies score an average of 64.8 points per game while they give up 71.2 to their opponents.

Since Christie has come onto the scene, Oakland is using him quite a bit. He has the highest usage rate on the team at 25.5%, but Kampe likes to spread the wealth of the usage rate among several players. Mukeba and Cole have usage rates of 25.4% and 24.2%, respectively.

The three ball is an important part of Oakland's game, with 25.4 attempts per game, and the Golden Grizzlies use a lot of inside-out looks to get those shots. The ball goes into the post and if the defense crashes on Mukeba, he dishes it out to a shooter for a shot.

One area where Oakland excels is on the offensive glass. The Golden Grizzlies get 12 offensive rebounds per game, which is three more than Arkansas (9) does on average. Oakland likes to send a lot of guys to the boards in that regard. Naivalurua leads the team with 3.4 offensive rebounds per game and Jones, interestingly, is second on the team at 2.4 per game.

The Golden Grizzlies are not a turnover-prone team and only commit 10.9 per game compared to the 14.3 that Arkansas forces. Mukeba is the primary culprit of those and leads the team with 2.3 turnovers per game.

Wrapping it up​

This game has all the makings of a trap game, and the Hogs will need to be prepared and ready so as to not get upset right at the end of the calendar year.

Arkansas hasn't played in over a week and with a road trip to No. 1 Tennessee on Saturday to start league play, it's vital the Razorbacks don't look ahead the same team that knocked Calipari out of the NCAA Tournament roughly nine months ago.

The Razorbacks and Golden Grizzlies will tip off at Bud Walton Arena at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday. The game will air on ESPN2.

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Arkansas (7-6, 3-5 SEC) won its final game of the 2024 season with a 39-26 victory over Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl on Saturday behind a strong performance by quarterback Taylen Green.

The redshirt junior, who just wrapped up his first season with the Razorbacks, finished the game with 422 yards of total offense — 341 through the air and 81 on the ground. He ended the game tied with running back Rodney Hill as the Hogs' leading rusher in the game and Green was named Liberty Bowl MVP for his efforts.

"I think it was a fast start," Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said after the game. "(The defense) made a fourth down stop and then really the offense took over. Taylen took over. We have Taylen Green, a lot of teams don't and it gives us opportunity to win."

The Razorbacks started the game firing on all cylinders and scored on each of their first three possessions. Green was a key cog in that machine, as he scored the first touchdown of the game on a 12-yard rush. He followed that drive up by showcasing his arm with passes of 17 yards and 56 yards to wide receiver Issac TeSlaa, which set up a touchdown run by running back Braylen Russell on the goal line.

Touchdown No. 3 of the first quarter came on a slant route to redshirt freshman receiver Dazmin James, who caught Green's pass and took it 94 yards to the end zone — the longest pass play in Arkansas program history.

Texas Tech didn't go down without a fight, though. The Red Raiders cut the lead to 24-19 by halftime, and Arkansas needed another spark. Cue Green again, who found running back Tyrell Reed Jr. alone and unguarded for a 43-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter.

"(Reed), he’s always ready," Green said after the game. "He’s always in the back learning whether it’s from (Ja'Quinden Jackson) or from (Rashod Dubinion). From (Rodney Hill). He’s always taking things in, asking questions. When he had his opportunity to shine, he made the most of it."

A native of Lewisville, Texas, Green only had one blemish on his stat line, as he was sacked in the end zone for a safety in the second quarter, but Pittman said afterward that a blocking miscue in the backfield led to the miscue.

Green's 341 passing yards broke the previous Arkansas record in a bowl game, which was set by Bill Montgomery, who threw for 338 against Ole Miss in the 1970 Sugar Bowl.

The former Boise State transfer also became the first Arkansas passer to eclipse 300 yards in a bowl game since Brandon Allen threw for 315 yards in the 2016 Liberty Bowl against Kansas State.

"I'm gonna take (the MVP trophy) to my parents' crib," Green said. "Shout out to my mom, shout out to my dad, shout out to my sisters, and we gonna celebrate."

Arkansas football's 2024 season has now come to a close. Up next, the Razorbacks will look to close out transfer portal season strong. Be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for updates on the offseason recruiting action.

We are so fortunate to have yet another really good kicker. We’ve had such a great run of kickers… from Steve Little to Cam Little, and a bunch in between. I remember Ish Ordonez, Bill McClard many others. Now we have Matthew Shipley, who’s pretty darn good himself. I look around at so many other teams, good ones, who really struggle with field goals.

Sheridan coach Kevin Kelley said on The Zone on 103.7 that 2025 Warren WR Antonio Jordan had a $500k offer from Texas and he took $150k from from Arkansas because he wanted to be a Razorback.

DC leaving to take same job at West Virginia. Danna's in free falling meltdown

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Now that it seems inevitable that Deion to Colorado is happening z curious to see what people think.

POS- wide reciever room will be ok I think.there is talent there and we brought in more from portal
Oline looks to have some good pieces to work with and again we brought in some more talent
Just having same cordinator for second year in a row will help Taylen progress
Now negative
We have to figure out how to get more push from dl..
We have to learn how to tackle , we missed so many that led to first downs, 10 makes 2 great plays and then whiffs on next 2 plays
Secondary man what do we have to do to get our dbs to turn their heads in coverage and then wrap up and not miss on tackles?
All this said there is some real talent on this team for next year. Think we need a rb1 to transfer in and definitely need to shore up the secondary and we might be ok..

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Team Grades

~Overall: 74.8

~Defense: 72.9

~Run defense: 76.3

~Tackling: 71.0

~Pass rush: 61.3

~Coverage: 70.3

Notes​

~ Cam Ball had his best game of the season, as he finished with a team-high 80.0 defensive grade, plus a 77.3 run defense grade, a 75.0 tackling grade and a 73.7 pass-rush grade.

~ Leading the secondary in coverage grade is Miguel Mitchell (72.7), Hudson Clark (69.5), Marquise Robinson (69.2) and Doneiko Slaughter (68.2) not far behind.

~ Arkansas' lowest graded defender is Charlie Collins, who finished with a 42.2 overall mark, a 38.1 run defense mark, a 71.5 tackling mark and a 55.3 pass-rush mark.

~ Younger defenders Quincy Rhodes Jr. and Bradley Shaw earned solid grades of 69.7 and 67.7, respectively. Both had 70.0+ tackling grades.

~ One veteran pass-rusher who may return in 2025 is Anton Juncaj, who led the defensive line in tackling (77.2) and was solid in run defense (67.1).

Arkansas Defense PFF Grades - Texas Tech

On a cool Friday evening at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, the Arkansas Razorbacks (7-6, 3-5 SEC) defeated the Texas Tech Red Raiders, 39-26, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Arkansas got off to a roaring 21-3 start in the first quarter before Texas Tech fought back with a safety and touchdown. The Red Raiders scored once again late in the second quarter to bring the deficit to two points, but the Razorbacks tacked on a field goal to make it 24-19 at half.

The Razorbacks were near-perfect in the second half, as defensive backs Marquise Robinson and Miguel Mitchell each notched an interception and Texas Tech totaled just 151 yards.

Below are social media reactions from fans and media throughout the Hogs' win over Texas Tech:

CLICK HERE FOR HIGHLIGHTS AND SOCIAL MEDIA REACTIONS

The Arkansas Razorbacks (6-6, 3-5 SEC) will play in the Liberty Bowl for the seventh time in program history Friday when they take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-4, 6-3 Big 12) at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.

Both teams will look much different than they did in the regular season, as Arkansas has lost more than 20 players and a significant amount of starters to the transfer portal, while Texas Tech will be without both its coordinators, its starting quarterback and its star wide receiver.

ALSO READ: Arkansas' official depth chart for Texas Tech game

"The majority of the kids that are going to play in the bowl are going to be on the team next year, so we are using that as development and belief," Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said Dec. 12. "Just because you’ve been hiding over in the corner, doesn't mean you can’t play. It’s just somebody that had developed faster, or we had faith a little bit because we’ve seen them do things. I think this bowl prep is going to enhance our football team."

The Razorbacks will have two first-time starters on the offensive line, a whole new group of starters at receiver and redshirt sophomore Rodney Hill is expected to start at running back. Defensively, the Hogs will have a strong group of familiar faces, led by defensive tackle Cam Ball and linebackers Xavian Sorey Jr. and Stephen Dix Jr. in the middle.

RELATED: Arkansas Football 2025 Roster Tracker

Texas Tech will start true freshman Will Hammond at quarterback. The Austin, Texas, native led the state of Texas in passing as a senior last fall with 3,901 passing yards and 35 touchdowns, while rushing for an additional 1,077 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Pittman has led the Razorbacks to a bowl game for the fourth time in five seasons, and to the Liberty Bowl for the second time in his coaching tenure at Arkansas. He is one of only five Arkansas head coaches in program history to lead the Razorbacks to bowl games in four of their first five seasons at the helm.

ALSO READ: Arkansas vs. Texas Tech - Star comparison, PFF grades, season stats

Arkansas is 3-3 all-time in Liberty Bowl games. The Hogs played Tennessee (1971), Auburn (1984), Georgia (1987), East Carolina (2010), Kansas State (2016) and Kansas (2022) in their six prior appearances.

BetSaracen lists the Razorbacks as a 1-point favorite over the Red Raiders, with the over/under on total points set at 53. Below are details on how to watch/stream/listen to Arkansas' game against the Red Raiders, plus more helpful links, betting odds, our picks and more...

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How to Watch/Listen​

Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (6-6, 3-5 SEC) vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-4, 6-3 Big 12)

What: Liberty Bowl

When: Friday, Dec. 27 at 6:00 p.m. CT

Where: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium — Memphis, Tennessee

TV/Stream: ESPN/Watch ESPN (Anish Shroff, Andre Ware, Paul Carcaterra)

Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network(Chuck Barrett, Quinn Grovey and Geno Bell)
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ML/SPREAD/TOTALS:​

Money Line:
Arkansas: -115
Texas Tech: -105

Spread:
Arkansas: -1, (-110)
Texas Tech: +1, (-110)

Total Points:
OVER 53, (-110)
UNDER 53, (-110)

Team Totals:
Arkansas OVER 27, (-105)
Arkansas UNDER 27, (-115)

Texas Tech OVER 26.5, (-110)
Texas Tech UNDER 26.5, (-110)

(Alternate lines, spreads and team totals are available on the BetSaracen mobile app.)

Liberty Bowl Boost:​

~ Arkansas -1.5 and OVER 52.5 total points: +275

Arkansas-Texas Tech Game Specials:​

~ 4+ TDs to be scored in each half: +400
~ Both teams to score in every quarter: +700
~ Each team to score 2+ TDs and 2+ FGs: +900
~ 1+ FGs to be scored in each quarter: +1200
~ Each team to score 1+ TD and 1+ FG in each quarter: +2500
~ Each team to score 1+ pass TDs and 1+ rush TDs in each half: +4000
~ Each team to score 1+ TDs in each quarter: +4000

Double-R Props:​

~ Arkansas team first quarter scoring OVER 6.5: -110
~ Andreas Paaske OVER 1.5 receptions and OVER 14.5 receiving yards: +150
~ Anton Juncaj OVER 0.5 QB hurries and OVER 1.5 tackles: +155
~ Arkansas special teams OVER 1.5 punts downed inside 20-yard line: +125
~ Braylen Russell OVER 14.5 rush attempts and OVER 79.5 rush yards: +105
~ Cam Ball OVER 3.5 total tackles and OVER 0.5 sacks: +160
~ Isaac TeSlaa OVER 6.5 receptions and OVER 74.5 receiving yards: +180
~ Monte Harrison OVER 3.5 receptions and OVER 34.5 receiving yards: +115
~ Quincy Rhodes Jr. OVER 1.5 total tackles and OVER 0.5 sacks: +185
~ Taylen Green OVER 234.5 passing yards and OVER 54.5 rushing yards: +200

HAWGBEAT'S PICK​

Total points OVER 53 (-110)​

When Arkansas last played in the Liberty Bowl during the 2022 season, it hit this over by itself with 55 points in a victory over Kansas. Obviously this is a different matchup with different players, but it wouldn't surprise me to see another back-and-forth high-scoring affair.

For one, Texas Tech's defense ranks 120th nationally in scoring defense (34.5) and 123rd nationally in total defense (451.9), while the Red Raiders rank fifth in scoring offense (38.6) and eighth in total offense (459.8).

Those defensive statistics are especially important because the Razorbacks will be without multiple key players on the offensive side of the ball, so playing against a weaker unit will allow Arkansas to put up more points.

The one concern for Texas Tech is that it'll be without starting quarterback Behren Morton, but Arkansas won't have star edge rusher Landon Jackson or safety TJ Metcalf to make plays in the backend.

It's difficult to predict what will happen in a game when both teams' rosters are in flux, but I lean toward it being a weird, messy, roller-coaster of action that sees the over hit.

Catch up on HawgBeat's Arkansas football content​

- Arkansas' official depth chart for Texas Tech game
- Arkansas Football 2025 Roster Tracker
- Know the Foe: Gaining Texas Tech insight with Inside The Double T
- Arkansas vs. Texas Tech: Star comparison, PFF grades, season stats
- Arkansas wide receiver availability for Liberty Bowl
- Russell available for Arkansas in Liberty Bowl
- VIDEO: Sam Pittman previews Liberty Bowl vs. Texas Tech
- VIDEO: Sorey, Dix, Clark, Ball preview Liberty Bowl
- VIDEO: Green, Hill, Carmona, TeSlaa preview Liberty Bowl
- Defensive leaders discuss staying at Arkansas

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Check out this thread from Alex. White had 6 TDs tonight.

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Redshirt freshman Arkansas wide receiver Dazmin James' breakout performance against Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl on Friday was halted by an injury in the first half.

James — who ended the game with three catches for 137 yards, a touchdown and Liberty Bowl Oustanding Offensive Player honors — earned high praises from head coach Sam Pittman following the Razorbacks' 39-26 win.

"I didn't know [Dazmin] was very fast (laughs)," Pittman said after the game. "You know, he kept acting like he was, but I think he went 22.3 on his catapult and he went 10.3 or something in high school looking left and right in 100 meters. Won at the state championship. He's just a wonderful kid too, but he's really fast."

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A former unranked prospect out of Clayton High School in North Carolina, James hauled his first career reception on a program record-breaking 94-yard touchdown against the Red Raiders in the first quarter.

James followed that up with a 24-yard grab in the second quarter, but went down in pain while holding his knee before limping off on his own power.

The 6-foot-2, 196-pounder eventually returned to the field and made a 19-yard catch on Arkansas' final drive before halftime, but he limped off the field once again after getting shaken up on an awkward tackle. James did not record a stat in the second half, but he appeared to be in good spirits afterward and may be a key offensive cog in the offseason.

"I mean, you’ll definitely see more," James said after the game. "It’s just the beginning. First game. I just had an opportunity. I got my opportunity and I ran with it. Thanks to all my coaches. We’ve been practicing, just repetition, going over a lot of plays. Just getting it down. Formations and everything since like the portal and everything."

Arkansas football's 2024 season has now come to a close. Up next, the Razorbacks will look to close out transfer portal season strong. Be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for updates on the offseason recruiting action.

Did they ever say anything on his injury

Creating this thread so the 2025 big board thread doesn't get cluttered with sidebar conversations about the current season. Go crazy folks!

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Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said Monday that freshman running back Braylen Russell is with the team and will be available to play in Friday's Liberty Bowl matchup against Texas Tech at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis.

Russell withdrew his name from the transfer portal Saturday for the second time since the end of the regular season after taking a visit to Ole Miss on Friday. Russell first entered the portal Dec. 10, but he reversed course the same day and then entered the portal again Dec. 15 before withdrawing the most recent time.

According to Pittman, he and Russell have an agreement that this is the last time the former four-star recruit will change course.

"He texted me and said 'Coach, I'd like to talk to you,' and that was after the second time he entered the portal," Pittman said. "Obviously we had an agreement there about... because the look wasn't good on him, nor me or the program. If we were going to have him back, we wanted to make sure that it was the last and final time. I felt good about that. He felt good about that. That's kind of what happened."

Russell totaled 304 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 47 carries as a freshman this season. His best game came at Mississippi State, when he ran the ball 16 times for 175 yards in starter Ja'Quinden Jackson's absence due to injury.

Pittman said that Russell somehow managed to be available for at least half of the team's bowl practices so far, despite being in the portal twice and visiting a conference rival.

"I think he's been to over half of them," Pittman said. "He's ready to go. He's obviously practiced Sunday and practiced today. He may have been to about four of them to this point. He's in good shape. He's looked good in practice."

A 6-foot-1, 253-pound Benton native, Russell is a highly-touted four-star prospect out of Benton High School and chose the Hogs over Arizona, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M, South Carolina and others.

Russell is one of four scholarship running backs available for the bowl game, including Rodney Hill, Tyrell Reed Jr. and JuJu Pope. The Razorbacks and Red Raiders will kickoff at 6 p.m. CT Friday on ESPN.

When you look back on 2024 Razorback football was absolutely a step in the right direction. No doubt about that. And it was really fun beating a historical rival in a bowl that has been good to the Hogs through history. But this team was built to be better than 7-6 in my opinion. If 2023 wasn't such a complete disaster, no one would be happy with this. We had some fun times, some really fun wins but we left some wins on the board. 110 percent. It was such an empty feeling leaving Stillwater and leaving Fayetteville all those times with losses. Oklahoma State, Missouri, and Texas AM could have and SHOULD have been wins especially Oklahoma State.

Sam is a fine coach and good for us *right now*. He's a guy that has done a great job dragging this program out of the ditch. But with Pittman you just have to expect some head scratching losses. Some losses where you just have no idea how in the world we dropped those games. Games like Liberty at homecoming in 2022, Oklahoma State, aTm every year etc etc. I just wish there were more big time wins to offset all those games where you were good enough to win but found a way to lose. Coach Pittman has us competitive again, he has improved the reputation of the program tenfold. There's no doubt about that. But if we are wanting to avoid more Oklahoma State type disasters, Pittman cannot be on the sideline. I like him but I hope Pittman steps aside after 2025.

Just my two cents. I don't hate Pittman but we are fooling ourselves if we don't think we can be better.

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