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We are the worst of any major team in the country in "special teams". We can talk about roster size, injuries, etc, but at the end of the day when it comes to some of the more basic coaching elements of basketball we are as bad as it gets.

Man, Arkansas is really gonna Arkansas when it lets the big hitters take total charge.

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Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino got his quarterback for the class of 2026 on Thursday, as three-star gunslinger Jayvon Gilmore announced his commitment to the Razorbacks.

The Gaffney, South Carolina, native chose the Hogs over offers from NC State, Virginia Tech, Louisville and Texas A&M.

As a sophomore for Ben Lippen High School, the 6-foot-6, 195-pound dual-threat signal caller threw for 1,767 yards and 22 touchdowns and added 112 yards on the ground in 11 games.

Arkansas extended its offer to Gilmore on May 13. He recently took a visit to Fayetteville last weekend for the HogWild Hangout, and saw enough to know Arkansas was his future home.

Following Gilmore’s commitment, Arkansas now sits with three recruits in the fold for the class of 2026. He joins four-star defensive back Tay Lockett and offensive lineman Tucker Young.

Be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for the latest news in Arkansas football recruiting.

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I have confirmed that Bobby Wernes will coach third base and Hudson Polk will coach first base this season for Dave Van Horn's squad. Wernes has been coaching first base with Nate Thompson at third base, while Polk was a catcher for the past two seasons.

Wernes was promoted to full-time assistant for the first season last year. This will be his fifth season with DVH's staff.

If you were there, you may have noticed the two were lined up this way for the exhibition matchups with Oklahoma State in the fall.

I’m a fan

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The Arkansas Razorbacks (11-7, 0-5 SEC) are still searching for their first win of Southeastern Conference play and will host the Georgia Bulldogs (14-4, 2-3 SEC) on Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena.

Georgia is coming off a close 70-68 loss to No. 1 Auburn, while the Razorbacks got thumped on the road at Missouri last Saturday. Arkansas fell behind 18-2 to start the game and never recovered.

The Hogs will also be without their starting point guard, as Boogie Fland was listed as "out" in the first SEC Availability Report on Tuesday night, and according to a report from Jon Rothstein will be out for the remainder of the season.

Head coach John Calipari revealed after last Saturday's game the freshman hurt his hand in the game against Florida the weekend prior. In his place, the Razorbacks are planning to use a committee-style approach at the point guard spot, associate head coach Chin Coleman said Tuesday.

"Obviously it’s natural for D.J. to move into that role," Coleman said. "He’s done it his whole life. He’s done it in his career. So it’s an easy fix for him just moving to that role. But committee wise, Johnell (Davis) will have to take some of that responsibility, and Billy Richmond, who has played that position some in high school. It’s different obviously on this level, but he has played the position so we’re going to ask for him to take some of that.

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 (11-7, 0-5 SEC) vs. Georgia Bulldogs (14-4, 2-3 SEC)
When: Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 8 p.m. CT
Where: Bud Walton Arena — Fayetteville, Arkansas (19,400)
TV/Stream: SEC Network / Watch ESPN (Roy Philpott and Jimmy Dykes)
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.*
Moneyline/Spread
- Arkansas: -125, -1.5 (-110)
- Georgia: +105, +1.5 (-110)
- O/U: 141 (-110)
Double R Props (more available in BetSaracen app)
- Billy Richmond III over 4.5 points scored and over 2.5 rebounds (+175)
- D.J. Wagner over 10.5 points scored and over 2.5 rebounds (+115)
- Karter Knox over 8.5 points scored and over 2.5 rebounds (+125)
- Johnell Davis over 11.5 points scored and over 4.5 rebounds (+165)
- Jonas Aidoo over 7.5 points scored and over 5.5 rebounds (+170)
- Trevon Brazile over 6.5 points scored and over 4.5 rebounds (+170)
- Zvonimir Ivisic over 8.5 points scored and over 3.5 rebounds (+135)
- Adou Thiero over 19.5 points scored and over 7.5 rebounds (+275)

Catch Up On HawgBeat's Arkansas Basketball Coverage​

- Report: Boogie Fland to miss rest of season with hand injury
- Arkansas basketball availability report - Georgia game
- VIDEO: Chin Coleman previews Arkansas vs. Georgia
- Chin Coleman responds to claim John Calipari is 'archaic'
- ESPN analyst says Calipari made mistake with 9 rotational players
- Hogs need mentality shift to snap SEC losing streak

Not publishing on home page yet, but sharing here.

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Seven of Arkansas' returning on-field assistant football coaches have inked new contracts with the program, plus HawgBeat has obtained the contract details for new secondary coach Nick Perry via a Freedom of Information Act Request. Two other on-field assistants are also expected to sign new contracts.

Head coach Sam Pittman is set to enter his sixth season leading the Razorbacks in 2025 and he will have all but one on-field assistant back, as of now. Perry is the only newcomer, as he replaced Deron Wilson.

Defensive coordinator Travis Williams signed a new contract that will run from Jan. 1, 2025, to Feb. 28, 2027. He received a pay raise from $1.1 million to $1.25 million per year with incentives and other special provisions. Williams could receive an increase of salary to $1.325 million if the team wins seven or more games in 2025.

Co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson also inked a new deal that spans the same length as Williams' contract — through Feb. 2027 — as did special teams coordinator Scott Fountain, who has been with Pittman since the start in Fayetteville.

Offensive line coach Eric Mateos also signed a new contract that will run through Feb. 2027 and he's set to receive a salary increase of $12,500 to a total of $712,500 annually beginning March 1.

Receivers coach Ronnie Fouch and running backs coach Kolby Smith, both entering their second seasons in Fayetteville, each received $25,000 annual pay increases. Fouch will now make $225,000 per year and Smith will make $350,000. Both contracts also run through Feb. 2027.

New secondary coach Nick Perry signed a contract through Feb. 2027 and he is set to make $325,000 annually.

The only new contract signed that doesn't run through Feb. 2027 is tight ends coach Morgan Turner, who has a new contract that runs through Feb. 28, 2026.

Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who is set to receive a raise from $1.5 million to $1.6 million this year on his existing contract, is expected to sign a new contract soon, per a team spokesperson. The same can be said for defensive line coach Deke Adams' contract, HawgBeat learned.

Director of strength and conditioning Ben Sowders, an off-field assistant, also signed a new contract through Feb. 2027 that features a $500,000 annual salary.

Pittman remains under contract until Dec. 31, 2027. He received a $250,000 pay raise for reaching seven wins in 2025 to push his annual salary to $5.5 million.

Here is a full list of the salary pool for Arkansas assistant coaches as of this publishing of this story.

Arkansas assistant football coach salaries

Nothing like following up a mediocre football season with a less than mediocre basketball season. Misery loves company so here I am. Let's all jump off the bridge together.

I don’t know how many on here listen to it on their way to work/school, but they couldn’t fathom how people couldn’t have the mid season grade as an A or better, post Tennessee I would have them around a B to B+ with the FG unit being the only reason they don’t have an A for me (you have to be better than 61%). Bo was a pretentious ass most of the show

Head coach Sam Pittman and the Arkansas Razorbacks lost the commitment of 2026 four-star offensive lineman Bear McWhorter on Sunday, as he announced his de-commitment from the Hogs via Twitter.

A product of Cass High School in Cartersville, Georgia, McWorter committed to Arkansas on Aug. 28, 2023. Fans might remember him putting up a billboard along I-49 with the words "Coach Pittman, I want to be a Hog" back in 2021, but he backed off his pledge Sunday.

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"De-committing is something that never even crossed my mind last August when I committed to the Razorbacks," McWhorter wrote in a statement. "Even now, my love for the Hogs and Coach Pitt hasn't changed. After lots of thought, prayer and conversations with my family I realize I only get to go through this process once in my life and have a long way to go before I put pen to paper. With that being said I will be de-committing from Arkansas in order to take more time and rest assure I make the right decision for my future."


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McWhorter holds offers from schools such as Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Florida State, Tennessee, Texas, Ole Miss and others. His cousin is 2026 four-star quarterback Brodie McWhorter — also from Cass High School — who recently committed to West Virginia.

Arkansas is now down to just one commitment in the 2026 class — four-star defensive back Tay Lockett out of Bellflower, California.

As for McWhorter, he was a consistent visitor in Fayetteville and he spent plenty of time in camps and on visits learning from Pittman.

“I wasn’t looking for something crazy, the best facilities or something like that,” McWhorter told HawgBeat in August. “Coach Pittman is the guy I want to play for and Arkansas has everything that I need. It’s a place I can flourish as an offensive lineman. Those schools have great stuff and great people but it didn’t feel the same for me as Arkansas.”

As for the billboard idea back in 2021, McWhorter said his dad was behind it.

“My dad was in the billboard business for a while, he owned a company,” McWhorter told HawgBeat. “So that was kind of his expertise. After I visited all my schools that summer, he had that idea. He asked what school I wanted to do it on, and Arkansas was my favorite.”

Click here for a full look at Arkansas' 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes.

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Final Rivals250: https://n.rivals.com/prospect_rankings/rivals250/2025
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Gorney's position-by-position breakdown: https://n.rivals.com/news/rivals-rankings-week-final-2025-rivals250-released
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Five players who blew up during this recruiting cycle and finished as 5-stars: https://n.rivals.com/news/five-star-prospects-who-began-the-2025-cycle-as-three-stars

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When John Calipari was hired to lead the Arkansas basketball team, he had the unorthodox idea to bring just nine rotational players onto the team in his first year.

That decision has backfired to this point, with injuries to key players leading to fatigue and a lack of chemistry on the roster. Arkansas is now 11-7 overall on the season and winless through the first five games of Southeastern Conference play.

"I think John probably made a mistake only having nine guys on scholarship," ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg said on The Chuck and Bo Show on Tuesday. "I understand exactly why he did it and it makes common sense in the world of the portal and trying to develop team chemistry. You want guys that are part of the solution and feel like they're involved, but guys are playing so much year-round and I think guys get beat up a little bit."

The injury bug has been prevalent throughout the program in the last three months. Forward Jonas Aidoo missed almost the entire preseason with a foot injury. Guard Johnell Davis' wrist has hampered him immensely, and now freshman point guard Boogie Fland is dealing with a hand injury that will likely sideline him for at least Wednesday's game against Georgia.

Arkansas associate head coach Chin Coleman said Tuesday the plan is to use a committee of players to fill the void left by Fland.

"Obviously it’s natural for D.J. (Wagner) to move into that role," Coleman said. "He’s done it his whole life. He’s done it in his career. So it’s an easy fix for him just moving to that role. But committee wise, Johnell will have to take some of that responsibility, and Billy Richmond, who has played that position some in high school. It’s different obviously on this level. But he has played the position so we’re going to ask for him to take some of that."

The shortened rotation makes sense in a vacuum. In a perfect world, a basketball team really only needs nine players. But in the real world, injuries happen. On top of that, with less players on the roster, it requires those players to live up to the hype more often than not.

"We’ve got nine guys and if Boogie is out for a while we may have eight guys," Calipari said after the loss to Missouri. "Well, guess what those eight guys got to do? Play well. All of them. You can’t have four of the eight and get it done."

Where the nine-man rotation seems to have hurt Arkansas the most is in the performances of some of the guys it brought in. Injury aside, Davis' wrist is all good, according to him. But he still hasn't made as big of an impact as was expected in the preseason, as he's averaging just 8.3 points per game on 40.9% shooting and he turns the ball over 1.7 times per game.

"For (the SEC), he's a little bit of an undersized small forward, and that impacts him defensively, rebounding the basketball," Greenberg said. "Johnell's got to try to be more aggressive, but it's hard to be more aggressive when you're playing against the athletes (in the SEC). There's a big difference in the athletes in the American Conference and, especially this year, in the SEC."

That said, with Fland likely out with that hand injury, there's an opportunity for Davis to show his worth. He's averaging 28.4 minutes per game, but he could see himself thrust in a larger role with the Hogs' point guard out.

"What you say is, there's 15 shots to spread around," Calipari said on his radio show Monday. "Who needs maybe three or four more shots of those 15 to get going? Nelly. He's used to taking 17, 18 shots. When you're taking eight, nine or seven, it's a lot harder. So we need to get him more shots."

Even through the Hogs' struggles this season, though, Greenberg said he isn't selling his Calipari stock.

"You don't win National Championships or go to Final Four without knowing what you're doing," Greenberg said. "This is an anomaly, this is out of character for one of his teams. Being that he's done this for about 35 years, I'd say the odds are in Arkansas' favor."

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Welp, making fun of Missouri for going winless last year was really fun.

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The first availability report for Arkansas basketball's (11-7, 0-5 SEC) matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs (14-4, 2-3 SEC) was released by the Southeastern Conference on Tuesday.

Introduced over the offseason, availability reports will be filed one day before contests, with an additional update on game day.

According to the SEC, student-athletes will be designated as "available", "probable", "doubtful" or "out" for their next game. For additional clarity on game day, student-athletes will be designated as "available", "game time decision" or "out."

Below is the first availability report of the week ahead of Arkansas' game against Georgia, which will tip off at 8 p.m. CT at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville:

Arkansas vs. Georgia - Availability Status

Freshman point guard Boogie Fland will not play in Wednesday’s game. Head coach John Calipari revealed after the loss to Missouri last Saturday that Fland hurt his hand against Florida the weekend prior and would likely be out.

The Bulldogs will have all players available, according to the first availability report.

He's showing out at A-State. I'ld rather him than Davis.

We’ll hear from Chin at 11:30 today. Updates ITT.

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Another former Razorback made his first career NBA start over the weekend.

Former Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr. logged his first career start for the Charlotte Hornets on Friday evening and he made the most of it with 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field in a win over the Chicago Bulls. The No. 27 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Smith also added five rebounds, one assist and one steal.

"It means a lot," Smith said during an in-game interview. "I've been dreaming all my life for this moment and I'm truly blessed to be in this position."

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A product of North Little Rock High School, Smith has averaged 9.8 points per game over his last five games with Charlotte. He scored a season-high 18 points with four made 3-pointers and five rebounds during a Jan. 5 loss to Cleveland.

"I put in a lot of work," Smith said in an interview Jan. 17. "I feel like it ain't going to do nothing but translate, especially when I get out here in the game. So just continue to put in the work and play my role."

Smith has spent most of the season as a bench player for the Hornets, plus he's averaged 24.3 points per game across three starts with the team's G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. Smith has appeared in 20 games for the Hornets so far this year and he's averaging 11.6 minutes per game.

NBA insider Jake Fischer recently reported that "rival teams have revealed Charlotte's willingness to discuss the availability of Nick Smith Jr." as a trade candidate. The league's trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 6.

One of three one-and-done player for the Hoop Hogs during the 2022-23 season, Smith was rated as the No. 2 overall recruit in the country for the 2022 class. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound guard appeared in 17 games and averaged 12.5 points per game during an injury-hampered season that ended with a Sweet 16 loss to UConn.