Head coach Sam Pittman and the Arkansas Razorbacks will kick off their 2024 college football season on Aug. 29, so now is the perfect time for fans to get familiar with new jersey numbers for their favorite Hogs ahead of the dog days of summer.

With 17 incoming freshmen, one junior college pickup, 22 transfer portal additions and number changes to returning players, there is plenty to be made aware of.

HawgBeat has you covered with some of those changes along with the jersey numbers for the entire roster...

Changes:

- Defensive back Kee'yon Stewart is now 1 after wearing 25 last season

- Wide receiver Jaedon Wilson switched to 1 from 13 a year ago

- Wide receiver Tyrone Broden changed his number to 5 after wearing 17 last season

- Wide receiver Isaiah Sategna now wears 6, a change from 16 a season ago

- Offensive lineman Joshua Braun changed his number from 78 to 72

Notable Numbers:

- Freshman linebacker Wyatt Simmons will wear 42, the same number that former Razorback linebacker Drew Sanders wore

- Returning edge rusher Nico Davillier and freshman running back Braylen Russell will wear 0

- Kicker Vito Calvaruso will wear the same number (90) that he wore prior to transferring from Arkansas after the 2021-22 season

- New quarterback Taylen Green will wear 10, the same that former Hog quarterback Cade Fortin wore a season ago

* - transfer, freshman or walk-on addition

Offense​

Arkansas Football Jersey Numbers - Offense

Do any of you remember the picture about 5-6 yrs ago comparing our o-line to the LSU o-line? If I remember correctly it was in the locker rooms with shirts off etc. Our guys didn’t look like football players and their guys were swollen, mean looking dudes. Laughed at that comparison many times and trying to find it to show some friends. Please share if you can find it.

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Clary looks like a slightly chubby TE

The transfer portal has only been open for less than a week, but teams around the SEC have already begun adding quality players while the Razorbacks continue to loom in the recruiting shadows.

Head coach Dave Van Horn has locked down commitments from a handful of JUCO athletes, including Florida Southwestern State outfielder Justin Thomas, New Mexico J.C. infielder Brent Iredale, Coffeyville C.C. infielder Carson Schrack, Crowder C.C. outfielder Kolton Reynolds and Seward County C.C. infielder Trenton Rowan.

RELATED: Arkansas Baseball 2024 Offseason Roster Tracker

Arkansas has also landed BYU two-way BYU prospect Kuhio Aloy, the brother of current Razorback shortstop Wehiwa Aloy. The Big 12 All-Freshman led the Cougars in RBI (39) and played primarily at the designated hitter position in 2024.

Though it has been a quiet few days for the Diamond Hogs' program, some names of interest have started to become more apparent. As more players start to enter the transfer portal — especially from power conferences after the Super Regional round concludes — the breadcrumbs of Arkansas' recruiting trail will be easier to track.

Let's dives deep into the unknown with the latest intel, nuggets and more on Arkansas targets and SEC transfers:

Commitment watch:​

I reported on Saturday that TCU outfielder transfer Logan Maxwell was scheduled to visit Fayetteville on Wednesday, and he will remain on my commitment watch list for the week as a result.

One of the main programs that Maxwell was eyeing once he entered the transfer portal was Arkansas, and it wouldn't be surprising if the Razorbacks secured his commitment while he was on campus.

RELATED: Arkansas to host TCU transfer outfielder Logan Maxwell

A 5-foot-10, 185-pound soon-to-be senior, Maxwell finished the 2024 season with TCU's second-highest batting average at .335. He added 12 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 25 RBIs across 170 at-bats.

According to 64analytics, Maxwell is ranked as the 14th-best player in the transfer portal. His best series performance came against at Baylor, when he finished 8-for-14 (.571) at the plate with four RBIs. That series also included his season-high in hits for a single game (five).

Transfers to keep an eye on:​

Three names have surfaced as having an interest in Arkansas that have also been contacted by the coaching staff, including East Carolina outfielder Bristol Carter, Sam Houston State two-way outfielder and left-handed pitcher Malachi Lott and Mount St. Mary's righty Deven Sheerin.

Carter — ranked 71st overall according to 64analytics — slashed .344/.403/.438 as a freshman with seven doubles, two home runs and 31 RBI. He finished with an impressive 12.2% K rate and projects as a center fielder with some development.

I can confirm that Carter has been in talks with Arkansas hitting coach Nate Thompson and is seriously considering the Razorbacks, though a commitment timeline has not been decided yet.

Texas native Lott is a recent name to appear on the radar and he gained interest from assistant coach Bobby Wernes in a short time. 64analytics' 12th overall player has had conversations with Arkansas coaches and plans to continue doing so over the next few days.

The two-way player hit for a .303 batting average with 10 home runs and sported a 3.86 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 14.0 innings for the Bearkats.

Finally, Sheerin told me that he had been in contact with Arkansas but not much else has come of his recruitment in recent days. The 6-foot-5 freshman reliever held batters to a .197 batting average and struck out 109 hitters in 70.0 IP despite recording a 4.76 ERA.

Other nuggets:​

The following tidbits of information are deemed as nuggets because, well, they're small and potentially insignificant in the grand scheme of things. However, there's always a chance that players here become one to watch, so why not talk about them now?

In my many escapades of reaching out to players, some have told me that they were interested in the Razorbacks despite not hearing from anyone on staff yet. Some standouts include Missouri State righty Thompson Brandt (64analytics' No. 38), Wofford right-hander Zac Cowan (64analytics' No. 41) and Indiana State outfielder Parker Stinson (64analytics' No. 53).

Creighton right-handed reliever Mason Koch (64analytics' No. 171) was in talks with the Hogs but has seemingly moved on to other programs, while Iona outfielder Josiah Ragsdale (64analytics' No. 148) hopes to hear from Arkansas soon after accumulating a .385 batting average, 13 doubles, eight triples and seven home runs in 2024.

An intriguing portal name is Alabama left-hander Alton Davis II (64analytics' No. 61), who picked up a follow from pitching coach Matt Hobbs on social media. That's usually a good sign that the coaching staff is interested, and it's not shocking because Davis has all the intangibles to be productive at the college level.

Two more players that make a ton of sense for the Razorbacks are Texas Tech first baseman Gavin Kash (64analytics' No. 4) and LSU lefty Cam Johnson (64analytics' No. 85).

After speaking with a Texas Tech source, Kash is likely an MLB Draft lean, but scouts do have concerns with his swing. Should he return to college, Arkansas makes sense as Ben McLaughlin is expected to depart and the Hogs have a transfer pipeline with the Red Raiders after picking up Mason Molina and Hudson White last offseason.

Notable SEC pickups:​

A few SEC programs have already risen above the pack in the transfer portal, as Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama currently rank in the top five of team rankings according to 64analytics.

The Wildcats already have seven transfer commitments, headlined by Columbia designated hitter Cole Hage (64analytics' No. 62), CSU Bakersfield righty arm Ryan Verdugo (64analytics' No. 73), Canisius outfielder Jackson Strong (64analytics' No. 109) and South Dakota State right-hander Nic McCay (64analytics' No. 125).

Former Arkansas pitching coach and current head coach of the Bulldogs Wes Johnson is on fire in the portal yet again, as he has six pledges and three top 100 transfers in UT Arlington second baseman Ryan Black (64analytics' No. 9), Miami (OH) third baseman Ryland Zaborowski (64analytics' No. 18) and Florida Atlantic second baseman Christian Adams (64analytics' No. 55).

Alabama only has two committed players as of now, but they are both in the top 50 in Penn designated hitter Carson Ozmer (64analytics' No. 21) and Samford third baseman Garrett Staton (64analytics' No. 35).

Auburn (No. 8), Florida (No. 14), Texas A&M (No. 20), Vanderbilt (No. 22) and Mississippi State (No. 25) all find themselves within the top 25 of team rankings, while Tennessee reportedly hosted multiple top transfer prospects over the weekend — including No. 1 overall player Gavin Kilen out of Louisville.

Here is every SEC team's list of transfer portal commitments:

Kentucky - No. 1:

~ DH Cole Hage, Columbia - No. 62

~ RHP Ryan Verdugo, CSU Bakersfield - No. 73

~ RF Jackson Strong, Canisius - No. 109

~ RHP Nic McCay, South Dakota State - No. 125

~ RHP Scott Rouse, Radford - No. 157

~ SS Trent Youngblood, Transylvania - No. 234

~ RHP Chase Alderman, Eastern Kentucky - No. 485

Georgia - No. 2:

~ 2B Ryan Black, UT Arlington - No. 9

~ 3B Ryland Zaborowski, Miami (OH) - No. 18

~ 2B Christian Adams, Florida Atlantic - No. 55

~ INF Charlie Jones, Air Force - No. 281

~ RHP Davis Chastain, Georgia State - No. 1,217

~ DH Justin Byrd, USK Aiken - No. 1,375

Alabama - No. 5

~ DH Carson Ozmer, Penn - No. 21

~ 3B Garrett Staton, Samford - No. 35

Auburn - No. 9

~ C Lucas Steele, Samford - No. 17

~ SS Eric Snow, South Florida - No. 167

Florida - No. 14

~ 2B Justin Nadeau, Jacksonville - No. 163

~ DH Landon Stripling, Texas Tech - No. 551

Texas A&M - No. 20:

~ 3B Wyatt Henseler, Penn - No. 56

Vanderbilt - No. 22:

~ RHP Cody Bowker, Georgetown - No. 67

Mississippi State - No. 23:

~ 3B Gehrig Frei, North Alabama - No. 76

South Carolina - No. 29:

~ RHP Caleb Jones, Winthrop - No. 267

Arkansas - No. 47:

~ DH Kuhio Aloy, BYU - No. 611

Note: LSU, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Missouri have yet to receive a transfer commitment.

Arkansas hasn't brought in a ton of wide receivers from the state of Florida in recent years, but the coaching staff is working on bringing in two in the class of 2025.

After gaining the commitment of three-star wide receiver Kamare Williams out of Palm Beach Central, the Razorbacks are targeting his teammate, four-star pass catcher Waden Charles.

Charles recently de-committed from Miami and took an official visit to Arkansas over the weekend with his brother.

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"The visit went amazing," Charles said. "Arkansas put on a good showing for me and my brother. They showed me all the perks and all the good things they offer you."

Charles said first-year Arkansas wide receivers coach Ronnie Fouch has been recruiting him since he got to Fayetteville, and he had good things to say about Arkansas' new-look offensive assistants.

"Coach Fouch is a great dude," Charles said. "He just started recruiting me when he got to Arkansas. Ever since then he's done a great job even just letting me know how I'll be used. Showing me how I can fit into the offense.

The Boynton Beach, Florida, native also sees how good first-year Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino is at his job.

"Coach Petrino is just a mastermind on the offensive side," Charles said. "He definitely emphasized how I'll be used in this offense. How he will involve me."

While Arkansas has a lot of ground to make up to get Charles into the fold, it helps that he has his teammate Kamare WIlliams working on recruiting him as well.

"It definitely influences me because me and him possibly want to play together in college," Charles said. "We've been playing on the same team for a long time so we have great chemistry. So we have been thinking about South Florida and Arkansas."

Charles also has an official visit to UCF scheduled for June 14. There is currently not a timeline for him to make his college decision.

Two of Arkansas baseball's top bullpen arms have received invites to USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp.

The Razorbacks announced Monday that right-handed pitchers Christian Foutch and Gabe Gaeckle were among the 56 non-draft eligible players invited to the training camp.

Should Gaeckle or Foutch make the final cut for the 28-man roster, they will play five games against Chinese Taipei. Team USA will follow that up with two games against the Coastal Plain League and two games against the Appalachian League.

The summer concludes with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Fourth of July Game in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Recently, Arkansas lefty ace Hagen Smith was a part of the USA Collegiate National Team in 2023. He appeared three times out of the bullpen against Chinese Taipei and posted an ERA of 1.59 in 5.2 innings. Since 1979, 22 Razorbacks have suited up for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

RELATED: Hagen Smith named finalist for two prestigious awards

In the 2024 season, Gaeckle cemented himself as one of Arkansas' top arms coming out of the bullpen. The Aptos, Californian native appeared in 22 games for the Razorbacks and finished with a 2.32 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 42.2 innings to earn him Freshman All-SEC honors.

Foutch just finished his second season with the Razorback program, and appeared in 20 games. He pitched 22.1 innings and owned an ERA of just 0.81 with 20 strikeouts. His velocity is his strength, as he can regularly hit 98-99 miles per hour, and he built on his splitter and sinker to devastate hitters down the stretch.

"He can throw 100 miles an hour if he wants to," Van Horn said March 26 after an 11-0 win over Little Rock. "He’s got a little different pitch going and it’s got a little sink on it. You’ll probably see him more. He’s just been working on it. Threw it last week to some live hitters. Didn’t pitch this weekend. Threw it tonight. Still touched 98-99 tonight.

"Then he threw one about 96 and it had some sink on it. That’s the one I like, because that one is hard to square up. And then he’s got another one or two, but I think that could be the difference maker for him, and it might even be a career-maker for him if he can get that sinker going up with that velocity."

Arkansas is currently working on rebuilding the roster after a disappointing exit in the Fayetteville Regional, utilizing the transfer portal to fill holes. Stay tuned to HawgBeat for the latest developments.

The men will get started today and will finish up on Friday. The women start tomorrow and will finish Saturday. Both teams are currently slight favorites to win the national championship. Below are the final formcharts.
Men
Women

Schedule of events for today. I'll update the thread as results come in.
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The official visit train is continuing this weekend as the Arkansas Razorbacks work to fill out their 2025 recruiting class.

Last weekend was the first for official visitors, but this weekend could prove to be one of the most important.

Along with hosting several high-level prospects, there is one recruit who is already committed who will be taking his official visit with a teammate the Razorbacks are recruiting as well.

The biggest recruit headed to Fayetteville this weekend is far and away four-star safety Omarion Robinson. Ranked the No. 121 player in the country, Robinson is one of four Little Rock Parkview athletes the Razorbacks are trying to reel in the 2025 class.

One athlete who was scheduled to have an official visit this weekend appears to have decided against it. Kiandrea Barker, a three-star running back out of Beebe, announced on X that his recruitment has been shut down, and he is remaining committed to Penn State.

Arkansas was one of several schools working to flip Barker’s commitment in recent weeks.

HawgBeat has more on each of this weekend's official visitors and where the Hogs stand in their recruitment.

Quentin Murphy — Athlete​

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Quentin Murphy is the second in-state product to join the Razorbacks' class this season, committing to Arkansas on June 1 over Syracuse and Georgia Tech.

Murphy plays quarterback for Parkview but is expected to play either defensive back or wide receiver when he arrives at Arkansas.

Prior to transferring to Parkview, Murphy played at Joe T. Robinson. He didn’t put up gaudy numbers through the air, as he only threw for 892 yards and 13 touchdowns, but his athleticism with the ball in his hands is what makes him attractive at the next level.

He rushed for 697 yards and six scores with an average of 8.2 yards per carry. His longest carry was 90 yards for a touchdown, where he broke one tackle and outran the entire defense on the sideline.

Omarion Robinson — Safety​

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There's not much to be said that hasn't already been said about Robinson. He's head and shoulders the best athlete in the state of Arkansas in this class, and is probably a better prospect than most in the state in at least the last five years.

Robinson has a top four of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oregon and LSU and is expected to announce his commitment on June 29 with his teammate, athlete Monterrio Elston.

Current intel says the race is mostly between the Razorbacks and Sooners, but Oregon is also one to watch down the stretch.

As mentioned above, Robinson is one of four Parkview athletes in the class of 2025 that Arkansas is pushing to get, and if the Hogs can land more of those teammates, it bodes even better for their chances of getting Robinson.

Waden Charles — Wide Receiver​

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Charles' fellow wide receiver at Palm Beach Central is Kamare Williams, a three-star who committed to Arkansas on June 21.

A native of Boynton Beach, Florida, Charles committed to Miami (FL) in Sept. 2023, but de-committed and reopened his recruitment on May 30.

Along with Arkansas, Charles has an official visit scheduled to UCF for the weekend of June 14.

Carius Curne — Offensive Lineman​

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Arkansas will have one more shot to bring Marion four-star lineman Carius Curne back into the fold during his official visit this weekend.

Curne was previously committed to Arkansas for a brief time in February and March, but reopened his recruitment after taking an unofficial visit to Ole Miss.

Along with Arkansas, Curne has already taken an official visit to Missouri last weekend and is set to visit LSU the weekend of June 14.

Curne plays on both sides of the line for Marion, so he’ll have some flexibility as to where he plays when he gets to college. Both Arkansas defensive line coach Deke Adams and offensive line coach Eric Mateos have been recruiting him.

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….do you get Vitello or Johnson?


Nm

HawgBeat - Where 2026 Arkansas targets land in latest Rivals250

HawgBeat breaks down which 2026 athletes Arkansas is targeting in the latest Rivals250.

arkansas.rivals.com

Rivals released its latest update for the 2026 Rivals250 last week, and several Arkansas targets in the class found themselves on the list.

Nine total Razorback targets are among the highly-rated group, with names ranging in the rankings as high as No. 2 in the country to No. 243.

One athlete who is noticeably absent from the Rivals250 is Arkansas commit Tay Lockett, a four-star defensive back out of St. John Bosco in southern California. In the previous iteration of the rankings, Lockett was ranked as high as No. 144 in the nation.

Something interesting regarding the targets on the list is the amount of quarterbacks that Arkansas is targeting. Given that Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino already has a strong 2025 quarterback commit in four-star Grayson Wilson, the Hog play caller has the luxury of taking his time to find the right fit in the 2026 class.

Right now, Arkansas' 2026 class has just two commitments and is currently ranked No. 10 in the country, but that will change as the time for these athletes to sign their National Letter of Intent draws near.

HawgBeat has a breakdown of Arkansas targets in the class of 2026 Rivals250 with the latest intel:

OT Jackson Cantwell — No. 2​

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Previous ranking: No. 2
New ranking: No. 2
It feels like a pipe dream that Arkansas could land the No. 2 overall player in the country, but offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell has been a target of Sam Pittman and the Hogs for a long time.

The Nixa, Missouri, native reported an offer from the Razorbacks in March 2023 after a Prospect Day visit, and since then has added offers from the biggest college football brands like Georgia, Alabama and others.

Getting in on his recruitment early doesn't really have an effect on Arkansas' chances in the future, though. Cantwell told HawgBeat earlier this year that he's taking everything in stride and not focusing on committing too early.

RB Tradarian Ball — No. 30​

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Previous ranking: No. 37
New ranking: No. 30

Tradarian Ball was an in-state product at one point as he is originally from Ashdown, but he moved to Texas High in Texarkana and has seen his recruitment blow up ever since.

Arkansas offered the shifty running back on July 29, 2023, and since then he has received offers from almost every other big-time power program including Georgia, Texas, Florida State, Texas A&M and others.

WR Daniel Odom — No. 38​

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Previous ranking: No. 28

New ranking: No. 38

Daniel Odom is from the West Coast out in California and plays at St. John Bosco, the same school that fellow 2026 athlete and current Arkansas four-star commit Tay Lockett plays at.

Odom took a trip with Lockett to Fayetteville earlier this spring in March.

DT Danny Beale — No. 55​

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Previous ranking: No. 54
New ranking: No. 55

One of the most dynamic players in the state of Arkansas and best defensive linemen in the country is Danny Beale, who still stands at No. 1 in the state of Arkansas and only dropped one spot in the national rankings from No. 54 to 55.

Beale plays both ways for Cross County in
eastern Arkansas, and he'll have his pick of what side he wants to play on in college. His size of 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds coupled with his quick twitch and strength could prove to make him a formidable run stopper on the defensive line at the collegiate level, however.

HawgBeat got a close look at Beale in the Under Armour Next All-American Camp in March and he was head and shoulders above the rest.

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After gaining and losing the commitment of Marion four-star lineman Carius Curne in February and March, the Arkansas Razorbacks are back in the thick of things with Curne’s recruitment.

Despite Curne walking back his decision, Arkansas defensive line coach Deke Adams and offensive line coach Eric Mateos didn't stop recruiting him, and it could pay off down the stretch.

Curne took an official visit to Arkansas over the weekend, and he said afterward it was enough to put Arkansas back in the conversation since he de-committed.

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"It was good, they showed love," Curne said after the visit. "I opened my mind up again. Arkansas' taking a chance. They showed me love after I de-committed. No hard feelings. I like that. Shows that they care about the players. I like that too. It was a pretty good weekend."

The Marion native has blown up on the recruiting trail within the last year, and while it's good to get recognized for your hard work and success, Curne said he's kind of over it.

"At first it was good, I'm getting good recognition like I've never had," Curne said. "But after while it gets boring and old."

On the visit, Curne was hosted by Arkansas defensive end and former four-star Kavion Henderson. Curne said the highlight of his visit was getting to hang around the current Razorbacks.

"The highlight was getting to hang out with the players and see how it really is up here, how they really treat players here," Curne said. ""(Kavion Henderson) said it's been going good so far. He said you have to work hard. Showing love all the way around. They love all the freshmen up here early."

Along with Arkansas, Curne has already gone on an official visit to Missouri the weekend of May 31. He was scheduled for a visit to LSU next weekend, but he said he doesn't think he'll go there.

The official visit was big for Arkansas' chances of getting back in the fight for Curne's commitment.

"Kind of boosted them back up again," Curne said. "Arkansas' definitely back up in the top again. I've got to go home and think."

4-star OL Logan Schram just finished up an OV here last weekend and is announcing his decision Sunday.

It’s between Arkansas, TCU and Texas Tech. He took OV’s to the other two schools in April and May. I like the Hogs here but he’s also got a ton of connections to Texas Tech, who is the biggest threat.

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Arkansas associate head coach Kenny Payne — also known as the "Big Man Whisperer" — has instructed his fair share of talented players in 20 years of coaching. Names like Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns didn't reach the NBA on skill alone, but because they bought into what Payne was selling: honesty and buy-in.

In a college basketball world where even the best teams are littered with new faces and personalities every season due to the transfer portal, ensuring cohesiveness amongst teammates is as important as teaching technique.

This holds especially true for the Razorbacks, whose scholarship roster is entirely comprised of players who have never donned an Arkansas uniform. Though chemistry is a concern, Payne and head coach John Calipari have a proven reputation for bringing athletes together with love.

RELATED: Arkansas' Kenny Payne: 'Our goal is to build a championship culture'

“When you coach with love, it’s different," Payne said during a Hogs+ interview on Wednesday. "It transcends coaching basketball. When you’re coaching someone with love, it’s timeless. Meaning, when you know that you love them, why you’re in their life and you’re not just there for today or tomorrow, you’re there for the rest of their lives. The indicator of that is when a Coach Cal leaves Kentucky and comes here, the support from his former players. It says a lot about what he’s doing."

Fans of the Razorbacks have seen what happens when a team built from the transfer portal fails to gel together. The 2023-24 campaign was one with high expectations under former head coach Eric Musselman, but even he — the portal "guru" — could never stabilize the roster en route to a 16-17 overall season.

That's why Payne and the rest of the new Arkansas coaching staff find it so important to mold a team together with players who understand their roles and know what's expected of them.

“If these are transactional relationships, they’re not going to work," Payne said. "They’re not. These have to be genuine, honest, forthcoming, truth-telling relationships built on love. If it’s one-sided, just for Arkansas to win and the kid not to reach his dreams, then it’s one-sided.

"If it’s just for the kids to reach his dreams and Arkansas not to win, then it’s one-sided. It has to be a mutual respect and combination of both people getting what they want and a commitment from both sides.”

But how does that process actually work? How does Payne — or any coach for that matter — successfully convince young adults to buy in to the process so they exceed when the lights are brightest?

“In order to get young people to buy into being prepared for those moments, you have to fall in love with the process," Payne said. "If it’s just about the game, you’ll get overwhelmed. If it’s about the process… I’m training today knowing that when we play Alabama, it’s going to be full. They’re going to be yelling and screaming.

"You have to be locked into your job and doing your job. So the process of how we train, the process of how we think, the process of doing it together in hostile environments, and especially here’s the last piece to it — when there is adversity, when they go on a run and there’s four minutes to go in the game, are we going to panic? Or are we going to come together and be close?"

RELATED: Arkansas Basketball 2024-25 Roster Tracker

The next few months are vital for the Arkansas basketball program. Getting off to a hot start under Calipari's new regime in Fayetteville will go a long way in legitimizing the Razorbacks as a powerhouse contender year in and year out, and it all starts with Payne's process of honesty, bonding and buy-in.

"Those things we teach early, and you have to teach them early because in some cases with new teams and with new players, they’ve never seen it before," Payne said. "A lot of this game is built on your mental approach. Not just about your skill and your talent, but how you mentally digest hard things at hard times.”

This is the team

You get 11 keepers and 3 must be defense

The time for fan-enraging preseason rankings and predictions has arrived and the Arkansas football team is at the receiving end of some not-so pleasant projections ahead of the 2024-25 season.

ESPN's Football Power Index — a predictive ratings system released last week — is the latest to weigh in on the prospect of several teams, including Arkansas.

The FPI gives the Razorbacks a 48.4% to win six games and make a bowl game appearance as part of a new-form grueling SEC, which includes 16 teams following the addition of newcomers Texas and Oklahoma.

Arkansas is projected to finish with a 5.5-6.5 overall record, and the Hogs have a 0.1% chance of winning the SEC and a 2.6% chance of making the College Football Playoff.

Mississippi State (49th) and Vanderbilt (76th) are the only two league teams below Arkansas (44th) in the power index rankings.

Georgia (1st), Texas (3rd), Alabama (5th), Oklahoma (8th), Tennessee (9th), Missouri (10th), LSU (13th), Texas A&M (14th), Ole Miss (16th), Auburn (19th), Florida (20th), South Carolina (33rd) and Kentucky (34th) fill out the rest of the list.

Other rankings for Arkansas opponents include Oklahoma State (26th), UAB (98th) and Louisiana Tech (122nd).

Arkansas is set to open its season on Aug. 29 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at War Memorial Stadium.

From @John Garcia Jr.


One of the top rising-junior quarterback recruits nationally has taken the next step in his recruitment. Dereon Coleman, the Orlando (Fla.) Jones quarterback who broke out as a coveted dual-threat during the 2023 season, tells Rivals he has narrowed his list of college options to eight programs.

Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, TCU, Texas A&M and UCF are the top schools the four-star will continue to consider moving forward.

Coleman commented on each program ahead of his latest unofficial visit, to Oklahoma, beginning on Wednesday.

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Arkansas: "My relationship with coach Bobby Petrino. The success he’s had with the QB Position. Love the scheme he runs."

Illinois: "I like what coach Barry Lunney Jr., offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, brings to the table from a scheme standpoint. He would be able to utilize my ability in a major way. The passion those players play with also stands out."

Nebraska: "The tradition of the program and seeing the success that recent five-star QB Dylan Raiola is having. I like what coach Matt Rhule has to offer from a coaching perspective. He is a coach who has been at the highest level and that's where I want to be one day."

Oklahoma: "A dream offer. A staff that truly believes in my abilities. The tradition of the program. The fans. It felt like home on my visit. Why not OU?"

Ole Miss: "With the things coach Lane Kiffin and staff are building with the program, it definitely has my attention. From an X and O’s standpoint, I see a-lot of myself in Jaxson Dart with the way he plays the game. I can see them playing in the college playoffs there."

TCU: "A chance to get a private education and play big-time football for a staff that doesn’t mind throwing the football around the yard. Nice fit for what staff likes to do."

Texas A&M: "Having a chance to play in the same uniform that the great Johnny Manziel played in front of the 12th man. In that stadium, it would be nuts. I heard that atmosphere is lit."

UCF: "Being able to stay home would mean a-lot. The relationship that has been developed between coach Gus Malzahn and myself is different. I feel I'd make a difference for that program."

The Arkansas baseball team is well on its way to adding its first transfer portal splash, as HawgBeat can confirm that TCU outfielder Logan Maxwell will be visiting Fayetteville next Wednesday.

A 5-foot-10, 185-pound soon-to-be senior, Maxwell finished the 2024 season with TCU's second-highest batting average at .335. He added 12 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 25 RBIs across 170 at-bats.

What he lacks in sheer power he more than makes up for with his vision at the plate, as he had an outstanding 10.8 K% this season according to D1Baseball. That resulted in a 30-to-23 walk-to-strikeout ratio, something the Hogs could use desperately in their lineup. Maxwell was also 10-for-12 on stolen base attempts.

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Head coach Dave Van Horn and the Razorbacks are currently projected to lose outfielders Peyton Holt, Ty Wilmsmeyer and Kendall Diggs, so landing talented replacements is at the top of the priority list for Arkansas.

"We’ve lost our complete outfield again," Van Horn said on Sunday. "They’ll all be gone. Going to lose your second baseman. I don’t think the first baseman will be back. Starting catcher’s gone. Starting third baseman graduates."

Maxwell fits that need perfectly, as the Ohio native has only made one error in three seasons on the baseball diamond. He played primarily in left field for the Horned Frogs during the 2024 campaign.

According to 64analytics, Maxwell is ranked as the 13th best player in the transfer portal. His best series performance came against at Baylor, when he finished 8-for-14 (.571) at the plate with four RBIs. That series also included his season-high in hits for a single game (five).

Should he join the Diamond Hogs, it wouldn't be the first time he's played at Baum-Walker Stadium. During the Fayetteville Regional in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Maxwell appeared in both games but didn't record a hit in two at-bats.

The Razorbacks will be busy in the transfer portal market across the coming weeks, so be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for updates on all the offseason action.

Approximately two months after declaring for the NBA Draft and one month since entering the transfer portal, forward Trevon Brazile is set to make his return to the Arkansas basketball program per an announcement from the team on Tuesday.

Brazile was one of the most athletic performers at the NBA Combine in May, as he notched a 41.5 inch max vertical and a 33.0 inch standing vertical, which both ranked as the third-highest marks of any participants.

A former Missouri transfer, Brazile had a setback season in 2023-24 littered with inconsistency due to injury. After starting the season with eight double-digit performances in non-conference play — including a 19-point, 11-rebound outing against then No. 7 Duke — the 6-foot-10, 220-pound forward had just three games in SEC play with at least 10 points.

After suffering a knee injury in a Jan. 24 loss to Ole Miss, Brazile missed a month of playing time and didn't see the court again for the Hogs until Feb. 24 against Missouri.

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A high-flying leaper with extreme athleticism, Brazile averaged 8.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists last season while shooting 48.8% from the field, 35.3% from beyond the arch and 69.5% from the charity stripe.

During his initial season in Fayetteville (2022-23), Brazile flashed All-SEC potential in nine games with three 20+ point outings. Brazile's sophomore season ended abruptly in a Dec. 6 win over UNC Greensboro after suffering a torn ACL.

Following Brazile's re-commitment, Arkansas now sits with nine scholarship players on its projected roster. Be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for updates on all the offseason action.

The Arkansas baseball team secured its first transfer portal addition Friday in former BYU Cougar Kuhio Aloy, who could help the Razorbacks in more way than one way.

Now the third Hawaii-native on the Diamond Hogs' roster and the brother of Arkansas shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, Kuhio was a Big 12 All-Freshman Team selection as a first-year designated hitter this spring at BYU. He told HawgBeat that he was recruited to do more than just hit, though.

Of Aloy's 50 starts with BYU, 46 were at designated hitter and four were at first base. He led the Big 12 in sacrifice flies, was second on BYU in hits (53), and was third in doubles and multiple-RBI games (9). He was also only one of two Cougars to appear in all 52 games.

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Now set play in the Southeastern Conference alongside his brother, Aloy said he's living out his childhood dream.

"It's always been a dream to play SEC baseball," Aloy said. "Always grew up watching SEC baseball. The transfer portal really made that happen, which was a big thing for me. To play SEC baseball with my brother just made this even more special."

The thing that sold Aloy on the Razorbacks, he said, was the Baum-Walker Stadium environment during the Fayetteville Regional last weekend. Although Arkansas was eliminated early and the Kansas State Wildcats defeated SEMO to win the regional, Aloy still saw what he needed to see from head coach Dave Van Horn and his staff, plus the Arkansas fans.

"I went to go watch regionals and just the atmosphere and the environment out there just felt like a place where I could thrive," Aloy said. "Just to be around my brother everyday doing day in and day out things just made that even more special and something I wanted to do."

As a transfer from Sacramento State, Wehiwa Aloy led the Razorbacks with 14 home runs and 56 runs batter in as a sophomore this spring. Although he saw his batting average drop from .376 to .270, he did improve his fielding percentage from .928 to .963.

"He said it was a big progress with strength training and just learning about the game overall," Kuhio Aloy said of Wehiwa's season at Arkansas. "Just getting more knowledge of the game and finding ways to produce and excel at that level."

As for Kuhio's season with BYU, the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder told HawgBeat that he was able to progress a better rate than he did back at H.P. Baldwin High School in Wailuku, Hawaii.

"I feel like I developed a lot more going from high school ball to college ball," Aloy said. "Just the game, learning how to slow down the game and learning more about it and trying to find ways to produce."

The Aloys played together a lot in youth ball and in high school, with Wehiwa playing shortstop and Kuhio playing first base. It's worth noting that Kuhio told HawgBeat that Arkansas is also recruiting him to potentially pitch as a right-hander.

"I pitched all (last fall at BYU)" Aloy said. "And then in the spring they finally gave me an opportunity to swing and I just went off."

Aloy told HawgBeat that his main pitches are fastball, slider and changeup. According to Five Tool Baseball, Aloy topped out at 93 miles per hour on the mound in high school.

"Just come in for one inning of relief and shut it down," Aloy said.

Aloy will have three more seasons of eligibility remaining in Fayetteville.

From his time as a player under Louisville head coach Denny Crum to working for John Calipari at Kentucky, becoming an assistant for the New York Knicks and then failing to lead his alma mater Cardinals to the promised land, Arkansas associate head coach Kenny Payne has learned a thing or two about culture.

Now reunited with Calipari in Fayetteville, Payne hopes to learn from the highs and lows of his time in the world of basketball to engrain a championship-winning mindset in his Razorback players.

"When I look back over my career of just being in basketball…just being in the game, I think the foundation of what we do as basketball people is important," Payne said during his Hogs+ interview on Wednesday. "It’s important that you learn to be around great people, championship people, a culture that transcends time.

"Sort of like the Sidney Moncriefs, the Eddie Suttons, when you grow up in that time and you learn that foundation, it lasts forever. The basketball nuances of the game change, but the core of how you win, how you win championships, how you play together, how you teach togetherness, how you teach character, that stays the same."

RELATED: Arkansas Basketball 2024-25 Roster Tracker

Members of the fifth-ranked high school and highly-regarded transfer portal recruiting class have already begun reporting to campus for the Hoop Hogs, but that's only the first step in what will be a program-defining next few months for Payne and Arkansas.

"Over the last couple of days, a couple of guys have straggled in a little bit getting ready to start summer school," Payne said. "We're hoping by the end of this week, the beginning of next week, we have everybody here and we can start getting the guys acclimated medically, workouts, A to Z, so we can start the path of bringing a championship culture. That's the goal."

Headlined by transfers Johnell Davis and Jonas Aidoo and high school prospects Boogie Fland and Karter Knox (among others), Arkansas has an undeniable level of talent on its roster. The question, according to Payne, is if the group can become a cohesive unit aligned for 'one common goal.'

“I think we’ve got a good group of guys," Payne said. "Very talented. The goal with this group is not for them to think individually, but to think collectively. The best offensive teams are going to be the best passing teams, and they have to pass the ball to each other. The best defensive teams have to guard their man and one other, and they’ve all got to be on the same page and the chemistry has to be unbelievable to be a great defensive team.

"In order to do that, it’s not about the individual, it has to be about the group. It has to be one common goal: to possession by possession get stops, possession by possession run good offense, share the ball, take good shots. You do that, you give yourself a chance to win...our goal is to build a championship culture”

RELATED: Report - Arkansas to host Oakland for 2024-25 non-conference matchup

The transfer portal era of college athletics has introduced a "me-first" mentality around the country, a hurdle not so easily made by inexperienced coaches.

But Payne has been there, he's done that. No, not always in a successful fashion, but enough to earn the respect of his players. Enough to understand how to bring talented athletes with goals of their own together for one purpose: to win the final game of the season.

"Everybody in this society wants microwavable success," Payne said. "We need to nip that in the bud early. We need to say, ‘We’re building something, we’re not just trying to put it in the microwave and have it ready today.'"

"Every day Coach Cal was talking about that, and in order to build that culture, character matters. Truth-telling matters. It can’t just be about today, it’s about working today to master today so that in April, we’re playing in that last game."

From @DanielFair


In-state recruiting is a crux for the majority of college football programs across the country, but even more so for the Arkansas Razorbacks with there being a smaller pool of Division I-level talent in the state.

Rivals recently released its updated state rankings, and it featured only five four-star prospects in the state of Arkansas. Of those, only one is committed to Arkansas at the moment — quarterback Grayson Wilson.

That number stands in stark contrast to other states, like Georgia, which has 46 four-star prospects and three five-stars in the same class. Texas has 68 four-star prospects and four five-stars as well.

Suffice to say, when there's that massive a discrepancy between Arkansas and other states, keeping in-state talent home has to be a priority for Sam Pittman and the Razorbacks.

Right now, Rivals only has the top five players in the state of Arkansas, but that will likely grow as signing day draws closer in December. Here's a look at the five:

No. 1 — Omarion Robinson — Little Rock Parkview​

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The Razorbacks got one step closer to landing Omarion Robinson's services when his teammate — three-star athlete Quentin Murphy — committed to Arkansas on June 1.

Robinson has an official visit scheduled to Arkansas for this coming weekend, and has a commitment date of June 29. He'll choose between Arkansas, LSU, Oregon and Oklahoma.

Current intel says the race is mostly between the Razorbacks and Sooners, but Oregon is also one to watch down the stretch.

Robinson is one of four Parkview athletes in the class of 2025 that Arkansas is pushing to get, and if the Hogs can land more of those teammates it bodes even better for Robinson, who is ranked the No. 121 player in the nation according to Rivals.

No. 2 — Carius Curne — Marion​

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Curne has already jumped on board for the Razorbacks once, as he committed on Feb. 7 but later walked back that decision on March 25.

Dozens of programs have reached out to Curne for his services. He took an official visit to Missouri this past weekend and is set to be at Arkansas this coming weekend.

Curne is also scheduled to take an official visit to LSU the weekend of June 14.

It's not everyday Arkansas is able to come back around on a recruit who de-commits, but because it happened so early in the cycle, the Arkansas coaches had time on their side and are making strides to bring Curne back into the fold.

Missouri does look to be formidable competition, mainly because of defensive line coach Al Davis, who has a strong reputation in the high school ranks in Arkansas after playing for the Razorbacks from 2009-2012 and working for Fayetteville High School after his playing days were done.

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Head coach Dave Van Horn and the Arkansas Razorbacks added a third Hawaii native to the roster Friday, as BYU transfer Kuhio Aloy announced his commitment to the Diamond Hogs. Aloy is the first transfer commitment of the offseason for Arkansas.

The brother of current Arkansas shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, Kuhio slashed .269/.329/.447, with 53 hits, eight home runs and 39 runs batted in as a freshman this spring. Aloy was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team for his efforts.

Aloy started a majority of his games as the Cougars' designated hitter, but he also played some first base this year. He led the Big 12 in sacrifice flies, was second on BYU in hits and was third in doubles and multiple-RBI games (9). He was also only one of two Cougars to play in all 52 games.

ALSO READ: Early transfer portal names to watch for Arkansas baseball

Back on May 6, Aloy was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week after he had 10 hits, two homers, two RBIs, four runs scored and he hit .588 over four games against Abilene Christian and Miami.

During the MLB Desert Invitational in February, Aloy began his career with a home run in each of his first two games against USC and Ohio State.

Aloy played at H.P. Baldwin High School in Wailuku, Hawaii, which is also where his brother, Wehiwa, attended. The Aloy brothers and Nolan Souza make up three Hawaiin-born Razorbacks on the roster.

Hogs will have him for another season. Fastball was up to 95 this spring after he had Tommy John surgery last year.

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Posting this in another thread for those not in the portal thread:

TCU OF Logan Maxwell tells me that he just got off the phone with Nate Thompson and will be setting up a visit to Arkansas in the next couple of weeks or so.

Nothing officially set up, however. Will keep you guys updated.

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A look here: