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Three freshmen who could make immediate impact for Arkansas

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Even in this day and age of the transfer portal, there are still true freshmen from Arkansas' 2025 recruiting class who can make an impact early and often this upcoming season.

Following its underachieving 7-6 (3-5 SEC) 2024 campaign, Arkansas and coach Sam Pittman have to take another step in the right direction — likely seven or eight regular season victories — and playing their top talent will only increase those odds.

Luckily, 18 of Arkansas’ signees are already on campus participating in offseason workouts ahead of spring practice, which will start sometime in March.

Arkansas’ 2025 class is currently ranked No. 28 in the nation, according to Rivals. It features a total of 25 recruits, with three — offensive lineman Carmarion Craig, tight end Jeremiah Beck and cornerback Keshawn Davila — being junior college prospects.

There are four total four-stars in the class, which is less than the Hogs brought in in 2024, but it’s important to note that one of those three-stars — quarterback Grayson Wilson — was a four-star at one point.

Here’s a closer look at the true freshmen who could see early playing time...

1. Tavion Wallace​


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Arkansas defensive coordinator Travis Williams has a knack for landing top linebackers, with Bradley Shaw (high school), Xavian Sorey Jr. (transfer portal) and others already in his back pocket. Wallace is just next in-line.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Georgia native will be part of a crowded unit in 2025, one that features headliners like Sorey, Shaw and Stephen Dix Jr. and other returners such as Justin Logan and Wyatt Simmons. Three-star 2025 prospect Jayden Shelton will also make his debut next year at linebacker.

An advantage Wallace carries is his availability to practice in the spring, which Shaw was unable to do last year after signing in the late window. Shaw saw limited action throughout his freshman season — 68 snaps to be exact — but his impact was felt when he was on the field, especially late in the year against Louisiana Tech (75.6 PFF) and Texas Tech (67.1 PFF).

Expect Wallace to fit a similar depth mold but with a step-up in development, which could result in extra playing time.

Wallace, who chose Arkansas over a myriad of top programs, tallied 49 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries, two interceptions, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and a blocked extra point during his 2024 season.

2. Kevin Oatis


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The jump from high school to college is a tough one to make for defensive linemen, but if anyone can do it, it's four-star Kevin Oatis. It doesn't hurt that Arkansas currently has just two significant contributors in the interior (Cam Ball and Ian Geffrard) returning in 2025.

Standing at 6-foot-3, 295-pounds, Oatis received constant praise from his time participating in offseason camps and was even invited to the 2025 Under Armour All-American Game.

A native of Mississippi, Oatis won the Mississippi State 6A Championship in shot put as a junior and placed second in the powerlifting meet, as he posted a 1,410-pound total (575-pound deadlift, 550-pound squat and 285-pound bench).

Arkansas is expected to add a transfer defensive tackle during the spring portal window, but Oatis could still be an immediate contributor at a position that desperately needs depth and talent.

Oatis totaled 29 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and four sacks in eight games in 2024, according to his MaxPreps profile.

3. Madden Iamaleava​


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Talk about a Signing Day steal.

Iamaleava's No. 226 rating, while good, doesn't scream future elite college quarterback, but it's important to note that if he wasn't denied his senior season due to a high school transfer rule, that rating may be much higher. Before the season even began, Iamaleava was ranked as high as No. 78 in the country, so who knows where he may have ended up.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound dual-threat quarterback and former UCLA commit threw for over 3,600 yards and 43 touchdowns against four interceptions as a junior and was invited to the 2024 Polynesian Bowl, where he impressed in practices before the game.

There's no question that Taylen Green will be Arkansas' starting quarterback in 2025 and for good reason, but Iamaleava will help push the competition as a natural talent and could have a shot at the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.

Bonus: Scott Starzyk​


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It's safe to say that former Razorback and now NFL kicker Cam Little was sorely missed in 2024, but incoming freshman Scott Starzyk has the makings of the next great Hog special-teamer.

A five-star and the No. 1 overall prospect according to Kohl's Kicking, Starzyk was invited to the 2025 Under Armour All-American Game after nailing all 66 of his extra-point attempts and hitting 5-of-7 field goals (with a long of 55 yards) in 2024.

Starzyk also punted for The Woodlands High School, as he averaged 40.9 yards per punt with a long of 56 yards.

With Kyle Ramsey and Matthew Shipley out the door, Starzyk is expected to compete with returners Vito Calvaruso and Charlie Von Der Meden, and he could be the perceived favorite as the Razorbacks prepare for the spring.

Didn’t watch

Was on a plane and couldn’t watch but interested in thoughts from those who did. Other than FTs, how the hell did we win that game shooting 31% from the field and 13% from 3?

Nelly’s 1-10 really stands out too. Not that he sucks because we know that but the fact that he sucks and attempts 3X more 3-pointers than anyone else on the team.
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Wernes on third, Polk on first

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.

Big Z’s play bright spot in loss to Oklahoma

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The 2024-25 college basketball season has been a bit of a rollercoaster for the Arkansas Razorbacks (12-8, 1-6 SEC), with the most recent game being a loss to the Oklahoma Sooners (15-4, 2-4 SEC) on Saturday night at Bud Walton Arena.

There weren't a ton of positives from the loss, but one bright spot has been the play of Croatian center Zvonimir Ivisic, who put in a solid day's work for the Razorbacks.

Ivisic finished the game with 10 points, two threes, six rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots. He played in all but two minutes of the second half, a decision coach John Calipari said happened because the Hogs needed his shot-blocking ability.

"I thought we needed rim protection because they were running downhill, and then we collapsed and they were throwing back for threes," Calipari said after the loss. "So I said I'll put the shot blocker in there. And Z had three block shots and six rebounds and did all right."

Calipari brought Ivisic in over the offseason to bolster the Razorbacks' frontcourt along with Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo. In the last three games, it has been Ivisic whose had the better performance.

Ivisic didn't have a massive stat line in the Hogs' win over Georgia on Wednesday, just seven points and four boards, but he put up a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) against Missouri on Jan. 18.

More importantly as Arkansas moves forward, Ivisic brings something his frontcourt counterpart doesn't, and that's his ability to score from deep. In the last three games, Ivisic has connected from deep five times, and for an Arkansas team that has struggled to shoot the ball well since SEC play started, that ability can't be overlooked.

"I feel like I started fighting more," Ivisic said after the game. "You know, as coach told me in the beginning, 'I want you to be physical, I want you to be tough, not soft. I don't want you to be pushed around.' And I think I got better at it. I was working on it as much as I could waiting for my opportunity and then that's it."

Ivisic's mental toughness through the rocky start in league play is something Calipari talked about after the game as well.

"(Ivisic is) in a great frame of mind, he’s got a great spirit about him right now," Calipari said. "He’s taking responsibility versus trying to blame anybody. He’s taking responsibility and he’s working in practice, he’s spending the time you have to spend at this and it’s paying off."

Arkansas has the midweek off and will be in action again Saturday in Lexington, Kentucky, to take on the Head Hog's former team, the Kentucky Wildcats. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT and the game will air on ESPN.

2027 Sheridan OL commits to Arkansas

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Arkansas has received a commitment from 2027 in-state offensive lineman Bradley Sturdivant, according to a report from Kyle Sutherland on Sunday.

A 6-foot-3, 300-pound tackle and guard, Sturdivant can bench press 320 pounds, squat 455 pounds and runs a 40-yard dash of 5.3 seconds, according to his X bio. Arkansas offered Sturdivant on Jan. 16.

The Sheridan native is the first commitment in the 2027 class for the Razorbacks, who hosted Sturdivant (and many others) over the weekend for Junior Day.

For more updates on Arkansas' recruiting action, be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board.

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Arkansas assistant coaches sign new contracts

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
Coach2024 Salary2025 Salary
OC Bobby Petrino$1.5 million$1.6 million
DC Travis Williams$1.1 million$1.25 million
Co-DC Marcus Woodson$700,000$700,000
OL Eric Mateos$700,000$712,500
STC Scott Fountain$515,000$515,000
DL Deke Adams$400,000$400,000
RB Kolby Smith$325,000$350,000
DB Nick PerryN/A$325,000
TE Morgan Turner$325,000$325,000
WR Ronnie Fouch$200,000$225,000

Live Updates: Baseball Scrimmage Today (1/26)

I have arrived here at Baum-Walker Stadium for this afternoon's baseball scrimmage. I'll have inning-by-inning updates in this thread, plus a postgame box score and potentially an interview with DVH and/or players.

Starting pitchers: Landon Beidelschies and Carson Wiggins

LINEUPS

GRAY

1. DH Charles Davalan
2. SS Wehiwa Aloy
3. LF Logan Maxwell
4. 3B Brent Iredale
5. 2B Nolan Souza
6. 1B Rocco Peppi
7. C Ryder Helfrick
8. RF Kuhio Aloy
9. CF Justin Thomas Jr.

SP - Landon Beidelschies

P - Lance Davis
P - Luke Williams

CARDINAL

1. DH Kendall Diggs
2. C Zane Becker
3. SS Gabe Fraser
4. 1B Michael Anderson
5. 2B Cam Kozeal
6. LF Carson Boles
7. 3B Reese Robinett
8. DH Elliott Peterson
9. CF Brenton Clark
10. RF Tyler Holland

SP - Carson Wiggins

P - Tag Andrews
P - Ross Felder

Social media reacts to Arkansas’ 65-62 loss to Oklahoma

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The Arkansas Razorbacks (12-8, 1-6 SEC) failed to begin their SEC winning streak Saturday evening after losing to the Oklahoma Sooners, 65-62, at Bud Walton Arena.

Coming off a win over the Georgia Bulldogs, the environment inside the Basketball Palace of Mid-America was palpable. Behind two Karter Knox three-pointers and a bucket from DJ Wagner, the Hogs led 8-5 at the first media timeout.

Neither offense wanted to put the ball in the hoop over the next few minutes, which featured a mini scoring drought for Arkansas. After tying the game at 10 points each, the Sooners took their first lead, 12-10, with 12:15 left in the first half.

The stoppage in play didn't help Arkansas much, however, as Oklahoma continued to push the pace and capped off a run with a deep triple by Brycen Goodine to lead, 21-13.

By the 7:29 mark, after another three-ball and two dunks, Oklahoma had Arkansas in the danger zone with a 28-18 advantage, which shrunk to 35-31 by halftime.

Knox led the Razorbacks with eight points, while Johnell Davis added seven of his own with two boards and a steal. Oklahoma's Goodine scored the most points in the first half (nine) and the Sooners made 7-of-16 threes.

To start the second half, Arkansas and Oklahoma traded buckets and batches of defense, but a Davis triple and foul shortly after led to a media timeout.

After losing its lead early in the first half, the Razorbacks reclaimed it, 42-41, with 12:47 to go on a Davis free throw. Just 2:43 minutes later, Arkansas saw its lead grow to 50-44 after a Zvonimir Ivisic three, which forced an Oklahoma timeout.

With under three minutes to go, after back-and-forth burts of offensive incompetence from both teams, Arkansas found itself tied with Oklahoma at 62 points. A questionable foul call put the Sooners at the charity stripe to take a one-point lead with just over a minute left, but an illegal screen gave Arkansas the ball back with 12.6 seconds to go to win the game.

A missed shot by Davis under the rim sealed the Hogs fate in the loss.

Leading the Razorbacks was David, who tallied 18 points on 5-of-16 shooting. Wagner added 13 points and Thiero notched 10 points of his own.

Up next, the Razorbacks will travel to Lexington, Kentucky, to face the No. 9 Wildcats on Feb. 1 at Rupp Arena. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Below are media and fan reactions from throughout Saturday night's game...

CLICK HERE FOR HIGHLIGHTS AND REACTIONS

Arkansas vs. Oklahoma

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From @DanielFair:

The Arkansas Razorbacks (12-7, 1-5 SEC) finally broke into the win column Wednesday night against Georgia and will look to do so again against the Oklahoma Sooners (14-4, 1-4 SEC) on Saturday at Bud Walton Arena.

Arkansas overcame a 15-point second-half deficit to beat the Bulldogs, and did so by flexing its muscles on the boards. The Hogs out-rebounded Georgia, 40-30, with 18 offensive rebounds — a season-high — and they scored 33 second-chance points.

The Sooners did not have a midweek contest and most recently beat South Carolina, 82-62, last Saturday to earn their only conference win of the season.

"They want to push the ball and get up and down in transition," Arkansas assistant coach Chuck Martin said Friday. "Their guard play is really, really good. You know they’re going to come in here and be super, super physical, play really, really hard. So it’s an SEC game."

The Hogs and Sooners have played 31 times, and first met during the 1938-39 season. Arkansas has a 17-14 advantage in the series, but this is the first time the two have met as conference foes. The Sooners are in their first basketball season as members of the Southeastern Conference.

Saturday's game will also be the fourth season in a row the Razorbacks and Sooners have faced off, but it will be the first time since 2012 the two have met at Bud Walton Arena. They've played in Tulsa, Oklahoma, each year since the 2021-22 season, and Oklahoma holds a 2-1 advantage over the Hogs in that time.

Where the Razorbacks will need to be diligent is in how they guard Jeremiah Fears, a freshman guard who averages 16.8 points per game, good for ninth in the SEC.

"(Fears is an) aggressive driver trying to get downhill, does a great job of probing in the half court in pick-and-roll action, and for someone his size, does an unbelievable job of finishing at the rim," Martin said. "So, we’ve got to try and keep him outside the paint. Obviously, sprint back in transition. Form a wall, and you know, play really hard."

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

How to Watch/Listen​


Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (12-7, 1-5 SEC) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (14-4, 1-4 SEC)
When: Saturday, January 25 at 7:30 p.m. CT
Where: Bud Walton Arena — Fayetteville, Arkansas (19,200)
TV/Stream: ESPN2 / Watch ESPN (Brian Custer and Richard Hendrix)
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: -175, -3.5 (-110)
- Oklahoma: +150, +3.5 (-110)

- O/U: 148.5 (-110/-110)
Double R Props (More available on the BetSaracen App)


- Trevon Brazile OVER 0.5 blocks and OVER 5.5 FG’s attempted (-200)

- Billy Richmond OVER 3.5 points scored and OVER 1.5 rebounds (+135)

- Karter Knox OVER 12.5 points scored and OVER 4.5 rebounds (+185)

- D.J. Wagner OVER 11.5 points scored and OVER 3.5 rebounds (+155)

- Zvonimir Ivisic OVER 1.5 blocks and OVER 6.5 FG’s attempted (+105)

Catch Up On HawgBeat's Arkansas Basketball Coverage​


- Hoop Hogs need toughness on glass against Oklahoma
- Scouting Report: Arkansas vs. Oklahoma
- How Arkansas basketball’s stats stack up to SEC peers
- Arkansas flips script in 2 key areas against Georgia
- Thiero's double-double effort leads Arkansas past Georgia

Takeaways from Arkansas' 65-62 loss to Oklahoma

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FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks (12-8, 1-6 SEC) followed up their win over Georgia with a close, 65-62 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners (15-4, 2-4 SEC) on Saturday at Bud Walton Arena.

The Hogs, as they did Wednesday, overcame a double-digit deficit, but this time were unable to complete the comeback. With 12.4 seconds left in the game and Arkansas trailing by one, Johnell Davis — who finished with a team-high 18 points — missed a layup that would have given the Hogs the lead.

Oklahoma's Duke Miles grabbed the rebound, passed it ahead to Jalon Moore, and he slammed it home with less than a second left to ensure an Oklahoma win.

With the loss, Arkansas falls to 1-6 in league play. Here are some of HawgBeat's takeaways from Saturday's loss...

Nelly Davis breaks out​

As mentioned above, Davis finished the game with 18 points, the most on either team. He wasn't necessarily the most efficient as he shot just 31%, but he also had four steals and was one of three Razorbacks to finish positive in the plus-minus box.

This is the second game the Hogs have played without star point guard Boogie Fland, and it's the second game Davis has seen his role increase with the team. Beyond the box score, he looks more comfortable in his role and is playing with a lot more confidence than he has in previous games.

"I'm with him, and he's getting better,'" Arkansas head coach John Calipari said postgame. "There's still some breakdown stuff, but he's getting better. Got to quit thinking so much. And you know, he did some good things."

Second-half free throws told the story of the game​


Arkansas lived at the free throw line in its win over Georgia, but it was the Sooners in the second half of Saturday's game who set up shop at the charity stripe to get the win.

The refs seemed to let a lot of physical play go in the first half, as the two teams shot a combined nine free throw attempts in the first 20 minutes. But in the second half, the referees got more involved with the whistle.

Let's be clear here — Arkansas lost this game because of poor execution in the second half that the Sooners took advantage of. But the fact is that Oklahoma shot 20 free throws in the final 20 minutes to Arkansas' 11, and they made the most of those opportunities with 16 makes.
The biggest free-throw gut punch Arkansas had to endure came in the second half. The Hogs had just taken a six-point lead, 50-44, and looked to be poised to run away with the win, until they fouled three-point shooters on back-to-back plays.

Sooners forward Luke Northweather hit the first three and guard Jeremiah Fears hit the latter to tie the game and erase any kind of momentum the Hogs had.

Big Z needs to get more minutes​


Arkansas center Zvonimir Ivisic has put in two efficient games in a row and is playing at a higher level than his frontcourt counterpart Jonas Aidoo. The Croatia native finished with 10 points, hit two threes, had six rebounds and three blocks in 27 minutes Saturday night.

At this point, it may be time to start giving him an extra five to 10 minutes per game, at least based on their performances Saturday. Aidoo finished the game with no points, one rebound, no assists and a turnover, though it is worth noting he only played nine minutes in the contest.

"(Zvonimir) in a great frame of mind," Calipari said. "He’s got a great spirit about him right now. He’s taking responsibility versus trying to blame anybody. He’s taking responsibility and he’s working in practice, he’s spending the time you have to spend at this and it’s paying off."

Both Aidoo and Ivisic give the Razorbacks great length and shot-blocking ability, but Big Z has the ability to knock down shots from deep that Aidoo doesn't. For an Arkansas team that has struggled to shoot since SEC play started, that extra threat could be an added boost.

"I thought we needed rim protection because they were running downhill, and then we collapsed and they were throwing back for threes," Calipari said. "So I said, I'll put the shot blocker in there. And Z had three block shots and six rebounds and did all right."
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RECAP+DVH VIDEO+BOX SCORE: Baseball scrimmage today (1/24)

Live updates began at 2:08 p.m. CT. Video from DVH and box score at ITT below.

Here are the lineups from today's scrimmage:

LINEUPS

CARDINAL

1. CF Brenton Clark
2. 2B Cam Kozeal
3. C Zane Becker
4. 1B Kendall Diggs
5. RF Kuhio Aloy
6. SS Gabe Fraser
7. DH Michael Anderson
8. 3B Reese Robinett
9. DH Elliott Peterson
10. LF Tyler Holland

SP - Gage Wood

P - Tate McGuire
P - Parker Coil
P - Steele Eaves

GRAY

1. CF Charles "Chuck" Davalan
2. RF Logan Maxwell
3. SS Wehiwa Aloy
4. 3B Brent Iredale
5. 2B Nolan Souza
6. 1B Rocco Peppi
7. C Ryder Helfrick
8. LF Justin Thomas Jr.
*no DH*

SP - Gabe Gaeckle

P Aiden Jimenez
P Dylan Carter
P Christian Foutch


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OP (Original Post)

I have not received an official time, but I’m anticipating the baseball team to hold its first intrasquad scrimmage of the year around 2-3 p.m. at Baum-Walker Stadium. It will be open to the public.

I’ll have updates from the action in this thread. If you have any questions or specific things you want me to look for, please let me know.
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