Checked in with him to see how things were going. Picked up offers from Wisconsin and South Carolina in the last few days. He's got some visits coming up but tells me he's still all Hog.

UNC, Duke and NC State March 22-23. Texas A&M and Oklahoma April 2-4. Arkansas on April 6.

He also in the process of helping set up a nonprofit to help families who want to adopt. I'll share some more of those details when he gets them to me.

Darius Acuff Jr. is averaging 22.5 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.0 rebounds on 60/38/75 splits in two games at the FIBA U18 games in Argentina. Chuck Martin is there watching.

I’d take a team full of Peyton Holts. He was my favorite player and one of my favorite Razorbacks in any sport.

Just wanted to make a post congratulating him. I always felt like we had a chance when he was at the plate.

From @jacksoncollier


Arkansas reportedly has an opening for the men's basketball head coach position as the Razorbacks seem to be on the hunt for a new leader with Eric Musselman reportedly taking the USC opening.

Who could the program bring in as the SEC is set to expand to 16 teams following the addition of Texas and Oklahoma to the league?

Here’s the first edition of the Arkansas Basketball Coaching Search Hot Board from HawgBeat on some options after talking with sources and looking around college basketball.

Chris Beard - Ole Miss​

Beard's name has been making the rounds as a possibility since January, when Musselman was initially tied to the Louisville job. Although Beard recently agreed to a new contract with Ole Miss, sources have indicated that the buyout amount is low and Beard "would listen" to Arkansas if the program reached out.

Given that Beard has a connection with some of the Arkansas brass, it is almost a certainty that the administration will reach out. Will he accept the job? Who knows, but it sounds like he would at least hear Arkansas Athletics Director Hunter Yurachek out.

Beard had a rapid rise in the coaching profession after leading Little Rock to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. He made a Final Four run with Texas Tech and then left for his supposed dream job at Texas, before being fired for a domestic dispute controversy.

In one season in Oxford, Beard turned the program around and has it poised for a return to the NCAA Tournament moving forward. On top of the connections to the administration and familiarity with the state, Beard wins basketball games and is one of the best coaches in the country. He could also likely bring assistant coach Wes Flanigan to Fayetteville and build a fence around the state of Arkansas.

Coaching Career:

1991–1995 Texas (GA)
1995–1996 Incarnate Word (GA)
1996–1997 Abilene Christian (assistant)
1997–1999 North Texas (assistant)
1999–2000 Fort Scott CC
2000–2001 Seminole State JC
2001–2011 Texas Tech (assoc. HC)
2011–2012 South Carolina Warriors
2012–2013 McMurry
2013–2015 Angelo State
2015–2016 Little Rock
2016–2021 Texas Tech
2021–2023 Texas
2023–present Ole Miss

Jerome Tang - Kansas State​

Tang has also been mentioned along with Beard since Musselman was tied to Louisville, but mostly as a backup option. His name has popped up for multiple openings, as well, with reports surfacing of frustrations with the administration in Manhattan.

After a great first year at Kansas State that included a run to the Elite Eight, the Wildcats weren't as successful this season in part because of injuries and because their starting center was dismissed from the program despite being cleared by the NCAA.

A long-time assistant at Baylor under Scott Drew, Tang has a strong reputation as a player's coach and has done more with less so far at Kansas State. He is ideal for the NIL market and prospective donors in Northwest Arkansas, and could likely even help return some pieces that have entered the transfer portal already.

Coaching Career:

1993–2003 Heritage Christian Academy (TX)
2003–2017 Baylor (assistant)
2017–2022 Baylor (associate HC)
2022–present Kansas State

Will Wade - McNeese State​

I know, I know. Arkansas fans despised Wade when he was at LSU, and he has the show-cause and infraction history, as well, but all things considered, what he did was not all that egregious, and he is an active coach in the NCAA right this second.

Wade just led McNeese to a 30-3 overall record and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where the Cowboys lost to 5-seed Gonzaga in the Round of 64. While he did not have a lot of postseason success at LSU, he was a fantastic recruiter. Schemes are still important, and Wade has the Xs-and-Os chops as well.

If Arkansas fans are willing to rinse the bad taste out of their mouths from his time in Baton Rouge, he would be a strong a-- hire.

Coaching Career:

2005–2007 Clemson (GA)
2007–2009 Harvard (assistant)
2009–2013 VCU (assistant)
2013–2015 Chattanooga
2015–2017 VCU
2017–2022 LSU
2023–present McNeese State

Brad Underwood - Illinois​

A name that has been thrown around very minimally, Underwood is an intriguing option at Illinois. While he is 60 years old, he is a consistent winner and has made eight of ten NCAA Tournaments in 11 years as a head coach. In all but one of those appearances, though, he has failed to advance past the Round of 32. His Illinois team did make it to the Elite Eight this season before falling to No. 1 UConn, 77-52.

Underwood is a hard-nosed coach who demands a lot of his players. While it is admittedly an interesting cultural fit, it could be a good hire with his history of winning. His lack of NCAA Tournament success could be a hard-sell after consistent success in the postseason under Musselman, but his quality as a coach can't be denied.

Coaching Career:

1986-1987 Hardin–Simmons (GA)
1988–1992 Dodge City CC
1992–2003 Western Illinois (assistant)
2003–2006 Daytona Beach CC
2006–2011 Kansas State (assistant)
2011–2012 Kansas State (associate HC)
2012–2013 South Carolina (associate HC)
2013–2016 Stephen F. Austin
2016–2017 Oklahoma State
2017–present Illinois

Bucky McMillan - Samford​

Without being too reactionary on recent and early success, McMillan seems like a rising star in the coaching industry. His brand of "Bucky Ball" has propelled Samford to one of the best mid major programs in the country. He led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament this year where they nearly knocked off Kansas in the Round of 64.

The exciting brand of basketball could thrive in Fayetteville and provide offensive firepower for the first time in years. Being from Alabama, the worry is that he could potentially leave if the Auburn or Alabama head coaching job ever opens up. There is also the concern about his early success not being sustainable, but regardless, he is a great value hire with a ton of potential who could excel in the portal. His experience as a high school coach will also allow him to build a rapport with coaches across the state, something that had been missing under Musselman.

Coaching Career:

2006–2008 Mountain Brook HS (assistant)
2008–2020 Mountain Brook HS
2020–present Samford

Head coach John Calipari and the Arkansas basketball team have landed their fifth transfer portal splash, as Kentucky guard DJ Wagner has committed to the Razorbacks according to a report from Richard Davenport on Sunday.

A 6-foot-4, 192-pound soon-to-be sophomore, Wagner was one of the highest ranked recruits in the class of 2023 according to Rivals at No. 6 in the nation. He averaged 9.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 40.5% from the field, 29.2% from beyond the arch and 76.6% from the charity stripe.

Wagner scored a season-high 28 points against Marshall and added five assists against the Thundering Herd. He had 13 games with double-digit points and crossed the 20-point threshold on two separate occasions. In a matchup against Arkansas on March 2, Wagner dropped 19 points on efficient shooting (6-of-7 from the field).

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Originally from Camden, New Jersey, Wagner first chose the Wildcats over offers from programs like Louisville, Memphis, Syracuse, Villanova, Penn State and others.

According to KenPom, Wagner finished his 2023-24 season with a 104.0 offensive rating, a 46.0 effective field goal percentage, a 49.6 true shooting percentage and a 19.8 assist rate.

Following Wagner’s addition, Arkansas now sits with eight scholarship players on its roster. Be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for updates on all the offseason action.

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Three-star Flowood (Miss.) Hartfield Academy DT London Simmons spent the weekend at Florida State, and before returning back to Mississippi collected an offer from Mike Norvell and the Seminoles' coaches.

Simmons, a 6-foot-3, 290-pound interior defensive lineman, has a family connection to Florida State.

Simmons' mother graduated from Florida State, so adding an offer from the Seminoles carried extra weight in his household.

"It was great getting to know the staff and seeing the facilities," Simmons told Rivals. "When I first arrived, I was greeted by Mike Norvell and the staff. Getting the offer from Florida State is a momentum my mom and I will never forget."

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Odell Haggins and the Seminoles have been amping up their efforts with Simmons over the course of the spring.

After finally offering over the weekend, Florida State has cemented itself as a contender with the three-star DT.

"My mom actually played in the band at Florida State so seeing her son receive an offer was a great moment," Simmons started. "I love the atmosphere at Florida State, and I also loved meeting the coaches and talking with them about my journey. Florida State is most certainly high in my recruitment."

"She loved the visit and seeing what has changed since the last time she attended Florida State," he continued. "It’s great knowing that Florida State is my mom’s dream offer for me. It would be cool if I attended the same college as my mom."

Simmons will return to Florida State June 17. He's expected to officially visit Tallahassee in-season.

SIMMONS HAS OFFICIAL VISITS TO N.C. STATE, ALABAMA, ON DECK​

Simmons has a busy month of June ahead beginning this weekend with an official visit to N.C. State (June 7-9). From there, he will be at Alabama (June 14), Florida State (June 17) and Arkansas (June 21) to round out the summer.

The Wolfpack have come on strong since offering Simmons in the spring. He's ready to give Raleigh a look for the first time.

"I have a very great relationship with NC State," he said. "The coaches greeted me well and they're very genuine. I am looking forward to going down for the first time and seeing Raleigh."

The offer from the Crimson Tide this spring was a needle-mover with Simmons. He views it as the offer that jump-started his recruitment, and he's stoked about his return back to Tuscaloosa.

"Alabama was my first Power 5 offer, which made my recruitment speed up a lot faster," Simmons said. "It’s an honor to be recruited by Alabama and the history behind Alabama. I just got back from visiting 'Bama and they still have a high standard for the staff and players. 'Bama is still 'Bama. I’m looking forward to getting back to visit 'Bama and continue to grow a better relationship with the coaches and the players."

Simmons will hit Fayetteville at the end of June.

"I like the coaches and how they encountered me when they came down to visit me in the spring," he said. "The coaches are cool and me just talking to the coaches every week keeping in touch and them telling me they can’t wait to have me down on my official. I’m looking forward to meeting the coaches and the visit in general because I’ve never been."

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Probably no reason to freak out just yet, but screw me. Kid worked his ass off all offseason. Hopefully nothing too crazy.

Kickoff times for the first three weeks are supposed to be released today. We already know UAPB will be 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29. Now we've got Oklahoma State at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, Sept. 7. Next is UAB on Sept. 14.

We will run a full story when the UAB kickoff time is released.

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For the second straight season, the Arkansas baseball program will have a head start on building its roster during the coming months by using the transfer portal, which officially opened on Monday.

Six everyday position players and one starting pitcher for the Razorbacks started their careers at other programs before making their way to Fayetteville, and head coach Dave Van Horn will once again have to seal up team needs with prospects looking for greener pastures.

RELATED: Arkansas Baseball 2024 Offseason Roster Tracker

Expected to return for the Diamond Hogs in 2025 is shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, while right fielder Kendall Diggs has another year of collegiate eligibility if his draft prospects don't align with his goals. Either way, Van Horn expects to be gutted during the offseason.

"Your whole rotation will probably go if they get an opportunity," Van Horn said. "I could go on and on. I think about it every day. It’s just the way it is. It’s the way it is these days."

Arkansas will definitely lose ace left-hander Hagen Smith to the draft, while fellow mound mates Brady Tygart, Mason Molina and Will McEntire may call it a career as well.

Fortunately for the Hogs, the freshman trio of Gabe Gaeckle, Colin Fisher and Hunter Dietz are more than capable of grabbing a starting role next season. Keep an eye on talented freshman lefty Adam Hachman too if he can rebound from his UCL injury.

On top of those four, probable returners Gage Wood and Ben Bybee have starting experience and will look to make a jump heading into their junior campaigns.

Though Van Horn and pitching coach Matt Hobbs may want to add a clear-cut starting contributor from the portal along with a few bullpen pieces, the main priority should be in the field.

"We’ve lost our complete outfield again," Van Horn said. "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.

Based on what Van Horn believes, the Razorbacks are projected to need a new catcher, first baseman, middle infielder and an entire outfield. One of second or third base will likely be occupied by soon-to-be sophomore Nolan Souza and Ryder Helfrick will get his chance at catcher, but don't be surprised if an experienced addition is still made behind the plate.

RELATED: Arkansas at offensive crossroads heading into offseason

As previously mentioned, Diggs isn't a lock to return despite his underperforming season. Ty Wilmsmeyer and Peyton Holt are set to graduate as well, so there's a good chance three new faces take over those spots for the second straight year — and that may not necessarily be a bad thing.

"The outfield this year, they all hit seven, eight, nine in the order a lot of them, very rare," Van Horn said. "Usually those guys are going to be in the middle of the order, we’ve got to get that right. So, we’re working on it. I could go on and on about personnel and what we’ve got to do for the future because my mind is already hitting there and it really never leaves there."

To summarize, the Razorbacks will be making a lot of moves this offseason from the portal. A couple of players already in the program (Reese Robinett, for example) or freshmen could enter their names in the conversation for playing time, but expect Arkansas to be a major player for transfers.

Van Horn already has junior college commitments from Florida Southwestern State outfielder Justin Thomas and New Mexico J.C. infielder Brent Iredale, and many more will be heading to the Natural State over the coming weeks.

Be sure to follow along on The Trough premium message board for updates on all the offseason action.

earns a well deserved promotion to the bigs. Excited to watch him in Pittsburgh!

The Arkansas basketball team is set to play a marquee matchup at Madison Square Garden in New York City during the 2024-25 season, as the Razorbacks will face the Michgan Wolverines as part of the Jimmy V Classic according to a report by Jon Rothstein on Thursday.

Not much is known about the rest of the Hoop Hogs' upcoming non-conference schedule, but head coach John Calipari expects his Razorbacks to play in front of national audiences around the country.

"Most of the stuff is done of who we're playing, and then there may be one team that I try to do a home-and-home with," Calipari said on Wednesday. "But we're going to play in Little Rock. We're going to play in Dallas. You need national games. You've got to play in Madison Square Garden."

Arkansas is 3-4 against Michigan all-time, with the last matchup between the two programs played in the 2012-13 season. That game was played in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Arkansas lost 80-67. The Razorbacks' most recent victory over the Wolverines came the season prior at Bud Walton Arena, when the Hogs won 66-64.

As of now, the Razorbacks do know their 2024-25 conference opponents at home and on the road. Arkansas will have home-and-homes with LSU, Missouri and Texas, plus they will host Alabama and Oklahoma while taking trips to Kentucky and Tennessee, among others.

"Right now, some of the games I've scheduled, you get calls from ESPN, different events, CBS — Can you do this? Can you do this?" Calipari said. "Until I get the rest of the roster, I probably won't fully do the schedule, but we're in good shape right now. I'm juiced about it. Like, let's go."

Arkansas currently has eight scholarship players for the 2024-25 roster with the recent addition of Kentucky transfer DJ Wagner. Click here for HawgBeat's Arkansas basketball roster tracker.

Arkansas baseball's 2024 season has officially come to a close following a 6-3 NCAA Tournament loss to Southeast Missouri State on Sunday, and the time for offseason reflection is upon us. The biggest question mark: is it time for the program to make an offensive philosophy change?

This season, Arkansas currently has the nation's 184th-worst batting average (.272) and the Hogs rank 194th in doubles (92), 142nd in hits (529), 61st in home runs (85), 115th in runs (398) and 154th in scoring (6.7 runs per game). Only three everyday players finished with an average above .300 in Peyton Stovall (.338), Ben McLaughlin (.301) and Peyton Holt (.327).

"Offense has been a roller-coaster all year," head coach Dave Van Horn said on Sunday. "Whether it’s a shoulder injury or a bad start for different players, we had to fight for so many wins."

Even though it was Arkansas' worst offensive season since 2016, the lack of production isn't an anomaly. Since hitting coach Nate Thompson arrived in Fayetteville prior to the 2018 season — the year Arkansas finished as national runners-up to Oregon State — the Razorbacks' offense has seen a decline in average and other statistics:

Arkansas' offensive output

There's a lot to take in from these numbers, but most glaringly is the dropoff after the Covid-19 shortened 2020 season. Arkansas still found a way to mash the baseball in 2021 and 2022 thanks to its home-run production, but 2023 and especially 2024 showed what happens when you lack top-tier power in Thompson's offense.

Arkansas' prime was from 2018-19, when players like Heston Kjerstad, Casey Martin, Dominic Fletcher and others roamed the diamond at Baum-Walker Stadium. Those two years earned Arkansas hitters their "Sooieville Sluggers" moniker and also gave way to some of the best postseason runs to the College World Series.

Even in 2017 — when now-Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello was on staff — Arkansas had glimpses of greatness.

So, what's changed in the last four years since the canceled 2020 campaign? Are the baseballs different? What about Thompson, have his teachings changed? If you ask Van Horn, Thompson is far from the problem.

"(Nate Thompson is) ate up with the offense and analytics," Van Horn said. "He really tries to train a swing. He does a great job. Nobody works harder than him at it. You can always make adjustments, and a lot of times I think what you're talking about is maybe a little bit more of an approach. Really in my opinion, that's always important to do that."

It wasn't that long ago that Arkansas was known for having a station-to-station offense that thrived off timely hitting rather than long balls. Perhaps a return to that strategy may make some sense for Van Horn and the Razorbacks.

"We've got to get a little better athlete," Van Horn said. "We can't just have eight guys that hit homers. I like guys that hit doubles and I like guys that hit homers, but you've got to have some guys that can run, too. You've got to be able to create some offense the days the winds blowing in or they're really good on the mound and you can you're having trouble making contact."

The truth likely lies somewhere in the middle, however. Thompson's offenses have proven to be successful when they have a power foundation, so stripping that away may lead to unfavorable results. At the same time, relying on power alone is a big reason why the Hogs have fallen in recent NCAA Tournaments.

Across its last four elimination matchups, Arkansas has averaged a whopping 2.25 runs per game. When you include the two prime seasons of 2018 and 2019, that number actually falls to 2.17 runs per game. Falling flat when the lights are brightest is not exactly a ringing endorsement for an offense, and that's because hitting home runs against elite arms in the postseason is extremely difficult.

Having the ability to hit for average and hit the occasional home run is a proven formula along the road to Omaha, and it's something that Van Horn may be vying to get back to.

"We're trying to get the right players," Van Horn said. "The four guys that we lost last year that were high school kids, those kids could all really run and they could hit and play. It kind of devastated us a little bit. It threw us back. So yeah, always looking to get better and make adjustments."

HawgBeat's Mason Choate and Robert Stewart bring you the Diamond Hawgs Podcast, brought to you by BetSaracen.

Recapping the Razorbacks' season coming to an end at the Fayetteville Regional over the weekend, plus our thoughts on each player from the 2024 roster.

Watch via YouTube below or wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple and Spotify.

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More from Simmons

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Was just on campus this past weekend. Georgia's going to be hard to beat, we'll see what happens after all his official visits are done.

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Denton (Texas) Guyer three-star defensive tackle

Xavier Ukponu
is in the midst of a string official visits to a number of programs around the country.


Ukponu is fresh off a weekend visit to Arkansas, a school that was previously not among the top contenders.

But after a strong visit, the Razorbacks have increased their status among the top programs in the race for the 6-foot-3, 290-pounder. He has also decided on a trio of programs that are the true contenders to land his commitment.

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Ukponu already has a trio of official visits notched off in Oklahoma State, California, and Arkansas. The Cowboys and Golden Bears hosted Ukponu in previous weeks, hoping to capitalize on early visit relationships going into the summer.

The pair of programs impressed but appear to be on the backend of the contenders at this time.

This weekend's Arkansas visit brought the Razorbacks from the back of the group and propelled them into the top three in the running.

Ukponu says he enjoyed his time in Fayetteville and was able to bolster some key relationships on staff, especially defensive line coach Deke Adams. "He's a great guy and a great coach too."

Ukponu felt good about the pitch from Adams and the rest of the staff, which surrounded early playing time.

"They told me they need defensive tackles for next year and I would have the chance to come in and play as a freshman."

Ukponu told he now has Arkansas as a "top three team" in his recruitment.

The other two programs to fit among the group are LSU and Florida. Ukponu will officially visit each, the Gators on June 14 and Tigers on June 21.

Back in April, I logged a FutureCast in favor of LSU, a prediction I still feel comfortable with at this time. Ukponu is expected to make a commitment before the season.

The Razorbacks begin the preseason this afternoon (Friday, Jan. 26) with an intrasquad scrimmage at Baum-Walker Stadium.

First pitch – 2:30 p.m.

Starters – LHP Hagen Smith & LHP Mason Molina

All scrimmages at Baum-Walker Stadium are open to the public.

The Arkansas football team has received good news for the second time today, as 2025 three-star offensive lineman Blake Cherry announced his commitment to the Razorbacks on X (formerly Twitter).

A 6-foot-6, 305-pound tackle from Owasso, Oklahoma, Cherry chose the Hogs over offers from programs like Arizona State, Baylor, Colorado State, Houston, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and others.

The second commitment for the class of 2025 on Saturday, Cherry joins three-star in-state Parkview athlete Quentin Murphy as pledges to join Arkansas' ranks.

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Cherry visited Fayetteville for Arkansas' Junior Day on Jan. 20, the same day he received an offer from head coach Sam Pittman and the Razorbacks.

Should he sign and end up on campus in the Natural State, Cherry will be the first scholarship Oklahoma native to join the Razorbacks since tight end Luke Hasz and safety Dylan Hasz committed out of Bixby, Oklahoma in the class of 2023.

Following Cherry's commitment, the Razorbacks sit with eight prospects in the class of 2025. Be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for updates on all of Arkansas' high school recruiting action.

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Good afternoon from Baum-Walker Stadium, where the No. 5 national seed Razorbacks will continue regional play today against SEMO. We will have live coverage in the thread, plus plenty of postgame coverage to follow as always.

Live stats

Watch on ESPN+

STARTING LINEUPS:

ARK Line Up

SEMO Line Up

Probably need a catch all thread for other games and news

Ole Miss lost Xavier Rivas, a projected weekend starter, to a torn UCL

Chase Burns went 4 IP 10 Ks no hits or walks. 98-101. Probably be a lot of 1-1 talk around him now.

i've followed razorback baseball closer than the 2 other main sports for the last 20 years. There has been ups and downs...there have been times where we seem like we are dead, and there is no way we'll make a deep tournament run and we wind up in Omaha, and there have been times where i just "know" we are going to win the whole thing and for what ever reason we come up short.

I do not think DVH (and his coaches) are beyond criticism. But at the same time there are no college baseball coaches i would trade for him right now (maybe in 2-3 more years)

DVH does shoulder some of the blame for this years expectations, he said very bluntly before the first of the year that the offense would not miss a beat, and that our plate discipline would be better than last year. I don't know if that's truly what he believed, or if he wanted to fire up the fanbase with the hopes that as the year went along our offense would be nearly as good as last year.... either way, looking back now, he should not have done that and he sort of wrote a check his team couldn't cash and now he and the team are having to deal with it.

Also (this is just my personal opinion) Nate Thompson's offensive philosophy doesn't fit with DVH's own personal offensive philosophy. in the past we would do anything and everything to score runs...bunt, steal, hit & run, double steals, etc... i know the game was different and there were times where the bats/balls were "dead" compared to today....In the past few years we have transformed into this HR or bust team and it could have/should have won us a national title, but it didn't. Now I'm not saying this to transfer the blame from DVH to NT, because DVH is the boss and it all falls at his feet. But i wouldn't be surprised if we go back to a more complete offensive philosophy (hopefully next season).

From the pitching standpoint, i think everyone will agree Matt Hobbs is a step down from Wes Johnson, however i do feel MH is a good pitching coach. I feel like last year Kevin Kopps almost held the staff back, because whenever we had a problem we'd just go to KK and he would get us out of it. i feel like it hampered the total staff development. Now weather that is poor coaching or not, is tough for me to say, yes looking back i wish we would have used more guys and got them ready for post-season and for this year. But when your job is to win games i can see why DVH and MH went to KK to win the game.

Moving to this year, i do not understand why Trest, Starks, etc...haven't been giving meaningful innings to prepare for the stretch run. you can tell our 5 or 6 guys are fatigued and have not been as sharp as they were earlier in the year....that to me is on the coaches....this is why we are walking more batters now, this is why we are leaving pitches up in the zone and getting hit...we have to be able to depend on more that 6-7 pitchers if we have any intention of playing for a while in June.....offensively when JUCO's are your best hitters usually this is not a recipe for success...this is not a dig at slavens or webb, but more of the fact that Wallace/Moore/Stoval, etc.. haven't lived up to the hype.

As for the schedule, yes its bad this year....but look back we played instate schools last year, we played Grambling last year...the difference is the SEC is down and we aren't getting the SOS bump from the league like we always have. plus in the past some of the mid-majors that we played had really good years, and that didn't happen this year...plus DVH doesn't have a say on playing the instate teams, he was told he has to play them, maybe going forward we'll only play them once, but he can't not play them

Now, as an overall "state of the program" we are fine. i believe there are some fans who are looking to complain and are talking about not letting the team have fun, etc...that is a joke. Yes, i know the comments DVH made before the season, and again looking back i bet he wishes he wouldn't have said that...because media and some fans take it the wrong way. but he was just saying he want his guys to be focused on winning and not on talking trash, etc... in todays world if kids aren't having fun playing a sport, they won't play...they will sit out or transfer, etc...
There a people calling for DVH to be fired, or comparing him to Mike Anderson, and i'm not sure if its just trolling or if that is what they really feel, but its just an asinine statement to make. We are coming off the best season in razorback baseball history...we are 3 years removed from a national runner up, we've been to 2 of the last 3 CWS. yes this year has been a disappointment and it appears it will end a disappointment, but collectively no one has had a better 4-5 year stretch.
If recruiting begins to slip, and we have this type of year on regular basis then yeah, its time to panic and make a change...but we have no reason to believe that will be the case.

we've all seen talented teams underperform all year, and then for whatever reason it comes together in postseason play....i wouldn't count on us turning it around this year...but its a possibility and i'm hoping thats what happens.

From @DanielFair


Rivals released its latest update of the 2025 Rivals250 on Wednesday, and several Arkansas targets found themselves on the list.

Most of the athletes in the Rivals250 are mainstays and have been there for a while, but there's one Razorback target who is new to the list — four-star wide receiver LaMason Waller III out of Southern California.

As it stands, Arkansas has six total commitments in the class of 2025, and the hope for the staff is that the number will grow as official visits start this coming weekend and last until June 23.

None of those six commitments are featured in the Rivals250, with the only four-star in the class at the moment being quarterback Grayson Wilson, who recently transferred from Central Arkansas Christian to Conway for his senior season.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, there are only two in-state prospects featured in the Rivals250, and they are two that Arkansas is pursuing aggressively to add to the class.

Here's more on the Arkansas targets in the latest Rivals250 and where their recruitment currently stands:

Omarion Robinson, Safety — Little Rock Parkview​

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Previous ranking: No. 117

New ranking: No. 121

Arkansas has been in the race for Robinson's commitment every step of the way, and it made his top four of LSU, Oregon, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

The Little Rock Parkview product is one of four 2025 athletes from the school set to take an official visit to Arkansas, and his will start the weekend of June 7. His LSU official visit is scheduled for May 31 and the Oregon visit is set for June 21.

A commitment announcement is not far away for Robinson, as he's set to announce on June 29. All four teams have as good a shot as the others to win his services, but right now, it appears the main two competitors are Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Kevin Oatis, Defensive Lineman — Hattiesburg​

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Previous ranking: No. 134

New ranking: No. 146

Oatis is another Rivals250 prospect who has an official visit scheduled to Arkansas for this coming weekend.

There’s also an official visit scheduled to Southern Cal on June 7, and while he hasn’t yet announced it, expect him to take one to Mississippi State as well.

LSU has also been in the race too, but Mississippi State has been a frontrunner for Oatis for a while.

Arkansas defensive line coach Deke Adams has been a constant in Oatis’ recruitment, and while it’s going to be difficult to pull him out of Mississippi, Adams has been known to do well recruiting the high school ranks.


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My recap from tonight's win, with quotes from DVH, Shaddy, Knight, SC coach Mark Kingston and SC player LT Tolbert...

https://arkansas.rivals.com/news/shaddy-delivers-clutch-hit-hogs-win-game-1-of-super-regional