The hot topic of Thursday's SEC Media Day showcase centered on Sam Pittman's future at Arkansas, but the Head Hog was far more focused on his staff and players — including redshirt junior quarterback Taylen Green.
A 6-foot-6, 223-pound Texas native, Green transferred to Arkansas after three seasons at Boise State. With the Broncos, Green played in 28 games and racked up 3,794 passing yards along with 25 touchdowns.
Green's best season came in 2023, when he started all but one game and completed 121-of-212 passes (57.1%) for 1,752 yards and 11 scores. The dual-threat signal caller also rushed for 436 yards and nine touchdowns on 78 carries.
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"Taylen Green obviously is our quarterback; transferred in in January," Pittman said. "Bobby Petrino went out and handpicked him. He's perfect for what Coach Petrino wants to do for our offense, and he has great, great leadership skills. He is a wonderful athlete and I'm excited for you guys to meet him today."
Following former Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson's transfer portal departure, the need for a starting-caliber leader was apparent as the Razorbacks headed into the thick of the offseason.
Though options were plentiful, Pittman and offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino identified Green, who had once been recruited by Petrino during his head coaching tenure at Missouri State (2020-22).
"Bobby and I looked at about five quarterbacks and Bobby was the first to offer Taylen Green out of high school at Missouri State," Pittman said. "We knew there was a possibility he wanted to come back to Texas, come back home. So, set down there and said, 'That's the one I want Bobby, what do you think? Okay, let's go get him. Whoever you decide, but we're on the same page here,' and Bobby went out and got him."
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One of three players who joined Pittman at SEC Media Days in Dallas, Green has consistently received rave reviews from fellow teammates and staff members since arriving in Arkansas. The next step is translating that to the football field, a goal within reach based on Pittman's testimony.
"Man, he's a leader, culture, hard-working, he's something special and obviously if you saw the spring game you saw the throwing," Pittman said. "We haven't seen how he can run yet, but he can."
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