Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman announced Thursday that a handful of Razorbacks will miss varying levels of time due to injuries when spring practices start Monday.
The most notable of the group is redshirt senior defensive tackle Cameron Ball, who had elbow surgery, according to Pittman. Ball was named to the 2024 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and registered 47 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks last season.
Senior Abilene Christian transfer defensive tackle David Oke (hamstring), redshirt senior Cincinnati transfer defensive back Jordan Young (shoulder), freshman defensive back Taijh Overton (shoulder) and freshman defensive lineman Keiundre Johnson (broken little toe) are also banged up.
"We've had some injuries that might hold guys out for the spring and might hold guys out for the first week," Pittman said Thursday. "David Oke will probably be out the first week, he got a hamstring. Taijh Overton, he's got a shoulder, he'll be out for the spring. Jordan Young will be out, he's got a shoulder too.
"There was one more, Cam Ball had elbow surgery from the last season. He needed it. Great timing to get it and he needs it for us and he needs it for his future. All those surgeries went well but I believe that's it."
Standing at 6-foot-2, 290-pound, Oke totaled 63 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble for the Wildcats a year ago. In his lone game against Power Four competition against Texas Tech, Oke racked up five total tackles, 1.5. tackles for loss and a quarterback hit.
Young, a 6-foot-0, 197-pound cornerback, racked up 35 total tackles, one tackle for loss and five pass breakups for the Bearcats in 2024. The former Florida transfer defensive back has racked up 80 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception and 13 pass breakups in his career.
The only freshmen to be mentioned by Pittman, Overton and Johnson were three-star prospects in the class of 2025. Overton, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound native of Alabama, tallied 102 total tackles and two interceptions as a senior. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Johnson notched 52 total tackles, 8.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss for Terrell High School last season.
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