What Could Have Been Had Arkansas Just Offered?

Razorbacks fans could have found themselves on short end of another Heisman running back debate

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty (2) during the first half against the UNLV Rebels at Albertsons Stadium. | Brian Losness-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Imagine the outrage Arkansas fans would have had if the most dominant running back in college football by a mile went up against someone half the sports world would argue isn't deserving of the honor, but still got edge out in a close vote for the Heisman.

It would be absolute chaos. Oh, that really happened?

You must be thinking about two-time Heisman runner-up Darren McFadden. No, this is a story about Ashton Jeanty, a dominant running back who could have easily become a Razorback playing just five hours away from home rather than 24 hours away in the frozen tundra of the Smurf Turf in Boise, Idaho.

For those who don't know, Jeanty played at Lone Star High School in Frisco, Texas, the same program that produced Jaylen Braxton, which is just down the road from Lewisville where Taylen Green played quarterback, a few miles west of Lovejoy, home of Bumper Pool, and a few miles north of Duncanville, where Ja'Quinden Jackson cut his teeth as a quarterback before becoming a dominant college running back.

Frisco is in Collin County, perhaps the most heavily recruited 886 square miles by Arkansas assistants in the Razorbacks' recruiting footprint. Jeanty's final recruitment would have been done during the 2021 season, a time during which the Hogs were among the hottest teams in sports, rising as high as No. 8 in the country.

Sam Pittman's light never shined brighter and there was no shortage of sightings of Kendal Briles' unique choice of rental cars zipping around the area. However, like a lot of teams, Arkansas missed the boat on Jeanty.

His offer list included the likes of Cal, North Texas, Kansas and Air Force. Both Cal and Kansas, Jeanty's only Power Five offers, were coming off losing seasons.

WIthout an offer from Arkansas, Jeanty made his way to Boise where his presence was felt immediately. He finished his freshman season with 861 yards with an average of 5.3 yards per carry, including a 178 yard performance in front of friends and family at the Frisco Bowl back in Texas.

In 2023, when the Hogs could have used him most to offset an offensive line that couldn't pass block, he ran for 1,347 yards and caught 43 passes for 569 yards. Of course, if the Arkansas staff was watching Green in the Mountain West championship game against UNLV to determine if he was the Hogs' future at quarterback, then they saw Jeanty also.

The running back gashed former Razorbacks defensive coordinator Barry Odom's defense for 153 yards on 21 carries, an average of 7.3 yards per rush. Of course, this season has been a masterclass in destruction and a non-stop reminder to all the now Power Four schools that didn't want to offer him.

Surely the money was there for him to chase. However, demonstrating a trait missing among most of the Arkansas roster, he stayed loyal to the team that took him in and built him into a monster.

What resulted was not only a run to a bye in the inaugural 12-team playoff, but a record-breaking year that included six games of over 200 yards rushing, including 267 yards and six touchdowns on 20 carries in the season opener. It would have been seven games had he mustered eight more yards against now No. 1 Oregon in a 37-34 nail-biting loss in Eugene.

That's quite a resume that doesn't have a lot of indicators Jeanty couldn't have blistered SEC defenses also. During former Arkansas running back Rahiem "Rocket" Sanders' best season with the Hogs, he would have had a true freshman Jeanty running in his wake.

It could have been quite the impact had Arkansas made the offer. However, it didn't happen.

Instead of NIL deals with Arkansas gas stations and car dealerships, Jeanty, instead, has a deal for SAXX Underwear and the Boise Hawks, the local minor league baseball team. It's a different world that will always feature nothing but a big "What if?" for Razorbacks fans.

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