Razorbacks Land Transfer Tight End for New Offense

Adding sixth player to that position on roster in Francis Sherman from Louisville

Author:
Andy Hodges
Publish date:
May 13, 2023 4:11 PM EDT

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas added another tight end Friday evening for depth at position likely to be expanded in new offensive coordinator Dan Enos' offense. With no one emerging as top wide receiver, it shows the direction he's headed.

With starting quarterback KJ Jefferson returning along with top two running backs in Raheim "Rocket" Sanders and AJ Green, he's clearly building an offense that may have more help in the run game and some extra targets for passes with a "bail-out" guy.

In case you're wondering what that means it's simply giving Jefferson a place to dump a pass if nobody else is open or a blitz makes him need to get rid of it quicker. It tends to make quarterbacks last a little longer in the SEC by reducing the amount of hits a little.

Louisville transfer Francis Sherman is an original walk-on and started one game last season with only one pass reception.

He is the sixth player at the tight end spot:

TIGHT END (6)

Nathan Bax (RS-SR)

Francis Sherman (RS-JR)

Var'Keyes Gumms (R-SO)

Tyrus Washington (RS-FR)

Shamar Easter (FR)

Luke Hasz (FR)

There is a lot of hopeful potential there but nobody has really done much in an SEC game. Bax, of course, has been around longer than some professors on the campus but hasn't exactly put up eye-popping numbers in a previous offense that didn't feature tight ends a whole lot.

It's looking more and more like the goal of Enos' new offense is a more balanced approach that will try to give Jefferson more options ... and hopefully keep him on the field and upright for a complete season.