Mom of Recruit Who Commits Today Sheds Light on Hogs' Success in NIL Era, Offers Advice

It's time for a quick break from breaking down recruits to breaking down how so many high quality recruits are ending up at Arkansas.

For those who haven't been keeping up with the recruiting rankings, the Razorbacks currently have the No. 6 class after jumping Georgia. That makes Sam Pittman's 2023 recruits the estimated top talent in the SEC so far.

The thing that has baffled so many is how Arkansas has done it with so little NIL money available in comparison to the teams traditionally floating around the Top 10. Well, a Tweet that shows up in the feed of Jeremiah Hughes of the famed Bishop Gorman High School may shed light on the situation.

The 4-star defensive back will announce his choice tomorrow between Arkansas, Washington, Utah and LSU. His mother, Nikki Hughes, who is an Arkansas-Pine Bluff grad and a UNLV aluma, put together a series of Tweets offering valuable advice in the area of recruiting, two of which specifically mention the Razorback staff, with another Razorback shout out between the lessons.

Lesson #2: Recruiting does not have to be a dirty game. LSU and Arkansas are two of the biggest rivals in college football yet both had mad respect for each other’s coaching staff! Not ONE negative word was spoken, high praise of character was given on both sides. #classact
— Nikki Hughes (@hughes7707) July 6, 2022

So, either No. 1 got deleted or No. 2 got bumped up to No. 1 because the first lesson in Mrs. Hughes feed is specifically about Arkansas and LSU.

It's no surprise the Tigers join the Razorbacks as the other SEC team. Southeast Arkansas features an LSU hat for every two Razorback hats as Louisiana broadcast channels covering the Tigers, Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana Tech trickle onto TVs in that part of the country.

What stands out here though, is in the midst of coaches bursting through family doors and out stadium tunnels about to explode waiting for their chance to talk about how much their donors can shovel into a player's pockets for the right to e-mail a complaint to an AD about how the player they think they own isn't acting the way they want or doing things the player is uncomfortable with that they demand he do.

While NIL is a point of discussion by Mrs. Hughes, which is inevitable these days, her first remaining post is about character. Coaches are notorious about trying to drop the latest gossip from "people in the know" or the whinings of players whose inflated self-worth exceeded his self effort on the practice field.

However, both Pittman and LSU's Brian Kelly apparently told their coaches to take the high road and it's paid off. Even if Hughes doesn't end up at Arkansas, that is a post that needs to randomly make its way in front of every mother on the recruiting list.

It should be noted that this is the lone post of the lesson series that Jeremiah retweeted.

She also pointed out two Arkansas assistants as examples of quality men while also praising the program for being forward-thinking and giving women a place at the table and making a priority of mental health.

Lesson 7; Coaches are busy and doing all kinds of things but who they pick as their staff says a lot about them. BEST in the business @AaronAmaama @CoachKev6k @CoachEAmoako @NFsoCrucial @Coach_NMathews @masonhutchins_ That ❤️❤️ was and is still real!
— Nikki Hughes (@hughes7707) July 7, 2022

Lesson #3: The plan you have set up for your student athletes’ success is HUGE! Tutoring services, mentoring and player development, wraparound services including mental health are major! @PlayerProMorgan @theyoungcoach @Fernandochoices and @drdfarnold are PROFESSIONALS!
— Nikki Hughes (@hughes7707) July 7, 2022

The point about having women in the program might have been Lesson #1 without the official label as it came with the announcement that lessons were to come.

Before @jervmiahhughes announces his committment choice tomorrow I will be dropping a few notes before 4pm. LOVING the state of women in college football! Shout out to @CarinaH_ARK @_sarah__kelly_ @BrynneDuBois @JolieAleUTAH and @amberbunch_uw! 👏🏽👏🏽 Job well done!
— Nikki Hughes (@hughes7707) July 6, 2022

There are plenty of other gems providing insight on the process sharing wisdom that feels like a blend of caring mom and well-versed educator.

One thing is clear. If Mrs. Hughes isn't in the education field, she missed her calling.

Lesson #4: Grateful to the schools who discussed NIL and had plans together for students. Giving students lots of money without financial guidance is👎🏾 Money is important but you still got to earn it on the field! Stay on your grind or you will be replaced and money will be gone
— Nikki Hughes (@hughes7707) July 7, 2022

Lesson #5: @mtrobinson taught me to ask the tough questions🤭 How did you deal with COVID? How will you coach him up on a bad play? How are you going to develop him to be better? What type of facilities do you have to prevent and care for injuries?I asked them!
— Nikki Hughes (@hughes7707) July 7, 2022

Lesson #4: RELATIONSHIPS matter! Learn to know the player individually, they are not all the same.When you want a kid it shows! Kids read behind fakeness(mine does).Thankful to the REAL ONES who have stayed in touch! ✊🏾#morethanfootball
— Nikki Hughes (@hughes7707) July 7, 2022

Lesson 8: Let your athlete choose their school! It does not matter what you like as a parent!Unless there are safety or academic concerns or the Lord tells you no(He will tell you),let them choose. They have to be happy!I told mine when you know you will know! He made the choice!
— Nikki Hughes (@hughes7707) July 7, 2022

While Jeremiah got to make the choice, it might not hurt for Pittman to throw up a Golden Lions logo in the background of him smiling while holding a 2021 schedule poster that happens to fold over just above where Arkansas played Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Little Rock. It might at least earn him a polite nudge from mom judging from this post she retweeted.

Who forgot to add #UAPB to the wall!!??? Asking for myself?! I mean we are just 42 mins away from the 📍. #HBCUsMATTER @DaveandBusters #LITTLEROCK pic.twitter.com/vaEkyX8EGQ
— Dawn Thornton (@DivaCoachAAMU) July 3, 2022

And even though his mother says Jeremiah's decision is solely his, once the commitment is made, the gloves are off. She intends to give tight end commit Luke Hasz a run for his money at the Razorbacks' top unofficial recruiter.

I can’t wait to @jervmiahhughes commits to his school cuz I’m going to be like @Purplegoddess24 on here getting kids to come to our school 😆😆 pic.twitter.com/2QsbmdnGR0
— Nikki Hughes (@hughes7707) July 7, 2022

Hughes will make his commitment tomorrow in honor of his parents' anniversary at 6 p.m. Indications are that fans might be able to catch the announcement live on YouTube.