Razorbacks’ Recruiting Not Trending Well Ahead of Signing Day

Weekend sees Sam Pittman lose some targeted commitments for whatever reason

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Dec 20, 2022 7:06 PM EST
Original:
Dec 18, 2022

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It's a good thing Arkansas coach Sam Pittman is changing his mind on the whole transfer portal thing.

A saying old wise men use back in the early 1960's in the pool hall in Warren holds true even today.

"A wise man changes his mind," they said. "A fool never does."

They weren't discussing anything about Razorback sports, but it pretty much applies across the board to anything.

Pittman talked at length Friday about how he's changed his mind on transfers.

After losing some commitments over the weekend, It's going to be an interesting couple of days before signing day on Wednesday, which just might continue until February.

For whatever reason, it's not a good trend. The Hogs fell from No. 16 in the recruiting rankings starting Sunday to No. 19 before dark.

Everybody can say that means absolutely nothing and they would be correct, but if you go back and analyze all of that there is a direct relation to wins and losses on the field.

If Pittman wants to get the Hogs back to competing for championships instead of an occasional bowl trip to Florida, they are going to need better players.

About the only quick answer is the transfer portal.

Just for a quick rundown, the Hogs lost two committed four-star tight ends Sunday with Jaden Hamm of Eudora, Kansas, re-opened his recruiting after an official visit to Kansas, which is just down the road from his hometown.

Four-star Shamar Easter from Ashdown was on South Carolina's campus this weekend for a visit. He has another visit to Fayetteville scheduled right now for Jan. 15 and has said he will not sign anywhere until the February signing day.

The Hogs also lost a defensive tackle commitment when Stephen Johnson flipped to Auburn on Sunday.

Adding more misery to the paid, fifth-year defensive lineman Isaiah Nichols announced he will not be playing in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 28 against Kansas and is putting his name into the transfer portal.

For a team that is already starting to get a little thin on numbers for the bowl game, that wasn't welcome news considering Nichols is right up the road in Springdale.

The various spins on how and why this is going on will be fascinating and the actual truth will be somewhere in the middle. I hear things from folks who keep reminding me they know more people that "really know" what's going on.

Reasons aren't really important, although the results will make a difference sooner or later for everybody with a job over in the football center.

It's interesting to note great coaches tend to have a slew of great players.

Now Pittman and his shortened staff have to close out this ridiculous early signing period with convincing transfer players and get ready to play a Liberty Bowl.

Chao reigns supreme these days in college football and it's not just restricted to the Hogs.