Ledbetter's Choice Intriguing Whether It's a Factor or Not

Don't expect new quarterback to challenge for starting role, but it is wide open

Author:
Andy Hodges
Publish date:
Dec 21, 2023 4:56 PM EST

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Most first reactions over Austin Ledbetter's decision to switch from baseball to football was a shrug. The prevailing thought is he failed for Dave Van Horn, so might as well try Sam Pittman. Only time will tell us if that was right or not.

After some conversations today, though, it may be a little more interesting than first thought. Not covering high school football regularly, I am only loosely aware of who's doing what there. Several people in central Arkansas said he was better as a quarterback than a pitcher in high school.

Apparently he was a pretty good quarterback at Bryant during a stretch of state championships. Talk about measurables all you want, that's the biggest one. He's used to winning. Ledbetter won the Landers Award as the top player in the state in 2020.

Maybe new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino is the most intriguing part of the equation. Ledbetter met with Pittman in early December and talked with Petrino when he came on board. Sam has sounded like he's basically turning over all those decisions to Bobby regarding the offense.

Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman on the sidelines against Alabama

Ledbetter, who wants to go into coaching, is more like Tyler Wilson than KJ Jefferson. Petrino gets into quarterbacks' heads. The mental aspect of the game with him there has always appeared to be as important as the physical part of it. He's turned water into wine with some over the years, adapting to Lamar Jackson at Louisville when he didn't really have a lot of options.

You don't argue with results, though, which translate to winning. Nobody analyzes things better than Petrino and finds those little matchups. If a quarterback can make the throws in his system that record shows all those things they measure don't always relate to winning games.

Don't expect any big predictions here. With a talent-laden group of five with Taylen Green, Jacolby Criswell, Malachi Singleton and KJ Jackson, it's going to be an interesting room. All I'm saying is it's an interesting addition that may mean absolutely nothing and he's learning all he can to be a good coach.

Then again, he may actually show something. Exactly what that might be is up to other people to figure out. Ledbetter probably hasn't put on pads in awhile. It is an aspect, though, to file all this information away for possible use later.