UPDATE: Arkansas Loses Another Defensive Back to Portal
Here are the latest updates and list of players from Arkansas that are confirmed to be in the transfer portal:
DB Joe Foucha
DB Nick Turner
DB Devin Bush
DB Jermaine Hamilton-Jordan
DL Andy Boykin
DL Solomon Wright
LB J.T. Towers
RB Trelon Smith
RB Josh Oglesby
OL Ray Curry
OL Jalen St. John (later removed name from portal)
WR Darin Turner
WR Kendall Catalon
K Vito Calvaruso
K/P Matthew Phillips
Wednesday, Noon: Safety Joe Foucha enters transfer portal
Arkansas is down another experienced defensive back.
Senior captain Joe Foucha announced Wednesday via Twitter he's "looking for a new opportunity' and becomes the fourth defensive back to leave through the transfer portal after a 9-4 season that included an Outback Bowl win over Penn State.
Foucha had 232 tackles, including a career-high 87 during his sophomore season in 2019. After playing in nine games as a freshman, Foucha saw the field in every game the next three years.
He finished the 2021 season with 74 stops, which ranked fourth on the team behind linebackers Bumper Pool, Grant Morgan and Hayden Henry.
Foucha intercepted four passes the past three seasons, including during Arkansas’ Outback Bowl victory over Penn State last week.
The safety was instrumental in the Razorbacks snapping their 20-game SEC losing streak in 2020, picking off two passes in a 21-14 win at Mississippi State. He was named SEC co-defensive player of the week for his play in that game, sharing the honor with Pool.
Monday, 2 p.m.: Defensive back Devin Bush announces he's leaving the Razorbacks.
Bush appeared in five games for the Razorbacks in 2021, playing 47 total snaps and recording one solo tackle. He played nine snaps across four games in 2020, all of which came on special teams.
Bush, 6-0, 190, came to Arkansas as a four-star prospect during the 2019 recruiting class and was one of the top defensive players in the state of Louisiana.
He chose the Razorbacks over an offer list that included Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Clemson, Florida State, Oklahoma and several others.
Monday, Noon: Defensive back Kendall Catalon announced his intention to play a bonus year somewhere else, but apparently his brother, Jalen, is staying.
That's good news because Jalen Catalon will be the Hogs' top defensive player for the 2022 season unless someone has a surprising emergence.
With the season over, players are making decisions, whether to move on with life, head to the NFL, or hit the transfer portal in hopes of more playing time.
Defensive back Nick Turner has reportedly indicated he will become the third Razorback to leave since the Outback Bowl concluded.
Turner will test the waters of the transfer portal, which under Pittman's spoken rules, means he will definitely not return as a Razorback even if Turner has a change of heart.
Turner played in every game this season, all on special teams with the exception of games against Georgia Southern and Arkansas-Pine Bluff where he had opportunities in the defensive backfield.
Turner's departure officially frees up the scholarship needed to officially sign 4-star Belleville, Michigan safety Myles Rowser in February.
There are two more players who won't be returning to Arkansas next season.
Cornerback Montaric Brown and running back Trelon Smith made announcements on social media they won't be coming back after the Razorbacks' 24-10 win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl on Saturday.
Brown made his announcement via Twitter:
Brown led the Razorbacks and tied for the SEC regular-season lead with five interceptions. He had seven in his Arkansas career.
This season, Brown became the first Razorback with five or more interceptions in a season since Tramain Thomas in 2011, and the first Arkansas cornerback to receive first-team All-SEC recognition by the league’s coaches since 2003.
Smith, who started the season as the No. 1 running back, saw his playing time drop with the emergence of Dominique Johnson, Rakeem Sanders and AJ Sanders, made his announcement via his Instagram account:
Smith transferred to the Hogs from Arizona State and survived a coaching change before he ever got on the field.
He rushed for 598 yards and five touchdowns in 13 games this season. He led the Razorbacks in rushing with 710 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2020.
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