Arkansas
Arkansas football positional previews: Can running backs rebound from 2023?
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — There are 11 weekends remaining until the return of Arkansas football.
The Razorbacks open the 2024 season in Little Rock against UAPB. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU) on Thursday, Aug. 29.
Arkansas is coming off a disappointing 4-8 campaign that saw offensive coordinator Dan Enos get fired midseason and the eventual departures of KJ Jefferson and Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders, two faces of the program.
More: Running back Ja’Quinden Jackson eager to capitalize on fresh start with Arkansas football
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In response, the Hogs hired Bobby Petrino and hit the transfer portal, bringing in plenty of newcomers for what feels like an all-important season for head coach Sam Pittman.
Over the next month, the Southwest Times Record will run positional previews twice a week, asking two questions and providing one bold prediction. We tackled the quarterback position earlier this week.
Here’s a look at the running backs entering 2024.
Is there a clear starter at running back for Arkansas football?
Ja’Quinden Jackson and Rashod Dubinion are the leaders in the clubhouse for the starting role. Both players worked with the first team during the spring game, but Jackson handled most of the carries and scored a pair of touchdowns.
Jackson ran for 797 yards while battling an ankle injury last year at Utah. He only had nine catches out of the backfield, but he looked to be a receiving threat and a capable pass blocker during the spring. There was a revolving door at the starter’s spot in 2023, and Pittman would like some consistency at the position this season.
Dubinion is entering his third year in the program. Everyone struggled behind the offensive line last season, but Dubinion led Arkansas running backs in all-purpose yards and had some nice moments in the passing game, including a clutch 14-yard touchdown reception on the road against Alabama.
Jackson enters fall as the projected starter, but Dubinion will ensure competition rages throughout camp.
How long till Braylen Russell makes an impact?
The burly freshman was one of Arkansas’ top recruits in the previous cycle and impressed coaches the moment he stepped on campus. With tree trunks for legs, Russell displayed strength between the tackles and a certain athletic touch in the receiving game this spring.
Russell will be a prominent piece of the offense at some point in 2024, and it could come early in the season. Luke Hasz received similar hype coming out of his freshman preseason, and the Hogs unleashed the dynamic tight end against BYU in their first big matchup of 2023. Russell could be on a similar timeline.
One bold prediction: Hogs increase rushing output by 1,000 yards
The Hogs ran for 1,668 yards in 2023. In the year prior, Arkansas ranked eighth in the country with 3,075 yards.
The offensive line, a new offensive coordinator and some better injury luck will all propel Arkansas to a season total closer to 2022’s output. After the top three, Arkansas has quality depth with FSU transfer Rodney Hill.
Petrino will hunt explosive plays in the passing game, but a rugged ground attack will still be the backbone of the offense under Pittman. Arkansas will run for more than 2,675 yards, which would have ranked 22nd in the country last year.
What the coaches said this spring
The running back group is going to be real competitive, I think, with R-Dub and JJ probably competing for the starter. If we were playing a game at the end of the week, they would be the ones competing for that starter. The youngster, Braylen, has done a great job. He’s big. He’s really physical. He’s got great hands. It’s all new to him, so there’s times he has a far-away look in his eyes when he doesn’t know the play or can’t picture it in his mind, but he’s got a chance to be special.
— Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino on the running back room toward the end of spring practice.
Projected depth chart
- Ja’Quinden Jackson, redshirt senior
- Rashod Dubinion, junior
- Braylen Russell, freshman
- Rodney Hill, redshirt sophomore
- Tyrell Reed Jr., sophomore
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT) – Registration is open for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s annual urban deer hunt.
This year’s hunts will be held in Cherokee Village, Fairfield Bay, Heber Springs, Helena-West Helena, Horseshoe Bend and Russellville.
The archery-only hunts are designed to offer an “inexpensive and effective method of nuisance deer management,” according to an AGFC news release.
Deer harvested during the urban hunts do not count toward a hunter’s seasonal limit, and there are no limits to the number of deer that can be harvested.
However, the first deer taken must be donated to Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry, which provides ground meat to food pantries across the state.
Hunters must pass the International Bowhunters Education Program before participating. The program is available at www.agfc.com/education/hunter-education.
Hunters also must attend orientation to learn the specific rules of the hunts and pass a shooting proficiency test.
For more information, visit www.agfc.com/urbanhunt.
To report a typo or correction, please click here.
Copyright 2026 KAIT. All rights reserved.
The Arkansas Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Monday, June 22, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 22 drawing
17-19-21-45-48, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 22 drawing
Midday: 8-6-8
Evening: 4-9-7
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 22 drawing
Midday: 4-4-6-9
Evening: 6-4-1-4
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Natural State Jackpot numbers from June 22 drawing
07-17-23-28-32
Check Natural State Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 22 drawing
07-08-20-24-42, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Arkansas Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
- Cash 3 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
- Cash 4 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
- Cash 4 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 9:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Natural State Jackpot: 8 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
- LOTTO: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arkansas editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Arkansas
Latest Peppermint Hippo court filing alleges misconduct by Arkansas officials, asks for liquor license reinstatement
Video: Peppermint Hippo appeals liquor license revocation before Alcoholic Beverage Control board
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The latest court filing by a lawyer representing the Peppermint Hippo gentlemen’s club alleges misconduct by an Arkansas agency and its department head.
The filing asks that the club’s liquor license be reinstated pending judicial review of the January 2026 decision to revoke it. It alleges that Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Director Christy Bjornson “tainted the entire administrative proceedings.”
The filing alleges Bjornson had ex parte, or single-sided, conversations with Peter Riberiro about the death of his brother, John Riberiro. John Riberiro was killed in November 2021 after being ejected from the club and climbing a fence alongside Interstate 40, where he was hit by a car.
Peter Riberiro contacted ABC by email in February 2025, calling for the club’s license to be revoked. Bjornson replied to the email personally, and she and ABC Director of Enforcement David Potter then had a series of phone conferences with Peter Riberiro and his attorney through January 2026, ex parte communications since Peppermint Hippo representatives were not included, the filing alleges.
The filing also alleges that Bjornson acted with “extreme bias” in the club’s list of violations, including those that had previously been investigated and found unfounded. Bjornson determined the club was in violation, then looked for evidence substantiating her views, the filing alleges.
The state maintains, in a separate filing, that Bjornson’s communications were not ex parte under Arkansas law because she was acting as an administrator and the final decision was made by the ABC board, not her. Even if she was, the state’s filing continues, the decision to revoke was due to “substantial evidence and was neither arbitrary, capricious, nor an abuse of discretion.”
A hearing about the reinstatement is scheduled for Aug. 3 in Pulaski County Circuit Court.
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