Arkansas

Arkansas looks to get back on track against Florida International

Published

1 year ago

November 16, 2023

Press Room

Arkansas looks to get back on track against Florida International

Florida International (4-7) at Arkansas (3-7), 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU)

Line: Arkansas by 29 1/2, according to  FanDuel Sportsbook.

Series record: Arkansas leads 1-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Sam Pittman’s job will be about the only thing on the line for Arkansas. The Razorbacks were eliminated from bowl eligibility last week in a 48-3 loss to Auburn. During a week in which two other disappointing teams fired their coaches — Mississippi State and Texas A&M — Pittman almost certainly needs to beat the Panthers to give himself a shot to make it past Thanksgiving.

KEY MATCHUP

KJ Jefferson vs. Jacolby Criswell. Both are Arkansas quarterbacks, so it isn’t a matchup of opposing sides. But Jefferson’s disappointing season, largely hampered by high sack totals, resulted in his being pulled for his back-up, Criswell, in the third quarter of the Auburn game. Jefferson, a preseason All-SEC second-team selection and a senior, remains Arkansas’ best quarterback, but Criswell’s results against the Tigers were superior in that game and would allow Pittman to give next year’s potential starter more experience.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Florida International: WR Kris Mitchell may be the best skill player on the field Saturday. His 50 catches don’t jump out as special on first look. But when considering FIU has completed 172 passes and Mitchell has six of the team’s seven receiving touchdowns, it seems opposing teams have had serious trouble with him all year.

Arkansas: Devon Manuel. He has dealt with a lingering stinger injury for a bulk of the season, but has been the team’s primary left tackle since Week 5. The sophomore, who didn’t make his first career start until that week, is expected to be the future of the offensive line, Pittman said. But the coach also has pointed out the team’s offensive tackles as weak spots for the last several weeks.

FACTS & FIGURES

Arkansas won the teams’ only previous meeting 58-10 in 2007. … Pittman’s job status came under its most significant scrutiny yet after the Auburn game. … Arkansas defensive coordinator Travis Williams was named a nominee for the Broyles Award earlier in the week. In his first year, he has turned a defense ranked 124th in FBS last year into the 50th-ranked defense in 2023. … FIU is looking for its third road victory of the season, which would be its most since 2018. … The Panthers’ last game against a team from the SEC came in 2009 when they faced Florida.

___

Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here ___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Source link

Click to comment

Arkansas

Nonprofit to aid NWA youths exiting foster care | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Published

4 hours ago

April 28, 2025

Press Room

Nonprofit to aid NWA youths exiting foster care | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Tracy Neal

Tracy Neal is an award-winning reporter who covers criminal justice (courts and crime) for the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He’s been a reporter in Northwest Arkansas for more than two decades. He’s from Bastrop, La.

Source link

Arkansas

No. 2 Texas A&M Aggies Lose Home Series to No. 9 Arkansas

Published

23 hours ago

April 27, 2025

Press Room

No. 2 Texas A&M Aggies Lose Home Series to No. 9 Arkansas

After an amazing start to Southeastern Conference play, No. 2 Texas A&M softball drops three in a row, ultimately losing the series this weekend against No. 9 Arkansas. The Aggies dropped game two of the series, 7-4.

The Aggies were able to strike first after graduate Mac Barbara sent one deep over the right field fence with two outs, scoring both her and junior Kennedy Powell who reached on a fielding error.

A quick 2-0 lead was what the Aggies needed in order to take care of this Razorback team, but it only lasted so long.

May 10, 2024; Auburn, AL, USA; Texas A&M Aggies starting pitcher/relief pitcher Shaylee Ackerman (10) pitches against the Florida Gators at Jane B. Moore Field. Mandatory Credit: Julie Bennett-Imagn Images / Julie Bennett-Imagn Images

Senior right-handed pitcher Emily Leavitt had a great game for the Aggies, recording a 1-2-3 second and third inning before the Razorback’s bats started to light up. The top of the fourth was able to tie the game up with a leadoff home run from senior Bri Ellis, before two back-to-back hits put two Hogs on with no outs.

Another single from senior Courtney Day plated another run for the Razorbacks, making it a whole new ballgame at 2-2. Freshman RHP Sydney Lessentine entered the game for the Aggies, but wasn’t able to hold the lead as Arkansas plated three insurance runs in the fifth.

Two errors from the Aggies were enough to send three Razorbacks across the plate, putting the visitors up 5-2 late in the game. Another home run from Ellis secured the lead for Arkansas, recording two RBIs and her second home run of the day.

The Aggies were able to score two runs with two outs, by two Aggies getting walked in, for easy unearned runs. The Aggies were only able to record five hits compared to the Razorbacks eleven, making it a tough way to win a ballgame.

A&M drops only its second SEC series and second at home, playing the series finale Sunday at 12 p.m. to conclude senior weekend.

Source link

Arkansas

Pulaski County authorities name man found dead in Arkansas River | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2025

Press Room

Pulaski County authorities name man found dead in Arkansas River | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Pulaski County authorities on Saturday identified the man found dead in the Arkansas River earlier this month, who authorities believe drowned March 30, a news release states.

On April 13, deputies recovered the remains of a person later identified as Keonta Spencer, 22, of North Little Rock, floating along the riverbank near 11021 East Damsite Road, the release states. A fisherman reported the body to deputies.

Authorities believe Spencer was the drowning person whom witnesses reported seeing in Rebsamen Park on March 30, the release states, although a search by the agency’s water patrol didn’t locate a body at that time.

Investigators think high waters from recent storms swept Spencer’s body far downriver, agency spokeswoman Kristin Knox said Saturday.

The investigation into Spencer’s death is ongoing, the release states.

Grant Lancaster
Advertisement

Grant Lancaster covers crime, policing and breaking news for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. A Little Rock native, his articles focus primarily on crime and law enforcement efforts in Pulaski County, although he reports on other parts of the state as well.

Source link