Arkansas
At Arkansas, another summer of team building is underway
BENTONVILLE — One of the crucial vital stretches of Arkansas basketball’s 2022-23 season has begun.
Eric Musselman, coming into his fourth season in control of this system, has welcomed to campus a number of newcomers each from the highschool ranks and NCAA switch portal. All however two gamers — Jordan Walsh and Anthony Black — arrived in Fayetteville over the weekend.
The group joined the staff’s scholarship returnees in guard Davonte Davis and ahead Kamani Johnson forward of summer season exercises. Collectively, they’ll embark on their distinctive journey.
Throughout Memorial Day weekend, an ice-breaker occasion at Musselman’s dwelling that included a dance contest kicked issues off. All concerned hope the enterprise involves an in depth subsequent April in Houston holding excessive this system’s first nationwide championship trophy since 1994.
“Making a staff with us actually begins in the summertime,” Musselman stated throughout a Walton Household Basis teamwork seminar on Could 18 at Report Downtown. “We’ve obtained to have an unimaginable 4-5 months earlier than we ever get on the ground, understanding strengths and weaknesses on the courtroom and off the ground.”
For 45 minutes, Musselman, seated to the left of corridor of fame heart Dikembe Mutombo, fielded questions from a moderator with reference to staff constructing workout routines and associated plans of motion which have resulted in back-to-back runs to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Match and nice success on the faculty degree.
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Earlier than an viewers of those that make up and run native companies and attentive highschool basketball coaches and gamers, he peeled again the curtain on strategies used to handle morale, people and teams, and positively affect buy-in on a standard aim. When requested about overseeing a staff’s spirit because it battles adversity, Musselman charmed earlier than delivering perspective.
“Properly, that was each NBA staff I had,” he joked. “At Arkansas the final two years we’ve had pockets of a season the place we wrestle and everybody thinks we’re by no means going to win one other recreation. It’s how do you get higher the subsequent day? All people ought to wish to enhance at your job. For us, it’s the way you get higher as a ball handler, a shooter, so that you’ve obtained to individually wish to enhance each day. Then as a staff, you’ve obtained to wish to enhance as a staff.
“I feel if you happen to can type of maintain these blinders on even if you happen to’re struggling, you’ve obtained to imagine that on the finish of a season that you just’re going to maximise no matter potential you’ve got. Each single staff yearly has a special ceiling on their potential and flooring on their potential.
“How one can hit your head on that ceiling is what we all the time speak about as a staff.”
The Razorbacks will open subsequent season with a degree of expectation not seen for the reason that program’s heyday within the Nineteen Nineties. It comes with the territory of prior success, bringing within the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class — that includes the No. 1 participant within the nation, in keeping with 247 Sports activities, in Nick Smith Jr. — and a gifted crop of will get from the switch portal.
Musselman, clearly, welcomes the hype and way-too-early rankings his staff has discovered itself inside the highest 10 of. However nicely earlier than the prognostications may even be thought of to doubtlessly come to fruition, the entire items have to suit.
Frank, trustworthy conversations are paramount in roster development. Musselman first makes sure a participant’s imaginative and prescient aligns with that of the employees and program, and that they’re like-minded when it comes to objectives. As soon as a staff is constructed, it then should change into one by way of bonding, develop chemistry and an appreciation for all of its elements.
Arkansas seems to have loads of succesful elements up and down its roster.
“All people on the staff has a energy and has their function,” Musselman stated. “And you may’t let jealousy slip into the locker room, as a result of it’s solely pure. It might be a man coming off the bench. He might assume that he wants to begin. It might be a second-leading scorer who needs to be the main scorer. It might be the thirteenth man who thinks he must be within the eight-man rotation.
“The group has obtained to know that none of us can succeed with out everybody. How do you retain everyone on the identical web page? Not permit any jealousy to creep into the staff. After which settle for who you might be and what you do in that given 12 months or on that given staff.”
The identical might be stated for a training employees.
Musselman is much as a rule the face of the Razorbacks forward of and after a recreation — win or lose — and solutions questions from media members. His quotes are circulated in print, on-line and on tv, however he credit the work of assistant coaches and people behind the scenes, reminiscent of video coordinators, for achievement skilled.
He additionally supplies alternative in employees conferences for members to contribute concepts. Most mornings, a assume tank takes place and ideas are bounced round and seized on. It’s a collaborative effort, an instance of the employees’s cohesion.
In flip, it usually advantages the staff on the ground.
“You’ve obtained to provide them a voice, and you then’ve obtained to hearken to them. You may’t have any individual communicate in a employees assembly and say, ‘Properly, I’ve extra expertise than that particular person,’ or, ‘I’m older than that particular person,’ or, ‘I’m smarter than that particular person,’” Musselman stated. “All people’s obtained some present that God has blessed them with. Some folks may not be actual guide good, however if you happen to caught them out of the country and also you informed them that they had no cash however that they had to determine easy methods to get again right here in 24 hours, a few of the guide good folks, they’d by no means get again right here.
“A number of the avenue good folks would learn how to get again right here faster than anyone. I feel you simply have to have nice respect for everyone you’re working with and simply pay attention, as a result of it’s unimaginable how many individuals can provide you nice concepts.”
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Musselman was additionally prompted for strategies in managing a star participant. All through his profession he has coached and mentored many star-caliber abilities. The upcoming season will possible be no totally different, and Smith, described by the coach in April as an Alpha-type character, is a sure-fire candidate to play that function.
Stars, Musselman stated, are wired in a different way. They possess an unusual, next-level mentality and internal confidence that’s obvious on the floor. He has been part of and led groups whose supposed star is indifferent from teammates, and vice versa.
And in some circumstances Musselman has witnessed employees incapability to fulfill the difficulty head on, permitting it to fester and trigger additional inner strife. At Arkansas, Musselman has had at the very least one star on every of his rosters. They’ve been little to no upkeep.
Mason Jones, Moses Moody and JD Notae have all spoken to the demanding nature of Musselman however glowingly of his motives and big-picture intentions. Management begins on the high and trickles down. It’s true of a training employees and amongst gamers.
“When you’ve obtained a star participant, he’s obtained to know the significance of all the encircling items,” he stated. “If it’s the main scorer, he’s obtained to have nice respect for the man setting a display screen for him. He’s obtained to have nice respect for the man passing the ball to him. After which you need to get this star participant to acknowledge them — not simply on the courtroom or within the locker room, however acknowledge them by way of the media.
“On a staff, any individual has obtained to do what we’d name the soiled work or the work that’s not in style, or possibly the work that’s not getting paid like any individual else. With a view to try this, all these items have to come back collectively.”
Arkansas
Arkansas State Police release details in crash that killed one Greenwood student and injured another | Arkansas Democrat Gazette
HUNTINGTON — Details of the crash that left a Greenwood High School student dead have been released by the Arkansas State Police.
Chloe Walters, 19, of Huntington was driving a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu northbound on U.S. 71 in Huntington around 3:10 p.m. Thursday when the crash occurred, according to a fatal crash report from the State Police. The Malibu lost control and traveled into the southbound lane and was struck by a southbound 2022 Dodge Ram 1500 driven by Daran Stovall, 58, of El Paso, the report states.
A female minor passenger in Walters’ vehicle died, according to the report.
A social media post from the Greenwood School District states Walters’ sister, Cadence Walters, was killed in the crash.
Chloe Walters and Stovall were both injured in the crash and taken to Mercy Hospital Fort Smith, according to the State Police.
The trooper investigating the crash reported the weather was rainy and the road wet at the time of the accident.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of Cadence and the ongoing medical situation with Chloe. Both students are active and well loved throughout the school community,” the School District’s post states. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Walters family during this incredibly difficult time. As a school community, we stand together to support them in every way possible.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the Walters family where those wishing to help may make donations. By Saturday afternoon, the page had raised $12,242 of a $20,000 goal with 198 donations received.
Greenwood High School counselors are available for students, staff and community members who need support, the district’s post states.
Anyone needing assistance may email info@greenwoodk12.com or reach out to a school counselor, teacher or administrator through the School Status app, the post states.
Arkansas (7-6, 3-5 SEC) won its final game of the 2024 season with a 39-26 victory over Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl on Saturday behind a strong performance by quarterback Taylen Green.
The redshirt junior, who just wrapped up his first season with the Razorbacks, finished the game with 422 yards of total offense — 341 through the air and 81 on the ground. He ended the game tied with running back Rodney Hill as the Hogs’ leading rusher in the game and Green was named Liberty Bowl MVP for his efforts.
“I think it was a fast start,” Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said after the game. “(The defense) made a fourth down stop and then really the offense took over. Taylen took over. We have Taylen Green, a lot of teams don’t and it gives us opportunity to win.”
The Razorbacks started the game firing on all cylinders and scored on each of their first three possessions. Green was a key cog in that machine, as he scored the first touchdown of the game on a 12-yard rush. He followed that drive up by showcasing his arm with passes of 17 yards and 56 yards to wide receiver Issac TeSlaa, which set up a touchdown run by running back Braylen Russell on the goal line.
Touchdown No. 3 of the first quarter came on a slant route to redshirt freshman receiver Dazmin James, who caught Green’s pass and took it 94 yards to the end zone — the longest pass play in Arkansas program history.
Texas Tech didn’t go down without a fight, though. The Red Raiders cut the lead to 24-19 by halftime, and Arkansas needed another spark. Cue Green again, who found running back Tyrell Reed Jr. alone and unguarded for a 43-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter.
“(Reed), he’s always ready,” Green said after the game. “He’s always in the back learning whether it’s from (Ja’Quinden Jackson) or from (Rashod Dubinion). From (Rodney Hill). He’s always taking things in, asking questions. When he had his opportunity to shine, he made the most of it.”
A native of Lewisville, Texas, Green only had one blemish on his stat line, as he was sacked in the end zone for a safety in the second quarter, but Pittman said afterward that a blocking miscue in the backfield led to the miscue.
Green’s 341 passing yards broke the previous Arkansas record in a bowl game, which was set by Bill Montgomery, who threw for 338 against Ole Miss in the 1970 Sugar Bowl.
The former Boise State transfer also became the first Arkansas passer to eclipse 300 yards in a bowl game since Brandon Allen threw for 315 yards in the 2016 Liberty Bowl against Kansas State.
“I’m gonna take (the MVP trophy) to my parents’ crib,” Green said. “Shout out to my mom, shout out to my dad, shout out to my sisters, and we gonna celebrate.”
Arkansas football’s 2024 season has now come to a close. Up next, the Razorbacks will look to close out transfer portal season strong. Be sure to follow along at The Trough premium message board for updates on the offseason recruiting action.
Arkansas
Taylen Green provides offseason hope in Arkansas football’s Liberty Bowl win over Texas Tech
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Hope springs eternal every offseason, but Arkansas football got the optimism train for 2025 off the tracks Friday night in its 2024 season finale.
The Razorbacks (7-6) led from start-to-finish in a 39-26 victory over Texas Tech at the Liberty Bowl. The Hogs racked up 559 yards on offense, held the Red Raiders (8-5) to just seven points in the second half and played a near-perfect game on special teams. In all three phases, Arkansas executed, giving the Razorbacks their third winning season in the past four years under head coach Sam Pittman.
But there is also a beacon to the hope in the form of redshirt junior quarterback Taylen Green. The Texas native was dynamic against the Red Raiders, throwing for 341 yards and running for 81 more. He accounted for three touchdowns, and as Arkansas ran away in the second half, Texas Tech’s defense had no answer.
Green will return to Arkansas for his final college season next year, and why shouldn’t coaches or fans believe he can give SEC defenses the same issues in 2025?
“Taylen took over,” Pittman said. “We have Taylen Green, a lot of teams don’t, and it gives us opportunity to win.”
Green did all of the things Arkansas fans have seen in flashes throughout the season Friday night. He hit receivers in stride and extended plays with his legs. Some of those resulted in long runs, and others finished with him finding an open target on the move.
The quarterback led Arkansas to touchdowns on its first three possessions of the game and slammed the door shut on a potential Texas Tech comeback with a 47-yard touchdown pass to Tyrell Reed Jr. in the third quarter. It was the first reception of Reed’s Arkansas career.
A similar milestone was set in the first quarter. The first catch of Dazmin James’ college career resulted in a 94-yard touchdown that gave Arkansas a 21-3 lead. It was the longest touchdown reception in Arkansas history and the longest pass in Liberty Bowl history.
“It’s crazy, we were talking about that slant in the hotel, the whole week, and it came to fruition,” Green said.
Reed and James’ production keyed the Arkansas victory, but it also represented a question answered for Green’s development.
All season, Green relied heavily on wide receiver Andrew Armstrong, who accounted for more than 30% of Green’s passing yards in the regular season. Sometimes, Green keyed too much on Armstrong.
Against Texas Tech, Green showed he can thrive regardless of his weapons. In addition to Armstrong, Arkansas was without the services of Luke Hasz and Isaiah Sategna. James finished with three catches for 137 yards, and freshman CJ Brown had four catches. The only familiar target, Isaac TeSlaa, had three catches for 107 yards.
“It just speaks to our depth, not just at the receiver position, but the running backs, tight ends, O-line,” Green said. “That’s the one thing you know I knew when I committed here — I knew y’all probably didn’t know yet — but just the weapons that we have offensively. I’m just grateful and excited that they have their opportunity.”
Just as he has all season, Green deflected the praise to his teammates and coaches. He walks the walk and talks the talk as a starting quarterback and program figurehead in the SEC.
Arkansas will have plenty of holes to fill this offseason. The Hogs need to find three new starters on the offensive line and three more at wide receiver. They’ve already started finding replacements through the transfer portal and have a good foundation returning on defense.
But Green is the central focus for any offseason hope. It will be nine months before Arkansas takes the field against Alabama A&M in the 2025 season opener. Taylen Green will be under center, and that’s as good a starting point the Razorbacks can ask for.
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