FAYETTEVILLE — The NCAA transfer portal madness this month has affected every position group on the University of Arkansas football team.

One group that has taken a few hits but will still be well represented for the Liberty Bowl against Texas Tech is the linebacker spot.

Starters Xavian “Slide” Sorey and Stephen Dix, who both transferred in prior to the 2024 season, are not only gearing up for the Hogs’ Dec. 27 bowl game in Memphis, but they’ve already announced they’re running it back with the Razorbacks in 2025.

The two sat together for a video conference with members of the media after Wednesday morning’s practice.

“Hey man, playing with Slide has been awesome, man,” Dix said. “He’s a ball player. Love him, man. He goes out there, he plays so hard, like it’s crazy.

“I’ll be telling him, ‘Dog, you play really hard.’ He hits really hard. I think me and him … we’re just building our chemistry day-in and day-out.”

Added Sorey, “Like he said, I think we’ll be able to grow closer together and learn from each other more and be, man, we’ve got to be that one-two punch.”

The pair did plenty of one-two punching in their first season together with the Hogs.

Sorey leads the Razorbacks with 89 tackles and is second on the team with 9 tackles for loss. The redshirt junior from Campbellton, Fla., who transferred from the University of Georgia, also had a pair of sacks, three quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and an interception.

Sorey has started all 12 games and Dix, a redshirt junior from Orlando, Fla., who transferred from Marshall, has started the past nine. Dix ranks third on the team with 65 tackles and added 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 hurries, a pass breakup and a critical fumble recovery in the end zone during a 24-14 win at Auburn on Sept. 21.

“I think another year with us, we’re going to be … I think we’re going to be the best duo out there on the field next year in college football,” Dix said. “So just stay tuned for that, man. But it’s been awesome having to play next to him.”

The Arkansas linebacker room did lose four-game starter Brad Spence, as well as Carson Dean and Kaden Henley to the portal.

However, redshirt senior Anthony Switzer and true freshman Bradley Shaw will give the unit solid depth for the bowl game.

Dix and Sorey are both high on the potential for both of those players.

“Man, he’s looking good,” Sorey said of Switzer, who has missed time recently with an undisclosed injury. “He was striking something today, I’ll tell you that.”

Switzer, a native of Marion, which is just an 18-mile drive to Liberty Bowl Stadium, spent three seasons at Arkansas State before transferring to Utah State and then back to his home state.

“Switzer’s going to be out there and he’s going to be going ham, man,” Dix said. “I believe we’re going to his hometown in Memphis, so that’s going to be real good for him. I’m really happy to have let him have that opportunity to play in front of his hometown, his community. I think that means a lot to him.”

Shaw, a 6-1, 235-pounder from Hoover, Ala., has come on strong lately. He has 12 tackles, including a sack and a quarterback hurry in limited duty.

“Brad, he’s just steady climbing,” Sorey said. “Every day, every week, he just gets better and better. I’ve been saying, I think he’ll ball out. I know he’ll ball out. … Being around and watching him grow, it’s nice.”

Said Dix, “That young-un, man, me and Slide have both sat down and watched him in practice and we’re like, ‘Dog, he’s going to be really, really good.’ We said it, ‘Dog, we think he’s going to win a Butkus (Award) before he leaves here.’ That’s the kind of potential you see from him at a young age.”

The Butkus Award is given annually to the top linebackers in all levels of football, from the prep ranks to the NFL.

Dix and Sorey said they did not discuss returning to the Razorbacks together.

“It kind of just happened,” Sorey said. “I feel like for both of us, we’ve kind of got to do what’s best for us and that was best for both of us to come back. We didn’t talk about it before.”

Sorey said being around defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Travis Williams and his teammates for another season were the biggest motivating factors that led him to return.

Added Dix, “I mean whatever he does, I’m on board with it. … I think we’ve got so much respect for one another, so whatever he did, hey, it is what it is. But we ended up coming back and it worked out for the best. I’m really happy to be playing by him again for another year.”

A panel of Arkansas lawmakers approved special compensation awards for maintenance workers at the Department of Veteran Affairs on Wednesday.

Current and incoming full-time maintenance staff at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemeteries, located in North Little Rock and Birdeye, and the Arkansas State Veterans Homes in North Little Rock and Fayetteville will be eligible for the $3,000 one-time awards, according to the request from the state’s Office of Personnel Management.

The Arkansas Legislative Council is expected to approve the measure Friday. The Uniform Personnel Classification and Compensation Plan Subcommittee gave approval with no debate or dissent.

The bonuses should “increase successful recruiting, and [lead to] better retention” of the employees in question, OPM Director Kay Barnhill wrote in the request to the subcommittee. Recruitment and retention of state employees has been a priority for state officials in recent months.

In October, lawmakers approved $5,000 one-time bonuses as recruitment and retention measures for nurses who care for people with profound intellectual disabilities at seven state-run facilities. The cumulative totals for the one-time payments were projected to be $510,000 at the Human Development Centers, $467,000 at the Arkansas State Hospital and $283,000 at the Arkansas Health Center, according to the Arkansas Department of Human Services.

Barnhill said at the time that she expected an upcoming pay plan overhaul across all agencies to increase nurses’ pay. In November, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the overhaul, highlighting salary increases with double-digit percentages for the positions most difficult to fill. Besides nurses, those positions included correctional officers, social services employees and Arkansas State Police officers.

The pay plan restructure will require legislative approval. Barnhill told the Personnel Subcommittee on Wednesday that OPM is “putting the finishing touches on it right now” after feedback from state agencies.

OPM “can certainly work toward” finishing the plan and sending it to lawmakers before the legislative session begins on Jan. 13, Barnhill said in response to questions from Rep. Lane Jean, R-Magnolia, co-chair of the Joint Budget Committee.

December 7th, 2024 Adamsville, TN Shooting Update Press Release

On the date of December 7th, 2024, just after 4:00pm the Adamsville Police Department responded to the Sawmeal Restaurant located at 731 E Main Street in Adamsville, TN on the report of a gunshot injury that occurred in the parking lot. During the course of the investigation, APD was able to determine that the gunshot injury was directly correlated with an automobile theft that had occurred in the parking lot of the business. The actions and events surrounding that automobile theft included a use of force and intimidation, and the use and discharge of a firearm, in the perpetration of the crime. As a result, a 21-year-old male employee of the Sawmeal Restaurant suffered a single gunshot wound to the upper extremities. The victim was treated on the scene, stabilized by emergency medical services, and transported via aircraft to a medical facility for further treatment.

SEE ALSO: Adamsville Police investigating theft/shooting (12/7/24)

The Adamsville Police Department requested the assistance of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and immediately began to swiftly and diligently investigate this case. As a result of that investigation, we were quickly able to identify a suspect. On the following afternoon of December 8th, 2024, warrants for the arrest of the suspect in this case, Jeffery Lynn Marchbanks Jr., age 35, of Savannah, TN were obtained by the Adamsville Police Department for numerous felony charges to include Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Attempted First-Degree Murder and Carjacking. The Adamsville Police Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Marshals Service immediately began to work collaboratively to identify the whereabouts of Jeffery Marchbanks Jr. to bring him into custody.

Participating agencies were quickly able to identify that Mr. Marchbanks had fled the State of Tennessee and was not currently a threat locally. Based on the information gathered, the Adamsville Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and United States Marshals Service began collaborating with Arkansas State Police and the Little Rock Police Department to locate Mr. Marchbanks in the State of Arkansas. On the afternoon of 12/17/2024 APD was notified by North Little Rock PD that Mr. Marchbanks had been fatally wounded in an officer involved shooting in North Little Rock, AR after reportedly attempting to commit an armed robbery at a gas station in North Little Rock. The victim in our case was notified immediately by APD of the circumstances surrounding the incident in North Little Rock, AR. At this time, the case relating to the shooting at Sawmeal Restaurant is considered closed by APD.

I would like to take time to say “thank you” to APD Detective JP Kellum and our staff, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the 25th Judicial District Attorney’s Office for their exhaustive efforts, diligent work, and partnership on this case. Senseless, violent crime will not be tolerated in our community, and we will, as always, continue to work tirelessly to ensure that our community remains a safe place for our citizens and our visitors.

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