Missouri completed spring soccer slightly over every week in the past and is shifting on to the subsequent portion of its offseason, and till the switch portal opens Might 1-15 issues could enter a little bit of a quiet interval across the program. So, whereas we give the Tigers a break for a short time there’s nothing stopping us from trying out what their 2023 Energy 5 opponents’ rosters are trying like.
We have already lined Mizzou’s first 4 Energy 5 opponents in Kansas State, Vanderbilt, LSU, Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida.
Arkansas simply completed up spring soccer with its spring sport over the weekend.
Final season’s document:
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Key departures: (NFL Draft)WR Matt Landers, WR Jadon Haselwood, OT Dalton Wagner, C Ricky Stromberg, LB Drew Sanders, LB Bumper Pool, S Latavious Brini
(Switch Portal/different) S Myles Slusher, S Jalen Catalon, DL Jordan Domineck, DL Isaiah Nichols, QB Malik Hornsby, TE Trey Knox, WR Ketron Jackson, LT Luke Jones
Key additions: DB Jaheim Singletary, DB Al Walcott, DB Lorando Johnson, DL John Morgan, DE Trajan Jeffcoat, LB Antonio Grier, WR Andrew Armstrong, WR Tyrone Broden. WR Isaac Teslaa, OL Josh Braun
Key departures
Arkansas’ has a number of gamers which have declared for the NFL Draft with two of them, Matt Landers and Jadon Haselwood, being its main receivers from a season in the past.
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Landers, confirmed how good he was at monitoring the ball and utilizing his gentle palms to rack up 47 receptions, a team-high 901 yards and a team-high eight receiving touchdowns in 13 video games.
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In final season’s common season-finale in opposition to Mizzou, Landers had 4 catches for 79 yards and a landing.
A workforce in want of a possession receiver on the third day of the draft may draft Landers to fill that function.
Haselwood led the workforce in receptions with 59 and likewise had 702 yards and three touchdowns in 12 video games.
The 6-foot-2 and 215-pound Haselwood is extra of a bodily receiver who is nice at making catches in visitors and hauling in passes downfield.
He is projected to be an undrafted free agent however could possibly be a precedence for groups as soon as Mr. Irrelevant known as on the finish of the seventh spherical.
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Proper deal with Dalton Wagner was a strong starter for the Razorbacks final season and had strong pass-blocking (78.2) and run-blocking (76.6) grades in 12 video games, based on PFF School. However he additionally allowed two sacks, 4 quarterback hits, 15 pressures and had a pair of penalties.
Wagner is projected to be an undrafted free agent.
A few spots left of Wagner on the offensive line is heart Ricky Stromberg, who additionally carried out effectively in each the run and move blocking sport.
He had a run-blocking grade of 83.7 and a pass-blocking grade of 77.1 and gave up no sacks or quarterback hits in 12 video games.
On the flip aspect, he allowed 11 pressures and dedicated 5 penalties.
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He is projected to be a fifth-round decide.
In all probability the very best participant of the bunch heading to the draft is linebacker Drew Sanders, who led the workforce in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks and compelled fumbles.
He recorded 103 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 5 move deflections, three compelled fumbles, a fumble restoration and an interception in 12 video games a season in the past.
He recorded seven tackles, a deal with for loss, a sack and a few move deflections in opposition to Mizzou final season.
Sanders could possibly be a very good match for a lot of defenses, particularly 3-4 defenses wanting to make use of him at center linebacker or as a stand-up EDGE.
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Sanders is projected to be a second-round decide.
Fellow linebacker Bumper Pool was the workforce’s second-leading tackler with 92 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and three move deflections in 11 video games in 2022.
Pool, who’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-2 and 232 kilos could possibly be a helpful weakside linebacker for a workforce in want of 1, however he is projected to go undrafted.
Security Latavious Brini recorded 55 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, a compelled fumble, a move deflection and an interception in 13 video games final season.
He is more likely to be an undrafted free agent.
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Security Myles Slusher, who was ranked as a four-star switch and the No. 48 general accessible switch, determined to take his skills to Colorado.
Slusher performed in six video games final season and recorded 28 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, two sacks and a move deflection.
Becoming a member of Slusher out the door is fellow security Jalen Catalon, who solely performed one sport final season as a consequence of a shoulder harm. He was additionally restricted to 6 video games in 2021 to a shoulder harm.
Nevertheless, Catalon was an All-Southeastern Convention choice as a redshirt freshman, so he is confirmed that when he is on the sector he is one of many higher safeties within the nation.
Catalon was ranked because the 157th-best accessible switch, based on Rivals.com.
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Arkansas additionally misplaced a few defensive linemen with Jordan Domineck and Isaiah Nichols each leaving for different Energy 5 colleges.
Domineck determined to observe Slusher to Colorado after recording 34 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, two compelled fumbles and a fumble restoration in 2022.
He was ranked because the No. 166 general accessible switch.
Nichols transferred to Purdue after recording 16 tackles, a deal with for loss and a bat down in 13 video games a season in the past.
He was ranked because the 475th-best accessible switch.
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On the opposite aspect of the ball, Arkansas misplaced a quarterback, however not the one most SEC followers have been in all probability anticipating.
KJ Jefferson determined to come back again for one more season with the Razorbacks and Malik Hornsby determined to return to his house state and switch to Texas State.
Hornsby, who is likely one of the extra dynamic gamers within the FBS, performed in eight video games final season at quarterback, working again and vast receiver.
He accomplished 48% of his passes for 268 yards a landing and a pair of interceptions. He rushed for 172 yards on 31 carries (5.5 yards per carry) and had a pair of receptions for eight yards.
Hornsby was ranked because the 259th-best accessible switch.
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Extensive receiver Ketron Jackson transferred to Baylor after recording 16 receptions for 277 yards and three touchdowns in 12 video games in 2022.
He was ranked because the No. 323 general accessible switch.
Rounding out the final of the affect transfers is Trey Knox, who was additionally ranked as a four-star switch and the No. 121st-best accessible switch.
The tight finish transferred to SEC foe South Carolina the place he seems to be to be extra of a risk within the passing sport than he was at Arkansas.
Knox recorded 26 receptions for 294 yards and 5 touchdowns in 12 video games final season.
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One other beginning offensive lineman departing from the Razorbacks is left deal with Luke Jones, who may’ve returned for one more season however determined to cease enjoying soccer altogether.
He began in 12 video games final season and had a run-blocking grade of 69.3 and a pass-blocking grade of 67.4. He additionally allowed three sacks, three quarterback hits, dedicated three penalties and allowed 23 pressures.
Key additions
The Razorbacks’ greatest addition got here within the secondary with defensive again Jaheim Singletary transferring over from Georgia.
Singletary, who was a five-star prospect within the class of 2022 and rated because the second-best cornerback in that class, solely performed three video games final season for the reigning and defending nationwide champions of the final two seasons.
He received’t enroll till June however he has signed his SEC settlement, based on head coach Sam Pittman and HawgBeat.com,
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Singletary was ranked as a four-star switch and the eighth-best accessible switch.
The Razorbacks additionally added a pair extra defensive backs with the additions of former Baylor defensive backs Al Walcott and Lorando Johnson.
Walcott, who was ranked because the No. 80 general accessible switch, racked up 83 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, 4 move deflections, three compelled fumbles and an interception in 13 video games a season in the past.
Johnson recorded 16 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 5 move deflections and a compelled fumble in 12 video games.
On the line of defense, Arkansas added John Morgan and Trajan Jeffcoat.
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Morgan transferred from Pittsburgh after recording 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a pair of compelled fumbles final season.
He was ranked because the No. 140 general accessible switch.
Jeffcoat is a participant Mizzou followers are very accustomed to since he spent 2018 and 2020-22 with the Tigers.
He began the primary 9 video games of the 2022 season and performed in 12, racking up 21 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
Jeffocat was ranked because the A hundred and seventieth-best accessible switch.
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Lastly, on the defensive aspect of the ball, Arkansas added former South Florida linebacker Antonio Grier.
Grier, who was ranked because the No. 502 general accessible switch, recorded 21 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss in 4 video games in 2022.
Offensive lineman Josh Braun transferred from Florida after getting simply 24 snaps at left deal with in 2022.
He did seem in 24 video games as a starter and reserve guard in 2020 and 2021.
Braun was ranked as a four-star switch and the Thirty fifth-best general accessible switch.
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Extensive receiver Andrew Armstrong, who was ranked because the No. 79 general accessible switch, came visiting from Texas A&M Commerce the place he was an FCS All-American in 2022.
He racked up 62 receptions for 1,020 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
Becoming a member of Armstrong within the vast receiver room are Tyrone Broden and Isaac Teslaa.
Broden, who was ranked because the 532nd-best accessible switch, had 32 receptions for 506 yards and 7 touchdowns in 13 video games in 2022.
Teslaa had 68 receptions, 1,325 yards and 13 touchdowns in 11 video games for Hillsdale final season.
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He was ranked because the 810th-best accessible switch.
Armstrong, Broden and Teslaa are all 6-foot-4, so the Razorbacks can have no drawback changing Landers and Haselwood within the measurement division.
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Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn gave a long-awaited update Wednesday on the status of senior outfielder Kendall Diggs, who suffered a torn labrum during the 2024 season.
Diggs, who exited a game against McNeese State in March with the injury, was hitting .357 at the time before finishing the year with a lowly .229 batting average.
It seems, after an offseason of recovery, the SEC veteran is on track for a major return for the Diamond Hogs.
“He’s 100% cleared to do everything now,” Van Horn said Wednesday. “Now, it’s all about timing at the plate. Getting that bat speed back that he’s had in the past. Seeing live pitching and just feeling confident…now it’s not about him being part of the team, because he’s going to be a big part of the team. It’s just a matter of how soon. We know what he can do when he’s full-go.”
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A 6-foot-0, 210-pound lefty hitter from Olathe, Kansas, Diggs was named to the All-SEC Second Team in 2023 after slashing .299/.436/.547 with 12 home runs and a team-high 63 RBIs.
“You look at what (Kendall) has done in the past, he played 50-some games last year with major tears,” Van Horn said. “He’s swinging the bat, he’s going to hit live pitching tomorrow. When I say live pitching, not just batting practice, we’re talking live pitching. So, we’ll see how that goes. He’s a little bit behind, but he’ll get there.”
Even after his 2024 injury, many expected Diggs to be selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, and his return gave Arkansas another competitive piece in a loaded outfield full of transfer portal additions.
“He’s stronger than ever, even with the shoulder injury,” Van Horn said. “He’s had a chance to work on his lower half and he’s a full-grown man now. It’s time to go, and I think he’s excited about being out there.”
The Razorbacks will open their season Friday, Feb. 14, against Washington State at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville.
Jan 14, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari reacts after being defeated by the LSU Tigers at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Give John Calipari credit for stumbling upon a foolproof way to avoid extending his streak of early-round NCAA tournament flameouts.
You can’t get Gohlked again if you’re watching from the couch.
Arkansas is in major jeopardy of missing the NCAA tournament in Calipari’s highly anticipated debut season after an unremarkable non-league showing and a nightmare start to SEC play. The preseason No. 16 Razorbacks lost 78-74 at previously struggling LSU on Tuesday night to fall to 11-6 overall and 0-4 in the SEC.
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It was concerning when then-No. 1 Tennessee outclassed Arkansas by 24 in Knoxville on the first Saturday of January. The warning signs grew more ominous when the Razorbacks followed that with back-to-back home losses against nationally ranked Ole Miss and Florida last week. Now it’s full-blown panic time in Hog Country after Arkansas went to Baton Rouge for an apparent get-right game against one of the SEC’s only non-NCAA tournament contenders and somehow lost that too.
Despite playing without its third- and fourth-leading scorers due to injury, LSU erased deficits of 12 points late in the first half and eight points a few minutes into the second half. The Tigers (12-5, 1-3) built a nine-point lead of their own with less than five minutes to go, then withstood full-court pressure and a late scoring flurry from standout Arkansas freshman Boogie Fland to close out the victory.
Calipari’s postgame news conference Tuesday night was reminiscent of many that he delivered after losses late in his Kentucky tenure. He shouldered the blame for not preparing his team well enough yet offered few specifics regarding adjustments he intended to make.
Twice, Calipari told reporters in Baton Rouge, “I’ve got to do a better job with my team.” Later, he described himself as disappointed he’s “not getting through to these guys” and claimed he “may have to drag them to the finish line in some of these close games.”
There’s still time for Arkansas to dig its way out of this midseason hole, but the Razorbacks’ road to the NCAA tournament is uphill and obstacle-laden. A neutral-court victory over Michigan is Arkansas’ lone Quadrant 1 or 2 victory this season in seven opportunities. The Razorbacks’ second-best win of the season is … Lipscomb? Troy? Maybe 4-13 ACC doormat Miami?
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The historic strength of the SEC could be Arkansas’ salvation or demise. On one hand, plenty of chances for marquee victories remain in a league with nine teams in the current AP Top 25. On the other hand, per Ken Pomeroy, the Razorbacks will only be favored in five of their remaining 14 conference games. At this point, Arkansas is more likely to finish in the bottom third of the SEC than to make the NCAA tournament.
That Calipari’s former program is flourishing in his absence only highlights Arkansas’ struggles. Kentucky coach Mark Pope didn’t inherit a single returning player from Calipari, yet the roster he rebuilt on the fly via the transfer portal is 14-3 overall and 3-1 in the SEC. Fueled by its sleek, modern offense, Kentucky boasts impressive victories over Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville, Florida, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. If the season ended today, the Wildcats would be no worse than a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Deep-pocketed Arkansas boosters envisioned a similar outcome when they plunked down big money to lure Calipari from Kentucky last spring. The fresh start appeared to be a win-win for both parties with Calipari in need of an offramp out of Lexington and Arkansas in search of a jolt of excitement.
Calipari’s tenure at Kentucky was perfect, until it wasn’t. For almost a decade, he fulfilled Big Blue Nation’s wildest dreams. The revolving door of one-and-done talent he recruited won SEC titles, made deep NCAA tournament runs and even captured the 2012 national title. But the program that was two wins away from a historic 40-0 season in 2015 never approached those heights again. The atmosphere in Lexington turned especially toxic after Calipari’s Wildcats lost to 15th-seeded St. Peters in the first round of the 2022 NCAA tournament and to 14th-seeded Oakland last year.
What observers have since learned is that a fresh start requires more than a change of address and an influx of red blazers and quarter-zip pullovers. You can’t hire a 65-year-old coach, allow him to bring over an assortment of longtime assistants and then expect different results.
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Armed with a war chest of NIL money that few other programs could match, Calipari assembled a roster that doesn’t mesh well with one-another or fit the modern game. Fland and fellow perimeter players DJ Wagner, Johnell Davis and Karter Knox can all hit a 3-pointer but are best with the ball in their hands attacking downhill. The spacing gets worse with forward Adou Thiero and center Jonas Aidoo in the frontcourt together, as neither are a threat from 3-point range.
Arkansas is shooting 33.7% from behind the arc as a team and is 248th nationally in percentage of points scored from 3-point range. Opposing defenses can afford to clog driving lanes, pack the paint and dare the Razorbacks to hoist contested jumpers early in the shot clock.
The hallmark of Calipari’s best Kentucky teams were long, athletic defenses that aggressively hounded 3-point shooters yet surrendered nothing easy at the rim. This Arkansas team is better defensively than some of Calipari’s most recent Kentucky teams, but it commits too many fouls and surrenders too many second-chance points to make up for the Razorbacks’ offensive woes.
Against LSU, it also didn’t help that a tough call went against Arkansas at a key juncture of the second half. LSU led 53-52 when referees called this a flagrant foul on Arkansas’ Trevon Brazile. The Razorbacks trailed 58-52 by the time they got the ball back.
How will Arkansas respond to a dismal SEC start made worse by the LSU loss? With effort and energy, Calipari says, despite a difficult upcoming schedule. Arkansas visits Missouri on Saturday, then hosts Georgia and Oklahoma. Matchups with Kentucky, Alabama, Auburn, Texas and Texas A&M await in February.
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“I told them after the game, ‘I’m not cracking so let’s just keep going,’” Calipari said Tuesday.
The Razorbacks have no choice.
Either they turn their disappointing season around now, or Calipari’s debut campaign in Fayetteville will end shy of the NCAA tournament.
LAFAYETTE — The Louisiana women’s basketball team is off to its best Sun Belt Conference start since 2020, holding a 4-1 record as they aim to replicate the success that led them to a regular-season title just three years ago.
However, the Cajuns face a critical 11-day stretch as the team will take on Arkansas State and Troy twice, both teams boasting potent offenses ranked second and fourth in the conference, respectively.
Head coach Garry Brodhead emphasizes that defense will be the key to weathering this challenging stretch.
“Anytime that you have any type of system, if the kids believe in it, it seems like it works a little bit better or a lot better,” Brodhead said. “On the road, that’s one of the things that we really, really preach. You know, we may not be making shots like we’re capable of… but you can always defend.”
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The coach acknowledged the difficulties posed by Arkansas State and Troy, pointing out changes in the Red Wolves’ system, which now prioritizes a faster pace, three-point shooting, and relentless pressing.
“Troy is a tough team to play,” Brodhead added. “Both games will be tough. Can we withstand that, especially from the first game to the second game?”
The Cajuns’ pivotal run begins Wednesday in Jonesboro, where they’ll face Arkansas State at 7 p.m. A strong showing could position Louisiana for second place in the standings, trailing only James Madison. ———————————————————— Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
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