FAYETTEVILLE — Marcus Monk appears set to give college basketball another try.

Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey said he expects Monk, a former star receiver for the Razorbacks’ football team who played basketball briefly as a true freshman during the 2004-2005 season, to join this season’s team in late December after finals are completed.

“I fully anticipate that happening,” Pelphrey said Tuesday. “I don’t know if there is a final word, but I haven’t seen anything yet that’s going to get in the way to stop that.”

Monk has graduated from Arkansas with a business degree, but he has another semester of eligibility for basketball because he never redshirted.

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Pelphrey said he doesn’t see “any down side” to Monk joining the basketball team, which has only four inside players and 11 scholarship players overall.

“I think he’s a high-character guy,” Pelphrey said. “I think in the worstcase scenario we’re getting some added depth to our team and a guy who can speak from experience in terms of what it’s like to compete, go to school on a daily basis and be a good human being.”

Monk can attend Arkansas again as a graduate student and technically join the team Dec. 17, the last day of finals for the fall semester when the Razorbacks play Stephen F. Austin.

Monk came to Arkansas after being the 2004 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Male Athlete of the Year as a senior at East Poinsett County High School, where he starred in football and basketball.

After setting Arkansas freshman records with 37 receptions for 569 yards and 6 touchdowns, he struggled to find playing time on the basketball team. He played in 10 games for Coach Stan Heath and averaged 1 point and 1. 8 rebounds in 8. 3 minutes before sitting out the rest of the season.

Before his sophomore year, Monk decided to focus strictly on football and became Arkansas’ career leader with 27 touchdown catches. He ranks third all-time in receptions (138 ) and yards (2, 151 ).