THE RECRUITING GUY Hogs scour Louisiana on another lineman hunt

— Arkansas is trying to follow up on its 2009 signing of D.D. Jones, a highly regarded defensive tackle from Bastrop (La.) High School.

The target this time is Damien Jacobs, 6-4, 295 pounds, 5.2 seconds in the 40-yard dash, from Houma (La.) H.L. Bourgeois, a defensive lineman who is currently holding 10 scholarship offers, including ones from Arkansas, Nebraska, Florida State, Ole Miss, Texas Tech and Tulsa.

Jacobs said he's in the wait-and-see mode regarding lining up official visits. It will depend on how many more offers he receives and from which teams.

"I want to give some of the new offers a chance to get an official visit, too," Jacobs said.

Jacobs said he believes he could be close to gaining a scholarship offer from LSU,but he said he is unsure how an LSU offer would impact his recruiting.

"I'm just not going to commit as soon as it happens," he said. "I'm going to think this out before I do anything."

Jacobs had 92 tackles, 8 sacks, 6 forced fumbles and 4 recovered fumbles during his junior season.

Jacobs said he talked to Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson about two weeks ago about the high school season and about Robinson coming to watch him play.

Prospects are allowed five expense-paid official visits. Jacobs said he could take all five before making his college decision.

"I would take at least three," said Jacobs, who reports a 300-pound bench press and 450 squat.

Arkansas appears to be in line for an official visit.

"It's a good chance because it's an SEC school that I like and I know that their program will be getting better in the future," Jacobs said of the Hogs.

TAKING ON TIDE

Wide receiver Maudrecus Humphrey of Hoover, Ala., has a built-in advantage when it comes to handling the pressures of recruiting.

Humphrey, 6-2, 185, 4.34, is the son of Bobby Humphrey, who starred as a running back for Alabama in the mid-1980s before going on to play five seasons in the NFL. Humphrey holds the Crimson Tide's single-season record for rushing yards with 1,471.

Maudrecus Humphrey, who made unofficial visits to Alabama and Florida during the summer, said having his father around is a big help.

"He's giving me the right guidance to make the right decision," said the younger Humphrey, who said he has about 10 scholarship offers from schools like Arkansas, Ole Miss, Louisville, Kentucky and Mississippi State.

Humphrey wears jersey No. 26, the same number his father wore at Alabama. Not surprisingly, Humphrey said he would likely attend Alabama if he receives a scholarship offer.

But Humphrey, who had50 receptions for 850 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, said he is genuinely interested in Arkansas.

"I could see myself going there," he said. "There's a good bit of interest there."

Humphrey also excels in track and field. He's been timed at 10.64 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.7 in the 200 along with recording a 6-foot, 6-inch high jump. Arkansas' storied track program could be an asset for the Razorbacks.

"I want a school with a good football program and a school with a good track program because I want to run track in college, too," Humphrey said.

One bit of advice Bobby Humphrey is handing down to his son involves focusing on improving his play and enjoying his senior year.

He does plan to make ahandful of unofficial visits to take in games of schools he is considering.

"I think pretty soon my dad and I will sit down and go over some of the schools we want to watch play," said Humphrey, who reports a 3.0 grade-point average. "Arkansas will definitely get one of those."

Arkansas linebackers coach Reggie Johnson is Humphrey's lead recruiter. Johnson has already secured oral commitments from Alabama defensive tackle Jeremiah Jackson of Hoover Spain Park and defensive end Dimitri Orr of Oxford.

E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansaso nline.com

Sports, Pages 22 on 09/01/2009