LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas will host two well-regarded Missouri football prospects for unofficial visits today.
Offensive lineman Zach Hannon of Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst and defensive end Jamone Boyd of Lee’s Summit (Mo.) West are good friends and have discussed attending the same college.
Hannon, 6-5, 300 pounds, 5.1 seconds in the 40-yard dash, reports 11 scholarship offers and lists Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas State as his top four schools. He said he liked what he saw from Arkansas during a Feb. 11 visit and added he is looking forward to spending time with Coach John L. Smith and offensive line coach Chris Klenakis.
“This visit is going to be more of a one-on-one type visit,” Hannon said. “Hopefully I’ll have a chance to meet Coach Smith, but it’s important for me to come down and visit with Coach K because I’m going to be with him all day.”
Hannon said he talks on a regular basis with Klenakis and Arkansas offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Paul Petrino, his lead recruiter. He said he respects Petrino and has heard good things about him from Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, who attended Rockhurst. Petrino was the offensive coordinator at Illinois the past two seasons.
“They had a good relationship while Coach Petrino was at Illinois,” Hannon said. “That’s kind of transferred to me and Coach Petrino. “
Hannon said he and Boyd wouldn’t mind attending the same school.
“We’ve kind of flirted with the idea of possibly committing at the same time,” Hannon said.
Hannon said he plans to announce a decision by midsummer, probably before July.
“First and foremost is tradition,” Hannon said. “Is the program on the rise or not? That’s a big thing for me.”
Boyd, 6-4, 245, 4.5, has 13 scholarship offers, including offers from Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma State and Kansas State.
Boyd’s defensive line coach Limbo Parks, who earned All-Southwest Conference honors as an offensive lineman for Arkansas in the mid-1985, said Boyd has the Hogs as one of his top schools.
“He’s probably the most talented, athletic kid I’ve ever coached,” Parks said. “He’s a man-child. He has yet to even touch the surface of his talent.He hasn’t scratched it.” Boyd’s adoptive parents, Mark and Johnna Handel, have insisted that his choice of school has a good academic support system. Johnna Handel said she is thankful for Park’s interest and desire to see their son succeed.
“If it wasn’t for Lee’s Summit West’s football team instilling discipline and a family environment, Jamone wouldn’t be where he is today,” she said.
PEAVEYS IMPRESSED
Highly regarded quarterback Rafe Peavey of Bolivar, Mo., had a “phenomenal” visit Wednesday at Arkansas, according to his father, Jack.
“Here’s what we know: We don’t think there’s better coaches and better facilities in the whole country,” Jack Peavey said.
Rafe Peavey, 6-2, 197, 4.5, who will be a high school junior this season, received his first scholarship offer from Arkansas and has eight others, including offers from Missouri, Nebraska, UCLA, Boston College, Connecticut and Ole Miss.
“Rafe was impressed with everything, whether it was academics, the football facilities, the coaches,” Jack Peavey said. “Nothing could have gone better.”
Jack Peavey said time spent with Arkansas recruiting coordinator/running backs coach Tim Horton and offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks coach Paul Petrino was a highlight of the trip.
The Peaveys also met with Razorbacks Coach John L. Smith and were impressed with him.
“I trust him,” said Jack Peavey, who was a graduate assistant for the Razorbacks under Jack Crowe. “He has good character. We felt really strongly about how Coach Smith represents the Arkansas program.”
Rafe Peavey plans to attend at least one day of Arkansas’ three-day camp that starts Sunday.
Jack Peavey said Rafe’s college decision should come soon.
CAMP FILLING UP
Arkansas is no longer accepting online registration for the Razorbacks’ three-day senior high football camp that starts Sunday, but it will accept walk-ups at Walker Indoor Pavilion from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
The Hogs are expecting approximately 350 athletes to participate in the camp, including numerous prospects hoping to earn scholarship offers.
More information is available at www.razorbacksfootballcamps.com.
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports, Pages 19 on 06/08/2012