THE RECRUITING GUY

Yes sir, Florida lineman is interested in Arkansas

Arkansas associate head coach Sam Pittman talks to reporters during media day Sunday at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

Highly recruited offensive lineman Josh Allen, a North Carolina commitment, is planning to make an official visit to Arkansas.

“It will probably be during the season, but if not it willbe after the season,” Allen said.

Allen, 6-3, 305 pounds, 5.1 seconds in the 40-yard dash, plays for Jacksonville (Fla.) University Christian School and has scholarship offers from 23 schools, including Arkansas, North Carolina, Florida State, Georgia and Nebraska. He said Coach Bret Bielema and offensive line coach Sam Pittman like his ability.

“They’ve been showing love,” Allen said. “They’ve been after me for a while. The coaches really like me.”

Allen said he admires Pittman as a coach and as a person.

“He’s a real good guy,down-to-earth,” said Allen, who also is being recruited by offensive line graduate assistant Eric Mateos and defensive line graduate assistant Terrance Butler. “I believe he’s a good coach, too, from what I’ve heard and from what other people have told me.

“He can help me get to the next level and make a man out of you.”

His numbers in the weight room - a 415-pound bench press and a 595-pound squat - are way above average for a high school athlete. He also excels in the classroom with a 3.1 grade-point average and is looking to major in nursing while also planning to minor in business.

Allen is an engaging youngman and is often called a gentle giant.

“That’s what I get called a lot,” said Allen, who is active in his church and often volunteers in his community. “My mom and my dad, they raised me to be a good kid because they’re old school, yes ma’am and no sir, open doors for everybody.” SOCIAL SKILLS

Social media has become a recruiting and marketing tool for colleges across the nation, and Arkansas appears to be one of the more aggressive schools when it comes to using Twitter and Facebook to reach out to prospects.

Recruiting coordinator Chris Hauser said Twitter is the language kids speak.

“It’s the tool we use to let prospects see the personality of our coaching staff,” Hauser said. “It allows recruits to see inside our program and what to expect should they join our football family.”

Twitter and Facebook are a good way for prospects to learn the backgrounds of theRazorbacks coaching staff, Hauser said.

“Their track records are very easy to market,” said Hauser, who held the same job at Wisconsin in 2012 underCoach Bret Bielema. “We would be stupid if we didn’t make sure every recruit knows that Drew Brees was coached by Jim Chaney and J.J. Watt was coached by Charlie Partridge and Randy Shannon coached Ray Lewis.”

While the Razorbacks use social media to market the program, they also monitor the forums to see how recruits conduct themselves.

“We use social media to learn recruits’ personalities and see if they will fit the profile of what we want to help us win championships,” Hauser said. “We aren’t going to ever sway away from taking a less talented guy with character over a more talented guy that has character issues. “

Hauser said he utilizes his staff and younger players to brainstorm in an effort to figure out what attracts 17- and 18-year-old athletes to Arkansas.

“I pick some of the younger guys’ minds and get feedback on what they’re impressed by,” he said. “What they think is really cool and what they think really didn’t make a difference in them being recruited.”

Arkansas uses Twitter and Facebook to reach out to junior prospects, who can be contacted by private message in September of their junioryear. Once the prospect is a senior, he can receive a phone call from a college coach once a week starting Sept. 1.

“If you don’t communicate and try and get a relationship with the kids, then you really don’t have a chance by the time you’re allowed to make phone calls,” Hauser said.

E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports, Pages 26 on 08/18/2013