Highly touted junior college offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor plans to take an official visit to Arkansas in July.
Eluemunor, of Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pa., has scholarship offers from 19 schools, including Arkansas, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas A&M and Penn State.
He said Arkansas Coach Bret Bielemaand Razorbacks offensive line coach Sam Pittman wanted him to come to a game, but he couldn’t fit it in his schedule.
“They said it will probably be easier if I go in July,” Eluemunor said. “They were trying to figure out a perfect time for me to come down and figured July 19, 20 and 21 would be perfect.”
Eluemunor, 6-5½ , 315 pounds, is expected to graduate in December and previously planned official visits to Ohio State and Texas A&M. He said his conversations with Bielema and Pittman have been a joy.
“I like Coach Pittman and Coach Bielema a lot,” Eluemunor said. “I talk to them a lot and we have a real good relationship and we have fun when we’re talking. We talk about other things, like having fun, over the phone. It’s like they’re not even coaches when we talk.”
Eluemunor and his family moved to the United States in 2008 from London. He said playing in the SEC and competing against the nation’s top talent is a big draw.
“You can play in the ACC or Big Ten or Big East,” he said, “but if you want to go to the best of the best, the SEC is where you want to play.”
Eluemunor, who has a 420-pound bench press and 395-pound squat, said he believes playing in the SEC would help him achieve his goals.
“My goal is to prove I’m one of the best in the country and actually be the best in the county,” Eluemunor said. “I’m going to work hard to do that, but you have to go against the best players, and the best players are in the SEC.”
UA MAKES IMPRESSION
Arkansas made the first round of cuts for one of the nation’s top running back prospects, Joe Mixon of Oakley (Calif.) Freedom, who has more than 40 scholarship offers.
Mixon, 6-2, 210, 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, narrowed his list to 16 schools and cited several factors for the Hogs making the cut. Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema’s history of producing outstanding running backs,UA running backs coach Joel Thomas and the Razorbacks fans helped convince him to keep Arkansas on his list.
“Coach Thomas is always keeping track on how I’ve been,” Mixon said. “We’ve been keeping a good relationship with each other. He’s always straight up with everything. He’s a great guy. He’s a great recruiter, and I like talking to him. He talks to me like I’m a player. He basically said when I get there they have a lot to offer and they’re going to run the football.”
Mixon rushed 201 times for 1,443 yards and 20 touchdowns and caught 18 passesfor 383 yards and 6 touchdowns as a junior.
He said he’s also been impressed with the intensity of Arkansas fans on social media.
“Their fan base is crazy,” Mixon said. “They have an amazing fan base. I think they’re the best fans as far as how many fans are on Twitter all the time. They have the most.”
Mixon said he receives at least one handwritten letter a day from Arkansas’ coaches.
“All of the coaches have been getting involved, and I’ve been loving everything they’ve been doing,” he said.
CAMPS INFORMATION
Arkansas has set the dates for the first summer football camps to be held under Coach Bret Bielema and his staff.
The youth camp will kick things off June 8 and will feature children entering grades 1-4. Registration is $50.
The senior high camp forathletes entering grades 9-12 is June 9-11. Registration is $315 for overnight campers and $265 for commuter campers. Arkansas has extended numerous scholarship offers through the years to prospects who performed well during this camp.
The junior high camp is June 13-14 for athletes entering grades 5-8. Registration is $225 for overnight campers and $175 for commuters.
A specialist camp for kickers, punters and long snappers entering grades 6-12 is scheduled for June 15. Registration is $85.
More information on Arkansas’ football camps is available at www.razorbacksfootballcamps.com.
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports, Pages 30 on 03/17/2013