Arkansas is expected to host five official visitors this weekend, and one, highly touted defensive lineman Craig Evans of Sun Prairie, Wis., doesn’t need an introduction to Coach Bret Bielema and defensive line coach Charlie Partridge.
Evans, 6-3, 300 pounds, 5.0 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has known Bielema and Partridge since his freshman year and orally committed to Wisconsin in September 2012 so he could play for them. He reopened his recruiting after the two coaches left for Fayetteville, but in April he gave the new Badgers staff another oral commitment.
“I’m just excited to finally get down to Fayetteville,” Evans said Thursday. “I’m really ready to experience the place, experience the atmosphere, experience the game-day atmosphere.”
Evans said he is looking forward to meeting other members of the Arkansas coaching staff but is more focused on getting a feel for Arkansas.
“Can I get that spark?” said Evans, who is rated as the No. 56 overall prospect by national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network. “Can I get that feel when I go down there, if like, this is the place for me?”
If he feels at home, Evans said he might declare himself a Razorback.
“Most definitely,” he said.
Evans said being recruited by Partridge is a huge plus. Evans said Partridge’s no-nonsense approach won him over the first time they met.
“He didn’t hide anything from me,” Evans said. “I’m kind of one of those kids I can sort out when a coach is just talking to me and I can sort out when a coach actually means it. He wasn’t smiling when we met. He was all about business.”
Evans is originally from Jackson, Miss., and isn’t a big fan of the brutal Wisconsin winters. He said his family would like to see him come south and attend school in Fayetteville, but they aren’t pressuring him.
Others making official visits this weekend are safety Shawn Boone and receiver Johnnie Dixon of Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) Dwyer; Arkansas commitment Khalia Hackett , a linebacker from Douglasville (Ga.) South Paulding; and athlete Tyreek Hill of Garden City Community College in Kansas.
PANCAKE MAN
Virginia offensive lineman Austin Clark said he has been interested in Arkansas for some time and wants to find out more about the Hogs.
“They were one of the schools I really wanted to hear from,” Clark said.
Clark, 6-6, 280, 5.1 seconds on the 40-yard dash, of Lexington, Va. Rockbridge, has seven scholarship offers, with Virginia, Virginia Tech, Tennessee and Penn State the most notable. Coach Bret Bielema’s ability to mentor offensive linemen is a plus for the Hogs.
“Oh definitely, his reputation means a lot in ways of going to Arkansas,” Clark said.
The Razorbacks are getting some help from a fellow Virginia product, junior offensive lineman/defensive lineman Chance Hall of Roanoke Northside High school. Hall participated in the Hogs’ Elite Prospect Camp in July.
“He really liked the coaching and the coaching staff,” Clark said. “He said he liked the way they taught and they showed him what to do. He told me all about the facilities and I thought it sounded really cool.”
Clark said he prefers run blocking to pass blocking and isn’t satisfied until he dominates his opponent.
“That’s just because I get to finish my block,” he said. “I can run the guy 10 yards down the field and flat out pancake them. I like to pancake my defensive linemen.”FAST START
It’s not unusual for a running back to rush for more than 100 yards in a game, but sophomore Denzel Mitchell of Jonesboro did it in four carries last week when he ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns.
Mitchell, 6-0, 198, 4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash, had touchdown runs of 59 and 52 yards and other runs of 29 and 3 in Jonesboro’s 56-15 victory over Greene County Tech.
“It’s really a dream scenario on how to start your high school career,” Jonesboro Coach Randy Coleman said.
Mitchell rushed for more than 900 yards and had 83 tackles last season at MacArthur Junior High and moved up to varsity at end of the season. He turned heads when he ran his 4.
41-second40 at Arkansas’ Elite Prospect camp in July.
He received scholarship offers from Ole Miss and Arkansas State before the start of the season
“I think Denzel could be one of the great players I’ve ever been around,” Coleman said. “I always ask him if he wants to be good or great and his response is great so with that answer we understand the responsibility that goes along with it.”
Coleman said Mitchell has the frame, size and the skills along with the intangibles to be a special talent.
“I think he could be a NFLtype player,” Coleman said. “I know that’s a big statement, but I think one thing people do too often is set goals too low and hit them rather than set them too high and miss.”
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports, Pages 20 on 09/13/2013