Tight end Hale Hentges visited Arkansas on Saturday for its game against Southern Mississippi, and it didn’t take long for Coach Bret Bielema to make an impression.
“It started off with a high note, after we finished up with our breakfast ,” said Hentges, who plays for Jefferson City (Mo.) Helias. “Coach Bielema took time out of his busy game-day schedule. A lot of coaches couldn’t do thatand sit down and talk to me for about 10 or 15 minutes, which was really flattering.”
Hentges, 6-4, 225 pounds, 4.83 seconds in the 40-yarddash, is the top junior prospect in Missouri, according to CBS Sports Network national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming, and already has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska, Indiana and Tennessee.
He also is no stranger to Bielema. Hentges visited Wisconsin twice when Bielema was coaching in Madison, and he made a trip to Fayetteville in the spring.
“What they do with their tight ends is really impressive,” Hentges said. “Obviously I saw that at Wisconsin,but to carry that down here to the SEC is really something I look forward to and gives me hope”
Hentges was named allstate at tight end and defensive end as a sophomore, when he had 43 receptions for 427 yards and 7 touchdowns and compiled 63 tackles, 7 sacks, 6 tackles for loss and 5 pass deflections on defense.
Hentges and his father, Chris, visited Arkansas in March while the new football complex was still under construction. The tight end said he was impressed with the facility after seeing it Saturday, particularly the locker room.
“That was a big highlight,” Hentges said. “The weight room, I had already seen that. I always love looking at the weight room. I think it’s one of the best ones. But definitely the locker room and the players lounge was just amazing.”
OHIO CONNECTIONS Defensive lineman EddieZinn-Turner is a promising junior prospect in Ohio who is looking to visit Arkansas after his season.
Zinn-Turner, 6-2, 280 pounds, 5.15 seconds in the 40-yard dash, plays for Malvern High School and said he has been in contact with Arkansas defensive graduate assistant Nick Caley, a native of Canton.
“He said I’m definitely one of the top [defensive tackles]on the board and he would like to get me down there for a game and a visit,” Zinn-Turner said.
Zinn-Turner also is receiving interest from Michigan, Cincinnati, Indiana, Ball State, Kent State and Akron among others. He recorded 43 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 8 sacks and 7 pass deflections as a sophomore.
“I know it’s a pretty prime SEC school and there’s a good culture down there in Arkansas,” Zinn-Turner said. “A lot of people love it.”
Caley and Zinn-Turner’s coach, Todd Shadle, have known each other since high school.
“He’s a pretty good guy,” Zinn-Turner said of Caley. “He’s from Ohio, so he knows my coach. He and my coach played together in an all-star game back when they played in high school.”
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports, Pages 24 on 09/20/2013