Highly recruited Ohio junior offensive lineman Blaine Scott was so impressed with his June visit to Arkansas, he's planning a return trip.
Scott, 6-4, 300 pounds, plays for Sciotoville East High School in Portsmouth and has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Iowa State, Florida, Louisville, Miami, Michigan State and others.
Scott was making plans to visit his great-grandmother, who lives in Stilwell, Okla., and two cousins in Fayetteville, when he contacted Coach Bret Bielema and offensive line coach Kurt Anderson about stopping by for a visit.
"It was a heck of a time," Scott said. "I took my grandma, a couple of cousins, my grandfather. It blew them away and blew me away. The facilities are brand new, top-notch. All the people we met from Coach Bielema to Coach Anderson was amazing ... the training staff. It was definitely mind blowing."
Scott found Anderson to be very passionate and intense while also sharing love for basketball that Scott also enjoys.
"He loves the game," he said. "That's 100 percent what I got from him. We both grew up similar. I loved basketball growing up and so did he. I thought basketball was going to be my calling in college and he really liked basketball too. We both ended up in football, which worked out for the best for both of us. He and I really connected."
He was able to pick up some tips from Bielema when the two watched his game film.
"He critiqued me, which I loved because you normally don't get that from coaches," Scott said. "They kind of like to kiss your butt, but he really taught me some stuff and how to work on form, technique, which I thought was neat."
James Baker, one of two cousins living in Fayetteville, is a big Razorbacks fan. He showed off his leather Razorbacks boots to the coaching staff.
"He cried when he met Coach Bielema," Scott said.
Scott takes the classroom as serious as football and has a 4.0 grade-point average to prove it.
"We did some academic meetings while we were there," he said. "Most people don't enjoy that, but I actually do find some good in it because I definitely want to get a degree that I love. I think I want to go into engineering, I don't know what kind yet, but I'm looking into different kinds."
Another trip to Arkansas is likely, said Scott.
"It's obviously a long trip for me being from Ohio, but since I have family down there it makes it easier ," Scott said. "We were looking at possibly catching a game when they play LSU this fall, if that works out. If not, I would eventually like to make my way down."
Visit possible
Arkansas extended a scholarship offer on Aug. 7 to defensive end Bryan Jones, an Ole Miss commitment, and could get an official visit from him.
"To receive an offer from Arkansas means a lot because I know that I'm blessed enough to play in the SEC, and when you put in work you get a positive outcome like being recognized," Jones said.
Jones, 6-5, 248, of Baton Rouge Madison Prep Academy, has approximately 20 other scholarship offers, including Texas A&M, Tennessee, Arizona State, Nebraska, Mississippi State, Miami, and Texas.
He and teammate Troy James, a defensive lineman, visited the Hogs in June and both liked what they saw.
"I love the campus and I will love to take another visit to Arkansas, but I have to talk it over with my family," Jones said. "The academic center and weight room impressed me the most."
Jones recorded 65 tackles, 15 sacks, 17 tackles for loss and 7 forced fumbles with 2 being returned for touchdowns. National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network rates Jones a 4-star plus prospect.
"Bryan is disruptive, quick as a cat and is always very active," Lemming said. "He shows amazing quickness and speed to the ball. He always gives great effort even when being doubled teamed."
Receivers coach Michael Smith recruits his native state of Louisiana and has secured three commitments from the state for the 2017 class and 12 since 2014.
Jones said Smith been recruiting him hard as well as texting and checking on him often.
Email Richard Davenport at
rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 08/14/2016