FAYETTEVILLE — Frank Ragnow had some fun with Austin Allen before he announced he was returning to Arkansas for his senior season in an essay Tuesday afternoon.
The junior All-SEC center sent Allen and a few other friends a text message in the morning, hours before the announcement posted on ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
“He was saying, ‘Hey, I wanted you to be the first to know I’m going pro. Just don’t say anything. Love you guys. It’s coming out after practice,’” Allen recalled.
The junior quarterback had to deal with the apparent reality that he was losing his center for a few hours.
“I was pissed. I didn’t talk to him all day. Didn’t say one word to him,” Allen said with a smile Tuesday afternoon. “I was just joking with him. No matter what he did, I would’ve supported him. I’m just glad he’s coming back for another year.”
Ragnow’s announcement that he was returning came out a little before practice began.
“He texted us, ‘Just joking,’ with his letter,” Allen said.
Needless to say, Allen was thrilled Ragnow is coming back to compete with him next year.
“Just having him come back, he’s one if not the best player on our team right now and it’s huge for our offense and the whole team,” Allen said. “(It’s) huge. He’s out there making calls. He can get everyone doing the right thing out there. He can tell the right tackle what to do, the guards, he calls out the Mike. He does a lot of things out there to go along with being the best center in college football in my mind.
“It’s a five-star guy coming back for us and it’s the biggest recruit we can get.”
Other Razorbacks were thrilled with the news that one of the best players on the team would be back to headline an offensive line set to return four starters.
“It’s great that he’s going to be back blocking for us,” freshman running back Devwah Whaley said. “It gives us a chance for us to have another great season next year.”
“That was a big decision,” senior tight end Jeremy Sprinkle said. “I never even really thought about it, but he is really good, so the decision to come back is going to be good for the Razorbacks. I’m happy for him.”
“I’m excited about it, but whatever’s best for Frank,” sophomore left guard Hjalte Froholdt said. “It took some time for him to make this decision to be able to come back. He’s a tremendous leader for this team and the offensive line room, especially with (Dan Skipper graduating), if he were to leave we wouldn’t have that specific leader role.
“He’s someone that I have been leaning on this season, all throughout spring ever since I started playing (offensive line). It’s really good personally, as well, for him to come back, so I’m excited about it.”
Ragnow and Skipper were the elder statesmen on an offensive line that feature Froholdt and four other first-year starters at different points in the season.
“He’s played the position I have,” Froholdt said. “The amount of experience that he has playing on the offensive line, I feel like we think alike a lot. With him and Skip on either side of me, it’s been really good to lean on their experience to help get me forward and excel.
“They’ve both taught me on and off the field how to deal with the specific issues and everything that falls with. You’re not always going to have success, but it’s how you deal with the success that you have and the failures to be able to get back on top.”