Highly touted running back Travis Etienne hasn't visited Arkansas yet, but that hasn't stopped him from listing the Hogs as one of his top schools.
Hogs ’17 commit reopens recruiting
Offensive lineman Dwayne Fisher, who committed to Arkansas on April 7, announced Saturday that he’s no longer pledged to the Hogs on Twitter and plans to visit other schools.
Fisher, 6-5, 305 Marrero (La.) Ehret chose the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from Mississippi State, Colorado, Arkansas State, Louisiana-Monroe and others. He said the Hogs remain in his top 10 and are still under consideration.
Arkansas now has eight oral commitments for the 2017 class. Oral commitments are nonbinding.
Etienne, 5-11, 199 pounds of Jennings, La., narrowed his list of 24 scholarship offers earlier in the week to Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma State, Tennessee and Mississippi State.
"Arkansas is definitely in my top five," Etienne said. "I feel like I could be a really good player for them and I could get a great education there."
He's being recruited by receivers coach Michael Smith and running backs coach Reggie Mitchell. He cites his relationships with the two coaches as one of the reasons for being high on the Razorbacks.
"I have a great vibe with them, they're just genuinely good people," Etienne said. "It's something that just feels right."
He had an outstanding junior season with 2,918 rushing yards and 47 touchdowns. The Hogs' ground game is a strong lure for the Razorbacks.
"That's what draws me the most to them and they always have a good offensive line," Etienne said.
At the Opening Region in New Orleans, Etienne was timed in 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash, 4.33 seconds in the pro-agility and a 37.3 inch vertical jump.
His speed, acceleration, ability to plant and his refusal to go down easily put him among the nation's top running backs.
"I just try to run with a chip on my shoulder and give 100 percent every play," Etienne said.
He averaged 24 points a game for the basketball team and has recorded times of 10.51 (handheld) and 10.71 (electronic) in the 100 meters.
Etienne, who has a 275 pound bench press, 455 squat and 300 power clean, said he is hoping to visit the Hogs in the near future, adding he would like to attend camp there this summer.
When visiting Arkansas, he would like to explore the environment, how the coaches treat the players and how the players treat one another.
Etienne excels in the classroom with a 3.3 grade-point average. His parents would not have it any other way.
"They always make sure I say 'Yes sir' and 'No sir' and they make sure I understand I'm a student-athlete and so it's grades first," said Etienne, who's looking to become a physical therapist.
Glasper to walk on
Forrest City basketball player RJ Glasper turned down several scholarship offers and last week said he would walk on to Arkansas.
Glasper, 5-11, 175, picked the Hogs over scholarship offers from NCAA Division II schools such as Arkansas Tech, Southern Arkansas, Arkansas-Fort Smith and others.
He averaged 28.5 points and 5.5 rebounds while leading the Mustangs to the Class 5A state title and being named the MVP of the tournament. Glasper was named the Player of the Year by the Arkansas Basketball Coaches Association and second team Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas.
"The thing about him No. 1 is you're getting a winner," Forrest City Coach Dwight Lofton said. "This guy has won two state championships since he's been here."
Glasper, a guard, is a combination of Anton Beard and Dusty Hannahs, Lofton said.
"He's got the range of Dusty and he can get to the rim like Beard can," Lofton said. "In the state finals he didn't crank up his outside stuff until the fourth quarter. He was steady getting to the rim. It's going to be totally different in the SEC because you have 6-8 and 6-9 waiting for you at the rim. It's whole different world."
Lofton said he admires Glasper for chasing his dream and thinks he has what it takes to succeed as a walk-on and eventually earn a scholarship.
"He's the type of kid that will make the adjustment," Lofton said. "He's the type of kid that understands what a walk-on is. You have to be humble and you have to be hungry."
Email Richard Davenport atrdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 05/15/2016