FAYETTEVILLE — Michael Smith should be in a chipper mood when Arkansas' team plane lands in Baton Rouge on Friday, a day before the road matchup with LSU.
The Razorback receivers coach is a New Orleans native and his parents now live in Mandeville, about an hour east of Baton Rouge. The trip to play the Tigers means some home cooking could be in store for Smith.
"I'm hoping my mom does (cook)," Smith said with a smile. "Nah, I'm sure she will. They always send me back home with a little goodie bag, so I'm looking forward to getting that also."
Smith's parents are far from the only ties he has in his home state. In fact, his ability to recruit Louisiana has been a boon for the Razorbacks the last few years.
He's been able to parlay his connections within the state into identifying talent and persuading Pelican State recruits to head north to Fayetteville. There are 14 Razorbacks on the roster from Louisiana, including eight players who've started a game at some point this year: quarterback Cole Kelley, receiver Jared Cornelius, inside linebacker Scoota Harris, outside linebacker Dwayne Eugene Jr., fullback Kendrick Jackson, safety Santos Ramirez, cornerback Henre' Toliver and receiver/kick returner De'Vion Warren.
Saturday's matchup will no doubt take on greater meaning for those players. It will for Smith.
"It's a state school that I grew up watching, being a fan of from afar," said Smith, who played receiver at Kansas State in college. "We're competing against them, but I've got a lot of friends that attended LSU, played at LSU, a lot of coaches on the staff that I'm really good friends with.
"But for 60 minutes on Saturday, just like they're trying to do to me, I'm trying to do to them.