FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas cornerback Ryan Pulley wrote on his Facebook page Friday that he has suffered a season-ending injury.
Pulley, a junior, left in the second quarter of the Razorbacks' game against Florida A&M on Thursday and spent the second half with his arm in a sling. His injury was described as a strained pectoral muscle and Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said after the game that Pulley would be further evaluated after the team returned home from Little Rock.
Bielema has not commented since his postgame news conference Thursday.
"I'm going to stay prayed up through this process and bounce back better than ever and stronger than ever," Pulley wrote on a Facebook post he addressed to family, friends and fans.
Losing Pulley would be a significant blow to Arkansas' defense. He ranked second in the SEC last season with 13 pass breakups and intercepted two passes, one of which he returned for a touchdown.
Head coaches voted him to their preseason All-SEC team last month.
"He's a playmaker on this defense, so we've got to pick it up," cornerback Henre' Toliver said following Thursday's win.
True freshman Kamren Curl was listed as Pulley's backup on the Razorbacks' depth chart for the Florida A&M game and finished with three tackles and a pass breakup.
"The best corner in college football not gonna be on the field this year but he gonna be in my ear every play," Curl wrote on Twitter.
But Curl isn't the only option at the cornerback position opposite of Toliver. Nickel back Kevin Richardson and cornerbacks Britto Tutt and Chevin Calloways also are candidates to play at the position.
Richardson, who suffered a season-ending pectoral muscle in Arkansas' season-opening win over Louisiana Tech last year, was called the "Swiss Army knife of our defense" by Bielema.
"He's played corner and can do some good things," Bielema said Thursday.
If Richardson were to start in place of Pulley, it would create a domino effect in the Razorbacks' secondary against spread offenses, such as TCU next Saturday. Josh Liddell, the team's starting free safety, is listed as the backup nickel back and De'Andre Coley is listed as the No. 2 at both safety positions.