Springdale defensive lineman Isaiah Nichols, an Arkansas commitment, has played only 16 football games in his life. The 16th against Conway on Friday was a memorable one, though.
"It was probably the single best, most dominate performance that I've ever seen," Springdale Coach Zak Clark said. "Isaiah absolutely dominated the game."
Nichols, 6-3, 265 pounds, recorded 7 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks and 7 quarterback hurries in the Bulldogs' 19-17 victory over Conway.
"The thing that makes him special is ... there are a lot of talented players out there, but he goes so hard," Clark said. "He plays so hard every single snap. That's so rare."
The future Hog didn't play football until he and his family moved to Northwest Arkansas from Little Rock in January 2015. He missed most of his sophomore season with a broken forearm.
Nichols had 54 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and blocked a field goal as a junior. An early commitment to a major college can cause some prospects to coast, but not Nichols.
"He has a future in the SEC, and he's still out here and goes hard," Clark said. "He goes hard in practice. I have to hold him back some in practice. He's an absolute pleasure to coach."
Conway Coach Clint Ashcraft had high praise for Nichols.
"He's one of the best defensive linemen we've seen in a long time," Ashcraft said. "He commands a double team from offensive linemen all the time. Very athletic for a big man."
Nichols earned a scholarship offer from the Razorbacks after taking part in the Trench Hog lineman camp and pledged to the Hogs a few days later. He had more than 12 scholarship offers from schools such as Missouri, North Carolina State, Indiana, Kansas, Memphis, Tulsa and others.
Springdale defensive coordinator Brett Hobbs, who started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Arkansas Tech University in 2005, compiles production charts after each game, and Nichols shattered the previous best of 52 points with an 81 for the Conway game.
"No one has scored over 52 points in a game," Clark said. "There's like 5 points for a sack, 3 for a quarterback hurry or pressure, and he threw an 81 up there. That's insane. That's never happened in coach Hobbs' career. That's just phenomenal."
Nichols is on course to graduate in December and enroll at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville in January.
"He gets better every time he takes the field," Clark said.
Clark use to believe former Fayetteville and current Missouri freshman defensive lineman Akial Byers was the best he's seen, but he's changed his mind.
"He [Nichols] may very well be the best one I've seen in this state," Clark said.
Two visitors
The Arkansas Razorbacks football and basketball programs will host an official visitor each this upcoming weekend.
Coach Bret Bielema and staff will entertain linebacker commitment Bumper Pool.
Pool, 6-2, 216, 4.79 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Lucas (Texas) Lovejoy will play Thursday night against Frisco Wakeland. He and his family plan to arrive in Fayetteville on Friday. He plans to enroll early in January and take part in spring practice.
Shooting guard Keonte Kennedy, 6-4, 170 pounds, of Austin (Texas) Westlake will be accompanied by his parents for his visit to Fayetteville.
He has more than 20 scholarship offers from schools such as Arkansas, Michigan, Memphis, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Nebraska and others.
Kennedy plans to take all five official visits. He's scheduled to visit Memphis on Sept. 15 and Michigan on Oct. 6. He is undecided on the other two visits.
Email Richard Davenport at davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 09/05/2017