SEC Indoor Track and Field

Hogs aiming to add to indoor title trove

Arkansas' Obi Igbokwe competes in the 4x400-meter relay Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, during the Tyson Invitational in the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Razorbacks won 15 of 17 SEC indoor track and field titles with John McDonnell as their coach after moving from the Southwest Conference.

The championships have continued under Coach Chris Bucknam, who replaced McDonnell in 2008, with the Razorbacks winning 7 of 9 SEC indoor titles.

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Bucknam said winning a 23rd SEC indoor championship -- and third in a row -- won't be easy for the Razorbacks this weekend at College Station, Texas.

The University of Arkansas is ranked No. 3 nationally, but seven other SEC teams are ranked as well: No. 2 Florida, No. 5 Georgia, No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 8 Alabama, No. 11 Kentucky, No. 23 South Carolina and No. 25 Auburn.

"I guess it means we've got a pretty good team," Bucknam said of the Razorbacks being ranked No. 3. "But I also know that Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Texas A&M are all really good. You can't go by a poll."

Bucknam also said he expects Florida, Texas A&M and Alabama, along with Arkansas, to be the top contenders for the team title because of their quality depth.

"When we look at the scores and try to project an outcome, it's four teams within 10 points," Bucknam said. "So it's a very, very balanced league. We're have to be dialed if we're going to win the thing.

"I'm not going to make any predictions. I just know we're in the mix."

Arkansas has the SEC limit of 27 athletes competing today and Saturday in the meet's 17 events.

"We need all of them to score in either a relay or an open event," Bucknam said. "In a meet like this, first and seconds are huge. Then towards the end, sevenths and eights are big, too."

Arkansas will be led by:

• Kenzo Cotton (60 and 200 meters) and Obi Igbokwe (400, 1,600 relay) in the sprints.

• Jack Bruce (3,000, distance medley relay), Cameron Griffith (3,000) and Alex George (5,000) in the distance races.

• Jah-Nhai Perinchief (high jump and triple triple) and Laquan Narin (long jump) in the field events.

"We need to get those chunk points in some events," Bucknam said. "You're not going to win this meet nickel and diming these teams.

"You've got to have some star power to win a meet like this. It's going to take some great efforts."

The SEC Network will televise the meet live from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.

"I think it's really a step forward to get it on TV live and not a tape delay," Bucknam said. "So we're appreciative of the SEC for working to get this done."

Sports on 02/24/2018