FAYETTEVILLE — While the coronavirus pandemic has kept the Arkansas football program from bringing prospects on campus and Razorbacks coaches from seeing them in spring practice, it has not slowed down other aspects of recruiting.
That’s the summation of Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom and offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, who conducted a teleconference with the media on Friday.
Arkansas has landed three 2021 prospects so far in Wynne offensive linemen Terry Wells (6-4, 280), former Forrest City and current Jonesboro linebacker Marco Avant (6-3, 212) and Little Rock Parkview quarterback Landon Rogers (6-5, 220), who was offered and committed to the Razorbacks on Thursday.
“Really, the ability to continue to work, other than not being able to leave campus, it hasn’t changed,” Odom said. “Every day we have got a certain number of guys that we are getting to from an evaluation standpoint.
“Yes, you sure wish you could see them in person, but you are getting all the information that you can. You also understand the high school coaches are going through the same things we are, so the access to get ahold of them has been good. We have talked to and connected with more guys in that regard than maybe we would have if we were out on the road because of the ability to connect with them on the phone.”
Odom, the head coach at Missouri through last season, admits he would love to be out on the road, but he is happy Arkansas had a pair of junior days on campus before things went awry.
“Now, I wouldn’t trade that with having the opportunity to see it with your own eyes, but at the end of the day, recruiting is developing relationships and that takes time,” Odom said. “Over time and developing that relationship, the word trust comes about. Guys understand that if we get their kids in our program and our organization, they are going to be their best, they are going to graduate college, they are going to have great success at the University of Arkansas.
“So those are things that we are talking about. We will be anxious to get another group of guys (prospects) once we get to camp when things open back up on campus, to be able to see the facilities. We have been able to show those things virtually, but there is also not much quite like being there in person.”
Odom credited Arkansas coach Sam Pittman for his leadership during this time.
“We have adjusted like you would expect us to and, again, it is led by Sam and the emphasis that he has put on recruiting just on the evaluation of prospects, the communication with high school coaches, the communication with high school prospects and their families,” Odom said. “We have done a really good job as a staff, but we have to keep pushing because before we know it, we will be back up I hope and have a chance to get the kids back to campus.”
Briles, who came to Arkansas from Florida State, concurred with Odom’s sentiments and also gave credit to Arkansas' recruiting and support staff.
“It hasn’t changed a ton,” Briles said. “Obviously Coach Pittman, it has been his leadership, but also I think our recruiting department has really stepped up and those people are working harder than they ever have because recruiting, while it is not all you can do because you are still having meetings and things you can get done, but recruiting has been ramped up, and I think our recruiting department has done a tremendous job in getting guys in front of coaches to be evaluated with high school coaches sending out numbers to talk to different guys that they might have. Those guys have done a tremendous job.”
Briles thinks the group of prospects that are likely to be hurt from this spring are ones that are bubble Division I guys or those that are relatively unknown.
“I think one of the things that has changed this spring, and I want to say that it is unfortunate for some, but it does change the game for some of the people that are on the bubble,” Briles said. “You really like their tape and you think they have a great chance to play in the SEC West and you want to evaluate them.
“Not being able to go evaluate them in the spring to see, 'Is that guy 6-2? Does he have broad shoulders?' To see all those things and talk to various people within the high school on a daily basis, it makes it a little bit more difficult for coaches across America that are trying to evaluate kids and tough on some kids that are on the bubble and need to go to camps. You need to have that spring ball to be able to show themselves to different coaches on all levels.”
Briles does believe that things can still work out for those prospects.
“It is going to push recruiting back for some, but I think at the end of the day it is all going to work out because the tape doesn’t lie, and if you are a good player you are going to be found because there is just no way to hide anymore. But it does slow it down for some kids this spring.”