Like It Is

Boyd follows college football trend

Arkansas running back Rakeem Boyd sprints upfield against Texas A&M on Oct. 31, 2020 in College Station, Texas.

Just glad it was not my decision to make.

With two games left, University of Arkansas No. 5 Rakeem Boyd opted out of the season to prepare for the NFL.

This type of thinking started a couple of years ago when top-shelf players passed on bowl games to prepare for the NFL.

It has escalated now.

Some really good players opted out earlier this season because of covid-19, which was understood, and it may be part of Boyd’s consideration. He might still have a lingering physical issue.

All we know for sure is a captain is leaving the ship short on running backs with Missouri and Alabama coming up.

By all accounts Boyd seems like a great young man. He’s also a talented player, but one who was hampered by injuries most of this season. He seemed to be getting better in his last three games when 221 of of his 309 rushing yards came against Texas A&M, Tennessee and Florida.

Since yours truly was never a college football player, let alone an NFL prospect, it is hard to say what my decision might be in the same situation.

One thing is for certain: Boyd will be missed physically as a player and emotionally as a captain.


On the subject of No. 5, isn’t it past time for the UA to find a way to honor Darren McFadden by either retiring No. 5 or at least retiring his jersey with the No. 5 on it.

The latter way is what Kentucky basketball does so that it can still use the number and honor the athlete by having the jersey hung in the basketball arena.

McFadden was a two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up. He should have won it at least once, if not twice.

In his three seasons at Arkansas, he rushed for 4,590 yards and 41 touchdowns. That’s more than entire schools over the same time period.

McFadden also played quarterback out of the Wildcat formation, completing 14 of 22 passes for 205 yards and 7 touchdowns. He also caught 46 passes for 365 yards and 2 more touchdowns.

That’s a total of 5,160 yards, or just shy of 3 miles.

Granted, the UA retiring a number has been rare.

First there was Clyde Scott, whose No. 12 was retired. It was brought out of retirement for kicker Steve Little, then went back into retirement.

Sidney Moncrief’s No. 4 basketball number was retired, and so was Brandon Burlsworth’s No. 77 football number.

That’s the sum total for all the decades the Razorbacks have had great athletes.

If nothing else, retire McFadden’s jersey and display it beside Scott’s and Burlsworth’s in Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Don’t do it until after covid-19 is gone so the thousands upon thousands can be there to see McFadden honored.


A lot has been said and written about SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey getting the league through this football season with manageable virus interference. More interruptions probably were expected.

But what about Lance Taylor, the executive director of the Arkansas Activities Association?

Nearly 200 football teams started this season that is winding down, with the first two state champions set to be crowned at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Saturday. The grand finale is scheduled for Dec. 19.

When the playoffs began and a few teams were affected by the virus, the whole schedule was not reshuffled to accommodate them.

Taylor and his staff went by the rules, and the affected teams were politely told they had to forfeit.

It has been a hard season for the AAA, but Taylor has led his organization through it all.