FAYETTEVILLE — One of the benefits of breaking losing streaks like Arkansas did on Saturday is an ability to be more positive about the program with recruits.
It’s easier to talk about present success than potential victories and Razorback head coach Sam Pittman and his staff did Sunday.
“We took a little bit of extra time yesterday to get a hold of our recruits,” Pittman said. “Obviously we wanted to talk to them after Saturday.”
What happened Saturday was Arkansas ended a 20-game SEC losing streak and a 10-game overall streak with a 21-14 win at No. 16 Mississippi State.
The win resonated with Razorback quarterback pledge Lucas Coley of San Antonio, Texas, Christian Cornerstone Christian, one of 19 commits in a Razorback 2021 class that is ranked No. 25 nationally by ESPN.
“I’m just glad to see Coach Pittman and the players get what they came to the University of Arkansas for,” Coley said. “This is the beginning of something special. We are about to flip the SEC upside down.”
Pittman enjoyed the reaction from parents that were on hand for the game in Starkville, Miss.
“You find the parents were as pumped up as the kids,” Pittman said. “I have gotten different videos from the parents, whooping and a hollering at the game and all that kind of stuff. It was a lot of fun.”
Pittman, who has four in-state pledges in his 2021 class and two commitments for 2022, knows the importance of landing the best recruits in Arkansas.
“A lot of times kids in the state are looking for a reason to go to Arkansas and hopefully we can give them enough reasons to come here,” Pittman said.
“…We certainly haven’t had anyone jump in on us in the last day or two, but hopefully they will.”
Pittman noted last week that he would likely leave a few spots open in the 2021 class for transfers. He knows the SEC is considering a one-time transfer rule that would not force athletes to have to sit out a season.
“I think you're gonna save some scholarships for grad transfers as well as the one-transfer rule if that passes,” Pittman said. “So I think you're gonna need to have a couple in your pocket.”
The current make of the Arkansas class has two quarterbacks, two running backs, three offensive linemen, four wide receivers and a tight end on offense.
Defensively the Razorbacks have six pledges from three defensive backs, two linebackers and a defensive tackle.
Kicker Cameron Little, regarded as one of the nation’s best, and Oklahoma wide receiver transfer and redshirting Jaqualyn Crawford (5-10, 172) make it 20 spots taken up of the 25 the SEC allows yearly.
Pittman sees a few specific areas of need left for the 2021 class.
“We are certainly looking for defensive linemen,” Pittman said. “We would have a spot obviously for a safety. But most of our concerns in recruiting right now are on the defensive side of the ball. Obviously we could take another offensive lineman.”