FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas four-star tight end commit Erin Outley (6-4, 256) of Little Rock Parkview won’t be back in action until at least the state playoffs.
Outley injured his meniscus in the second game of the season and a decision to give him a lengthy amount of time to heal was made to act out of an abundance of caution, per Patriots head coach Brad Bolding.
“We don’t want to overdo it or push it," Bolding said. "We want to make sure he is completely healed and don’t want to re-injure anything. We are shooting for the playoffs and hoping we will have him then.
“He has a doctor there in Fayetteville and will likely go back up there a couple of times before he is released.”
Outley, who had 48 catches for 728 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior, agrees not rushing back is the best course of action.
“I’m just taking everything one day at a time,” Outley said. “I want to be 100 percent if I come back, but only time will tell.”
Outley, who hauled in two passes for 94 yards and a score in his limited action this season, did not believe he was injured badly when it first happened.
“I thought it wasn’t nothing major, just a little bulk in my knee, but it was worse,” Outley said. “I was sad to hear the news, but I know I can overcome it.”
Outley committed July 17 to Arkansas over offers from LSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Oregon, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Florida State, Ole Miss, Missouri and other programs.
He was thrilled to see the Razorbacks’ 21-14 win at No. 16 Mississippi State on Saturday, which ended a 20-game SEC losing streak.
“I texted Coach (Sam) Pittman to congratulate him on the win,” Outley said. “It’s a spark to turning the program around and I’m very excited for that and ready to join the program.”
Little Rock Parkview (3-0) has been off the last two weeks because of covid-19 issues, but is scheduled to return to action Friday against Benton.
“It's been tough,” Bolding said. “We have been able to watch a whole lot of film and get some things done around the facility as a coaching staff as we continued to work. But not being able to be with the players is always challenging.
“Of course, anybody with bumps and bruises was able to get well and that’s a good thing, but it has been hard. It is something that has just been odd, for a lack of a better word. In the middle of a season, it’s been weird.”
Outley and Patriots quarterback Landon Rogers are two of Arkansas’ 19 commitments in the 2021 class.
Rogers is 29 of 48 passing for 349 yards and a touchdown, and he has also rushed 37 times for 281 yards and seven scores.
“He is looking good,” Bolding said. “He worked hard during these two weeks. He wasn’t sick, so he wasn’t quarantined. He just kept working out and I know he has a personal trainer and he threw with some kids that weren’t quarantined.”
Arkansas has also offered Parkview junior tailback James Jointer (6-0, 200) and sophomore tailback Willie Eackles (5-11, 175).
Jointer, whose sophomore season ended with an early season knee injury, has rushed 40 times for 264 yards and two touchdowns while Eackles has a 94-yard kickoff return for a score.
Jointer has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Florida State, Missouri, Kansas, Memphis, Virginia Tech, Alabama-Birmingham, North Texas, Texas San-Antonio, Louisiana Tech, Colorado State and New Mexico.
“He also took advantage of the two weeks and spent some time on weights and flexibility that kind of comes with that ACL," Bolding said. "It is just stuff you get used to with that kind of injury that first year back.”
Bolding noted that the Razorbacks targets and his own staff have been enthused this week by Arkansas' win over Mississippi State.
“We all are,” Bolding said. “We are excited as a coaching staff. I had two of my coaches show up Sunday for our staff meeting and they had Razorbacks shirts on. They were excited. I think that just goes for everybody in the state.
"It gives everybody a lot more pride.”