Future Razorback tailback Green has Union closing fast

Tulsa Union running back AJ Green, who is committed to play at Arkansas, is rated as a 4-star recruit by ESPN. (Tulsa World/Brett Rojo)

— Arkansas senior tailback pledge AJ Green and his Tulsa Union football team are suddenly sprinting in the right direction.

A traditional Oklahoma prep powerhouse with nine state titles, Union shockingly lost its first four 2020 games and only scored 21 points.

But the Redskins (3-4, 3-1) have put up a 178 points in their last three contests and will be looking for a fourth straight win when they visit Moore, Okla., Southmoore (3-5, 3-2) and Razorback kicking commit Cameron Little on Friday night.

“I think for us the biggest thing has been the confidence our kids have been playing with,” Union head coach Kirk Fridrich said. “The second part of that has been continuity in our offensive line. As many can imagine, this year there have been many interruptions just trying to get the same five guys out there week to week with the normal things and you have Covid-19 issues thrown in as well.

“But perhaps the biggest thing has been the leadership that AJ has brought to our football team. He had such a positive impact on our team when we weren’t doing as well and he wasn’t getting the opportunities he needed to with the offensive line issues.

“AJ continued to have the attitude that we are going to get this fixed and that’s exactly what we have done these last three weeks.”

Fridrich notes Green, who has 104 carries for 878 yards and eight touchdowns this season, has been a conduit between the head coach and his players, who had to grieve through the August death of linebacker Juan Cruz in a car accident.

“You can tell AJ something and he is going to help carry that message forward to the team,” Fridrich said.

Green rushed 15 times for 207 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 50-25 win over Norman North.

He had touchdown runs of 75 and 20 yards in the victory and also had a 45-yard scoring run called back due to a penalty.

Green, a four-star prospect per ESPN and 24/7, committed to Arkansas over Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, LSU, Texas, Michigan, Nebraska, Baylor and others.

“AJ has top-end speed for sure,” Fridrich said. “He is as fast as anybody I have ever coached and I have had some fast ones. I have one at OU and one at Utah right now that would be step for step with him.

“But I think the things that separates him is just the size and strength and balance and upper body strength that allows him to fend off tacklers.

“If he gets past the first level, he is going to score. That’s all there is to it.”

Fridrich believes that Green, who had 117 carries for 939 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior, will be ready to play for Arkansas the moment he steps on campus.

“Physically he is ready to play at college level and he can catch the ball out of the backfield, pass protect and do all of those things, “Fridrich said. “I am definitely excited about seeing what he can do.”

Unon has blasted Mustang (66-10), Moore (62-12) and Norman North the last three weeks and the winning streak has vaulted Union to No. 3 in the Tulsa World’s Class 6A-I rankings behind No. 1 Owasso (8-0) and Jenks (5-1).

The Redskins own two Top 10 wins in their current streak. They would like return shots at Owasso and Jenks, two teams they lost to during the first month of the season.

“We had a plan and knew if we could get into district play that we would have the opportunity to develop into a good football team and we have had a chance to do that these last few weeks,” Fridrich said. “Now we can head into the playoffs on a strong note.”

Union has trips to Southmoore and Edmond North (1-6, 1-4) slated before the postseason starts.

Because of the pandemic, all Oklahoma teams will be participating in state playoff action.

“We would love to be in a position, which I think we are now. where we could have two rounds at home,” Fridrich said. “We definitely have at least the first round at home and that is something that we are excited about.”