FAYETTEVILLE — Entering the 2020 season, offensive lineman Myron Cunningham had his mind set on leaving school at the end of the year and entering the upcoming NFL draft.
Fortunately for offensive line coach Brad Davis, second-year coach Sam Pittman and the Razorbacks, he is back for one last ride in 2021. After discussions with Arkansas’ staff, Cunningham elected to take advantage of the extra year of eligibility provided to athletes by the NCAA because of covid-19.
“These past two years have been nothing short of a blessing,” he tweeted in late December. “I just wanna thank the Hog fans for all the support these past two years but we aren’t done yet."
A player with next-level potential and traits, Cunningham is expected to anchor the left side of Arkansas’ front again and raise his game to protect quarterback KJ Jefferson and create avenues for Trelon Smith and other tailbacks in the running game.
“I would say that I probably knew a little while after the season,” Cunningham said of his decision. “I didn’t really know right away. … But a little bit after the season I sat down and talked to coaches about what was best for me and my best interests.
“I decided to come back.”
Cunningham is practicing this spring at 325-327 pounds, a weight he believes is going to benefit him in 2021. A transfer from Iowa Central Community College, he was listed at 290 pounds in his first season with the Razorbacks in 2019.
Through 13 days of spring ball, Cunningham’s focuses have been his hand placement, his eyes and reading the defense pre-snap. His footwork at 325 pounds has been a point of emphasis, too.
“I’ve gotten used to it, I feel like,” he said. “I feel like it’s only going to help me being at that weight this season. … I’ve got to get back to just moving quick like I used to, but that’s about it.”
Defensive end Zach Williams has noticed Cunningham, who has made 20 starts in two seasons with the Razorbacks, improving his play with his hands.
“You’ve got to make sure you get correct hand placement with him, because if not he’ll just grab on to you,” Williams said. “He’s a big boy. There’s no way of getting off of that.
“I think the best thing with him is his hands. He’s pretty good with them.”
In terms of offensive line play as a whole, Cunningham believes the group has become more physical throughout spring practices and taken steps in the right direction in the run game. Arkansas was No. 10 in the SEC in 2020 in average yards per carry (3.84) and No. 11 in touchdown runs (11).
Being able to keep the offense ahead of the sticks with the run is an area Cunningham’s unit has improved, he added. The offensive line room has honed in on being technically sound consistently.
“Our backs, Trelon and all the other guys, they’re hard runners and they’re going to give you everything they’ve got every snap they play,” Cunningham said. “I think that’s only going to help us. They’re tough runners. They run through contact. They’re good.
“(The offensive line is working on) the tiny things that can get you beat, whether that be in pass protection or in run blocking.”
In Saturday’s spring game, which is set to kick off at 2 p.m. in Razorback Stadium, Cunningham wants to let Arkansas fans know he and the offense are ready to compete in the fall and eager to improve on last year’s successes.
“Individually, I just look to show what I’ve been working on this whole spring, just technical aspect improvements,” he added. “And as a whole, as a team, we just want to put on a good performance, show what we’ve been working on, just polish everything up — the run game and the passing game.”