FAYETTEVILLE — When Little Rock Parkview standout and Arkansas tight end signee Eric Outley hurt his knee in the second game of his senior season, he thought he would be back in time to help lead his team through the Class 6A state playoffs.
That didn’t happen and the Patriots (9-2) saw their season end with a stunning 7-0 loss to Sylvan Hills in the second round before Outley could get cleared.
“It was heartbreaking to miss the end of my high school career, but you have to look to the good side as well,” Outley said. “While I hated to miss my senior season, it happened early enough that it really won’t affect my college career. I will be ready to go when it’s time to arrive at Arkansas.
“I am training every day, therapy every day and my knee is feeling good, getting back to how it used to be. I am continuing to work on it so it will be 100% and I’m also focusing on having my body as ready for college as I can.”
Outley, who had 99 catches for 1,464 yards and 15 touchdowns in his career, and Parkview quarterback and fellow Arkansas signee Landon Rogers work out together as much as possible.
Rogers (6-4, 215 pounds) completed 92 of 150 passes for 1,247 yards and 6 touchdowns as a senior. He also rushed 150 times for 1,148 yards and 22 touchdowns.
“I’ve mainly just been working out with Landon every day,” Outley said. “It’s been great and really is something we have been doing almost every day since the ninth grade. We just keep pushing each other to get better every day.”
Outley (6-4, 255) had 2 catches for 90 yards and 1 touchdown as a senior. He had 48 catches for 721 yards and 8 touchdowns as a junior and accumulated a wealth of scholarship offers.
He chose Arkansas over LSU, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Florida State, Oregon, Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Missouri, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Memphis and others.
Outley is rated as the nation’s 19th-best tight end by ESPN. He committed to the Razorbacks on Aug. 13 and signed on Dec. 16.
“It was very exciting, really a dream come true,” Outley said. “Signing with a college was such an accomplishment for me, one of my goals in life. It was a very exciting day and moment to share with my family and friends.”
Outley will be coming in at a position where Arkansas returns just Blake Kern, Hudson Henry, Collin Sutherland and walk-on Nathan Bax. He knows he will be expected to play right away.
“I am excited and ready for it,” Outley said. “I just give it all to God and I am eager to get up there and see what the program is really like, join them and help them win.”
There have been reports that Jon Cooper will no longer be the Razorbacks' tight ends coach, one of multiple adjustments expected on Arkansas' coaching staff during the offseason.
“I am excited about the staff and can’t wait to meet the new coaches,” Outley said. “They have done a great job in getting things turned around and I am sure that is just going to keep going.”