ESPN Fan Hall Of Fame inductee and University of Arkansas super fan Canaan Sandy added two more states to the list of places he’s visited this season in order to see Razorbacks prospects.
On Friday, his first stop was to see junior 5-star receiver target Ryan Wingo and St. Louis University High School’s 6 p.m. kickoff against Kansas City Rockhurst. He then traveled about 9 miles to catch offensive line commitment Paris Patterson and East St. Louis (Ill.) against Edwardsville in progress.
The younger brother of Ronnie Wingo Jr., who played for the Hogs from 2009-12, Ryan Wingo visited Fayetteville for Arkansas’ victory over Texas last year, returned in March and was back for the Alabama game on Oct. 1.
Wingo was happy to see Sandy.
“It was great,” said Wingo, who was to visit Notre Dame for the Stanford game on Saturday. “It was great to see him. He was hype. Very good interaction.”
He has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Southern Cal, Texas, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Florida, Missouri, Ole Miss, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Iowa State and others. Rivals rates him a 5-star recruit, the No. 2 receiver and the No. 7 overall prospect in the nation.
Patterson also was thrilled to see Arkansas’ most famous fan.
“Oh man, it’s always good to have an Arkansas person coming to watch you,” said Patterson, who plans to enroll at Arkansas in January. “It gives me a little bit of a taste of when I get there.”
Patterson, 6-5, 335 pounds, of East St. Louis (Ill.) High School, pledged to the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from LSU, Iowa State, Nebraska, Tennessee, Tulane, Miami (Ohio) and others on July 4.
Before making his way to Missouri and Illinois on Friday, Sandy had also traveled to Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi and Oklahoma to see Razorback prospects this fall.
Patterson, who was inspired by Sandy’s presence, earned his Arkansas offer after a dominating performance at a lineman camp on June 22.
“I wanted to put on a great show for him,” Patterson said.
Patterson talks regularly with Coach Sam Pittman and offensive coordinator Cody Kennedy.
“Everything is going great, I have weekly talks with Coach Pittman and Coach Kennedy,” Patterson said.
He played last year at about 370 pounds and arrived at the Razorback camp at 340. He soon got down to 335 and has played at that weight this fall.
“I feel like I’m moving better and [an] overall better person and a better leader for my team,” said Patterson, who’s rated a 4-star recruit by Rivals. “I’m way faster and way stronger.”
LSU, Nebraska and Kansas are still recruiting him despite his commitment.
“I say I’m committed, I really don’t have much conversation with them,” Patterson said. “I don’t have a conversation with them because I’m locked in with Arkansas, and that’s my focus and my team right now.”