Arkansas Razorbacks Football

During the summer months leading up to the start of the college football season, fans desperately try and indulge themselves in anything that will get them to the end of August.

One such activity is reading college football preview magazines.

Athlon's annual SEC preseason breakdown covers the ins and outs of the conference heading into each season, one being how each team's units rank amongst the 14 programs in the SEC. The Arkansas Razorbacks entered the 2013 season with little experience at the running back position, and in Athlon's unit rankings, it was 14 out of 14 teams.

After the Hogs first two games, that forecast appears to be far from accurate.

It seems they vastly underestimated the impact Bret Bielema would have on the Arkansas rushing attack. Though the season is still in its early stages, Arkansas sits atop the SEC in rushing yards per game and is 11th in the country, averaging 312.5 with 625 total yards (6.0 yards per carry).

Of those 625 yards, 580 of them have come from the legs of sophomore Jonathan Williams and true freshman Alex Collins. The two literally carried the Hogs to victory over the Samford Bulldogs last Saturday, loading up the box score for a combined 298 yards with two touchdowns and an electrifying 7.3 YPC average.

Yes, the yards have come against two opponents the Razorbacks were expected to beat and that are not near the talent level of teams it will face. But nonetheless, what Collins and Williams have done in just two games is pretty darn impressive.

Collins quite possibly has been the most impressive freshman at his position in the entire country. After beginning his career against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns with 131 yards on 21 carries, he followed it up against Samford by rushing for 172 yards on 24 carries (7.2 YPC) and a touchdown. 

In the wake of another stellar performance, Collins was named SEC Freshman of the Week and 247Sports.com honored him with National Freshman of the Week. 

The Razorbacks and their fans can thank Collins for avoiding an embarrassing loss to Samford. With the Hogs trailing 21-17 in the third quarter, he toted the ball six times on the Arkansas drive, including a 21-yard gain to set up the go-ahead score from Williams.

After the Razorbacks defense held Samford to a three-and-out, Collins gashed the Bulldogs' defense for a 55-yard run to set up his deal-sealing score, which can be seen here:

Two games into his career, Collins has already etched his name in the Arkansas record book as the only freshman back to ever run for over 100 yards in his first two outings. With over 300 yards on the season, Collins is well ahead of most freshmen, and his future is very bright.

And let's not forget Williams. 

All the hype around Collins has overshadowed his running mate's equally impressive performances. In this his first season as the starter, the sophomore Williams has run for 277 yards and two touchdowns, surpassing already his totals for all of 2012. 

Versus Samford, Williams put up 126 yards on 17 carries and scored a go-ahead touchdown run late in the third quarter. His yards-per-carry average in the first two contests is a devastating 7.9—well, at least it's devastating for the opposing side.

Collins and Williams have an innate ability to slip out of tackles and make defenders miss. Both also demonstrate patience when reading their blockers and waiting for the OL to open up holes. 

Again, this has all been against two inferior schools. No disrespect to Samford or Louisiana, both of which put forth hard-fought efforts on the road, but the Razorbacks have much bigger competition awaiting once the SEC slate begins. 

The duo of Collins and Williams was underestimated entering 2013. The fact that they were part of a RB unit tabbed the worst in the SEC is laughable at this point. 

Collins and Williams aren't out to prove anything, they're just doing what Bielema and his Hogs need to win and be successful. There's still a long season ahead, but if this duo continues to run the ball like it has, Arkansas could pull off a few surprises before it's all said and done.

So, go ahead and continue to underestimate Collins and Williams. They'll just continue to run hog wild.

The Bret Bielema era got off to a great start last weekend against a good Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns team. Bielema's ground attack was in full force and quarterback Brandon Allen showed his potential for the future, as the Arkansas Razorbacks won, 34-14, before 69,801 fans at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. 

This week, the Hogs host the Samford Bulldogs at their home away from home, War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. 

Arkansas has the edge in every aspect of the game. It should have no problem beating a Bulldogs squad that has lost its last three games versus FBS opponents by an average score of 43-8. 

While it won't be near the test the Ragin' Cajuns provided, the Samford defense is no slouch. It ranked 29th in the FCS, allowing 335.6 yards per game. Keep an eye on Allen, who had a solid season opener against Louisiana, throwing for 230 yards on 15 of 22 attempts for three touchdowns and zero picks. 

His confidence has to be soaring after his Game 1 performance. He completed just 42.9 percent of his passes in five appearances last year, but displayed his arm against Louisiana. Allen had 10 completions over 15 yards, including a beautiful 49-yard spiral to Javontee Herndon for a touchdown. More importantly, he put the ball where it needed to be, indicated by a 68.2 completion percentage.

The Samford secondary gave up 392 yards and three touchdowns to Georgia State's Ronnie Bell last week, so Allen has a chance to put up even bigger numbers in Game 2. If the Hogs start rolling, his backup, A.J. Derby, will come in and get some reps under his belt in case disaster struck and Allen got hurt.

But, that is just hypothetical, so no need to panic.

It's not only a chance for Derby to see action, but also for many more of the second-stringers. The most important being the offensive line. 

The unit returned two starters from 2012 and remains a work in progress. It helps that one of the returners is All-American and Rimington Trophy candidate Travis Swanson at center, who Bielema went on record saying he could be the best he's ever coached.

Behind Swanson and senior left tackle David Hurd, the line is very young and inexperienced. Starting sophomores Grady Ollison and Mitch Smothers have bright futures, and left guard Brey Cook is coming into his own. They did a great job against Louisiana opening up holes, leading the way for 292 yards on the ground and two 100-yard rushers.

The very talented backups, who are the future anchors of Bielema's ground attack, were also a big part of that. Second-stringers on the O-line typically see much more playing time than backups at other positions. It's essential they get as many reps as possible before the brutal four-game stretch from Sept. 28-Oct. 19. 

Samford offers an opportunity for highly touted freshmen Denver Kirkland and the mammoth 6'10" Dan Skipper, as well as junior center Luke Charpentier, to get quite a few reps. Kirkland, Koehler and Skipper were part of a tremendous set of offensive line recruits reeled in by Bielema in his first class. They are the future up front and have a chance to develop into one of the best units in the SEC. 

The guys the line is blocking for, Jonathan Williams and true freshman Alex Collins, had the Ragin' Cajuns on their heels all day. Williams got the ball rolling, or running in this case, with 41 yards on six carries. He finished with an 8.4 yards-per-carry average on 18 rushes for 151 yards, including a dazzling touchdown run in which he started right then reversed field to sprint for a 75-yard touchdown. 

Collins wasn't too bad himself.

The 5-star recruit from Florida made his debut by gaining 131 yards on 21 attempts, showing off his speed and ball-carrying vision. Both will get plenty of touches against a Bulldog unit that allowed 164.6 ypg on the ground against mainly FCS opponents. Like the other positions, it also gives other backs like Nate Holmes a chance to see more playing time.

Though Samford is undermanned against a vastly superior Razorbacks team, they have some guys Arkansas has to keep tabs on.

Running back Fabian Truss returned a kickoff 100 yards last week versus Georgia State. He has 2,774 yards for his career and 20 trips to the end zone. On top of that, he also has 1,755 kick-return yards and three touchdowns. He provides a test for Arkansas' linebacker unit that remains inexperienced.

The secondary will also have a test with receiving duo Chris Cephus and Kelsey Pope, who have a combined 15 career touchdowns.

Saturday should be a much easier win for Bielema and his Hogs. Look for him to establish the run game early again to open up the field for Allen. If Arkansas is anywhere near the level it played at last week, things should be already wrapped up by halftime, giving solid playing time for the backups.

After Samford, the team has one more tune-up against a down Southern Miss program followed by their first true test of the season against Rutgers before Texas A&M comes to town on Sept. 28. That starts one of the toughest stretches in all of college football, with the Hogs playing at Florida (Oct. 5), at home versus South Carolina (Oct. 12), then at Alabama on Oct. 19.

With that span of games coming soon, it would serve Arkansas well to get all aspects of its game smoothed. Things are looking up after an impressive win over the Ragin' Cajuns and Samford is another chance to improve in weaker areas in preparation for the SEC slate.

The last thing a coach wants is for a young quarterback to be forced to make his first start against a perennial powerhouse program.

That is exactly what the Arkansas Razorbacks' Brandon Allen had to do as a freshman against the No.1-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, after starter Tyler Wilson got hurt the previous weekend in an overtime loss to the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. 

Fans hoped Allen and the Hogs could cancel out the loss with a win over the defending national champions at home. Alas, it was foolish for anyone to think a freshman could lead Arkansas to an upset victory against the best team in the country, as they lost decisively, 52-0.

Coming into 2013, the verdict on Allen went both ways. 

Though he impressed the staff throughout the spring and ultimately won the job, he was sub-par in his appearances last year. Against Alabama, he went 10-for-18 for 69 yards and two interceptions. In his one start and five total appearances, Allen completed just 42.9 percent of his passes for one touchdown and three interceptions.

Some had expectations that his steps forward during the offseason would translate into an improved product on the field. Others saw what he did last year and thought that he might not be the long-term answer to replace Wilson. 

Those on Allen's side were correct, at least against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns.

The 6'3", 220-pound sophomore displayed what made him the Natural State's No. 3 recruit and a 4-star prospect by Rivals.com in 2011. The Razorbacks established the run game early on–not a surprise for the run-savvy Bret Bielema–opening up the pass game for Allen, who took advantage of it.

Arkansas racked up 292 yards rushing behind Jonathan Williams (18 carries, 151 yards, TD) and true freshman Alex Collins (21 carries, 131 yards). After riding the two backs for the first seven plays of the game, the Ragin' Cajuns' defense began to creep up, and the Hogs went to the air. 

Allen went 3-3 on the next four plays, capping off an 11-play, 75-yard opening drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Javontee Herndon. If had any nerves before the game, they all but disappeared. 

He settled in nicely and finished the game an efficient 15-of-22 for 230 yards and three touchdowns, showing an improvement in many aspects of his game that points to a bright future.

Here you can see highlights from the win, along with Allen's scoring throws:

His accuracy was one thing that stood out. As mentioned, Allen was anything but accurate last year. The majority of those passes came against Alabama and the Warhawks.

A lot could be credited to his simply being unprepared. He had a year to learn as a redshirt in 2011, but no one expected Wilson to get hurt in the second game of the season. It left a wide-eyed Allen, who had never thrown a collegiate pass, to step in for the second half. He was noticeably uncomfortable, going 6-for-20 for 85 yards with a touchdown and a pick. He then had to face the best program in the nation in Alabama, where he struggled mightily as noted.

He simply was not ready for what happened—and neither were the coaches.

He worked tirelessly in the offseason to improve his accuracy, and it showed against Louisiana. Allen completed 68.2 percent of his throws. Those 15 completions weren't just a bunch of dump downs either. A look inside the numbers shows that.

Of his 15 completions, 53 percent (8-15) were over 10 yards, with six over 15 and four over 20, including a beautiful 49-yard touchdown to Herndon. 

He was also much improved with his decision-making. Allen showed no signs that he was making just his second start, routinely recognizing pass coverages and going to the second and even third option when his main target was covered. He ultimately hit six different receivers on the day.

But the most impressive aspect of his game on display was his arm. 

When your target starts getting further than 10 yards away, the more power you have to put behind the ball. And when you start talking about 20-plus yards, the precision required to place the ball in just the right spot is critical.

His touch on long passes is one his best attributes, as noted by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's recruiting reporter Richard Davenport:

Allen showed off his precision passing, squeezing numerous balls into tight spots where only his guy could get it. It also helped that his receivers didn't drop a lot of balls and founds holes in the coverage. 

Bo Mattingly, host of Arkansas radio program Sports Talk With Bo, said that Bielema gave high praise for the sophomore's performance:

He has good size and a lively arm, and his decision-making and accuracy improved vastly during the offseason. His relationship and timing with his receiving core will only get better with each game. Defenses will have to continue to respect the running game if it remains as effective as it was last weekend, which gives Allen and the receivers more room to work with.

Allen gets two more games against lesser opponents (Samford and Southern Miss) to work on his game before his first true test at Rutgers. Arkansas' next game vs. Texas A&M will be the gauge as to how much he's improved.

He has all the potential to be the next great Arkansas quarterback. If Allen performs to his capability, the Hogs will be the sleeper in the SEC West.

The Bret Bielema era began for the Arkansas Razorbacks Saturday at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Against a solid Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns squad, Bielema's notoriously hard-nosed rushing attack was on full display.

The Razorbacks filled up the stat sheet, racking up 522 yards of total offense with 292 of them on the ground in the 34-14 win. Sophomore Jonathan Williams finished with an impressive 151 yards on 18 carries and an 8.4 yards-per-carry average.

However, coming into the game, perhaps the most anticipated debut was for freshman South Plantation High School running back Alex Collins.

Rated a 5-star prospect and the No. 1 running back in the country by 247Sports.com, Collins showed why he was one of the most highly regarded players in the class of 2013. Better known as "Budda" by many, Collins ran over, under, around and through the Louisiana defense on his way to 131 yards on 21 touts.

His 100 yards in his first game was the first time a Razorback freshman had done so since a guy named Felix Jones did it in 2005, a sign of great things to come.

Collins displayed a number of attributes that make him an elite back. One that stood out was his ball-carrying vision. Being a great back has just as much to do with instincts and vision as it does with speed, and Collins possesses both.

How important is a running back's ability to identify the hole and hit it? Just ask Tennessee Titans back Chris Johnson. He has all the speed in the world, but he struggled for a while because he wasn't taking his time to find the holes in the line and run behind his blockers, something he has become much better at. 

It's something guys still struggle with entering the pros, but Collins looked well ahead of where most backs are as freshmen. Time and time again he displayed his ability to be patient and allow his blockers to open lanes for him. 

Once he found the hole, he turned on the jets and got to the next level. He had four runs over 10 yards and 69 percent (13-of-21) of his carries were for five or more yards. Those type of numbers are indicative of an upperclassman, not a guy who is four months removed from his senior prom.

Twitter was abuzz with praise of Collins' performance. Brett Norsworthy of Sports 56 and 87.7 FM in Memphis called it the best performance by any back in college football:

Bart Pohlman, producer for Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly in Fayetteville, was pretty on point:

What Collins did Saturday against Louisiana was a spectacular debut to say the least. He and Williams will demand respect from SEC defenses this year, which is going to help quarterback Brandon Allen, who had a very nice game himself.

It's still too early to definitively say he is one of the best to ever come through Fayetteville, but after Saturday, it's apparent he has all the makings to be the best Hog back since Darren McFadden.  

Nearly a year ago, a Top 10 Arkansas Razorbacks squad entered as heavy favorites over the Sun Belt's Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. What transpired led to one of the most epic collapses in the program's history, as the Hogs watched Warhawks QB Kolton Browning walk into the end zone to win in OT and send Arkansas in a downward spiral to finish 4-8.

Saturday, Arkansas welcomes another Sun Belt foe in the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns. In Bret Bielema's head coaching debut for the Hogs, it is anything but a gimme.

Louisiana coach Mark Hudspeth led the program to its first bowl appearance in 41 years in 2011, and last season, the Ragin' Cajuns capped off a great year with a bowl win over East Carolina to finish 9-4. 

Arkansas has had all sorts of problems recently stopping dual-threat quarterbacks. In their deflating loss to the Warhawks last year, the Hogs allowed Browning to pass for a monstrous 412 yards and three scores, as well as rush for another 69 yards and a TD. Louisiana possesses a dual-threat quarterback of their own in junior Terrance Broadway.

Broadway was a key to the Ragin' Cajuns' historic 2012 campaign, passing for 2,842 yards and 17 TDs. What makes him so dynamic are his legs. The junior was second on the team with 769 yards on the ground and nine trips to the paydirt. 

To slow him down, Arkansas will rely heavily on the defensive line. The Hogs return three starters, including senior Robert Thomas, who played a significant role in 2012. They were the most consistent unit on an otherwise inconsistent team, ranking 19th in the country in rushing yards allowed per game (124.1). Had it not been for them, the Hogs could have easily had an even more depressing 2012.

If the defensive line can't keep Broadway and tailback Alonzo Harris (881 yards, 10 TDs) from getting to the second level, the Razorbacks will be in a world of hurt.

That's because Arkansas starts over at linebacker, with not one starter back on the unit. You can also expect Louisiana to test the Hogs secondary early and often. Louisiana-Monroe made a meal of their defensive backs, along with just about every other team they faced.

How bad was Arkansas' pass coverage? They ranked dead last in the SEC, allowing 285.8 yards per game (113th NCAA). To put that into an even clearer perspective, they were even worse than Tennessee, which had its worst defensive season in the history of the program. 

The potential problems not just for this game, but for all of 2013, are large in numbers as Lindy's pointed out in their annual college football preview magazine:

They abound. There is an unproven quarterback, no established go-to receivers and a young line on offense. There are willing but small safeties on defense, and linebacker positions that remain wide open. Special teams have no proven game-breakers.

It will serve the Hogs well to get their running back duo of Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams touches early. Arkansas lost starting quarterback Tyler Wilson to the NFL. Taking his place is Brandon Allen, a young and inexperienced sophomore. 

Collins, a 4-star freshman according to Rivals.com, was reeled in late by Bielema. He joins Williams, who showed flashes of big things to come as a freshman, in the backfield. Against an average Louisiana rush defense, Arkansas will attack the Ragin' Cajuns early on the ground to try and help open up the passing game for the inexperienced Allen.  

How well Allen performs is the key for the Hogs if they want to avoid another disastrous start similar to 2012. Allen was shaky at best filling in for Wilson against Louisiana-Monroe and Alabama after he was injured against the Warhawks in the first half. In both games, he combined to go just 16-38 (42.1 percent) for one score and three picks. Allen must improve his accuracy, and that is the bottom line. 

Establishing the run early with Collins and Williams will help open up receivers for Allen. Look for the Hogs to call short pass plays and checkdowns to get him in a rhythm. They don't need him to be incredible to win, they just need Allen to manage the game and show he can lead the offense efficiently. 

Under Hudspeth, the Ragin' Cajuns have gone from a doormat to a Sun Belt title contender. Hudspeth has amassed an 84-29 record as a head coach (18-8 at Louisiana) and has turned around the program in a short amount of time, which has resulted in big-time programs taking a look at him.

The Razorbacks have the upper hand in talent and overall depth, but counting out Louisiana on the road at Arkansas would not be wise. Just ask the Warhawks. 

This is Bret Bielema’s wife, Jen—one of the few women in this world who can slap on a pig nose and somehow make it work.

The Arkansas football coach posted the goofy picture to Twitter, where it was spotted by Nate Scott of For The Win. As you can see, the image is a marriage of team spirit and “woo pig-sooie” pride:

Jen also posted a selfie with the pig snout:

I don't know about u but I'm ready for some #razorback football! 🏈❤😍 #gohogs #wps #football #NeverYield pic.twitter.com/90LgfTgZwB

— Jen Bielema (@jenbielema) August 26, 2013

Naturally, social media users and Razorbacks fans didn't fail to notice Arkansas' first lady showing off her school spirit.

At this point, some of you may be wondering how Bret Bielema—a man for whom six packs come by the can—ended up with a woman who can pull off a piggish facial ornament.

In other words, how did he end up with her?

Bielema says he doesn’t know. He once famously claimed to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, “In football terms, I outkicked my coverage a hundred times over.”

Translation: I have no idea how I managed to wrangle this one. 

There you have it, Razorbacks fans. College football is (almost) officially here, and what better way to get the blood pumping for Saturday’s game against Louisiana Lafayette than your coach showing off his age-defying wife on social media?

In truth, Arkansas fans hardly need any pumping up. These people are baby-crazy when it comes to their football. They’ve done everything short of sacrifice livestock in the name of their program and their new coach.

For example, this video of Arkansas fan “@LizHoney” singing with a taped-up nose.

And this video of two tone-deaf guys singing “I’m a Bielema.”

Indeed, these are crazy people—beautiful, weird and an extremely passionate people. And they're ready for some football.

If you like weird sports stuff, might as well join me on Twitter.

Arkansas is switching back to the smashmouth style on offense, but will be doing so without its leading returning receiver.

Sophomore Mekale McKay, who caught 21 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns a year ago, has left the program. He will transfer to Cincinnati, according to Thomas Murphy of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Under normal circumstances, losing your leading receiver would be devastating—especially during a transition year.

Not for this Razorback team.

The 6'6", 190-pounder had been fighting through injuries during fall camp, and was beat out by senior Demetrius Wilson on the post-spring depth chart.

The loss of McKay hurts because he did bring stability to the offense and has upside, but first-year head coach Bret Bielema's offense is still in good hands with the talent that remains on the roster.

Wilson was the surprise of spring practice. The 6'3", 185-pound senior showed that he has big-play ability, can be a weapon over the middle and has the size to go up over opposing defensive backs. He only had nine catches for 117 yards and one touchdown last season, but don't be surprised if he slides right in and establishes himself as the next in a long line of top-tier wide receivers in Fayetteville.

While Wilson was the surprise of spring practice, senior Julian Horton has been impressing the coaching staff during fall camp. The 6'1", 210-pounder is extremely versatile, has the size to present matchup nightmares and the speed to go the distance. 

“I was really excited about Julian,” Bielema told the Baxter (Ark.) Bulletin on Saturday. "Him and [quarterback] Brandon Allen, got together at almost exactly the same time in the spring where everything started clicking and going together."

Javontee Herndon is another senior to keep an eye on. 

The 6'1", 194-pound Jacksonville, Fla. native caught 21 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns a year ago, and takes the place of McKay as Arkansas' leading returning receiver. He averaged 14.48 yards per reception last season, and can be the vertical threat that offensive coordinator Jim Chaney needs.

He made a highlight-reel 47-yard touchdown catch in Saturday's scrimmage, going up high over a defensive back to reel in a pass from Brandon Allen, according to the Associated Press (via Yahoo! Sports).

These three receivers are a big reason why quarterback Allen has been so impressive this spring.

Allen completed 16 of 17 passes in Saturday's scrimmage, with that one incompletion being a drop by Horton. 

Bielema has taken notice of the receivers, and is excited about the way they've been clicking with Allen, according to the AP.

I think the players have so much faith in (Allen). And now you see those receivers, and I make a joke about it, but I mean it. Those receivers are maybe going to jump two inches higher to get that ball. They're going to strain that much more.

Sure, the offensive efficiency during fall camp could have as much to do—if not more—with the Arkansas defense as it does the offense.

However, these wide receivers have been around the block a time or two, and will be a big factor in Arkansas' success this season.

Bielema's offenses at Wisconsin were true ground-and-pound offenses in every sense of the term, but Chaney's style is a little more open. It's going to be difficult for Arkansas to line up and play smashmouth football against teams like Alabama and LSU, who do that every day with better personnel.

A mix of the old Bobby Petrino-style with the new staff is likely where the Arkansas offense will end up this season, and the Hogs have the talent at wide receiver to do that.

Expect this group to be one of the surprise units in the SEC in 2013.

Follow @BarrettSallee

One of the top JUCO offensive tackles in the nation, 4-star Jermaine Eluemunor, has committed to Arkansas. 

Richard Davenport of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette tweeted on Eluemunor's commitment, citing the offensive tackle's own Twitter handle:

Eluemunor's commitment tweet featured an awesome pic of him in a Razorbacks uniform, which looks like it could have been made on NCAA 14, combined with Photoshop:

The exact way it was created is unknown, but it's certainly cool. Even cooler for Arkansas fans? Bret Bielema and his staff landed Eluemunor over Ohio State, according to Derek Young of Scout.com.

Eluemunor is the No. 3 JUCO offensive tackle and No. 5 JUCO recruit in the nation, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, so he's a huge recruit for Arkansas to land. 

He checks in at 6'6'', 300 pounds, so "huge" was the correct word to use there. He's literally huge. 

Arkansas now has 13 commitments and is ranked No. 25 according to the 247Sports team rankings. Eluemunor joins pro-style quarterback Rafe Peavey, offensive tackle Jovan Pruitt and defensive tackle Bijhon Jackson as Arkansas' fourth 4-star commitment, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. 

The Razorbacks are in the running for two other highly ranked recruits in 4-star defensive tackle Josh Frazier (top five) and 4-star athlete Kevin Shorter (top two), according to 247Sports, so this is a class that could end up getting much better.

Landing a big-time recruit is always a momentum builder, and nothing—outside of winning—attracts elite recruits more than momentum and hype.

Eluemunor is a former UCLA commitment who decommitted from the Bruins this past Wednesday, per his 247Sports timeline.

Note: Star rankings courtesy of the 247Sports composite. 

And the hits just keep coming.

If there are two things on God’s green Earth that Arkansas football fans love, they're pigskin and singing like tone-deaf children.

Over the course of the last year, the Razorbacks fanbase has rolled out several chart-toppers in ode to the team, and the latest one to surface is a little ditty titled “I’m a Bielemer.”

At first glance, the title appears to be a misspelled tribute by a Justin Bieber fan who found his way into mommy’s cooking sherry; however, upon closer inspection, the video is something much better—a heavyset young man crooning his love for new Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema. 

Bielema left Wisconsin for Arkansas in December 2012, taking over after former head coach Bobby Petrino left the program amid a flurry of media coverage concerning his involvement in an extramarital affair.

That’s all in the past for this fan, however. The sun shines again, another year of college football is upon us, and this nightingale will at last have his song heard. Thanks goes to Adam Kramer at Kegs ‘N Eggs, who dug the video out of some dark corner of YouTube and brought it into the light.

Indeed, that is “I’m a Believer” by the Monkees (not Smash Mouth)—or a version of it that has been half-sung, half-croaked into existence by a man in a Cotton Bowl shirt with the help of his off-camera buddy.

Here is what that song sounds like when performed by people who can hear themselves and don't view the practice of singing on key as beneath contempt.

This is high art, but I don’t believe it can touch the vocal stylings of Liz Honey, who is the nose-taped virtuoso of the Arkansas fanbase.

Did you feel that, guys? I think I just became a Bielemer.

Follow me on Twitter. Doo doo dewww do it.