Arkansas Razorbacks Football

John Stephen Jones, the grandson of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, is taking over at quarterback for the Arkansas Razorbacks as they attempt to snap a six-game losing skid Saturday against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Tom Murphy shared a copy of Arkansas' depth chart, and the redshirt freshman is listed above KJ Jefferson:

The omission of Nick Starkel and Ben Hicks, the team's top two leading passers, came as a surprise for many fans, but head coach Chad Morris is sitting on one of the hottest seats in FBS. He was bound to respond after the team threw for 101 yards in a 54-24 loss to Mississippi State.

Starkel didn't even play in the game, while Hicks finished 4-of-13 for 44 yards and an interception.

Jones entered in the second quarter and threw for 25 yards on 4-of-9 passing. He connected with Mike Woods on an 11-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.

Being related to Jerry Jones, who played for the Razorbacks, likely helped clear a path to Fayetteville for Jones, but The Athletic's Max Olson wrote in March 2018 the Dallas native was building his own reputation on the field:

"He's been easy to dismiss as too small at 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, a low-three-star prospect who ended up with just four scholarship offers. But the few college coaches who bought in see a lot of Baker Mayfield in his game. After putting up prodigious numbers in his senior season at Highland Park High School — 4,911 yards on 70 percent passing, 61 touchdown passes, four interceptions — and finishing in unforgettable fashion with a second consecutive state championship, Jones is looking forward to winning over the Razorbacks."

Jones will be immediately tested Saturday. Western Kentucky has held opponents to 192 passing yards per game and has six interceptions.

Morris may not wait around, either, to elevate Jefferson, who was a 4-star recruit and the No. 12 dual-threat QB in the 2019 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Quarterback Nick Starkel is moving from one SEC West team to another.

On Monday, the former Texas A&M Aggies signal-caller tweeted he will transfer to the Arkansas Razorbacks:

Ben Kercheval of CBSSports.com noted Starkel is expected to graduate in May, which would make him immediately eligible to play during the 2019 campaign. He will have two years of eligibility remaining and figures to compete with former SMU quarterback Ben Hicks—who also transferred to Arkansas—for the starting spot.

Starkel arrived at Texas A&M as a 3-star prospect, per 247Sports' composite rankings, and started the 2017 campaign as a starter. However, he suffered an ankle injury in the opener against the UCLA Bruins and was unable to return until October.

He ultimately appeared in seven games in 2017 and completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,793 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. He impressed in a Belk Bowl loss to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons with 499 passing yards, four touchdowns and one pick.

Despite the head-turning finish to the prior season, Starkel lost the quarterback competition to Kellen Mond entering the 2018 campaign under new head coach Jimbo Fisher.

He had just 22 passing attempts with one touchdown and zero interceptions last year.

He heads to an Arkansas program in need of a jolt after finishing a combined 6-18 the last two seasons. The Razorbacks haven't won double-digit games since 2011 but at least have multiple quarterbacks with experience competing for playing time entering the 2019 season.

Arkansas football coach Chad Morris announced Monday that defensive backs Kamren Curl and Ryan Pulley have been suspended from the team.

Former Arkansas player and current KARK-Channel 4 broadcaster D.J. Williams apparently saw Curl and Pulley taking pictures and talking with Mississippi State cheerleaders before Saturday's game, according to Bob Holt of Whole Hog Sports.

Morris called their actions "completely unacceptable."

Arkansas went on to lose 52-6 to Mississippi State while falling to 2-9 on the season.

Senior linebacker Dre Greenlaw wasn't aware of his teammates' flirting, but he saw the impact that type of thing could have on the game.

"Some people have got different focuses," Greenlaw said, per Holt. "Obviously, you could see this game we weren't in the right mindset."

Pulley and Curl are both important players on the defense, appearing in all 11 games this season.

Curl, a sophomore, ranks fourth on the team with 53 tackles this year. Pulley is in his fourth year with the program and is second on the team with six passes defended in 2018, per Sports Reference.

The Razorbacks will now have to play without them for the final game of the season Friday against Missouri. Considering the defense already ranks 106th in the nation in points allowed, the absence of two players likely won't make much of a difference.

Arkansas has landed one of the top offensive players in the 2019 class with Monday's commitment from receiver Treylon Burks.

He announced his decision on his personal Twitter account:

The 4-star prospect is considered the No. 9 receiver in the country and No. 63 overall prospect, according to 247Sports.

At 6'3", 225 pounds with excellent speed, Burks earned a lot of attention around the country on the recruiting circuit and earned scholarship offers from Clemson, Florida State, Michigan and others.

However, the Warren, Arkansas, native decided to stay close to home for his college years.

"I picked Arkansas because I grew up here watching the Razorbacks, and I've always wanted to play for them, and getting the offer made it a lot better for me," Burks said about his commitment, per Richard Davenport of Whole Hog Sports. "Nothing is like playing for the Natural State."

Burks visited Fayetteville this past weekend alongside 3-star defensive tackle Marcus Miller, who also committed to the Razorbacks.

"I liked it a lot," he said after the visit, per Danny West of 247Sports.

He now becomes the 15th commitment in what has become a very impressive 2019 class for Arkansas, with 247Sports ranking it as the No. 22 class in the country.

While the team is coming off a 4-8 season under Bret Bielema, new head coach Chad Morris is providing plenty of excitement for the future of the program.

Lane Kiffin revealed on Tuesday that he once nearly accepted an offer to become the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks.  

"Without giving too much detail, I was very close to becoming the head coach at Arkansas at one point in time," he said on Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly. 

The Razorbacks had an opening after they fired Bret Bielema in November. However, Kiffin was never a candidate for the job, and Arkansas ultimately hired SMU's Chad Morris to lead the program. 

The only real link that exists between the two parties dates back to 2007, when Kiffin was in his first year as head coach of the Oakland Raiders. 

Following his ouster in 2008, the New York Times reported former owner Al Davis was "angered" by Kiffin's interest in the Arkansas job after it opened up in late 2007. 

Kiffin later went on to coach at Tennessee (2009) and USC (2010-2013) before landing a gig on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama from 2014 to 2016. 

Following three seasons with the Crimson Tide, Kiffin accepted the head coaching position at Florida Atlantic. 

During his first year at the helm, FAU went 11-3 and scored its first bowl win since 2008. 

Arkansas announced Wednesday it has found its next head football coach, with Chad Morris set to take over the program after spending the past three years at SMU.

Morris and the Razorbacks agreed to a six-year contract worth $3.5 million per year, according to Bo Mattingly of ESPN.

Trey Biddy of HawgSports.com initially reported the news on Tuesday. 

The Razorbacks have been scouring the coaching market since firing Bret Bielema on Nov. 24 following a 4-8 season in 2017. 

Gus Malzahn, who was a walk-on wide receiver in 1984 and '85 at Arkansas and was an offensive coordinator at the school in 2006, had been connected to the job before he agreed to a seven-year deal to remain head coach at Auburn. 

The 49-year-old Morris will be tasked with turning around an Arkansas program that has finished under .500 three times in the past six seasons and hasn't won 10 games in a season since 2011. 

Morris successfully rebuilt SMU in his three seasons with the program. The Mustangs were 2-10 in his first season, but in 2017 they went 7-5 to earn a berth in the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 20 against Louisiana Tech.

Arkansas fired head football coach Bret Bielema after the Razorbacks finished the regular season with a 48-45 loss to Missouri on Friday at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Razorbacks sportscaster Bo Mattingly passed along the release that confirmed the coach's dismissal:

Bielema went 29-34 in five seasons at Arkansas. The Razorbacks had winning records in three of his five years with the program but never finished with more than eight victories.

Athletic director Jeff Long told SEC Country's Jason Kersey in July that Bielema was not on the hot seat coming into 2017: 

"Bret is the leader of our program. The leader is more than just winning games—and I know some fans don't want to hear that. Trust me, it doesn't mean we aren't competing with every fiber of our being to win in the toughest conference and the toughest division of that conference. But when you look at what Bret's doing, we're building a program that's built on an outstanding foundation."

After a 2-2 start, however, Arkansas lost six of its last eight games, including blowout defeats to South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn and LSU en route to a 1-7 mark in SEC play.

Bielema should not have much trouble finding work if he wants to return to coaching immediately. He led Wisconsin to two Rose Bowls in his final three years with the program before he left for Arkansas. The move, seen as lateral at best at the time, now looks like a career misfire.

But Bielema has enough of a track record that he should find Power Five work at some point in the next couple of years.

The University of Arkansas fired athletic director Jeff Long on Wednesday.

Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com reported the news, noting associate vice chancellor for athletics and senior associate athletics director Julie Cromer Peoples took over in an interim role.

"Since coming to Fayetteville in 2008, Jeff has led our department with character and integrity and helped move us forward in so many ways," chancellor Joseph Steinmetz said in a statement, per Rittenberg. "However, over the past year, Jeff has lost the support of many of our fans, alumni, key supporters, and members of the university leadership, support that I believe is critical in our pursuit of excellence."

Radio personality Bo Mattingly shared Long's statement where he thanked the university, community and coaches:

According to Rittenberg, the school said it will honor the provisions of Long's contract until it expires in June 2022.

Considering Long hired current head football coach Bret Bielema in 2012, it is fair to wonder about his long-term status as well. He is a mere 29-32 since taking over the role and has failed to lead the Razorbacks to anything better than the middle of the pack in the SEC.

Rittenberg said Long's dismissal puts Bielema's job "in some doubt."

Long's dismissal comes at a noteworthy time beyond just Arkansas implications, considering there are still a number of teams fighting for College Football Playoff spots in the stretch run. Long was the first chair of the College Football Playoff committee and is still part of the 13-member group this season.

Heather Dinich of ESPN.com noted the group's executive director, Bill Hancock, said Long will remain on the committee through the remainder of the season even though he was fired. The other members unanimously voted to keep him aboard for the last three meetings before the four-team playoff is announced.

Arkansas has no chance of being included in that discussion at 4-6 and has to win its final two games against Mississippi State and Missouri to even ensure bowl eligibility.

The family of Frank Broyles announced the former Arkansas head football coach died Monday of complications from Alzheimer's Disease. 

"We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to all those who helped contribute to his charmed life," the family said in the statement. "Whether you were one of his players, coaches, colleagues or friends, a Razorback fan or fellow caregiver, you were an integral part of his fairy tale story. To his family, he was quite simply, our hero."

"We take peace in knowing that his faith was the foundation for the impact he made on the lives of others," the family added. "From innumerable private moments with his family and friends, to countless public interactions with millions in his various roles, Coach Broyles shared his attitude of gratitude and encouraged others to make a difference."

Broyles was the head coach of the Razorbacks from 1958-76 and served as the school's athletic director from 1974-07, leading the team to a national championship in 1964. He won seven Southern Conference championships and went 144-58-5 in his coaching career with Arkansas.

He also spent one season (1957) as the head coach of the Missouri Tigers.

His time as an athletic director was arguably even more impactful, however. Per KATV, "Broyles' legacy is perhaps most visible by walking around campus. A master fundraiser, he brought in more than $200 million to renovate facilities and build new ones. Under his watch, Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium was expanded, and new baseball, basketball and track facilities were built."

A butt dial is embarrassing no matter who it is, but it is even worse when the person on the other end is the SEC commissioner.

That is what happened to Arkansas head football coach Bret Bielema, as he explained during SEC media days on Monday in Hoover, Alabama. According to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), Bielema accidentally started a video call with Greg Sankey on Saturday shortly after the birth of his daughter. 

"This is pretty cool, the commissioner is FaceTiming me—that's pretty unique," Bielema thought before realizing his mistake, per the AP.

Dave Matter of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted the incident took place in a Chipotle, not exactly the right place for an important conversation with the commissioner anyway.

Bielema is heading into his fifth season at Arkansas, where he has accumulated a 25-26 record, although the Razorbacks have had a winning record in each of the last three years.

While the media was ready to ask him about competing in the difficult SEC West, the 47-year-old seemed more comfortable discussing mistaken phone calls and being a new parent. He announced the birth of his daughter, Briella, early Saturday morning.