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In a normal year, HawgBeat publishes a “Redshirt Tracker” after each week of the season to keep an eye on which players have played enough to burn their redshirt.
This started a couple of years ago when the NCAA made a rule change that allowed all players - not just freshmen - appear in as many as four games and maintain the year of eligibility.
Last season, this proved to be a significant piece because of the way former head coach Chad Morris bungled the rule for a few players, using them on meaningless kneel downs in multiple games to essentially waste one of those four games.
However, this is far from a normal year. With the constant threat of COVID-19 forcing players to miss games - through positive tests or contact tracing - and even possibly canceling or postponing games, the NCAA voted to grant all players an extra year of eligibility, regardless of how much they play.
That will allow true freshmen and upperclassmen alike to play in every game this season without having to worry about burning their redshirt.
Because of that, HawgBeat decided to turn its “Redshirt Tracker” into simply a “Freshman Report” in which we give a rundown of which true freshmen have appeared in games this season.
Here is the update after Arkansas’ game against Ole Miss…
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K Vito Calvaruso
Games Played: 4
Snaps: 17 on ST
PFF Grade: 72.8 (ST - kickoff grade)
Stats: 17 kickoffs, 8 touchbacks, 2 out of bounds, 64.4-yard average; 2 tackles (2 solo)
The walk-on kickoff specialist handled the Razorbacks’ first five kickoffs Saturday against Ole Miss. He got off to a rough start, with his first attempt going out of bounds and allowing the Rebels to start at the 35, but his next five went well into - or through - the end zone for touchbacks.
Graduate transfer A.J. Reed, Arkansas’ placekicker, handled both of the fourth-quarter kickoffs. They were short - fielded at the 10 and 11, respectively - and gave Ole Miss good field position.
