FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas has shuffled a couple of players around this offseason, with Jordon Curtis moving to running back and Chase Harrell moving to tight end.
Previously a cornerback, Curtis’ move is out of necessity because the Razorbacks will likely have only two other healthy running backs for spring practice in Devwah Whaley and Chase Hayden.
Rakeem Boyd is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, while it sounds like they will also be without T.J. Hammonds, who has dealt with numerous knee injuries throughout his career. High school signee A’Montae Spivey won’t join the team until this summer.
“It’s unfortunate for Rakeem because he’s the one that really needs spring ball,” running backs coach Jeff Traylor said. “Nothing against him at all because he had a great year, it’s just the small things in the spring you really get addressed. Chase and Devwah did that quite a bit last spring.”
When Traylor was asked about his position group, he did not mention Hammonds’ name and then said it was “going to be addressed Monday” in head coach Chad Morris’ press conference when asked specifically about him.
For Curtis, it will be a familiar position because he was a standout running back at Jenks High School in Oklahoma. As a senior, he averaged 12.4 yards per carry and scored nine touchdowns, including the game-winning score against rival Union.
Over his first two seasons at Arkansas, though, he has been a reserve defensive back and appeared in only one game. Curtis’ biggest claim to fame with the Razorbacks came late last season when he was hit by a car while crossing Razorback Road. Luckily he wasn’t serious injured and he’s fully recovered.
“I often tease him about that at times,” Traylor said. “He’s a running back and I know he jumped up and had that car miss him, so he’s got some experience already.”
The tight end position will also be a little light this spring with Austin Cantrell deciding to move on with one year of eligibility remaining and high school signee Hudson Henry not joining the team until this summer.
That leaves Cheyenne O’Grady, Grayson Gunter and Hayden Johnson to handle the bulk of the work, so Harrell will also get some time in a “hybrid” role, according to tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr.
Harrell, a graduate transfer from Kansas who caught four passes for 60 yards as a wide receiver last year, was listed at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds. That means he will likely add some weight this offseason, but it won’t be a ton.
“It’s not going to be a dramatic change,” Lunney said. “I think he’s trying to be intentional about adding a little bit of weight and being with us, but it hasn’t been a significant deal for him.”
In addition to Boyd and Hammonds, defensive tackle Briston Guidry and cornerback Britto Tutt will also miss spring practice. Both players have dealt with knee injuries throughout their careers.
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