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FAYETTEVILLE — For the first time in nearly a decade, Connor Noland is enjoying the football season from the stands rather than on the field.

The two-sport standout from Greenwood, Ark., starting juggling organized football and baseball in sixth grade and continued through his freshman year at Arkansas, even starting a game at quarterback and earning a spot in the weekend pitching rotation.

A few days after the Razorbacks’ season ended in the College World Series, though, Noland announced he was stepping away from football and focusing solely on baseball. Now when he shows up at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, he does so as a fan.

“It’s hard to watch,” Noland said. “Obviously I miss it, but you’ve got baseball and I’ve been focused on that and having a good time over here, so it’s been an easy transition.”

Although it was a difficult decision for him, it was one that made a lot of sense. The Razorbacks brought in a pair of graduate transfers in Ben Hicks and Nick Starkel, making his path to QB1 more difficult, plus he has a chance to become the ace of the pitching staff in 2020 with the departure of Isaiah Campbell.

However, he’s going to have stiff competition from fellow sophomore Patrick Wicklander for the role of Friday night starter, plus veteran Kevin Kopps is having a solid fall and will start Friday’s scrimmage against Oklahoma.