Noland trying to follow in Lunney's footsteps
FAYETTEVILLE – A high-profile in-state recruit from the River Valley is heading north to play quarterback and pitch for the Razorbacks.
If what Connor Noland is attempting to do sounds familiar, it’s because it happened once before – two and a half decades ago.
Before he became Arkansas’ tight ends coach, Barry Lunney Jr. was an All-State quarterback and pitcher at Fort Smith Southside who went on to have success in both sports with the Razorbacks.
Now Noland, a four-star recruit from Greenwood, will try to replicate that feat in an era when both sports are played on a much larger stage and demand even more time than in the past.
“We’ve talked a little bit about it, not a lot,” Lunney said. “It’s different now than it was then. Both sports are different, really. It’s changed to a large degree.”
Lunney managed to balance the sports pretty well. He started 40 games under center, beginning with an upset win at No. 4 Tennessee in 1992 and ending with a trip to the schools first SEC Championship Game in 1995, and 42 games on the mound. The Minnesota Twins drafted him and he spent one year in the minor leagues before becoming a football coach.
During that time, Lunney said he participated in spring football just once and that was his freshman year. The next two years, he was in the starting rotation and it was impossible to pitch and practice football.
Missing spring practices in football and fall practices in baseball could slow his development in both sports, and Lunney said he wasn’t sure how all of the logistics would work out, but he has faith Noland can pull it off.
“I’m anxious to see how it all works out for him,” Lunney said. “I’ll say this: If there’s a kid that can handle it, it’s him. He’s mature beyond his years. He’s very competitive. He’s a worker. I think he’ll be able to balance it.”
SUBSCRIBE to HawgBeat and get access to exclusive prospect interviews, the best recruiting network in the industry, inside scoops on recruiting and team news, videos, podcasts and much more.
Join the discussion on THE TROUGH, the Arkansas Rivals premium message board for thousands of Hog fans.
