Recruiting was a big part of Sam Pittman's push to move SEC games back to Fayetteville but as it turns out, it was also a major factor in Pittman's staff shakeup this offseason.
Tied for the third highest-ranked class the Hogs has signed in the last decade, Arkansas's 25th-ranked 2021 class is still 10th in the SEC this year. Every SEC West team's class ranked higher except Auburn's, which only contains 16 signees.
The Razorbacks stayed within their footprint and signed athletes from eight different states but even taking the best ratings out there for the Hogs' top signees, they signed just five 4-stars. Three SEC West teams (Alabama, A&M, LSU) signed triple that number, and some 5-stars to boot.
Of the three coaches that were removed from the Arkansas staff in the offseason, not one signed a 4-star to their room for the 2021 class. Meanwhile, Justin Stepp who departed for home back in South Carolina signed two and the former Hog wide receiver coach has once again put himself in the running for a Rivals top 25 recruiter spot.
"Recruiting has to get better for us, and I believe that these guys that we hired are going to help us in that area, along with coaching on the football field," Pittman said. "If you want to change your room, you've got to go get the players to do that. We can't just go, 'Jamil Walker, you get these guys bigger and nastier and stronger and all those things.' We've got to help him, as well, and I think these guys will."
Though none of the new assistants have been position coaches at the Power 5 level before, they each come fully endorsed.
New tight ends coach Cody Kennedy was an offensive line assistant for Pittman at Georgia where he helped the Head Hog recruit 5-stars and 4-stars successfully.
"Cody Kennedy was the only guy I considered for the tight end job," Pittman said of the former Tulane OL coach. "I love the guy. When I was at Georgia I got a lot of credit for recruiting some of the offensive linemen that he recruited. So I knew what type of person he was and what type of recruiter he is and what type of coach he was. So that was the easiest one of all of them to be honest with you."
Kennedy has recruited Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana primarily during his coaching years. He and all the rest of the new assistants will add Arkansas to their stomping grounds now as well.
"I’m not concerned about recruiting our state," Pittman said after late signing day. "I have a good relationship with the high school coaches here in the state. We’ll get ‘em all called. We’re certainly going to put all 10 of our guys in the state."
Former Tulsa defensive line coach Jermial Ashley and former Colorado State wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton have both coached in Texas and both are Lone Star State natives.
"I’ve played this game to the level these guys want to play it at," Guiton said about what makes him a strong recruiter. "And I’m at a school where I can not just sell it to these guys but relate to it. So my energy I always try to bring around and keep a smile on my face and just be a good guy with understanding what these guys are going through and helping them throughout the process as well.
"But I love to hit the road and get the opportunity to meet coaches and giving these kids the opportunity of a lifetime. When they get that offer, it’s something big. So if I show the love I have for Arkansas I know that will bleed off on those guys and they’ll jump in and be ready to roll."
As one of the biggest talent producing states, the Razorbacks need a strong presence in Texas and Stepp's departure made that need even greater. They join Sam Carter, another Texas native, who was in their shoes making his SEC position coach debut just last season.
“I think the biggest thing with that is just to identify the guys and go after the guys that fit the mold of SEC players,” Ashley said. “A lot of that, for myself, is just the development and maturation of athletes.”
Joining the staff with the least coaching experience in the group is new linebackers coach Mike Scherer, a former linebacker at Missouri and Odom's handpicked right hand man. Scherer is a St. Louis native and his ties to the Show Me state should help the Hogs land more top talent from up north in 2022. They've offered 13 such prospects already and eight are still up for grabs.
"I'm going to go find the best linebackers I possibly can in the country. I don't care where they're at," Scherer noted. "If you look at Coach Odom and his defenses and the success of the linebackers throughout these defenses, there's no reason why anyone in the country wouldn't want to come play linebacker here."
All four new additions are under the age of 35 and have the relatability factor with the recruits, now we just have to wait and see if that can produce improved results.
Coach Kennedy and Coach Ashley already have a slight leg up as their predecessors helped lock in TE Dax Courtney and DL JJ Hollingsworth for the 2022 class before their arrival.
