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One aspect of recruiting that hits every team in college football is de-commitments.
It’s not uncommon for 16-, 17- and 18-year-old kids to change their mind on where they want to attend college and football players are no different.
This is particularly true when coaching changes are involved. Arkansas experienced that this season as it transitioned from Chad Morris to Sam Pittman.
Here’s a look at the 15 players in this cycle who were at one point committed to the Razorbacks, but reopened their recruitment, and where they ended up…
Ze’Vian Capers - Auburn
Committed: Feb. 8 - June 7, 2019
A talented wide receiver out of Georgia, Capers was the first player to commit to the Razorbacks in the 2020 class. However, that commitment just four months before he garnered more attention and reopened his recruitment. Now a four-star, Rivals250 prospect, Capers landed at Auburn less than a month later. Ironically, he’ll still play for Morris, but the former Arkansas head coach will be his offensive coordinator.
Jamie Vance - Louisville
Committed: Feb. 26 - Sept. 22, 2019
The second member of Arkansas’ 2020 class, Vance was always a soft commitment. The New Orleans product remained open to taking official visits and eventually de-committed following the Razorbacks’ disappointing loss to San Jose State. He eventually landed at Louisville during the early signing period.
Ty’kieast Crawford - Kilgore C.C./Charlotte
Committed: April 14 - Oct. 12, 2019
Set to become the Razorbacks’ highest-rated offensive line signee since Sam Pittman left in 2015, Crawford was a Rivals250 prospect when he committed last April. Despite being committed, there was always an underlying worry that he might flip to a school like LSU if given the opportunity and he decided to part with Arkansas just minutes after its heartbreaking loss to Kentucky. Ultimately, grades prevented the four-star recruit from signing with a Power Five program and he announced his commitment to a junior college the day before National Signing Day.
UPDATE (April 15): According to multiple reports, Crawford will play FBS football without going JUCO. He signed with Charlotte on the first day of the coronavirus-adjusted late signing period and the 49ers, per The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, are “optimistic” he’ll make the grades needed to be eligible as a freshman.
Martavius French - Tennessee
Committed: July 23 - Oct. 20, 2019
Linebacker has been another position the Razorbacks haven’t traditionally recruited at a high level, but it looked like that was going to change in 2020 with the commitment of French, a Rivals250 prospect. It also helped that two of his Memphis Whitehaven teammates were also four-star linebackers. However, he de-committed following the trio’s official visit - during when they watched Arkansas lose to Auburn - and they all three ended up going to Tennessee.
Savion Williams - TCU
Committed: May 11 - Nov. 10, 2019
Less than an hour after news broke that Morris had been fired following an embarrassing loss to Western Kentucky, Williams opened the flood gates by becoming the first player to de-commit. However, he kept the Razorbacks in the mix down to the wire, eventually picking TCU over them on National Signing Day.
John Gentry - Utah State
Committed: June 14 - Nov. 10, 2019
The second player to bail on the 2020 class after Morris’ firing, Gentry needed less than two weeks to find his new home. He originally committed to Utah, but then signed with Utah State on signing day.
Mason Mangum - Cal
Committed: April 6 - Nov. 10, 2019
The wild Sunday that saw Morris get fired was capped by Mangum’s de-commitment. Several schools began recruiting him again, including SMU, Illinois, Baylor and Colorado, but he eventually signed with Cal.
Allen Horace - UTSA
Committed: April 14 - Nov. 11, 2019
The hits kept coming the following day, as Horace was the first of two de-commitments the day after Morris was fired. He kept the Razorbacks in the mix and was also heavily pursued by Ole Miss, but he chose to follow Jeff Traylor and Barry Lunney Jr. - who originally recruited him to Fayetteville - and sign with UTSA in Conference USA.
Kelvontay Dixon - Texas
Committed: July 4 - Nov. 11, 2019
Another player who was always on shaky ground even while committed, Dixon was the fifth player to de-commit in the first 36 hours post-Morris firing. It was believed all along that he’d sign with Texas - where his brother, Keaontay Ingram, is a running back - if presented with the opportunity. Dixon finally did just that the night before National Signing Day.
Brandon Frazier - Auburn
Committed: May 28 - Nov. 12, 2019
The Razorbacks’ second tight end in the class was the first of two de-commitments on the Tuesday following Morris’ firing. Much like Horace, he kept the Razorbacks in the mix and even officially visited in January, but ultimately chose to play for Morris at Auburn.
Chandler Morris - Oklahoma
Committed: June 14 - Nov. 12, 2019
Probably the least surprising de-commitment in the history of recruiting, Morris reopened his recruitment just a couple of days after his father was fired. Many speculated he might follow his dad to Auburn, but he chose Oklahoma instead.
Darin Turner - Arkansas
Committed: Aug. 30 - Nov. 13, 2019; Dec. 19
The final domino to fall in the immediate aftermath of Morris’ firing, Turner’s de-commitment officially cut Arkansas’ 2020 class in half in a matter of four days. A relatively new rule allowed him to take a second official visit to Fayetteville, though, and he got to meet with the new staff. Unlike the other seven players who jumped ship during that time, he actually decided to re-commit to the Razorbacks and signed on the second day of the early signing period.
Drew Francis - Middle Tennessee
Committed: July 20 - Dec. 23, 2019
Despite remaining committed through the coaching change, Francis did not sign during the early signing period and reopened his recruitment the following week. It was not surprising because Pittman visited nearly every commitment after being hired, but he did not make it out to Knoxville, Tenn. He took official visits to Middle Tennessee State and Liberty before deciding to stay home and play for MTSU.
Tyrece Edwards - Middle Tennessee
Committed: July 21 - Dec. 24, 2019
Edwards had almost an identical timeline as his high school teammate, as he committed to and de-committed from Arkansas a day later than Francis. He also committed to Middle Tennessee State a day after Francis.
Mike Harris - Baylor
Committed: Nov. 3, 2019 - Jan. 10, 2020
The last player to commit to Arkansas under Morris, Harris was also the last player to de-commit from the Razorbacks. Although Pittman visited him in Alabama, he never got an official visit set up with the new staff, prompting his de-commitment less than a month before National Signing Day. Instead of playing with former high school teammate A’Montae Spivey at Arkansas, Harris signed with Baylor.
