WR La'Michael Pettway announces transfer, gets Hogs to magic number

Arkansas is losing its top wide receiver from 2018 to transfer.

La’Michael Pettway, who was set to be a fifth-year senior next season, announced his intention to be a graduate transfer via Twitter on Tuesday.

“After close evaluation of my goals as an athlete & scholar I have decided not to play receiver at The University of Arkansas in the future,” Pettway said in his tweet. “I’ll continue my pursuit of my bachelors degree here at The University, & graduate-transfer out to continue my athletic career elsewhere.

“Nothing personal, I just have to do what’s best my my family and I.”

A native of Nashville, Ark., Pettway finished the season with 30 receptions, which was tied with tight end Cheyenne O’Grady for the most on the team, for a team-high 499 yards and four touchdowns.

He burst onto the scene with 93 yards and two touchdowns on five catches in the opener against Eastern Illinois, but saw his production drop off as the season progressed.

Nearly 40 percent of his yards came in the Razorbacks’ four non-conference games. However, Pettway did have 77- and 83-yard performances against Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

Before last season, he had caught only seven passes for 102 yards and one touchdown.

Pettway was part of Arkansas’ heralded 2015 in-state class. Despite being just a 5.6 three-star prospect, he had offers from Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss and Ohio State.

As a graduate transfer, he’ll be immediately eligible in 2019 regardless the level - FBS or FCS - of school he picks.

His departure is significant for the Razorbacks in terms of their own 2019 signing class because it opens up the final scholarship needed to bring in a full class of 29.

Pettway is the 11th player to announce a transfer since the beginning of last season, with four others leaving the program for various reasons, as detailed in HawgBeat’s 2019 scholarship distribution chart.

Arkansas will have four upperclassmen with playing experience at wide receiver next year, but chances are graduate transfer quarterback Ben Hicks will lean heavily on sophomore Michael Woods and four-star additions Treylon Burks, T.Q. Jackson, Trey Knox and Shamar Nash.

He’ll also have O’Grady, Grayson Gunter and four-star commit Hudson Henry to throw to at tight end.