Future Planning

In his weekly recruiting column for Hawgs Illustrated, Dudley E. Dawson catches up with Arkansas recruiting coordinator Tim Horton about the Razorback staff's 2011 end game and how it even got in some 2012 recruiting immediately after the Sugar Bowl. This story is free and sponsored by the Arkansas Toyota Dealers. Click on the Arkansas Toyota banner.

With the addition of Florida prep defensive end Lonnie Gosha (6-3, 270) on Wednesday, the possible addition of New Jersey tight end Jack Tabb (6-4, 235) on Friday and hosting 16 official visitors this weekend, the 2011 Arkansas football recruiting class is filling up fast.

So it’s not surprising that the Razorback coaching staff was dealing in both the present and the future after it got back from the Sugar Bowl according to recruiting coordinator Tim Horton.

“One of the best things about our success in getting so many kids (27) committed this early is that it allowed our staff to get out last week and work on next year’s class as well,” Horton said. “We really feel like not only are we going to have a great class this season, but we are well on our way to a great 2012 one as well.”

Indeed while being in this year’s Sugar Bowl was a major step forward for the program, the benefits are most likely to be reaped in 2012.

“We’ve gotten great feedback on being in a BCS bowl and where the kids think our program is headed,” Horton said. “But we already very pleased with our class for 2011 before the Sugar Bowl. Where we really expect to see it pay off when it comes to recruiting is 2012.

“Yes, we might add a few down the line because of our success, but we are really going to be able to run with that in the 2012 class,” Horton said. “Like I said, we are already hearing great feedback from those prospects and their coaches and a lot of them watched us in the Sugar Bowl. It was all very positive.”

The Razorbacks currently have 27 commits in a class where they are likely to sign 28 players.

But that doesn’t mean you will only see one more addition to the list as some of those already pledged could fall off of the list due to academic concerns or other reasons.

“We’ve still got a few spots left and we are working to get the best possible players left out there,” Horton said. “We’ve got a great group coming in this weekend and some scheduled next week as we try to finish as strong as we started.”

This weekend’s list of 16 official visitors include 11 commits already pledged to Arkansas,one that is committed to another school and four prospects that are uncommitted.

The four uncommitted prospects are Texas prep defensive end Horace Arkadie (6-4, 242) and tight end Andrew Peterson (6-5, 250), Louisiana prep defensive tackle Mickey Johnson (6-1, 300) and fullback Tarek Odom (5-10, 254) of St. Augustine, Fla.

The uncommitted prospect scheduled to be in Fayetteville this weekend is Mississippi State wideout pledge Joe Morrow (6-5, 200).

Those young men along with the 11 committed future Razorbacks will get a chance to see the current Arkansas team honored at halftime of Saturday’s basketball game.

“Our team this year had great success and we are out there right now making sure we have the guys to keep moving forward in the next season and many more to come,” Horton said. “We think that is exactly what we are accomplishing.”