Norman Rejoins Arkansas As Walk-On

FAYETTEVILLE — Former Springdale High wide receiver Andrew Norman will get another chance to play at Arkansas.

Norman has enrolled in classes and rejoined the Razorbacks’ football team as a walk-on, a source close to the situation told The Morning News on Thursday.

Norman was among four members of the highly touted Springdale Five who signed with Arkansas in 2006, but he transferred to Tulsa after redshirting his freshman season.

Norman recently decided to transfer from Tulsa because of nonfootball-related reasons, according to the source who asked not to be identified.

The wide receiver started practicing with the Razorbacks this week, the source said. Norman must sit out this season and will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Arkansas associate athletic director Kevin Trainor couldn’t confirm whether Norman has rejoined the team.

Coincidentally, Norman nearly signed to play for Bobby Petrino out of high school. The former Springdale star was recruited heavily by Petrino, but Norman turned down a scholarship offer to Louisville to sign with Arkansas.



Crawford Improving

Arkansas wide receiver London Crawford is showing signs that he’s getting over the concussion he suffered in last Saturday’s 28-24 win over Western Illinois.

Petrino said the junior had another “good” day of practice Thursday, giving the indication that he’ll be able to start against Louisiana-Monroe in War Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

“He should be healthy and ready to go. I’d anticipate him starting unless some setback happens over the night or first thing in the morning,” Petrino said. “But he looked good, running full speed, catching the ball and had no headaches or anything after (Wednesday’s) practice.”

Crawford was left off the Arkansas’ depth chart released Monday, and he has been limited in practice this week. Freshman Greg Childs was expected to make his first career start if Crawford was unavailable, but it appears the junior will be back as one of the team’s starting receiver.



Forte Out, Leandre Unknown

Arkansas outside linebacker Elston Forte has continued to practice, but Petrino said the senior won’t play Saturday. However, Forte will travel with the team to Little Rock for the game.

The status of Jack linebacker Walner Leandre remains uncertain. The senior was held out of last Saturday’s season opener because of what defensive coordinator Willy Robinson referred to as an “inhouse deal.”

Leandre was listed as the starting Jack linebacker on Arkansas’ latest depth chart.



Arkansas Ties

Reserve cornerback Alex Blake, a Little Rock native, is the only ULM player who’s from the Natural State. But there is one other player who has some ties to the Razorbacks.

Safety Troy Giddens, who originally signed with LSU in 2006, played at Copiah Lincoln Community College last season and was an Arkansas verbal commitment.

He planned on signing with the Razorbacks, but said things changed after former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt resigned and went to Ole Miss.

“They offered me and a couple days later the coaches got fired or resigned,” Giddens said. “I didn’t hear from (Arkansas) after that.”