Tuesday's Big Decision

In his weekly recruiting column, Dudley E. Dawson talks about Brey Cook's upcoming decision and how the Razorbacks have made the interior lines a big priority in the 2011 recruiting class. This story is free courtesy Fayetteville Autopark. Click the banner to learn more.

The late, great sports writer Orville Henry and many other wise people have always offered up the opinion that football games are won and lost in the trenches.

It’s certainly an opinion I agree with – although it certainly helps to have some of the skill guys as well.

It’s clear this 2011 University of Arkansas recruiting class is focused on making sure the interior lines are stacked.

Out of 10 Razorback commits so far, six of them have come from either offensive or defensive linemen prospects.

There are two really big fish who could add to that – one as soon as Tuesday and the other before the class closes up.

It’s no secret how much Arkansas wants to land Springdale Har-Ber offensive lineman Brey Cook (6-7, 310) and hand him the number 74 – now ingrained on his arm with a new tattoo.

Cook – one of the nation’s best prospects regardless of position – is set to announce his decision next Tuesday.

He will have two hats on a table – one an Arkansas one and one from Oklahoma.

“Recruiting has been a lot of fun, but sometimes stressful too,” Cook told Scout.com. “It has been different at times, but I really want to go ahead and get my commitment out of the way, so I will be committing at my school on July 6."

So who gets the nod – the Razorbacks or the Sooners?

"Arkansas is the home state school,” Cook said. “I grew up a big Hog fan, and the fans are amazing there. It would be cool to stay home and go to Arkansas.

"Oklahoma was the first big school to offer me a scholarship when I attended their camp last summer, so that always stood out to me,” Cook added.

The other big fish getting a lot of publicity is Washington (D.C.) St. John’s College High defensive tackle Kevin McReynolds (6-3, 280). McReynolds visited Arkansas last weekend and came away very impressed.

“It was great and I was blown away,” McReynolds said Sunday night. “The coaches are great, the people down there are really nice, the fans are great with that Woo Pig Sooie stuff and the facilities – well they are just insane. Especially the weight room, which is the biggest I have ever seen. The business school is one of the best in the country and that is what I want to get into. It was a great, great trip.”

McReynolds, a four-star prospect who is the 16th-best defensive tackle in the country per Scout.com, also left with a tremendous amount of respect for the Arkansas coaching staff.

“One of the things that really impressed me was how honest with me,” McReynolds said. “Most the places you go they tell you how great you are, all the great things about you and all that. Arkansas coaches told me what I was good at and what I could work on to get better. I really respect that. That’s the kind of coaching staff I need – one that pushes me to be the best I can be and not just tell me how great I am.”