FAYETTEVILLE (AP) — Leading Arkansas wide receiver La’Michael Pettway is leaving to play his senior season elsewhere as a graduate transfer.
Pettway, who led the Razorbacks with 499 receiving yards last season, announced his decision Tuesday, saying “nothing personal, I just have to do what’s best for my family and I.”
According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette , Pettway is at least the 10th player to leave since the Razorbacks’ 2-10 season under first-year coach Chad Morris. Among the others are quarterbacks Cole Kelley and Ty Storey while Jonathan Nance, the team’s top receiver in 2017, left for Missouri after making one catch in four games last year.
Pettway’s announcement came shortly after word that former SMU quarterback Ben Hicks is transferring to Arkansas. Hicks is SMU’s all-time leader with 9,081 yards and 71 touchdown passes. Last season, he completed 208 of 372 passes for 2,582 yards, with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Former SMU QB
transferring to Hogs
FAYETTEVILLE (AP) — Former SMU quarterback Ben Hicks will play his final year at Arkansas.
Hicks made the announcement on Twitter . He will reunite with Arkansas coach Chad Morris and coordinator Joe Craddock, who recruited him to SMU in 2015.
Hicks is SMU’s all-time leader with 9,081 yards and 71 touchdown passes. Last season, he completed 208 of 372 passes for 2,582 yards, with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Opportunity is knocking for Hicks. Cole Kelley has transferred from Arkansas to Southeastern Louisiana and senior Ty Storey’s name is in the NCAA transfer database. They combined for 11 starts in 2018 as Arkansas sputtered to a 2-10 finish.
The Razorbacks still have redshirt freshmen Connor Noland and John Stephen Jones and redshirt sophomore Daulton Hyatt. KJ Jefferson also has signed with the program.
Tate Martell leaving Buckeyes for Miami
COLUMBUS, OH – Quarterback Tate Martell says he is transferring from Ohio State to Miami.
Martell announced on Twitter early Wednesday: “I’m a Hurricane.”
Martell had entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal last week and was free to be approached by schools about a potential move.
Martell, who will be a third-year sophomore, sat behind record-setting Buckeyes quarterback Dwayne Haskins Jr. last season. Martell appeared to be the heir apparent when Haskins left early for the NFL draft, but Ohio State lured Georgia transfer Justin Fields to compete for the starting spot.
Alabama’s Hurst heading to Oklahoma
TUSCALOOSA, AL – Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts has decided to transfer to Oklahoma.
Hurts made the announcement Wednesday in a story in the Players’ Tribune . He will be available immediately as a graduate transfer.
Hurts was a two-year starter who led Alabama to a pair of national championship games and was Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year as a freshman.
Tua Tagovailoa replaced Hurts at halftime against Georgia in the national title game after the 2017 season, then beat him out for the starting job heading into this past season and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Hurts could have transferred earlier, but he stuck it out and rallied Alabama past Georgia in the SEC title game this past season after Tagovailoa was injured.
Oklahoma has a good history with transfer quarterbacks. Baker Mayfield transferred from Texas Tech before winning the Heisman at Oklahoma in 2017 and being drafted No. 1 overall in 2018. Kyler Murray transferred from Texas A&M before winning the Heisman at Oklahoma this past season and choosing to declare early for the NFL draft.
Hurts should help Oklahoma smooth its transition from Murray at quarterback. Last year’s backup, Austin Kendall, is expected to transfer. Tanner Mordecai, a freshman last season, is the only quarterback currently on scholarship for the Sooners. Five-star recruit Spencer Rattler, the consensus No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2019, is committed to the Sooners..
Dawing set to pick new CWS ticket buyers
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Baseball fans are welcome to enter an online drawing to buy season tickets to the College World Series.
Fans who enter by midnight CST on March 1 will be eligible to be selected to buy up to four season tickets to the CWS, which is held in June each year at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha.
The number of tickets available is to be determined and based on existing season-ticket holder renewals. Most of the tickets for new applicants will be in the upper level of the stadium. Season ticket holders can request seat relocation in future years.
People whose names are drawn will receive email notice by March 6. Season ticket prices range from $425 to $476.
Fans can apply at NCAA.com/CWSTickets and CWSomaha.com.