As Arkansas football moves into a new era following the firing of head coach Sam Pittman last month, one thing many fans want to see in the future is more in-state players starring for the Razorbacks.
The Hogs have struggled this season, to say the least, currently sitting at 2-7 and winless in SEC play, but one bright spot has been the emergence of sophomore wide receiver CJ Brown. The Bentonville High graduate is fifth on the team in receiving yards (third among wideouts), catching 26 passes for 290 yards and 3 touchdowns through 11 games.
The former three-star recruit elected to stay home out of high school over offers from Kansas State, Louisville, Minnesota and others. Brown was born in Cleveland and grew up in the Gopher State before relocating to Northwest Arkansas when he was still in grade school. In his second year on campus, the local kid has earned a starting spot in interim coach Bobby Petrino’s high-scoring offense.
Petrino has thrust Brown into a more prominent role as the season progressed due to a number of injuries shortening the ranks in the wide receiver room. Stanford transfer Ismael Cisse suffered a wrist injury that ended his season before it began. In Week 2, 30-year-old walk-on Monte Harrison broke his foot against Arkansas State and then, a couple games later, Florida State transfer Jalen Brown broke his leg against Notre Dame. The latter of those injuries solidified CJ Brown’s spot in the starting lineup. After averaging just 34.6 snaps the first five games of the season, he averaged 63.5 over the next four.
Born in 2005, Brown grew up watching Petrino’s Arkansas teams with his father, Carson. Unfortunately, his dad hasn’t witnessed his son’s breakout season after his tragic passing in August.
Less than three weeks later, the Razorback football season kicked off. In an emotional season opener, Brown caught 4 passes for 49 yards, reeling in his first and second career touchdown receptions against Alabama A&M.
“It felt like a tribute to my father,” Brown said on the Razorback Daily podcast in September. “My mother being able to be there, my grandparents, my uncle being able to be there to see that. It just makes you feel good, so I’m definitely thankful for that.”
On the radio broadcast calling that game was a close family friend who has stepped up for Brown in the wake of losing his father.
CJ Brown and Geno Bell’s Connection
Geno Bell, currently the sideline reporter on Arkansas football’s radio broadcasts, played four seasons for the Razorbacks under Danny Ford in the 1990s. He also spent four seasons in the NFL with the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns. When he’s not on the sidelines on gamedays, Bell works as a vendor for Walmart. CJ said he “was good friends with my dad” and has been a mentor for him – particularly in recent months.
“That’s my dog,” Brown said of Bell. “Me and Geno meet pretty much every week to have dinner. He’s been breathing into me a lot of the things he’s had to go through and money management, stuff that I would talk to my father about.”
“Just growing as a man and getting older, you got things you have to take care of,” he continued. “He encourages me every day, sends me those motivational texts early in the morning when I’m going to lift. Looking at those things that my father would do for me, it’s nice to have somebody in place that cares about me.”
CJ Brown also knows Geno’s son, Nick Bell, who played defensive back and ran track at rival Bentonville West High and is now a sophomore cornerback at the Naval Academy. Brown competed against him in both sports and said they’ve become friends.
