FAYETTEVILLE — Spring ball is officially in the books for Arkansas football.
The Razorbacks held their 15th and final practice of the spring Saturday afternoon inside Reynolds Razorback Stadium, hosting their annual Red-White spring game. The Red team, which was stacked with the first-team offense and defense in the first half, won easily, 38-12.
Considering the way it was formatted, that result wasn’t particularly surprising. However, it was good to see a couple of young players show out in their first somewhat real action in front of fans and on SEC Network-Plus.
In particular, in-state freshmen CJ Brown and Braylen Russell had solid showings – albeit their best production came in the second half when they went up against the third-team defense.
Brown – a three-star wide receiver out of Bentonville – did manage to catch three passes for 23 yards against the first-team defense, as he appeared to be a go-to target for the second-team quarterbacks. In the second half, he caught a pass from Malachi Singleton about 10 or so yards down field and then out ran the defense for a 75-yard touchdown.
“It was really neat to see his speed when he caught the ball down the home sideline going south,” Pittman said. “He’s really well-coached out of high school, but if you know his family, he’s come from a mature, respected, respectful family. He came in here probably older than his age.”
Earlier in the second half, Russell – the heralded running back from Benton – hit a whole and then broke a shoe-string tackle attempt on his way to a 32-yard touchdown scamper. He was mostly bottled up against the first-team defense, though, gaining just 2 yards on three carries.
“Braylen has come a long way,” teammate Ja’Quinden Jackson said. “Of course, he has his moments, because he’s a freshman. All freshmen learn, but I can tell that he’s starting to get it. His confidence level is starting to rise, and I told him, ‘once you figure it out, bro, you’re going to be an All-American’. He has the size. He has the speed. He says he can catch, but he hasn’t really shown me nothing yet. But yeah, i’m really impressed with him, and I can’t wait to see what he can do.”
Both of those guys were singled out by Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman earlier in the week as freshmen who could immediately contribute in 2024.
Red-White Spring Game Scoring + Highlights
9:18, 1Q – Red 7, White 0
The first score of the day came on the opening drive, as the first-team offense marched down the field in 11 plays to cover 77 yards. The last 10 yards came on a pass from Taylen Green to Tyrone Broden at the back of the end zone on third-and-goal.
2:38, 1Q – Red 13, White 0
The Red team went 83 yards on just seven plays on its second possession, with Green dropping a dime to Andrew Armstrong in the end zone for a 20-yard score.
13:51, 2Q – Red 19, White 0
Ja’Quinden Jackson’s first touchdown of the game came on second-and-goal from the 8 and he wouldn’t be denied.
5:46, 2Q – Red 26, White 0
Once again on second-and-goal, the Red team put the ball in Jackson’s hands and he punched it in with a physical run.
1:06, 2Q – Red 32, White 0
The defense got a fourth-down stop near midfield, giving the offense great field position with 1:47 remaining in the half and all three timeouts still available. Taylen Green was sacked on the first play, prompting a timeout, but then the offense went right through the defense. Green hit Tyrone Broden for a 23-yard gain and Andrew Armstrong for a 20-yard gain before dumping off a pass to Ja’Quinden Jackson in the flats to beat a blitz. He made a couple of guys miss on his way into the end zone for a 15-yard score.
8:50, 3Q – Red 32, White 0
The only interception of the day was thrown by freshman KJ Jackson and it was honestly a great play by the defense. Ahkhari Johnson, another freshman, jumped in front of a pass along the sideline to walk-on Walker Catsavis and managed to get a foot down in bounds.
5:55, 3Q – Red 32, White 6
The shutout was erased with a 32-yard touchdown run by freshman Braylen Russell. He hit the whole for what was already a nice run, but then broke a shoe-string tackle attempt and got into the end zone relatively easy after that.
10:53, 4Q – Red 38, White 6
Walk-on Jezreel Bachert punched it in from one yard out on second-and-goal.
8:50, 4Q – Red 38, White 12
The final score of the day came on a long touchdown pass to CJ Brown. He caught a pass from Malachi Singleton about 10 or so yards downfield and got the rest of it after the catch, out-running the defense to the end zone.
Arkansas Football Red-White Spring Game Stats
Offense – First Half (1s vs. 2s)
Passing
- Taylen Green: 17 of 22, 243 yards, 3 TD
- Malachi Singleton: 2 of 3, 9 yards
- Jacolby Criswell: 1 of 3, 3 yards
- KJ Jackson: 7 of 10, 34 yards
Rushing
- Ja’Quinden Jackson: 9 carries, 68 yards, 2 TD
- Rashod Dubinion: 3 carries, 38 yards
- Isaiah Augustave: 6 carries, 9 yards
- Braylen Russell: 3 carries, 2 yards
- Dominique Johnson: 1 carry, 4 yards
- Taylen Green: 5 carries, 15 yards
- Malachi Singleton: 1 carry, minus-5 yards
- Jacolby Criswell: 1 carry, minus-1 yard
Receiving
- Tyrone Broden: 5 receptions, 60 yards, TD
- Andrew Armstrong: 3 receptions, 52 yards, TD
- Isaiah Augustave: 2 receptions, minus-3 yards
- Ja’Quinden Jackson: 1 reception, 15 yards, TD
- Braylen Russell: 2 receptions, minus-2 yards
- Andreas Paaske: 1 reception, 3 yards
- CJ Brown: 3 receptions, 23 yards
- Dazmin James: 2 receptions, 25 yards
- Luke Hasz: 2 reception, 52 yards
- Isaiah Sategna: 3 receptions, 23 yards
- Jordan Anthony: 1 reception, 23 yards
- Rashod Dubinion: 1 reception, 7 yards
- Var’keyes Gumms: 1 reception, 13 yards
Defense – First Half (1s vs. 2s)
Tackles
- Jaden Allen 5 TT (4 solo, 1 assisted)
- TJ Metcalf 5 TT (4 solo, 1 assisted)
- Cameron Ball 4 TT (2 solo, 2 assisted)
- Brad Spence 4 TT (2 solo, 2 assisted)
- Snaxx Johnson 4 TT (3 solo, 1 assisted)
- Kee’Yon Stewart 4 TT (3 solo, 1 assisted)
- Carson Dean 4 TT (3 assisted, 1 solo)
- Nico Davillier 3 TT (2 assisted, 1 solo)
- Landon Jackson 3 TT (1 solo, 2 assisted)
- Jaylon Braxton 2 TT (2 assisted)
- Selman Bridges 2 TT (1 solo, 1 assisted)
- Hudson Clark 2 TT (2 solo)
- Jayden Johnson 2 TT (1 solo, 1 assisted)
- RJ Johnson 2 TT (2 assisted)
- Anton Juncaj 2 TT (2 assisted)
- Miguel Mitchell 2 TT (2 assisted)
- Alex Sanford 1 TT (1 assist)
- Jaheim Singletary 1 TT (1 solo)
- Xavian Sorey 1 TT (1 assisted)
- Ian Geffrard 1 TT (1 assisted)
- Kaden Henley 1 TT (1 solo)
Sacks
- Jaden Allen: 1 (6 yards)
- Brad Spence: 1 (5 yards)
- Nico Davillier: 1 (1 yard)
- Lorando Johnson: 1 (7 yards)
- Carson Dean: 1 (2 yards)
Tackles for Loss
- Brad Spence: 3
- Jayden Johnson: 1.5
- Nico Davillier: 1.5
- Jaylon Braxton: 1
- Jaden Allen: 1
- Lorando Johnson: 1
- Carson Dean: 1
- Landon Jackson: 0.5
- Cam Ball: 0.5
Pass Break-Ups
- Jaheim Singletary: 2
- Jaylon Braxton: 1
- Landon Jackson: 1
Offense – Second Half (2s vs. 3s)
Passing
- Malachi Singleton: 1 for 3, 75 yards, TD
- Jacolby Criswell: 2 for 5, 16 yards
- KJ Jackson: 8 for 12, 73 yards, INT
- Austin Ledbetter: 1 for 4, 8 yards
Rushing
- Isaiah Augustave: 1 carry, 1 yard
- Braylen Russell: 2 carries, 36 yards, 1 TD
- Dominique Johnson: 1 carry, 4 yards
- Malachi Singleton: 1 carry, 2 yards
- Jacolby Criswell: 3 carries, -1 yard
- Jezreel Bachert: 5 carries, 12 yards
- Austin Ledbetter: 2 carries, 6 yards
- Emmanuel Crawford: 1 carry, -1 yard
Receiving
- CJ Brown: 3 receptions, 86 yards, TD
- Dominique Johnson: 1 reception, 5 yards
- Rykar Acebo: 3 receptions, 15 yards
- Jezreel Bachert: 3 receptions, 26 yards
- Maddox Lassiter: 3 receptions, 40 yards
Defense – Second Half (2s vs. 3s)
Tackles
- Ahkhari Johnson 3 TT (2 solo, 1 assisted)
- Kaden Henley 2 TT (2 assisted)
- Selman Bridges 2 TT (2 solo)
- JJ Hollingsworth 2 TT (1 solo, 1 assisted)
- JuJu Pope 1 TT (1 solo)
- Ian Geffrard 1 TT (1 solo)
- Brooks Yurachek 1 TT (1 solo)
- Landon Phipps 1 TT (1 solo)
- Tevis Metcalf 3 TT (2 solo, 1 assisted)
- Jaheim Singletary 1 TT (1 solo)
- Kyle Thompson 1 TT (1 solo)
- Aidan McCowan 1 TT (1 solo)
- Kaleb James 1 TT (1 solo)
- Alex Sanford 1 TT (1 solo)
- Quincy Rhodes Jr. 1 TT (1 solo)
Interceptions
- Ahkhari Johnson: 1 (picked off KJ Jackson)
Sacks
- Kaleb James: 1
Pass Break-Ups
- Landon Phipps: 1
- Ian Geffrard: 1
Tackles for Loss
- Selman Bridges: 1
- Kyle Thompson: 1
- Juju Pope: 1
- Kaleb James: 1
Special Teams (all game)
Field Goals
- Matthew Shipley: 2 for 4
- 40-yard: GOOD
- 45-yard: NO GOOD (wide left)
- 40-yard: NO GOOD (wide right)
- 33-yard: GOOD
- Vito Calvaruso:
- 40-yard: NO GOOD (wide right)
- 45-yard: GOOD
- 40-yard: NO GOOD (wide right)
- 33-yard: GOOD
Punting
- Devin Bale: 2 punts (61.5-yard average)
- 61-yard punt
- 62-yard punt
- Max Fletcher: 1 punt (43 yards)
- Sam Dubwig: 1 punt (69 yards)
- Punt bounced around the 25-yard line and went past Sategna before rolling out of bounds at the 1
Kickoffs
- Vito Calvaruso: through the end zone (touchback)
- Devin Bale: into the end zone (touchback)
- Kyle Gallegos: into the end zone (touchback)
Arkansas Football Depth Chart
Offense
| POS | First | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Taylen Green | Malachi Singleton Jacolby Criswell KJ Jackson | KJ Jackson Austin Ledbetter |
| RB | Ja’Quinden Jackson Rashod Dubinion | Isaiah Augustave Dominique Johnson Braylen Russell | Isaiah Augustave Emmanuel Crawford Jezreel Bachert Keegan Atkins |
| TE | Luke Hasz Var’keyes Gumms | Andreas Paaske Shamar Easter | Maddox Lassiter Luke Johnston |
| WR | Andrew Armstrong Jordan Anthony | CJ Brown | Luke Buchanan |
| WR | Tyrone Broden Isaac TeSlaa | Kamron Bibby Bryce Stephens | Walker Catsavis |
| WR | Isaiah Sategna Jaedon Wilson | Dazmin James | Kamron Bibby Rykar Acebo |
| LT | Fernando Carmona Jr. | E’Marion Harris | Tommy Varhall |
| LG | Patrick Kutas | Josh Street Brooks Edmunson | Paris Patterson Kai Hamilton |
| C | Addison Nichols | Amaury Wiggins | Tim Dawn |
| RG | Joshua Braun | Kobe Branham | Luke Brown |
| RT | Keyshawn Blackstock | Ty’Kieast Crawford | Aaron Smith |
Defense
| POS | First | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE | Landon Jackson | Anton Juncaj | Charlie Collins |
| DT | Cam Ball | Keivie Rose | Kaleb James |
| DT | Eric Gregory | Ian Geffrard | JJ Hollingsworth |
| DE | Nico Davillier | Quincy Rhodes Jr. | Jon Hill Donovan Whitten |
| LB | Xavian Sorey Jr. | Carson Dean Kaden Henley | Brooks Both Mason Schueck |
| LB | Brad Spence | Alex Sanford | Brooks Yurachek JuJu Pope |
| NB | Doneiko Slaughter | Lorando Johnson | Dallas Young Jabrae Shaw |
| CB | Jaylon Braxton | Jaheim Singletary Selman Bridges | Landon Phipps |
| CB | Kee’yon Stewart | Jaden Allen | Aidan McCowan |
| S | Hudson Clark | TJ Metcalf RJ Johnson | John Paul Pickens Anton Pierce |
| S | Jayden Johnson | Miguel Mitchell | Christian Ford Braylon Watson |
Special Teams
| POS | First | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| K | Matthew Shipley | Vito Calvaruso | |
| P | Max Fletcher | Devin Bale | |
| LS | Eli Stein | Ashton Ngo | |
| H | Max Fletcher | Devin Bale | |
| KO | Vito Calvaruso | Devin Bale | Kyle Gallegos |
| KOR | Lorando Johnson | Jaylon Braxton | Jordan Anthony |
| PR | Isaiah Sategna | Jaylon Braxton |
***
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