FAYETTEVILLE — For all the good that has come from the NCAA legalizing NIL payments, there have been a handful of instances when it actually hurt college athletes. One such example was revealed following Day 9 of Arkansas’ fall camp.
Speaking after Friday’s practice, new running back Rodney Hill told reporters that his path from the Florida State football program to Fayetteville – with a pit stop at Florida A&M in between – started with an NIL-gone-bad situation.
The way he tells it, Hill never intended to leave the Seminoles after last season. However, while he was still a member of the team, an agent hired by his parents went behind his back and impersonated him, presumably seeking more money.
“Not many people know, but my parents were running my money and stuff like that,” Hill said. “My parents got a bad agent and he was texting other schools like he was me, so when that got back to the head coach, I had to leave Florida State.
“During that time when I had to leave, I wasn’t trying to leave, I didn’t want to leave, so I just had to and the portal was closing up. Florida A&M was next door, so I just had to go there for a month, find a new place.”
Despite Hill’s innocence, Florida State football coach Mike Norvell – a UCA graduate and former Arkansas coaching candidate – may have been quick to cut ties with him because his program was on the brink of receiving the first NIL sanctions issued by the NCAA.
Even though it meant a drop down to the FCS level, “next door” isn’t really a figure of speech in this case. The campuses of Florida State and Florida A&M are less than two miles apart in Tallahassee, Fla., with a railroad serving as a dividing line between the ACC and SWAC programs.
Hill never practiced with the Rattlers this spring, but instead focused on going to class and lifting weights while biding his time for the transfer portal to open again in April.
He indicated that was part of an agreement between himself and Florida A&M football coach James Colzie III, who was promoted from assistant coach to head coach when Willie Simmons left to become the running backs coach at Duke.
“He knew the situation I was going through,” Hill said. “He knew that I really didn’t have any part in it. Like, I couldn’t help it. So he let me come over there and go there for a few months.”
Sure enough, Hill entered the transfer portal the day it re-opened on April 15. Four days later, the UA officially announced him as a signee.
Arkansas was a natural landing spot. He was already on the Razorbacks’ radar, as they originally offered him back in December, and running backs coach Kolby Smith said they had a need for a pass-catching running back after spring ball.
It also helped that Hill already knew a couple of Arkansas’ running backs. He knew Rashod Dubinion from their time coming up through high school football in Georgia and was familiar with Ja’Quinden Jackson because a couple of the Utah transfer’s high school teammates went to Florida State.
Getting reps in a backfield that features Jackson, Dubinion, four-star freshman Braylen Russell and JUCO transfer Tyrell Reed Jr. might be difficult, but Hill at least has a home for his redshirt sophomore season.
While it may have all worked out in the end, Hill’s situation is a cautionary tale that used to be reserved for professional athletes – like Darren McFadden and what he experienced with his financial advisor – but now applies to all student-athletes in the NIL era.
“From my perspective, I know it’s your parents and stuff like that, but sometimes you’ve got to handle it on your own,” Hill said. “Sometimes, like with my parents, I know they were trying to do the best thing for me, but sometimes you’ve got to take that on your own and gotta do it yourself. But to other kids, I’d just say you don’t have to get an agent right now. Just wait.”
Fall Camp Observations — Day 9
Here are a few other observations from the media’s viewing period of the ninth day of fall camp…
- It was the day after Arkansas’ first big scrimmage of fall camp, so as expected, the players were in “spiders” – light padding, opposed to shoulder pads – for Friday’s practice.
- The weather was perfect, mostly sunny with the temperature around 70 degrees at the start of the morning practice, which began around 9 a.m.
- Sam Pittman revealed after Thursday’s scrimmage that four players are dealing with concussions. That group has been at practice and walking around the practice fields, but on Friday, they added some light jogging. That is likely a good sign for their return, even someone like tight end Luke Hasz, who didn’t suffer his concussion until Wednesday. (By contrast, defensive end Anton Juncaj as been out since last Friday.)
- After being absent from Tuesday’s practice, Keyshawn Blackstock returned Wednesday, but was relegated to second-team right tackle. On Friday, he was back with the first unit during the lone team period seen by reporters.
- Despite Sam Pittman saying Addison Nichols would be at left guard and Amaury Wiggins would be at center if the season started today, those two were reversed during that team period seen by reporters. During individual drills, though, those two got work at both spots. That has been the case with Patrick Kutas out with a back issue.
- Also during that team period, quarterback Malachi Singleton’s first snap with the second-team offense resulted in an incompletion because his pass was tipped at the line by Ian Geffrard, the redshirt freshman defensive tackle who’s listed at 388 pounds.
- We haven’t seen a lot of freshman wide receiver Krosse Johnson, but he made a nice jumping catch on a pass by KJ Jackson with the third unit during that period.
- Any concerns about offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino totally mellowing out should be gone by now. Not only did he chew out wide receiver Jaedon Wilson at a practice last week, but he was all over the running backs on Friday. Most of his yelling was preaching small details that could be easily overlooked.
- NFL scouts for the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals were spotted at Friday’s practice.
Arkansas Football Injury Report
Here’s a rundown of several Arkansas football players who are dealing with injuries…
- OL Patrick Kutas (back): Has been out since last Friday with a back issue.
- WR Khafre Brown (knee): Participated in individual drills Friday… Has been limited in practice and was held out of Thursday’s scrimmage because of lingering knee issues.
- OL Luke Brown (knee): Did not participate in the scrimmage because he had some cartilage trimmed a couple of days ago. He’ll be out “a couple of weeks,” Pittman said.
- RB Rashod Dubinion (knee): Was not seen Friday… Did not participate in the scrimmage because of some swelling in his knee.
- RB Ja’Quinden Jackson (ankle): Was at practice Friday, but clearly still hampered… Did not participate in the scrimmage because he was dealing with what Pittman described as a “mild ankle sprain.”
- WR Tyrone Broden (turf toe): As was the case Tuesday and Wednesday, he was limited at Friday’s practice, only participating in individual drills… Also held out of Thursday’s scrimmage because of turf toe.
- WR Andrew Armstrong (hamstring): Was not seen Friday… Got dinged up in Tuesday’s practice and wasn’t out there Wednesday with what Pittman described as a “slight” hamstring issue, so he didn’t participate in the scrimmage.
- DB Dylan Hasz (back): Was not seen Friday and did not participate in Thursday’s scrimmage because of a back issue.
- CB Jaheim Singletary (hamstring): After being limited in Tuesday’s practice and not being at Wednesday’s practice, he was held out of the scrimmage because of a hamstring injury and also missed Friday’s practice.
- K Vito Calvaruso (groin): Did not participate in Thursday’s scrimmage because of a pulled groin muscle… Specialists weren’t spotted during Friday’s practice, so we don’t have an update on his status.
- DE Anton Juncaj (concussion): First day he missed was last Friday, so he could be back sooner rather than later… Was able to run on the sideline Friday.
- DB Marquise Robinson (concussion): First day he missed was Monday… Was able to run on the sideline Friday.
- DE Jon Hill (concussion): First day he missed was Wednesday… Was able to run on the sideline Friday.
- TE Luke Hasz (concussion): First day he missed was Thursday… Was able to run on the sideline Friday.
- LB JuJu Pope (hamstring): Pittman mentioned on before fall camp that Pope would be limited for the first week of camp because of a hamstring injury. He has not practiced yet this fall.
- DB Jaden Allen (knee): Pittman said the freshman had “cartilage repair” done on his knee and that he’s not expected to play this season.
- LB Justin Logan (shoulder): After being limited and wearing a green non-contact jersey during the spring, Pittman said he probably won’t play this season.
- OL Zuri Madison (ACL): Missed the spring and will miss the 2024 season with a torn ACL suffered in a scooter accident.
More on Arkansas football here:
Arkansas Football Depth Chart
Here’s how the Razorbacks lined up during the “fastball starts” team period, which consisted of the first, second and third units running four 11-on-11 plays apiece…
Offense
| POS | First | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Taylen Green | Malachi Singleton | KJ Jackson |
| RB | Ja’Quinden Jackson | Braylen Russell | Tyrell Reed Jr. |
| TE | Luke Hasz | Var’keyes Gumms Shamar Easter | n/a |
| WR | Isaac TeSlaa | Dazmin James | Krosse Johnson |
| WR | Isaiah Sategna | n/a | Bryce Stephens |
| WR | CJ Brown | Davion Dozier | Walker Catsavis Rykar Acebo |
| LT | Fernando Carmona | E’Marion Harris | Aaron Smith |
| LG | Amaury Wiggins | Brooks Edmonson | Tommy Varhall |
| C | Addison Nichols | Tim Dawn | Josh Street |
| RG | Joshua Braun | Ty’Kieast Crawford | Kobe Branham |
| RT | Keyshawn Blackstock | Joe More | Jonas Nantze |
Defense
| POS | First | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE | Landon Jackson | Quincy Rhodes Jr. | Kavion Henderson |
| DT | Cam Ball | Keivie Rose | Kaleb James |
| DT | Eric Gregory | Ian Geffrard | Danny Saili |
| DE | Nico Davillier | Charlie Collins | Donovan Whitten |
| LB | Brad Spence | Anthony Switzer | Alex Sanford |
| LB | Xavian Sorey Jr. | Stephen Dix Jr. | Bradley Shaw |
| CB | Jaylon Braxton | Kee’yon Stewart | Aidan McCowan |
| NB | Doneiko Slaughter | Larry Worth III | Jabrae Shaw |
| S | Hudson Clark | TJ Metcalf | Ahkhari Johnson |
| S | Jayden Johnson | Miguel Mitchell | Christian Ford |
| CB | Selman Bridges | Tevis Metcalf | Landon Phipps |
More from FSU football coach Mike Norvell on NIL:
Post-Practice Interviews
Running backs coach Kolby Smith and a pair of running backs, Ja’Quinden Jackson and Rodney Hill, met with reporters following Friday’s practice…
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More coverage of Arkansas football and fall camp from BoAS…
