A couple weeks before orally committing to Arkansas last Friday, North Little Rock receiver K.J. Hill said Coach Bret Bielema told him the state would celebrate if he announced he would play for the Razorbacks.
Hill got a taste of what Bielema was talking about less than an hour after committing to the Hogs at the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in North Little Rock.
Radio interviews had been completed when Hill was told someone was waiting to meet him at the building's entrance.
Sure enough, he was greeted by Razorbacks fan Canaan Sandy, who was one of three inductees into ESPN's Fan Hall of Fame in 2013. Sandy and his mother, Ginger, had traveled about two hours from their Cave City home to show support.
"We really didn't expect to meet him," Ginger Sandy said. "He just wanted to be up there and show Arkansas support."
Sandy broke into a dance after seeing Hill, then placed his hands to his face in disbelief before the two eventually embraced.
"I''m so excited about him signing," Sandy said shortly after talking with Hill.
Hill became emotional after seeing how delighted Sandy was to meet him.
"My heart is worn out," he said. "I can't even talk right now. It touched me."
Sandy, 32, who has Down Syndrome, graduated from Cave City High School when he was 21 and will participate in the "A" Walk of Honor before the Nicholls State game Saturday.
Hill won over Sandy.
"K.J. was so tall and strong, and he's a nice man to me," Sandy said. "I was excited to meet somebody of his caliber. I can't wait until 2015 so I can watch him play."
Sandy was Bielema's guest at Arkansas' spring game and received a handoff from quarterback Brandon Allen and ran 50 yards for a touchdown. The score was listed on the official stat sheet and counted in the Red team's 61-22 victory over the White.
Sandy offered a word of advice to Bielema regarding Hill.
"I would tell him to put him in the first game," Sandy said.
Ginger Sandy said she and Canaan will try and attend a North Little Rock game this season so Sandy can watch Hill in action.
"I can't wait to see K.J. again," Sandy said. "He's one of the best football players. He's going to be an awesome Hog."
Sandy said he also approved of Hill's wardrobe on his big day.
"I liked his gray Hog hat and his bow tie," he said.
Dumas tight end Will Gragg, who will announce his school choice Sept. 23, attended Hill's ceremony to show support for his friend. Sandy said he believes Gragg should join Hill in Fayetteville.
"Fifty thousand percent, I want Will Gragg to come on board," Sandy said.
Sandy said the highlight of the day was having his picture taken with Hill.
Hill said his encounter with Sandy was a reminder of what Bielema told him a few weeks earlier.
"That's why I picked the Hogs, because of stuff like that," Hill said. "It's just a special moment."
COMMITTED BUT 'OPEN-MINDED'
Arkansas is looking for immediate help at defensive end, and the Hogs like what they see in Quincy Vasser of Navarro College in Corsicanna, Texas.
Vasser, 6-4, 260 pounds, orally committed to Georgia in April but said he is planning to take an official visit to Fayetteville sometime in November.
"I'm just being open-minded to see what they have to offer," said Vasser, who has been in contact with E.K. Franks, Arkansas' director of recruiting.
Vasser graduated from Nyack High School in New York before heading to Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia. He enrolled at Navarro for the 2013 season looking to improve his ACT score.
Vasser, who also has scholarship offers from Texas and Maryland, is drawing interest from Arizona State as well as Arkansas and is looking to visit both schools.
What will sway him from the Bulldogs?
"I honestly have no idea," said Vasser, who visited Georgia in July.
Vasser said he plans to graduate from Navarro in December and enroll at his new school in January. Two former Hargrave teammates, defensive tackle John Atkins and linebacker Leonard Floyd, are at Georgia and that helped lead to his pledge.
"I was like, 'Why not take another opportunity to play with them?' " he said. "That's basically what helped with my decision, because I know people that I had played football with before."
E-mail Richard Davenport at
rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 09/05/2014