Oklahoma safety Dillon Stoner received a scholarship offer when he visited the Arkansas campus on March 19.
Now, he's looking forward to making a return trip to Fayetteville for Saturday's spring game.
"Mainly just excited to talk to the coaches again and watch some football," Stoner said.
Stoner, 6-1, 180, 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Jenks, Okla., also has offers from Washington State, Kansas, Rice, Arkansas State and Wyoming while Texas Tech and Nebraska are showing strong interest.
Offensive line coach Sam Pittman and offensive line graduate assistant Eric Mateos are recruiting Stoner, who recalled what stood out about his March visit.
"The campus was beautiful and obviously their academics are definitely very highly ranked, and the SEC as well, is big for me," said Stoner, who reports a 3.5 grade point average and is considering business as a major. "The coaches seem really down to earth and seem like people I could really get along with."
Stoner had 48 tackles and 5 interceptions, including 1 returned for a touchdown, and he contributed on offense, as well. Stoner caught 35 passes for 597 yards, 6 touchdowns and carried 10 times for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns as a junior.
In track, he specializes in the 400 meters, posting a time of 48.75 seconds last Friday in the Kansas Relays. He also runs legs on as many as four different relay teams for Jenks, at distances ranging from 100 meters all the way to 800.
Stoner said the final 100 to 150 meters of the 400 meters are grueling, but it's a challenge he embraces.
"For some reason, I don't know why it's also my favorite part of the race," said Stoner, who has a goal of breaking 47 seconds this spring. "That's when people can't take anymore and that's when I try and kick. Maintaining form is a huge part, but it's also a big mind-set. You have to be very mentally tough and you have to focus on your form. "
Stoner said it's unlikely that he'll commit during the visit.
"I want to talk to the family obviously and to get their input on everything," Stoner said. "I want to make my decision probably before my senior season starts and just focus on playing just football and not have to worry about it."
GUNSLINGER OUTLAW
Arkansas basketball Coach Mike Anderson and assistant T.J. Cleveland are expected to visit junior college guard Ty Outlaw today.
Outlaw, 6-6, 215 pounds of Lee College in Texas, played at North Carolina-Greensboro as a freshman and averaged 5.4 points and 2.1 rebounds before transferring to junior college in hopes of making the jump to a larger Division I school.
Lee assistant coach Marcus King said Outlaw has taken notice of Anderson's program.
"Ty has seen what coach Anderson has done as far as building that program back to being a top -5 program year in and year out," King said. "And the success the players have individually there and maturation as young men and also as players."
,Outlaw, from Roxboro, N.C., averaged 21.8 points, 5 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from beyond the three-point line this past season.
Oregon, Kansas. West Virginia, Oklahoma State and others are expected to visit with Outlaw between Monday and today
Outlaw is fond of Arkansas' style of play.
"That's something that definitely caught his eye," King said. "He got a chance to see them play during the school year ... and thought it fit him and the way he plays."
Outlaw officially visited LSU in the fall and Virginia Tech over the weekend. King said Outlaw will make at least one more official visit, possibly two.
"He's trying to decide no later than at the end of our school spring semester which is May 8th," King said. "Somewhere within that May 8th and May 15th timeframe he wants to have a decision made."
COACHES HIT THE ROAD
Six Arkansas coaches hit the road last Wednesday, the first day coaches could visit the schools of prospects during college football's spring evaluation period.
Arkansas Director of Recruiting E.K. Franks said UA coaches did what they did last spring, visiting the schools of every in-state recruit with a scholarship offer on the first day.
"We kind of set the tone last year and we're just continuing it this year," Franks said.
Defensive line coach Rory Segrest visited Hope to check on highly recruited defensive end McTelvin Agim while tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. visited Pulaski Robinson to check on athlete commitment T.J. Hammonds and Star City to check out defensive line pledge Austin Capps.
Receivers coach Michael Smith traveled to Smackover to check on receiver commitment Jordan Jones. Schools are allowed 168 evaluation days from April 15 to May 31.
"Each day a coach is out that counts as a day," Franks said. "Basically what you're trying to figure out is making sure we take care of people we need to see early and make sure there's certain people you need to see twice and also making sure the coach has enough days to see the schools in his territory."
Seven Razorback coaches will be on the road Wednesday for a day before returning in time for Thursday's practice. The coaches will go back on the road next Wednesday.
E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 04/21/2015