Deion Malone to miss 2018 season

Arkansas offensive lineman Deion Malone goes through drills Tuesday, March 29, 2016, at the Razorbacks' practice field in Fayetteville.
Arkansas offensive lineman Deion Malone goes through drills Tuesday, March 29, 2016, at the Razorbacks' practice field in Fayetteville.

— Senior offensive lineman Deion Malone will miss the 2018 season with a knee injury, Arkansas coach Chad Morris announced Tuesday.

Malone underwent season-ending surgery Monday night after injuring his knee during a pass rush drill in practice earlier in the day.

"It's unfortunate and in an area we were already struggling with a little bit of depth issues," Morris said. "But again, that's why they call it coaching. We will continue to develop and bring guys along."

Malone redshirted the 2016 season after transferring from Northwest (Miss.) Community College, but an NCAA rule change adopted earlier this year allows a sixth year of eligibility for players who were forced to miss multiple seasons because of a voluntary redshirt and a medical redshirt season. Morris said he will look into Malone's eligibility situation "down the road."

Malone began his Arkansas career as an offensive lineman, worked on the defensive line this spring then transitioned back to the offensive line during the offseason. He is the third offensive lineman to suffer a significant injury since the spring. Freshman Ryan Winkel had season-ending shoulder surgery in the offseason and Colton Jackson will miss at least six games with a back injury.

The Razorbacks have 11 available scholarship offensive linemen, including Dylan Hays and Jalen Merrick, who have sat out most of preseason practice with what are believed to be minor injuries.

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