A former commitment and an Arkansas target under former coach Chad Morris hopes to see the Razorbacks retain their lead recruiter and potential position coach.
Prior to Morris’ dismissal, Razorbacks receivers coach Justin Stepp had commitments from receivers Mason Mangum and Savion Williams, and looked to be in good shape with another receiver - Connor O’Toole.
Mangum, 5-11, 171, 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Austin (Texas) Westlake, re-opened his recruitment on Nov. 10 after being committed to the Razorbacks since April 6.
He picked Arkansas over scholarship offers from Illinois, Boston College, Tulane, Furman, Columbia and Louisiana-Lafayette. Vanderbilt extended an offer after his pledge to the Razorbacks.
California offered him six days after he announced his plans to reopen his recruitment.
Mangum said Stepp being retained by the new Arkansas coach would make him reconsider playing for the Razorbacks.
“Coach Stepp is my guy, so it would definitely be a positive,” Mangum said.
O’Toole, 6-4, 210 pounds, of Albuquerque (N.M.) La Cueva, has scholarship offers from Arkansas, LSU, Baylor, California, Nebraska, Kansas State, Maryland, Utah, New Mexico, San Diego State, Colorado, Washington State and others. He officially visited Fayetteville for the Mississippi State game on Nov. 2.
He has also officially visited Baylor, Washington State and has plans to visit Utah on Nov. 30. O’Toole named Arkansas his leader after his visit.
He also hopes to see Stepp remain at Arkansas.
“It’d be super intriguing if he was retained,” O’Toole said. “Coach Stepp is definitely a person I’d want to play for. He truly cares about his players and I know he would take care of me.”