FOOTBALL
Sources say UA to hire Loggains
FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman is expected to add a UA graduate to his coaching staff for the first time by securing Dowell Loggains as tight ends coach, sources familiar with the situation told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Monday.
FootballScoop.com first reported Pittman was in the process of completing a deal to hire Loggains, who most recently was serving as an offensive analyst on Coach James Franklin's staff at Penn State.
A native of Newport, Loggains was a quarterback at Arkansas who lettered between 2001-04 before embarking on an extensive coaching career.
Loggains, 40, began his pro career as an offensive quality control coordinator with the Tennessee Titans (2008-09) before taking over as quarterbacks coach (2010-11) and then offensive coordinator (2012-13) under Mike Munchak with the Titans.
He served as offensive coordinator with the Chicago Bears (2016-17), Miami Dolphins (2018) and New York Jets (2019-20), where he was also quarterbacks coach. Loggains has also been quarterbacks coach with the Cleveland Browns (2014) and Bears (2015).
Pittman did not have an Arkansas graduate on his initial staff in 2020. Loggains' appearance follows the move of Cody Kennedy from tight ends coach to offensive line coach last week after line coach Brad Davis accepted the same job at LSU in his hometown of Baton Rouge.
Pittman has had a changeover of half his staff after one season, with wide receivers coach Justin Stepp replaced by Kenny Guiton, defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc replaced by Jermial Ashley, linebackers coach Rion Rhoades replaced by Michael Scherer, Kennedy sliding over to replace Davis, and tight ends coach Jon Cooper replaced by Kennedy and then Loggains.
-- Tom Murphy
BASKETBALL
Boykins leaves Arkansas for UTEP
Earl Boykins is moving on from the University of Arkansas basketball program after two seasons.
Boykins, who was named the Razorbacks' director of student-athlete development in September 2019, has been hired as an assistant coach at Texas-El Paso under first-year Coach Joe Golding, it was announced Monday. The head coach at Abilene Christian the previous eight seasons, Golding replaced Rodney Terry in April.
Boykins has not been an assistant coach at the college level.
The second shortest player in NBA history, Boykins played for Eric Musselman with the Golden State Warriors during the 2002-03 season as well as when Musselman was an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic.
Boykins scored 5,791 points in his NBA career and finished with 2,092 assists. He played for 11 different franchises after going undrafted out of college. He also played one season in the Italian League in 2008-09.
Jackson chooses East Carolina
Former Arkansas forward Vance Jackson announced his transfer destination early Monday morning.
Jackson, who signed with the Razorbacks last spring and played in 26 games during the 2020-21 season, has committed to East Carolina, according to a post to his Instagram story. On May 18, he stated his intent to transfer from Arkansas and take advantage of the extra year of eligibility provided by the NCAA because of covid-19.
A Pasadena, Calif., native, Jackson began his college career at UConn before transferring to New Mexico, where he played two seasons. He earned a start in three games at Arkansas and averaged 11.6 minutes, down from 27.5 with the Lobos.
-- Scottie Bordelon
UAPB receives commitment
The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff men's basketball program received an oral commitment from junior-college recruit Jaylan Thomas on Monday evening.
Thomas, a 6-7 forward, averaged 11.5 points per game at Murray State College (Okla.) in 2020-21. At Tulsa Central High School, Thomas scored 17.3 point and pulled down 6.3 rebounds per game as a senior, leading his team to the Class 4A semifinals and earning a place on the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State Team.
Thomas represents the first addition for the Golden Lions under new Coach Solomon Bozeman, whose arrival was announced Friday. Bozeman will be introduced today at 12:30 p.m. inside UAPB's STEM Building.
-- Eli Lederman
TRACK AND FIELD
UA earns 5 All-America first-team honors
The University of Arkansas track and field programs earned a combined five All-America honors from the NCAA Outdoor Championships held last week in Eugene, Ore.
Male athletes Markus Ballengee (decathlon) and Phillip Lemonious (110-meter hurdles) and female athletes Krissy Gear (1,500), Katie Izzo (5,000) and Lauren Martinez (pole vault) were named first-team All-Americans for Arkansas.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services