Sam Pittman gives injury updates on Jadon Haselwood, Brady Latham
For the first time since 1980, Arkansas will have its season opener be a ranked matchup. The Razorbacks will be welcoming a College Football Playoff team from a season ago to Fayetteville, the Cincinnati Bearcats. Head coach Sam Pittman has already done a great job quickly rebuilding the program but a win on Saturday would only continue the progress.
Heading into game week, Pittman provided injury updates on two players. Wide receiver Jadon Haselwood and offensive lineman Brady Latham have both been out of practice. Pittman said both are doing well and will be back in practice this week.
“We expect both of those guys to be back in practice,” Pittman said. “Maybe as soon as this afternoon. Certainly, we feel like they’ll be ready for Saturday.”
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Haselwood will be making his debut with Arkansas on Saturday, transferring in from Oklahoma. A former top recruit, Pittman is hoping Haselwood can have similar production to Treylon Burks, who is now off in the NFL. With the Sooners, the wide receiver caught 62 passes for 737 yards and seven touchdowns.
As for Latham, he is entering a fourth year on the Arkansas roster. A starter over the past two seasons, Latham has played left guard for Pittman and will once again hold down his spot for the 2022 season. Pittman’s background of course is with the offensive line, meaning Latham has to be highly thought of by the head coach.
Getting two starters back in time for the season is the positive boost Arkansas needs before facing an opponent such as Cincinnati. Getting a crucial win early in the season might just start an avalanche for Pittman.
Sam Pittman raves about former Arkansas walk-on
Pittman had the opportunity to gush about one of his favorite players and team leaders this week. Reporters asked the third-year head hog how he’s seen senior safety Simeon Blair grow since joining the team as a walk-on in 2018.
“Everything, would be the first answer, he’s smart, he’s a great team player, one of the hardest working guys on the team,” Pittman said. “He’s appreciative of what he gets.”
Blair, a 5-foot-10 safety, committed to Arkansas as walk-on out of Pine Bluff High School. Although he redshirted his first year, he quickly turned into a significant contributor. In 2019, Blair played in 11 games in a back up role. Going into his third season and shaping up into a defensive team leader, he earned a scholarship and ended up starting two games.