Sutton Smith already gave Arkansas fans a glimpse of what he can do when he ripped off 147 yards on just 12 carries in Memphis’ 32-31 win over the Razorbacks last September. Now he’s bringing that production to Fayetteville, and he’ll do it in a jersey number loaded with meaning.
Smith will wear No. 5 at Arkansas, the same number Darren McFadden turned into a Razorback calling card during his legendary run in the backfield. At SEC Media Days on Thursday, Smith made it clear he understands exactly what that number represents.
"I always knew he was a beast," Smith said of McFadden Thursday at SEC Media Days, "But he really is the G.O.A.T. He really [is the] G.O.A.T of Arkansas football history among running backs, a lot of good running backs he played with, too.
It's an honor to wear that 5. I look forward to meeting him."
For Smith, the number isn’t just about Arkansas history. It’s personal, too.
He said his birthday is Feb. 5, and he wore No. 5 at Memphis. Once he committed to Arkansas, he started studying McFadden’s film and came away impressed by what he saw.
"My birthday is on the 5th [of February]. I wore the number 5 at Memphis," Smith said.
"But when I committed to Arkansas, I got a chance to really look into [McFadden's] film. And he's a freak.
So I just take some things from his game and try to put it into mine and see what where I can be successful. But it's a good thing I'm able to wear that number 5, and I want to represent it the right way and own that ball and do good for the Hogs, for sure."
McFadden is the name most closely tied to No. 5, and for good reason. He piled up 4,590 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns at Arkansas, including a career-best 1,830 yards in 2007 while sharing the backfield with Peyton Hillis and Felix Jones.
The number has had other notable wearers, too. Rakeem Boyd used it during his Arkansas career from 2018-20 and finished with 2,176 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, including an 1,100-yard season in 2019. Raheim "Rocket" Sanders also made his mark in the jersey, putting up 2,230 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in his Razorback career, with more than 1,400 yards and 10 scores in his breakout 2022 season.
Smith arrives with his own résumé. He ran for 1,116 yards and 11 touchdowns at Memphis, and now he’ll try to add his name to the list while sharing the Arkansas backfield with Braylen Russell and Cam Settles.
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There is also the matter of how his Tigers handled Arkansas last season, a 31-30 comeback that still hangs around this fan base as the kind of result that can shape first impressions. Silverfield also noted his overall record against SEC teams and even leaned into a light exchange tied to the previous days jokes, but the bigger question for Arkansas is how that confidence translates once the real work starts and the new era opens on Sept. 5 against North Alabama. [Read more 🡒]
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Ryan Silverfield did not spend much time ducking the jokes when he met reporters at SEC Media Days, and for Arkansas fans, that alone was a change of pace. The new Razorbacks coach has spent the offseason getting sized up online, and he answered the chatter about his presence the way a coach trying to project confidence in this league might, leaning into the idea that he has enough personality to match the job.
Silverfield arrives in Fayetteville with a solid coaching rsum from Memphis and a program that badly needs a reset after last seasons 0-8 SEC finish. The real test begins Sept. 5 against North Alabama, but before the Razorbacks get there, their new coach is already making it clear he plans to bring some swagger with him, whether the internet approves or not. [Read more 🡒]