Arkansas’ running back rotation against Tennessee did more than disrupt rhythm on the field - it helped push a committed recruit back onto the market.
During Saturday’s game, the Razorbacks flashed real life in the third quarter. The run game started working, Braylen Russell found some traction, and he capped the stretch with a touchdown.
But that momentum didn’t last. In the fourth quarter, Arkansas kept shuffling backs in and out, and the offense never settled in behind one runner.
Russell, Cam Settles, Sutton Smith and Jasper Parker all cycled through, with none of them able to build a steady groove.
That approach didn’t go unnoticed by fans or reporters, and it also caught the attention of Jeremiah Dent, who had been committed to Arkansas. After the game, the running back backed off that pledge and pointed directly to the way the Razorbacks handled the position.
“I’ve been diving into Arkansas games day by day and focusing on offensive line, physicality, and the offensive coordinator and play calling,” Dent said in the report from Rivals. “Really hard to extend my talent or allow someone to get hot when you have backs going in and out every three snaps.”
“I’ve been diving into Arkansas games day by day and focusing on offensive line, physicality, and the offensive coordinator and play calling,” Dent told Rivals. “Really hard to extend my talent or allow someone to get hot when you have backs going in and out every three snaps.”
Dent is rated a three-star recruit by 247 and is viewed as one of the top players in Arkansas. He’s listed as the No. 50 running back in the cycle and the No. 2 player in the state.
His offer list is deep, too, with Arizona State, Auburn, Cincinnati, Duke, Iowa, Miami, NC State, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Purdue, Vanderbilt and SMU among the schools involved.
Tennessee’s situation at running back in the 2027 class looks much more settled. The Vols already have a commitment from in-state five-star David Gabriel Georges, one of the best backs in recent high school history, and they also have a three-star West Tennessee back in Asa Barnes.
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