FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas fans will note the new on-field presence of powerhouse Northwest Arkansas brands Tyson Foods and Walmart at Reynolds Razorback Stadium this season, starting with Saturday's on-campus opener against Alabama-Birmingham.
The UA announced in coordination with Learfield's Razorbacks Sports Properties on Thursday what the school is calling a "landmark sponsorship extension" with Tyson Foods and Walmart.
The deal will make Arkansas one of the first college athletics programs to feature on-field logos of corporate partners at home football games. The logos will be placed on the 25-yard lines at Frank Broyles Field.
Tyson Foods and Walmart will receive increased visibility through their on-field logos, television visibility and exposure on social media platforms, a UA release stated. Those local companies, based in Springdale and Bentonville, respectively, will also have increased sponsorship activations, events, promotions and content collaboration with student-athletes in the name, image and likeness (NIL) space.
UA Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek thanked the Fortune 500 companies for their commitment in the school's release.
"Their investment continues to be meaningful in the lives of our 465 Razorback student-athletes and our program," Yurachek said. "It is only fitting that when fans watch the Hogs play at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, they will be reminded of two Arkansas-born success stories that transformed our state and reshaped our world."
Tyson Foods Chairman John Tyson and Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart Inc., both released statements in conjunction with the sponsorship news.
"Walmart is proud to be a longtime supporter of our hometown teams at the University of Arkansas and of programs that give students opportunities to compete at the highest levels of academics, business and sports," McMillon said. "We're excited to expand the ways in which we stand alongside these talented students."
Wrote Tyson, "At Tyson Foods, we are deeply committed to supporting students, student-athletes, college sports, and our local communities. By investing in college education and athletic programs, we aim to foster growth and talent, ensuring a brighter future for the next generation."
'Explosives'
Arkansas has 25 pass plays of 15 yards or more and 18 running plays of 10-plus yards, stat categories commonly called "explosive" plays by football statisticians, under first-year offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, who also calls them "chunk" plays.
Through two games last season, the Razorbacks eight such pass plays and four run plays, or 28% of their total under coordinator Dan Enos. It took into Game 6 last year before the Hogs surpassed the current total of 43 explosive plays.
UAB payday
The Alabama-Birmingham athletic department will receive $1.6 million as a game guarantee for facing the Arkansas Razorbacks, sources told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The UA redacts the game guarantee payouts in its contracts provided to Freedom of Information requests, citing a competitive disadvantage.
Blazer football has made a remarkable competitive comeback in its eighth season after returning from a self-imposed hiatus due to budget constraints.
UAB shut down football after 2014, a season in which it lost 45-17 at Arkansas in the only previous meeting between the schools, and did not compete for two years. The Blazers had to pay out $2.425 million, according to an ESPN.com report, to get out of several contracts after 2014, including $925,000 to Tennessee and $500,000 to Kentucky.
Since reviving the program in 2017 under Coach Bill Clark, the Blazers have gone 55-35, a winning percentage of .615 that ranks 13th among Group of 5 programs in that span. UAB won Conference USA championships in 2018 and 2020 under Clark. The Blazers' only losing season since the resumption was last year's 4-8 record in Coach Trent Dilfer's debut.
Moving the ball
Arkansas gained 648 yards at Oklahoma State on 93 plays, with 416 passing yards and 232 rushing yards.
"We had great energy," center Addison Nichols said on Coach Sam Pittman's radio show. "The guys were really pumped. We were moving the ball really, really well and the defense was doing an amazing job getting us the ball back."
Arkansas led 21-7 at halftime with 351 yards.
"That first half was a great, great half for us," Nichols said. "In the second half we just need to continue to bring that energy. One thing we want to prove this year is we can run the ball, we can throw the ball. We can do anything we want. I feel like we've shown that really well, but we'd like a win with it as well."
Early offer
Addison Nichols was at Georgia's camp the summer between his freshman and sophomore year at Greater Atlanta Christian School when Sam Pittman offered him a scholarship.
Pittman, now in his fifth season at Arkansas, was Georgia's offensive line coach at the time.
Pittman, speaking Wednesday on his radio show, said he wanted to offer Nichols on the spot, but decided it would be best to get approval from Coach Kirby Smart.
"I had them go get Kirby, because I didn't want to get cussed out when I offered it," Pittman said with a laugh.
Smart liked what he saw of Nichols and the offer was made.
Nichols, who signed with Tennessee, transferred to Arkansas after last season and is the starting center as a redshirt sophomore.
"You're good to people, it might come back to you," Pittman said. "When he went into the portal, he was recruited by everybody in the country and should have been. We had a previous relationship, and it helped us with him. Very, very fortunate that he chose Arkansas, because he's a good player now, and by the time he gets through here I think he'll be a great one."
Dilfer data
UAB Coach Trent Dilfer is the only Super Bowl winning quarterback serving as an active head coach in the FBS ranks.
Dilfer still holds the record for most wins by a quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a record of 38-38.
As a collegian at Fresno State (1992-93) he broke the NCAA record for consecutive passes without an interception at 271, and the mark stood for 14 years. Kentucky's Andre' Woodson eclipsed it with 325 in 2006-07, followed by Russell Wilson at NC State (379 in 2008-09) and the current record holder Colby Cameron of Louisiana Tech (444 in 2011-12).
Dilfer was the first quarterback ever ejected from an NFL game for throwing a punch at John Randle of the Minnesota Vikings in 1995, per his Wikipedia entry.
Kick star
Devin Bale finally got to punt last week and averaged 45.7 yards on three kicks, all downed inside the Oklahoma State 20. The redshirt junior transfer from Northern Colorado did not punt in Arkansas' season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff as its offense went 10 for 10 with touchdown drives.
Bale is also serving as the holder on placekicks and he handles kickoffs.
"A high school kid doesn't do all that kind of stuff," Coach Sam Pittman said on his radio show. "That's pretty special. He's a special kid too."
Bale will join TJ Metcalf, Jaheim Singletary and Isaac TeSlaa as team captains on Saturday.
Stat chat
Arkansas ranks No. 2 in total offense (667.5 ypg), No. 9 in scoring (50.5), No. 2 in passing (412.0), No. 16 in rushing (255.5) and No. 44 in passing efficiency.
On the other side of the ball, the Razorbacks are No. 35 in total defense (257.5), No. 67 in scoring (19.5), No. 4 in rush defense (33.0), No. 89 in passing yards allowed (224.5) and No. 50 in pass efficiency defense.
The Razorbacks are tied for No. 105 in turnover margin (-1).
UAB ranks No. 73 in total offense (388.0), No. 96 in scoring (23.5), No. 39 in rushing (197.0), No. 97 in passing (191.0) and No. 93 in passing efficiency.
The Blazers are tied for No. 26 in total defense (236.5), tied for No. 62 in scoring defense (17.5), No. 98 in rushing defense (163.0), No. 3 in passing yards allowed (73.5) and No. 8 in pass efficiency defense.