Kevin!?!?

[GrizzlyRider07]

So when are we going to get the scoop from you you promised us after the early signing period?

Oh that Kevin....I was like whaa...

[Kevin McPherson]

So when are we going to get the scoop from you you promised us after the early signing period?

I said I'll share as much as I can after the early signing period is over. Last day of early signing period is next Wednesday, Nov. 15.

[Hog_Swanson]

[Hog_Swanson]

Just making sure this stays fresh on my mind.

[hoofer]

I said I'll share as much as I can after the early signing period is over. Last day of early signing period is next Wednesday, Nov. 15.

Can you now share?

[Kevin McPherson]

Can you now share?

Okay, fire away with questions. There may be some limits as to what I can share, but I'm going to give you as much disclosure as I can.

[Hawg Red]

Okay, fire away with questions. There may be some limits as to what I can share, but I'm going to give you as much disclosure as I can.

Was there anything behind the delays in Jordan Phillips' announcement?

[The Hogfather]

Okay, fire away with questions. There may be some limits as to what I can share, but I'm going to give you as much disclosure as I can.

What did MSU/Adidas give Reggie Perry to make his dad "sick enough" for him to change his commitment?

[Kevin McPherson]

Was there anything behind the delays in Jordan Phillips' announcement?

All of the following is my opinion, which I believe is supported by solid source info and reasonable direct and indirect circumstances that played out, but I'm not representing it as fact ...

Yes, I think there was a delay that was not of Jordan's doing. He was ready to announce -- he gave me his commitment quotes on top of being a heavy Hog lean for weeks -- but backed off quickly expressing some interest in hometown SMU, but just as quickly he told me he would not cross the street to visit the hometown school and re-set his commitment announcement. At the same time, I had gotten source information from Texas that Phillips was not coming to Arkansas, which was a far cry from what Jordan was telling me. Kids can be fickle and quick to change direction, but this did not "feel" like that to me at all. The entire delay was about 8 days. 

At the time, I thought it was because Hog coaches had visited Jericole Hellems and were still trying to get him on campus for an OV -- remember, his AAU coach told me Arkansas was the most consistent program in Jericole's recruitment, and that he believed Arkansas would get a visit. My thinking was maybe they were close to getting a visit  and wanted to see if they could get it done the week that Phillips was on hold ... basically giving it a week. That seemed the most likely reason at the time, but a big risk given they had a young man in Phillips who they really liked ready to commit. I suppose it's possible that was the reason, but I tend to think it was not after what was presented to me later on (see below).

As it turns out, the more information I got late in the process of Reggie Chaney's situation, the more it seemed likely there was another player that was thrown into the mix that affected Phillips. This situation was not the fault of Chaney, and was not Arkansas's doing, and the way it was explained to me I could see how it could put Arkansas in an awkward spot -- even if only briefly -- with both Chaney and Phillips. This unnamed player was someone who I don't think Arkansas would have pursued on their own, but was supposedly placed on their radar along with other schools recruiting Chaney ... nothing illegal or in violation of NCAA rules, but basically I was told a "proposal" was presented to several schools recruiting Chaney that complicated matters with him (and consequently Phillips).

When TCU got Feron Hunt to de-commit the same day that Chaney was coming in to visit the Frogs (my source who told me about the "proposal" also told me the day before Hunt de-committed that TCU was trying to get another player to de-commit), it seemed to me as though Jamie Dixon was preparing to accomodate the "proposal." This shook my growing confidence that Chaney would call the Hogs, but as each day passed with TCU not making more room to accomodate the "proposal", the more I started to believe that Chaney would make his own call, and I always felt like that favored Arkansas. In the end, none of the schools apparently took the bait of the proposal, so things played out like they were supposed to.

I want to be a lot more specific about what I was told went down, but by doing so I would have to name names and since I'm going off source information (a very good source, BTW, but second-hand info nonetheless) I'm not going to represent anything here as FACT, and thus leaving names out. Nobody involved would go on the record to acknowledge any of this, it simply does not work that way. Just know that lots of stuff goes on behind the scenes in recruiting, and kids are not always driving the bus in their decisions, or at least in the timing of their decisions.

[Kevin McPherson]

What did MSU/Adidas give Reggie Perry to make his dad "sick enough" for him to change his commitment?

I'm not touching this one, but let's just say I was getting some weird vibes and info going back to March. Lot's of stuff I wish I could tell!

[Hog_Swanson]

I'm not touching this one, but let's just say I was getting some weird vibes and info going back to March. Lot's of stuff I wish I could tell!

I think you just told us what we wanted to know.

[bville_hog]

I'm not touching this one, but let's just say I was getting some weird vibes and info going back to March. Lot's of stuff I wish I could tell!

Can you just please send anything you suspect to compliance@ncaa.com or better to ncaainvestigation@fbi.com?

[Hawg Red]

Can you just please send anything you suspect to compliance@ncaa.com or better to ncaainvestigation@fbi.com?

So Perry can be suspended for the first game of next season and then play scot-free the rest of the way?

[Kevin McPherson]

My first source telling me that Keyshawn Embery would be a Hog was Josh Leblanc. He told me this just after both had visited TA&M together, and though he was all over the map regarding his own situation, he never wavered and always said Embery would be a Hog. Problem was, because Josh was so up-and-down, back-and-forth regarding his own saga -- coupled with my source in Oklahoma who knows Keyshawn and was thinking based on Keyshawn's excitement after visiting TA&M when he shut everything down that it would be the Aggies -- this kept me from being more confident that Embery would call the Hogs. Once I shared with that Oklahoma source what Josh had told me, it wasn't long that he asked more questions among Embery's camp and emerged feeling sure that Arkansas would get the commitment. At that point, everything I was getting source-wise was Arkansas, so I went on the record a couple of days prior to Embery's announcement to say I was 100% confident he would call the Hogs.

[Kevin McPherson]

It was my strong impression that Matthew Horton wanted an Arkansas offer badly, and I won't go into details regarding specifics of our conversations, but in the 48 hours that led up to him committing to WKentucky things were borderline bizarre. After getting more info a bit later, it made more sense why he landed so suddenly at WKentucky. Nothing unsavory going on (at least not to my knowledge), but I don't believe WKy was his first choice, more like his best available option.

[navyhog24]

It was my strong impression that Matthew Horton wanted an Arkansas offer badly, and I won't go into details regarding specifics of our conversations, but in the 48 hours that led up to him committing to WKentucky things were borderline bizarre. After getting more info a bit later, it made more sense why he landed so suddenly at WKentucky. Nothing unsavory going on (at least not to my knowledge), but I don't believe WKy was his first choice, more like his best available option.

With $tan$bury at WKU, I understand. Plus, I could see it coming down to academics as well.

[NWAHog479]

It was my strong impression that Matthew Horton wanted an Arkansas offer badly, and I won't go into details regarding specifics of our conversations, but in the 48 hours that led up to him committing to WKentucky things were borderline bizarre. After getting more info a bit later, it made more sense why he landed so suddenly at WKentucky. Nothing unsavory going on (at least not to my knowledge), but I don't believe WKy was his first choice, more like his best available option.

Just speculating here, but are you suggesting that the Hogs were not going to offer Horton? Still hoping he'll de-commit and end up here.

[navyhog24]

I just checked 247. Horton never signed with WKU. He is still listed at a commit. I wonder why he never signed. Is he waiting it out for better offers?

[HardingHog]

Regarding Josh LeBlanc: With it seemingly being a 3 team race between Arkansas, A&M, and LSU; do you know what caused him to pick Georgetown? Also, it (247) shows he's committed, but not signed with the Hoyas. Any chance he's still not completely sold with his committment?

[Hawg Red]

I just checked 247. Horton never signed with WKU. He is still listed at a commit. I wonder why he never signed. Is he waiting it out for better offers?

http://www.bgdailynews.com/sports/wku/forwards-horton-smith-iii-sign-with-hilltoppers/article_91afa459-875a-5ccb-9678-195c4e4eedca.html

[Hawg Red]

Regarding Josh LeBlanc: With it seemingly being a 3 team race between Arkansas, A&M, and LSU; do you know what caused him to pick Georgetown? Also, it (247) shows he's committed, but not signed with the Hoyas. Any chance he's still not completely sold with his committment?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2017/11/13/patrick-ewings-first-georgetown-recruiting-class-adds-four-star-forward-josh-leblanc/

[King Kong]

http://www.bgdailynews.com/sports/wku/forwards-horton-smith-iii-sign-with-hilltoppers/article_91afa459-875a-5ccb-9678-195c4e4eedca.html

The way Gafford is playing I wish Horton was available just in case

[hogwood]

The way Gafford is playing I wish Horton was available just in case

Me too. I hope the staff starts to look at some 5's for the late period. If Gafford keeps this up through conference play, I think he's gone for sure. So much NBA potential.

[FineAsSwine]

Me too. I hope the staff starts to look at some 5's for the late period. If Gafford keeps this up through conference play, I think he's gone for sure. So much NBA potential.

So much long term potential for UA in recruiting 5 star bigs though if Gafford comes in under the radar of NBA scouts and becomes a lottery pick in one or two seasons. I kinda hope he is a one and done, but only if he is a top 10 pick, so that we can get more leverage in recruiting highly ranked bigs from out of state.

[Hawg Red]

I hope for the best for Gafford, even if that means he's a pro after this season. We'd obviously be better with him, but it would open up a scholarship for another good player in a future class of which we are on many. Might also show players that can you come to Arkansas and be a one-and-done if good enough.

[King Kong]

I hope for the best for Gafford, even if that means he's a pro after this season. We'd obviously be better with him, but it would open up a scholarship for another good player in a future class of which we are on many. Might also show players that can you come to Arkansas and be a one-and-done if good enough.

Yeah, I agree it is best for us Long-term and short term for Gafford to ball out and go as high as he can as early as he can.

MA being able to sale big men like Portis and Gafford will be invaluable.