10 Things to Know – Arkansas-Pine Bluff
LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas opens the 2024 season in Little Rock against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Kickoff between the Hogs and Golden Lions inside War Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, on ESPNU.
1. – Thursday will be just the second meeting between Arkansas and Arkansas Pine-Bluff. The Razorbacks defeated the Golden Lions in the first meeting 45-3 on October 23, 2021, in Little Rock.
2. – The Razorbacks are 153-62-4 all-time, including a 2-0 mark in the Pittman era, at War Memorial Stadium, the program’s home venue in Central Arkansas since 1948.
3. – Offensive Coordinator Bobby Petrino returns to The Hill after serving as the program’s head coach from 2008-2011, leading the Hogs to a 34-17 record, including a Cotton Bowl victory and top-five AP Poll finish in 2011. Additionally, Pittman added Running Backs Coach Kolby Smith and Wide Receivers Coach Ronnie Fouch to his staff following the 2023 season.
4. – Defensive lineman Landon Jackson, who enters the 2024 campaign as a Walter Camp Football Foundation Preseason All-American and Preseason All-SEC selection, proved to be one of the nation’s most dominant pass rushers last season, tallying 44 total tackles, including 13.5 tackles for loss, with 6.5 sacks and one pass breakup during his junior campaign for the Razorbacks.
5. – Wide Receiver Andrew Armstrong was named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List entering the 2024 season. Armstrong has registered multiple receptions in 23 consecutive games while owning a 28-game reception streak dating back to Oct. 16, 2021, while playing at Texas A&M Commerce.
6. – Arkansas is 102-24-4 all-time in season openers. The Razorbacks own a 105-21-4 all-time record in home openers, including a 29-8-1 mark in home openers played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Sam Pittman has won his past three home openers and owns a 1-0 record in home openers in Little Rock.
7. – Junior quarterback Taylen Green will lead the Arkansas offense in 2024 after transferring from Boise State, where he made 22 starts over the past two seasons, completing 287 of 483 passes (59%) for 3,794 yards and 25 touchdowns. On the ground, Green rushed for 1,024 yards and 19 touchdowns on 164 carries, averaging 6.2 yards a carry.
8. – Wide receiver Monte Harrison took a rather unconventional path to his collegiate football career. The 29-year-old freshman walked on to the Arkansas football program this summer after spending the past decade playing professional baseball, including three MLB seasons with the Miami Marlins (2020-21) and Los Angeles Angels (2022). Harrison originally signed with Nebraska out of Lee’s Summit High School (Mo.) in 2014 before he signed with the Milwaukee Brewer’s organization after being drafted in the second round of the 2014 MLB Draft. Harrison is the seventh-oldest player in the FBS this season.
9. – August 29 is the earliest start to a season in program history. Previously, the earliest start date for a season was August 30, which occurred on four different occasions. The Razorbacks hold an all-time record of 5-2 in games played in August, including a 5-1 mark in designated home games.
10. – Tonight’s contest is the 44th in program history on a Thursday. The Razorbacks are 23-18-2 all-time in games played on Thursdays. Arkansas is 2-0 on Thursday games played in Little Rock this millennium, with wins over South Carolina (28-6) on Nov. 6, 2003 and UNLV (14-10) on Aug. 30, 2001.