Tight end willing to pay a price to play for Hogs

FAYETTEVILLE -- Tight end James Toussaint visited Arkansas earlier this week because he wondered if a city boy from the San Francisco Bay area could survive in the Ozarks.
Toussaint returned from his visit ready to pay his own way for a semester just for the chance to be a Razorback.
Toussaint (6-6, 245, 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash), of Chabot Junior College in Hayward, Calif., said he will decide in about a week about his college plans. Toussaint also is considering Wisconsin and Marshall.
"They [Arkansas coaches] said they want me to come in mid-year as a January kid," said Toussaint, who played quarterback at Hayward High School. "The problem is they might not have a scholarship there in January because they can only carry 85. The worst-case scenario would be I'd have to come and go to school there in the spring, but I'd have to pay for that first semester.
"With the situation we have, where I could come in and immediately help the team, it's such a great situation for me that paying for that semester is not a hardship. It wouldn't sway my decision."
Toussaint met with Razorbacks Coach Houston Nutt and was hosted by Arkansas guard John Geitner, who played against Toussaint a year ago in junior college at Santa Rosa.
"I wasn't pressured into anything," Toussaint said. "They let me soak it in. The fact that they're honest helps me out the most.
"Basically, they told me they were very interested in me coming to play for Arkansas. They're there, and they hope that I'll be there. We didn't really talk about scholarships or me signing a piece of paper. With the interest they have in me, I know he's talking scholarship."

Offensive lineman Steve Spivey of Conyers (Ga.) Heritage said he is taking an official visit to Arkansas the first weekend in December.
Spivey (6-4, 300, 5.2) said Arkansas offensive line coach Mike Markuson has visited his school a couple of times. Spivey said Markuson didn't talk to him, since it's against NCAA rules, but the two did bump into each other in his coach's office.
"All I did was shook his hand, you know how the rules are," Spivey said. "I just met him, and coach said it would be best if I didn't hang around, just in case."
Spivey said he appreciates the Razorbacks' interest in him, even though he is in Georgia. He said he is also considering Mississippi State, Georgia Tech and Clemson, although Arkansas is the only school to have offered him a scholarship.
"[Markuson] said he liked my explosiveness and how I play the game," said Spivey, who talks regularly with Markuson on the phone. "I just like playing the game. I like kicking people's butt and stuff.
"I like the coaches. I like their enthusiasm, plus Arkansas is a great school. I like the fact that they're willing to recruit a guy from Georgia. I got that [Arkansas was seriously interested] right off the bat. Coach Markuson is after me."

Crossett tight end Rylan Reed met with Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt when he took an unofficial visit this past weekend to watch Arkansas play Mississippi State in Little Rock.
Other than that, Reed (6-6, 235, 5.03) is still just waiting on word from the Razorbacks, who haven't offered a scholarship. Reed said he will take an official visit to Arkansas on the Dec. 17 weekend.
"They didn't really tell me anything different, just the same old same old," said Reed, who is being recruited by line coach Mike Markuson. "I talked to Houston Nutt. He said, 'Man, I like the way you run to the ball on defense.' He asked me which one I preferred better, and I just told him either."

Safety John Garrett of Mart, Texas, talks weekly with Arkansas and said he will probably schedule an official visit in December.
Garrett (6-2, 220, 4.5) played middle linebacker for Mart but said the Razorbacks want him as a strong safety. He also is considering Texas, Nebraska, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor, all of whom have offered scholarships along with Arkansas.
"I like the defensive scheme and how aggressive they play," Garrett said. "I know a little bit about Arkansas. I'm going to go on a visit. They like how I play and get after it."
Garrett said adjusting to the secondary shouldn't be too difficult because he played cornerback as a freshman and sophomore.

Arkansas is no longer being considered by Stevie Lee and Phillip Geiggar of Shreveport Evangel Christian.
Lee, a defensive tackle, and Geiggar, a defensive back, said they are considering Texas, Miami and Georgia. Both will graduate in December, and the signing day for early graduates is in mid-December.
"We liked Arkansas, but we weren't able to get a visit there," Geiggar said. "It just didn't work out."

Arkansas is recruiting quarterback Daniel Cobb and receiver Sam Breeden of Butler County (Kan.) Community College, but has not been in contact with running back Rudi Johnson (5-10, 225, 4.5).
Johnson said Butler Coach James Shibest told him Arkansas expressed interest in him when the Razorbacks attended a practice about a month ago. Johnson, who graduates in December, said he has received some mail from Arkansas but no phone calls.
"I would consider them, but I haven't talked to them," said Johnson, who has rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Contact Marty Cook at marty_cook@adg.ardemgaz.com.

This article was published on Friday, November 26, 1999

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