Lonesome Oklahoma lineman to make best of visit

FAYETTEVILLE -- Josh Smith said it will be strange visiting Arkansas without his best friend this weekend.
Smith, an offensive guard prospect from Vian, Okla., was best friends with Terrill Francis, a highly recruited defensive end who died in his sleep Aug. 26, a couple of days before Francis and Smith were scheduled to unofficially visit Arkansas. Francis worked for Smith's father, E.O. Smith, and lived with the Smiths several days a week.
"It's weird not having him there because we were going to do everything together," Smith said. "It's been like that on every visit.
"It's real hard not seeing him there when you're used to seeing him every day. We were like brothers. It was hard not hanging out with him."
Francis was later found to have died of a genetic heart defect. He had complained that his heart was fluttering the day he died and went to the hospital to have a checkup.
After returning home, Francis took a nap before he planned to go watch a team practice, as doctors had ruled out playing until the tests' results came back. He never woke up.
"They said the vessels in his heart swelled up and the blood couldn't get to his heart so he had a big-time heart attack," Smith said. "It was genetic. It's just one of them things they couldn't have done anything if they had him in the emergency room."
Smith (6-4, 245, 5.0 seconds in the 40-yard dash) participated in the Razorbacks Summer Camp and is interested in the Razorbacks, Kansas, Tulsa and TCU. Smith has unofficially visited Oklahoma several times and has been offered a scholarship by TCU.
Smith played on the offensive and defensive line for Vian and made 117 tackles and 11 sacks. Smith has talked on the phone several times with Arkansas tight ends coach Mark Hutson, who is responsible for recruiting Oklahoma.
"He was talking about how I stay after it on the offensive side of the ball," Smith said. "He's looked at a little bit of film, but they're going to look at more of it [today] before I come up."

Andrew Nuckolls is looking forward to his official visit to Arkansas this weekend. What he would like more is a fair chance on the football field.
Nuckolls (5-81/2, 152, 4.55 seconds in the 40-yard dash) is a standout running back at Northwest Whitfield in Tunnel Hill, Ga. He has rushed for more than 1,500 yards and 26 touchdowns in nine games this season, but his small stature has many colleges tentative about offering him a scholarship.
Nuckolls said he understands teams' reluctance, but it is still frustrating.
"[Arkansas] wants to wait until the end of the season and see what happens because, you know, I'm not real tall," Nuckolls said. "I understand that. I'm pretty sure I can play somewhere. I just hope I get that chance, too.
"Some people were made to be tall and some weren't. I wasn't. I'm having a great time how I am."
Nuckolls will officially visit Arkansas this weekend along with heralded teammate Sean Young. Young (6-7, 283, 5.15), one of the top offensive line prospects in the country, has repeatedly said that Arkansas' interest in Nuckolls improves the Razorbacks' standing in his eyes.

Tight end James Toussaint of Chabot Junior College in Hayward, Calif., said Arkansas is his No. 1 choice.
Toussaint (6-6, 245, 4.8) was a quarterback at Hayward High School but was moved to tight end at Chabot. He is considering Arkansas and Wisconsin among a host of other schools.
Toussaint will officially visit Arkansas the Nov. 21 weekend and Wisconsin the first weekend in December.
"If I made a list, Arkansas would be at the top," said Toussaint, who will graduate in December. "Everything I've wanted to do since I came out of high school is there. I want to go somewhere and make an impact and help my team win a championship."
Toussaint said his quarterback experience helps him run routes but is a disadvantage when it comes to blocking. He has little experience blocking but said he is learning to enjoy it.
"I want to get after it," Toussaint said. "I missed getting after it all these years. You don't get after it wearing a red jersey."

Cornerback Jermaine Chatman of Pasadena (Calif.) City College has Arkansas among the schools he is considering.
Chatman (6-0, 175, 4.4) said he has offers from Arizona and Washington State. He talked to an Arkansas coach Monday.
"I told the coach I would love to come down there and play in the SEC," Chatman said. "They play a good brand of football down there. They have a pretty good defense this year. I love playing man-to-man, bump-and-run.
"They said they needed corners, and they're looking for a JC guy. They liked what they see on film, and they think I could come in and play."
Chatman, who played high school ball at Hawthorne, Calif., said he will graduate in December.

Linebacker Tracy McGuire of Spiro, Okla., expects his recruiting to pick up once he receives his ACT scores from the test he took in October. McGuire said he scored a 16 average on his first attempt.
McGuire (6-2, 225, 4.71) said he is considering Arkansas, Colorado State, Kansas State and Oklahoma State. McGuire is taking an unofficial visit to Arkansas this weekend.
"They told me as soon as I get that [his ACT scores], to send them my transcript," McGuire said of college recruiters.
Contact Marty Cook at marty_cook@adg.ardemgaz.com.

This article was published on Friday, November 12, 1999

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