Hunt 'highly likely' to commit after Arkansas visit

BY MARTY COOK
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
FAYETTEVILLE -- It appears that defensive back Jack Hunt of Ruston, La., will have to wait at least a few more days to orally commit to Arkansas.
Hunt (6-1, 185, 4.55 seconds in the 40-yard dash) said Sunday that he was trying to contact Arkansas coaches so he could move his official visit up to this week. Hunt said his visit is scheduled for the weekend of Jan. 21, but he doesn't want to wait that long.
"I just want to get up there as soon as I can and see," said Hunt, who was unable to contact Razorbacks assistant Joe Ferguson. "That's the only place I haven't been that I am still looking at. That's why I want to move it up. I'm waiting until my visit to commit."
Hunt said the Razorbacks coaches make Arkansas his favorite, sight unseen. He said there is no guarantee he would commit, but it is highly likely he will.
"It is going to have to be something bad wrong," Hunt said, for him not to commit. "I want to go up there and make sure."
Hunt was overshadowed by teammate Robert Peace at Ruston. Peace, a linebacker and Ferguson's nephew, chose Tennessee this past weekend instead of Arkansas and LSU.
"It's too bad we couldn't have gone to the same place," Hunt said.
Hunt, primarily an offensive player at Ruston, said the Razorbacks are interested in him as a safety. He said he doesn't foresee the position change to be that difficult even though he seldom played defense for Ruston.
Hunt was scheduled to officially visit Arkansas earlier in the season, but the trip had to be postponed when he sustained an injury.

Linebacker Jimmy Wilkerson Jr. of Omaha (Texas) Paul H. Pewitt said he still likes Arkansas even though he recently de-committed.
Wilkerson (6-4, 230, 4.4) orally committed to Arkansas assistant Bobby Allen on the phone after he returned home from his official visit this past month. Wilkerson said he gave in to the euphoria of the moment.
"I think I kind of rushed into it, you know," Wilkerson said Sunday. "I've seen the inside, but I really didn't know much about them. I really need to know more."
Wilkerson said he didn't know much of the Razorbacks' history -- whether they had ever been on probation, for example. Wilkerson said no one had said anything bad about Arkansas, but he needed to know that Arkansas had a good reputation.
Wilkerson said he plans to ask Allen some questions the next time they speak on the phone. He said he has no doubts Allen will give him truthful answers.
"They should, if they want me to go there, just come out with the truth," Wilkerson said.
Wilkerson said he now has no favorite and that he is scheduled to visit Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Texas A&M this month. He already has visited Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Arkansas has oral commitments from three offensive linemen and are waiting on two more.
Both linemen said Arkansas are on their short lists.
Jeremy Phillips of Watkinsville (Ga.) Oconee, said he is scheduled to visit Arkansas later this month. He already has visited Georgia Tech and also will visit South Carolina and North Carolina State.
Phillips (6-7, 296, 5.1) said he has scholarship offers from every school in his top four except for Arkansas.
"They said it is pending on the other recruits," said Phillips, who helped his team to a Class AAA state championship this season.
Phillips said Arkansas offensive line coach Mike Markuson calls regularly.
Ray Willis of Angleton, Texas, already has visited Arkansas, Purdue and Oklahoma and will take visits to Texas A&M and Tulane. Willis (6-6, 265, 4.79) said he also plans to take an unofficial visit to Florida State.
Willis said he is looking for a school with a good engineering program.
"I'm looking for somewhere I can thrive," Willis said. "I'm highly interested in Arkansas. I like the [football] program, and I like the coaches. It's going to come down to me seeing what I have to see.
"They said I'm going to get some immediate playing time in about a year or so. They said I might redshirt, but I might end up in the two-man rotation. They said they have a good engineering school, and I'd be a good fit for Arkansas."

Kelvin Kight of Lithonia, Ga., is one of Arkansas' top targets at wide receiver and was visited recently at home by Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt and receivers coach Fitz Hill.
Kight (6-0, 185, 4.4) said he met with the coaches for about one hour and it went well.
"It seemed they wanted me real bad," Kight said.
Kight already has visited Arkansas and Maryland. He said he will visit Georgia, Florida and Florida State this month.

Defensive back Nathan Vasher of Texarkana, Texas, said he will visit Texas A&M and Texas the next two weekends and make his decision shortly afterward.
Vasher (5-11, 170, 4.5), a cousin of Razorbacks end Randy Garner, has visited Arkansas and Nebraska. Vasher said he has no favorite.
"I can't really say who's the leader," said Vasher, who spoke with Arkansas assistant Bobby Allen on Sunday. "All I can do is listen to it all and see what is best for me. I try to stay pretty fair and give everybody a chance to have their say."
Vasher said Allen was just touching base with him and didn't push for a commitment.
"Dealing with Arkansas, I've never felt any pressure to make a decision," Vasher said. "They make me feel real comfortable."
Contact Marty Cook at marty_cook@adg.ardemgaz.com

This article was published on Tuesday, January 11, 2000

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