By Robbie Neiswanger
rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas freshman Brandon Mitchell has been cleared by team doctors to practice after missing the past month following hernia surgery.
But will he play football? Basketball? Both?
The situation remained a little murky Tuesday, after basketball coach John Pelphrey said Mitchell is scheduled to join his team “full-time” later this week. Mitchell’s interpretation was a little different a few hours later, saying he still expects to split time between both sports.
“Right now I’m a football player,” Mitchell said. “That’s why I have a scholarship here. So all my obligations go to football first. Whatever I can work around that for basketball until the football season is over with, then we’ll do that. I’ll be practicing football and still trying to get out there and practice basketball whenever I can.”
The question first surfaced Monday night, when Mitchell was sitting on Arkansas’ bench in uniform for the team’s 77-59 win against Dillard. Pelphrey said Mitchell would get a chance to play for the Hogs, but details were still being worked out.
There’s no doubt Mitchell is talented enough. The Louisiana native was recruited by several schools to play basketball before deciding to sign a football scholarship. Pelphrey said he and Petrino never recruited Mitchell together as a two-sport athlete, but heard recently the 6-foot-4, 220-pound athlete was interested in playing ball.
“Brandon might’ve called and said something,” he said. “Our first thing was to go straight to Coach Petrino and really we didn’t have any discussion until that took place. Bobby (Petrino) and I spoke once. Bobby and I spoke again. He’s gracious enough to let the young man join our basketball team.”
Mitchell, who is redshirting the football season, was on the football field throwing passes Tuesday.
Petrino was unavailable for comment, but quarterbacks coach Garrick McGee said the Hogs have agreed to let Mitchell practice with the basketball team this month. He said Arkansas has a “plan in place” to manage Mitchell’s time in both sports and called him a “quarterback for the future.”
“We know the kid has the talent,” McGee said. “He’s a great kid. We know that he is mature. … He’s not going to lose track of what is important.”
Suspension Announcement Coming
Arkansas is planning to announce a detailed suspension plan for players who are being disciplined for offseason incidents next week.
The Razorbacks haven’t said which players will be suspended for which games. Two players — Marcus Britt and Glenn Bryant — face punishment for their role in the fraternity house incident in August. Courtney Fortson will be punished for the insensitive message he posted on Twitter, too.
Powell Improving
Pelphrey said freshman forward Marshawn Powell’s health is improving after missing the exhibition opener because of an illness. He’s hoping Powell will be able to play in Thursday’s exhibition game to get some game experience before the season opener against Alcorn State on Nov. 13.
“It will be big to get him in there and get one of those rehearsals through,” Pelphrey said.
