By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Cornerback David Gordon is no longer a member of the Arkansas football team.
Gordon’s father, Kris Gordon, said his son has left the program after one season with the Razorbacks and intends to transfer. The Tulsa native played in a reserve role as a true freshman last season, recording 11 tackles in 10 games.
David Gordon
Kris Gordon said his son met with coach Bobby Petrino and requested a release from his scholarship.
“He’s no longer enrolled at the University of Arkansas, I believe ” Kris Gordon said. “The last discussion we had, my son told me that he had met with Bobby Petrino and he said, ‘We’re releasing you.’”
Arkansas said it had no comment Saturday.
The news comes less than a month after Gordon was arrested, along with Arkansas walk-on defensive back Hunter Miller, for misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.
Kris Gordon said the arrest had nothing to do with the decision to transfer, though, saying his son planned to leave a month or two earlier. He indicated that his son wanted out of Arkansas because he wasn’t meshing with Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson, who coaches defensive backs.
“He was loyal to the Razorbacks,” Kris Gordon said of his son. “That’s where he wanted to go and that’s where his heart was set. But it changed over time. It changed because of certain people that are on staff and he just didn’t gel well with those individuals. That’s what happened.”
Kris Gordon also said he was confident his son would be cleared of the drug charges.
Gordon has a court date set for May 24.
“He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and it’s making it seem like he was doing some things that he wasn’t doing,” Kris Gordon said. “So we want to make sure that we’re getting that taken care of first.”
Kris Gordon said his son would like to transfer close to home and mentioned Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Tulsa as possibilities.
Gordon’s departure thins Arkansas’ numbers at cornerback. Returning starter Rudell Crim was moved from cornerback to safety the final week of spring practice. If he remains there, Arkansas would rely on Ramon Broadway, Isaac Madison, Darius Winston, Andru Stewart and Greg Gatson to man the position next season.
