Ricky Town Enters Another Crowded QB Race at Arkansas

Ricky Town ended his short career with the USC Trojans after just about six months and decided to transfer somewhere that was a “better fit” for his playing style. Many believed that was code for “falling down the depth chart” after the first week of fall camp and Town was looking for somewhere to land where he would have a better chance of playing early. With the news that Town will be transferring to the Arkansas Razorbacks and redshirting in 2015, however, it appears that the highly touted freshman has jumped from one crowded QB race into another in Fayetteville.

While working to rebuild the Arkansas football program, one thing that Bret Bielema has been sure to do is recruit the quarterback position well. Behind returning starter and fifth-year senior Brandon Allen this season, Bielema has recruited players like Austin Allen (Brandon’s younger brother), Rafe Peavy, and Ty Storey to Arkansas while securing a verbal commitment from Cole Kelley for the 2016 recruiting class.

All four quarterbacks were rated as four-star prospects by ESPN and each of them were top 25 quarterbacks in their class. Peavy (No. 10 QB-DT in 2014) is the most highly rated but Storey (#19 QB-PP in 2015) and Kelley (No.16 QB-PP in 2016) seem to have high ceilings and could be better fits for Bielema’s style of offense. The lowest rated recruit was actually Allen (No. 23 QB-PP in 2013) but he’s the only one of the group vying for the job in 2016 with real game experience, completing 8-of-16 passes for 153 yards with an interception as his older brother’s backup in 2014.

Town, to his credit, is a higher-rated recruit than any of the quarterbacks already on the Razorbacks roster as a four-star prospect that was rated as the No. 10 pocket passer in the 2015 class. During his visit to Arkansas, Town liked what he saw watching practice saying that the pro-style offense Arkansas uses fits his skill set better than the up-tempo style of USC. He described it as a “great system” offensively that puts a great deal of responsibility on the QB to make reads and adjust protections, which appealed greatly to Town.

By committing to Arkansas, Town is taking a risk. He joins a program that is looking for the best players to lead them after winning just two SEC games over the last two seasons with a system and a coaching staff he feels comfortable with. But, he is a stranger in a strange land moving from southern California to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to join a quarterback group that is filled to the brim with potential. When he jumped into that same scenario with the Trojans, he slipped down the depth chart and decided to leave town.

Will Town be able to rise above the competition next fall and win the starting quarterback job for the Razorbacks or will he end up in the same situation he was in at USC and be looking to make another quick exit in 2016?

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