Singleton Up to Task if Arkansas Can Do One Basic Thing

Fans barely caught glimpse of man redshirt freshman has been in practice

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Malachi Singleton awaits the snap against the Tennessee Volunteers at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. / Michael Morrison-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It was unusually warm for spring in the Ozarks on the sideline in an empty Razorback Stadium.

There were the usual sounds. Coaches were barking. Players were grunting. Off to the side was the steady clanging of shoes on bleachers for a select few who had been banished for a series of workouts to pay for whatever sins they had committed.

A group of quarterbacks worked on passing drills when one unknown zipped a ball over the middle with perfect touch. It stood out more than enough to justify digging through the roster to see who it was.

Malachi Singleton. It was the last time there would be a need to look up his name because pass after pass ripped out of his hand with pace, glided through the air as if it were sliding on a smooth sheet of ice, then gently landed in receivers hands as if it were the egg of a highly valuable endangered bird he didn't want to break.

That's why when the first snap shot back as if blasted from a cannon and Singleton did all he could to stop it as it sailed off to his side to avoid a turnover, it was hard not to be frustrated. As a journalist, personal feelings are to always be left aside to report things down the middle, but the previous time Singleton got in against Auburn, a similar bad snap derailed him and Hog fans tried to write him off.

The off-center rocket snaps kept coming, not allowing a chance to do anything but hope he could stop it and avoid absolute disaster. There wasn't the slightest bit of hope he would get to prove himself to be the quarterback with the smooth buttery passes he's shown himself to be in practice.

Finally, on what turned out to be the game-winning drive, the ball started coming back to Singleton properly. For the first time, he got to set his feet and deliver the ball.

It wasn't anything special, but a quick pass to Isaiah Satagna for about 13 yards and a first down immediately settled things down. It was the first glimpse of the confidence Singleton showed two springs before as a true freshman.

With the first first down as a Razorback in a true pressure situation under his belt, Singleton went to work alongside another freshman doing his best to prove himself brave under the national spotlight.

Running back Braylon Russell, who was doing his best to navigate high school and decide if he for sure wanted to be a Razorback this time last year, proved why Hogs fans valued his pledge so heavily. He capped an eight-carry night for 62 yards with back-to-back rushes for 35 bruising yards, setting up Singleton's game-winning touchdown run.

With roughly a week and a half to prepare as the No. 1 if needed, Singleton should get plenty of time to coach up his center on how he likes snaps to be delivered and develop a comfort level with the top receivers and whatever's left of the tight ends room. If that can happen, Razorbacks fans will finally get to see the young man so many coaches and media have seen in practices that last couple of years that cleared the way for him to step into this possible opportunity.

It should be a beautiful thing to see. It certainly was on that warm spring day when it became apparent he was the man to one day face big moments as an Arkansas Razorback.