Drama Around Hogs’ Malik Hornsby May be Ending Soon

Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman flatly says Cade Fortin is No. 2 quarterback
Drama Around Hogs’ Malik Hornsby May be Ending Soon
Drama Around Hogs’ Malik Hornsby May be Ending Soon /
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coaches may have finally thrown up their hands with the whole Malik Hornsby hybrid experiment.

At the end of a 49-26 tail-kicking by Alabama on Saturday, Hornsby sat on a table on the Razorback sidelines like one of my grandkids not talking to anybody.

When the game ended, he immediately set sail for the locker room. We would assume he changed out of his uniform but have no evidence of that, either.

The only real hard evidence is he's not the second-string quarterback anymore. Cade Fortin came in for KJ Jefferson after some injury that we'll probably find out what's going on officially Monday.

“That decision has been made for a while,” Pittman said after the game about bringing Fortin in. “He’s our No. 2 quarterback, so we put him in there.”

Considering Hornsby's game action has been as some sort of hybrid wide receiver that has produced zero big plays, that's not exactly an earth-shattering decision.

Hornsby has speed if he's going straight. How accurate he is throwing the ball is another question mark completely and he's not the most shifty runner on the field. He hasn't done a lot of that in game action.

The reason this could be important is the schedule coming up fast in the windshield for the Hogs.

Cade Fortin-Alabama
Arkansas Razorbacks backup quarterback Cade Fortin looks downfield late in the 49-26 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide on Satuday, Oct. 1, 2022, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. (Walt Beazley / allHOGS Images)

After the loss to the Crimson Tide, the Hogs will not play here again until November. First up next week is a morning kickoff in Starkville against a Mississippi State team that beat the daylights out of Texas A&M on Saturday.

Without the best quarterback on the roster, that may prove difficult.

“He hit his head,” Pittman said. “I don’t know. I don’t know where he’s at, to be honest with you. Obviously, we didn’t bring him back in. I don’t know any more than that.”

Hornsby cleaned off everything on his social media, which is usually an indication of the little darlings putting their names into the transfer portal. We may have an answer Monday at high noon when Pittman talks with the media.

Right now might not be the best time for Hornsby to play that card.

But Saturday afternoon he really didn't appear interested in much of anything other than getting off the field at Razorback Stadium.

Malik Hornsby-Spring Practice
Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images

They won't say it, but the coaches may have finally thrown up their hands and are encouraging him to find a team somewhere he can be happy.

Hornsby will have his defenders.

They won't have any evidence he can play quarterback at this level or even wide receiver, but they are in love with his blazing speed.

Somehow, though, you just keep getting this feeling it's the opposite end of him that might be the problem.

Arkansas divider

HOGS FEED:

HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE A SCORNED QUARTERBACK-TURNED-WIDE RECEIVER

HOGS FINALLY WIN A THIRD QUARTER, BUT NOT MUCH ELSE

A SECRET MISSION TO SAVE THE WORLD EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THAN HOGS' DEFENSE

GAME RECAP: ROLLERCOASTER RIDE LEAVES HOGS FEELING LIFELESS

PITTMAN TO SPEND SATURDAY TRYING TO CAPTURE ELUSIVE 'LOSER SABAN'

WILL AUBURN FOLLOW ARKANSAS MODEL AND CUT HARSIN EARLY?

JUST STAYING CLOSE AGAINST ALABMA SHOULDN'T BE THE GOAL ON SATURDAY

WHAT FOLKS ARE SAYING ABOUT ALABAMA AHEAD OF SATURDAY'S GAME

SEC ROUNDUP: ALABAMA FOOTBALL BUILT AROUND HATE, ROBOTS

FANS ONLY ONES GIVING RAZORBACKS CHANCE AGAINST CRIMSON TIDE

SAM PITTMAN'S COMPLETE PRESS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY BEFORE ALABAMA GAME SATURDAY

WHAT HOGS DEFENSIVE LINEMAN JORDAN DOMINECK SEES IN ANOTHER TALENTED ALABAMA OFFENSE

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Andy Hodges
ANDY HODGES

Sports columnist, writer, former radio host and television host who has been expressing an opinion on sports in the media for over four decades. He has been at numerous media stops in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.