Like Arkansas Razorbacks legend Darren McFadden, Little Rock Parkview’s Cam Settles glad to stay ‘home’

The Patriots standout running back is one of a few in-state recruits committed to the Razorbacks

Little Rock Parkview's Cam Settles / Photo by Jimmy Jones

At the end of Cam Settles’ commitment ceremony Saturday night, a taped message from Darren McFadden was played.

The greatest running back in Razorbacks history wanted to welcome Settles to ‘Razorback Nation.’

Settles has a lot in common with McFadden, who started for the Razorbacks from 2005-07, racking up yards, accolades and wins. Settles plays running back and some defense like McFadden, and he has an uncommon devotion for his home-state team.

He made that abundantly clear Saturday night in front of a large crowd of friends and family gathered at a food truck court located near Dickey-Stephens Park when he committed to the Razorbacks.

“Arkansas showed me a lot of love, and it was a good move for me,” he said after Saturday night’s ceremony. “I’m a hometown kid, and it is going to mean a lot to play in my home state. I want to be a part of that winning program that is coming.”

Nov. 23, 2007; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks tailback Darren McFadden carries against the Louisiana State Tigers in overtime at Tiger Stadium. The Arkansas Razorbacks defeated the Tigers 50-48 in triple overtime. / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

The congratulatory video and Settles’ unbridled enthusiasm toward the Arkansas coaching staff took me back to when I covered McFadden’s signing day event. He was one of the top running backs in the country and a Parade All-American but he shut down his recruiting because he was so devoted to his home state and then-head coach Houston Nutt – also a native Arkansan.

As the state watched on as his career at Arkansas evolved, we saw first-hand how much he cared about the program and his home state. He was obviously proud to be an Arkansan, and more specifically, from the ‘501’ or central Arkansas.

He and several other natives, including standout running back Payton Hillis, from Conway, helped Arkansas to success in Nutt’s final years on The Hill.

It is those memories of McFadden and Hillis and Co. that leave Razorbacks fans upset when they see most of the state’s top recruits from the class of 2025 leaving the state.

Razorbacks fans are obviously happy that Settles, the No. 9-ranked prospect by 247Sports, decided to pick Arkansas over SEC rival Missouri, Memphis, Tulsa and Yale. Settles’ new Parkview quarterback, Quinten Murphy, committed to Arkansas in June. Murphy will play receiver or defensive back for the Razorbacks.

One thing McFadden didn’t need to worry about when deciding was Nutt’s future. When he got there, that is a different story, but while he was making his decision, Nutt was secure. Not so much for Settles.

The big topic in the offseason has been the job security of Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman after Arkansas limped to a 4-8 finish last season. Like Murphy said earlier this summer, Settles is confident Arkansas will save Pittman’s job this fall.

“I’m not worried about it,” Settles said. “I feel like Arkansas is going to have a winning season this year, and if something does happen, I am good, still. I think they’re going to have a good season.”

Settles’ optimism comes from the new faces that came to the program, both in the lineup and on the sidelines.

“They have Coach [Bobby] Petrino, and that is going to be a big factor,” Settles said. “I saw the spring game, and they looked good with add-ons like (transfer quarterback Taylen Green). And Bobby Petrino is a genius with all of that offensive coordinator stuff.”

Shoutout DMac🗣️ @RazorbackFB #WPS pic.twitter.com/mdSw7IQpc7

— Cameron Settles (@settles_cameron) August 4, 2024

McFadden might have been a bit better than Settles in high school, but Settles ran for nearly 1,000 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. He is athletic at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, with 4.5 40-yard dash time and a 315-pound bench press.

He also had to share the ball a lot more than McFadden did as he has a multitude of talented teammates. Settles said playing in Little Rock Parkview head coach Brad Bolding’s system has him prepared.

“Bolding has a college-football-type of feel to his program,” Settles said. “We practice like a college. He treats us like college players, so we have been prepared since the ninth grade for these types of things. We play the best competition. We played 7A (opponents) the past three years.”

McFadden played on playoff teams at now-shuttered Oak Grove High School, but Parkview is enjoying the kind of success that few schools do. The Patriots are the Class 5A two-time defending champions and ride a 25-game win streak heading to the season opener at Melissa (Texas) at the end of the month.

“I won’t be satisfied if we don’t get a three-peat,” he said. “Those types of things don’t come easy. We’ve been working the whole offseason. We are ready. We’ve been competing. We have been competing against the best in practice. We are going to be ready for a winning season. We are trying to go out with a bang.”

The crowd at the event Saturday night was already whipped into a frenzy by the end of the steamy ceremony when Settles finally revealed his decision. After a big cheer, the crowd settled, but it roared again when McFadden came on the projection screen.

That is the effect Settles hopes he has – decades later, fans still cheer him for leading his home-state squad to victory.

“I feel like it is going to be some home-town hero stuff,” he said. “It is going to be big. I want to make Arkansas a winning program.”

-- Nate Olson | nate@scorebooklive.com | @ndosports