LITTLE ROCK — Former Vols RB now a Red Wolf
Former Tennessee running back David Oku signed a letter of intent to play football at Arkansas State on Wednesday and enrolled for summer classes in Jonesboro, according to a release from the school.
Oku will be eligible to play this fall at ASU and will have two seasons of eligibility. He left the Volunteers’ football team in January 2011 and sat out last season while remaining enrolled at Tennessee, according to the school.
ASU Coach Gus Malzahn was not available for comment early Wednesday evening, a school spokesman told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He did not issue a statement in the release announcing the addition of Oku.
Oku, a native of Midwest City, Okla., was a highly regarded prospect out of Carl Albert High School, where he rushed for 1,905 yards and 23 touchdowns on 286 carries during his senior season in 2008.
Rated as a four-star prospect, the 5-10, 210-pounder was ranked No. 97 nationally by Rivals and third in Oklahoma as he earned Super Prep All-American honors.
But in 2010 for the Volunteers, Oku rushed for only 174 yards on 42 carries, and lost his role as Tauren Poole’s backup to freshman Rajion Neal at points in the season. During his freshman season, Oku was the third running back behind fellow freshman Bryce Brown and Montario Hardesty, rushing for 94 yards and 2 touchdowns on 23 carries.
Oku did find a role as a return specialist for the Volunteers, handling 33 kickoff returns for 863 yards as a freshman. He averaged 26.2 yards per return, ranking him second among SEC freshman that season.
But his slow start elicited criticism from Volunteers Coach Derek Dooley early in Oku’s sophomore season. After that, Oku didn’t have a carry during the October stretch of the 2010 campaign.
“I’ve seen nothing from him,” Dooley told The News-Sentinel in Knoxville, Tenn. “I don’t think he’s running with any conviction.”
A month later, Oku didn’t hint at any strife or frustration with a lack of playing time.
“I mean, as a player you don’t see it. But I guess coaches see it sometimes different,” Oku told The News-Sentinel. “I was wondering myself what happened. I didn’t go in and question it or ask any questions or anything like that. I was just like, ‘All right, ride it out and see what happens.’ That’s basically just what happened.”
In July 2011, Oku was arrested on a misdemeanor domestic assault charge after arguing with a woman he lived with over paying a utility bill. According to court records, Oku grabbed the woman and pushed her to the ground and left scrapes on her knees after she asked him to leave the residence, The Associated Press reported. He was released on $1,000 bond.
- Matthew Harris NACDA DIRECTORS CUP Razorbacks finish No. 20 in standings
The University of Arkansas finished 20th nationally among college sports programs this school year in tracking done for the Directors Cup and announced by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of America.
The 811 points accumulated by the Razorbacks’ 19 teams - led by the men’s track and field team (second indoors and eighth outdoors), baseball team (tied for third at the College World Series) and football team (fifth in the final polls) - was their most since the current scoring system was adopted in 2000.
The Directors Cup awards points for up to 20 sports per school, and Arkansas ranked second among teams with 19 or fewer sports while being the top 25 overall for the fourth time in five years.
- Bob Holt HIGH SCHOOLS LRSD superintendent recommends interim AD
Little Rock School District Superintendent Morris Holmes has recommended Junious Babbs as the district’s interim athletic director.
Babbs, a retired LRSD administrator, would replace Johnny Johnson, who was named Russellville’s athletic director earlier this year.
Holmes’ recommendation is scheduled to go before the LRSD Board of Directors today.
Sports, Pages 19 on 06/28/2012