Hog Futures Josh Liddell

Liddell's patience pays off

Pine Bluff Dollarway High School's Joshua Liddell, 12, outruns a Gravette defender Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, at Lion Stadium in Gravette.
Pine Bluff Dollarway High School's Joshua Liddell, 12, outruns a Gravette defender Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, at Lion Stadium in Gravette.

Josh Liddell always wanted to play football for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

It was just a matter of working his way through the recruiting process, finding time to think clearly about his decision and then wrapping it up by signing his letter of intent.

Liddell at a glance

CLASS Freshman

HEIGHT 6-2

WEIGHT 198 pounds

SCHOOL Pine Bluff Dollarway

NOTEWORTHY Rushed 112 times for 1,278 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior while completing 44 of 58 passes for 1,257 yards and 15 touchdowns. … Had 24 unassisted tackles, 21 assisted tackles, 3 interceptions and 11 pass breakups at safety. …Member of the All-Arkansas Preps and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Metro teams. … Chose Arkansas over scholarship offers from Arkansas State, Boise State, Memphis and others.

It also didn't hurt that Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema showed up at Pine Bluff Dollarway to formally offer him a scholarship.

Liddell initially committed to Arkansas State and was courted heavily by Bryan Harsin after he left the Red Wolves to take the head coaching job at Boise State. Still, after participating in two summer camps at Arkansas, Liddell got his wish when Bielema and tight ends coach Barry Lunney Jr. came to see him in mid-January. After an official visit a few weeks later, Liddell signed with Arkansas in the spring.

Liddell knows it was the right move.

"I definitely wanted to be here from the beginning," said Liddell, who is projected to play safety at Arkansas but is a possible candidate at running back and wide receiver as well. "I want to play somewhere to take advantage of all my skills, and I knew I could make a difference coming here."

Dollarway Coach Cortez Lee said Liddell is the kind of student-athlete the Razorbacks should have on their radar.

"He's a class act," Lee said. "Everything he does shows he was reared right. He is also the caliber of athlete the University of Arkansas is looking for. He was overlooked, but then he caught some momentum and everyone started calling.

"He went with the SEC, and the SEC is the best of the best."

Liddell, 6-2, 198 pounds, 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash, rushed 112 times for 1,278 yards and 21 touchdowns while leading the Cardinals to a 13-1 record last season and completed 44 of 58 passes for 1,257 yards and 15 touchdowns. He had 24 unassisted tackles, 21 assisted tackles, 3 interceptions and 11 pass breakups at safety before eventual Class 4A state champion Booneville knocked Dollarway out in the semifinals of the playoffs.

Lee said two plays Liddell made convinced him that he was coaching a potential Division I athlete.

"The first play showed how tough he was mentally," Lee said. "The game was tight early on, and I was arguing a call on a 60-yard touchdown he scored that got called back. Josh came to me, trying to calm me down, and said, 'Coach, I got this.' He went out on the very next play and threw a touchdown pass like it was nothing.

"The second showed more of his physical skills. We were playing [Helena] and had a fourth-and-16, and we went for it. They brought eight guys. He made two players miss that were shooting the gap, then stepped up and delivered the ball 50 yards on time for a touchdown."

Liddell seemed humbled by his former coach's praise when asked about the two plays.

"Yeah, I did tell Coach Lee I got it on the first one," Liddell said. "The second one, we needed someone to make a play and I just happened to be part of making it work."

Liddell also showed he could shine while playing in poor conditions as well, scoring three touchdowns against Ashdown in a 2013 playoff game that was played in a downpour.

He led 11- and 12-play drives for touchdowns in the rain, capping each with a short scoring run. He also threw a 72-yard touchdown pass that gave the Cardinals a 20-7 lead on their way to a 44-7 victory as they advanced to the next round of the playoffs.

"Josh can be utilized in many different facets," Lee said. "He is a ball hawk at safety. He can be used at a skill position and on special teams. I think most definitely he is a free safety, an interception type guy whose best asset will be a cover safety. He is a smart player with great instincts who has a calming influence over others around him."

At Arkansas, Liddell said he will play wherever he is asked.

"I am coming in with a great work ethic, trying to use my instincts and speed and fitting in wherever the coaches put me," he said.

Sports on 07/23/2014

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